By: Asja Dupanović
MM: Why should the agencies enter Epica?
Mark Tungate: Rather like the Effies, we occupy a unique place in the industry because we’re different – our jury is made up of journalists who write about creativity and communications. So there’s a natural PR incentive for agencies who want to maintain a high profile in the press. I’d say we generate more press coverage than any other award apart from Cannes.
MM: With the press in something of a crisis, is a jury of journalists still relevant?
Mark Tungate: The press is evolving. It has certainly been disrupted, but it is fighting back with digital subscriptions and new forms of content. I’m a freelance journalist on the side and I can assure you I still have plenty of work! We know that social media can be biased and inauthentic, so solid fact-based journalism is more important than ever. That goes for our jury too: our journalists are strong-minded, independent and objective – remember they can’t even vote for work from their own countries. They are also passionate about great creative work, as they write about it for a living
MM: What is your take on the creativity of the Adriatic region?
Mark Tungate: Epica has a close relationship with the Adriatic region. Indeed, over the years our awards ceremony has been held once in Belgrade and several times in Ljubljana. Creatively speaking, McCann Podgorica, won a Bronze last year with its hard-hitting ‘Unwanted’ campaign, a plea from supposedly unwanted daughters which I found very moving. Meanwhile Pristop from Slovenia won a silver with their funny ‘Brilliant digestion’ online campaign for. It was extremely well crafted, which goes against the theory that countries with access to smaller marketing budgets can’t produce high quality work. Perhaps the budgets are sometimes smaller, but there’s clearly a huge amount of talent in the region.
As the Editorial Director, Mark is responsible for content such as the annual Epica Book, as well as hosting the two juries and the awards ceremony. He is also an author and a journalist.
