Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Ekrem Dupanović
Photo: Mojca Briščik and Milka Pogliani,
Photos by: Žiga Intihar
As soon as the curtain on this year’s Golden Drum came down, preparations started for the next, jubilee edition. In fact, one group has been working hard on defining the competition program for the next year for several months now. It will be a great feast of creativity, especially important for the Adriatic region. In its early years, the region and the Golden Drum went hand in hand, but then they split apart, and no one really knows why. The love between the region and the Festival rekindled last year, continued with more passion this year, and the next year the two should finally fully return to each other. That is why I think that the next year is of particular importance and that the entire year should in some way bear the marks of the Golden Drum. Media Marketing will certainly make its contribution to that.
However, first we need to draw the bottom line for this year’s festival. And what better way to do that than by talking with Mojca Briščik, the director of the Slovenian Advertising Chamber and the president of the Golden Drum.
MEDIA MARKETING: Now that the adrenaline has subsided, and the excitement washed off, what are your impressions of this year’s Golden Drum?
Mojca Briščik: Even with a much more sober head, the feelings remain very inspirational – the Golden Drum is keeping track with the times, it is expanding the notion of the region, and is defining the future of Europe. Satisfied participants are the best reflection of the effort that was invested in the preparation and realization of this year’s festival. Unlike last year, when due to my arrival into the Chamber, we could devote only half a year to the preparations of the festival, we started preparing this year’s festival intensively immediately as the previous one ended, and all that effort was recognized in all segments this year.
MEDIA MARKETING: All the people I spoke with were very satisfied, and say the festival was better than the previous one and that, if it continues like this, it could soon live up to its former glory. What are the opinions reaching you?
Mojca Briščik: That’s right, the reactions are very positive. More than by praise we are delighted by the suggestions on whom we could include in the jury and with which speakers we could celebrate the 25th Golden Drum jubilee. That tells us that the participants and partners see the future of the festival and that we are on the right track.
MEDIA MARKETING: What are you especially pleased about? What is it that you believe you are especially good at?
Mojca Briščik: I would point out both the competition and the program part. At the helm of all three juries we had exceptional individuals and distinguished creatives – John Mescall, Bruno Bertelli and, at Young Drummers Competition, Tereza Sverakova. They were exceptionally constructive and objective in leading the juries, which is very important to us organizers. For applicants in the competition part, the credibility of the decisions of prominent colleagues who choose the very best is crucial. And, since I’m mentioning creative works, this year independent agencies sent about 40% of all entered works. It seems to me that the Golden Drum specifically stands out in that sense.
I would use this opportunity to thank the team who stood beside the jury presidents and made a significant contribution to the successful realization of the competition. They are Vice President of the Festival Stojan Pelko and directors of competition Špela Oblak and Miha Bevc.
The program of lectures this year hosted “seasoned cats” and young creatives on the big stage. Also successful was the afternoon Friday program, Young Influencers and the presentation of best Young Drummers’s works, which is certainly an additional motivation for Golden Drum and tells us that in the future we should pay special attention to the recognition of young talents.
MEDIA MARKETING: Who among the speakers left the greatest impression on you personally?
Mojca Briščik: Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear all of them, though I wanted it so much. Bearing in mind that this year we had 30 speakers – some came at the recommendation of friends and partners of Golden Drum – it is very ungrateful to set aside someone. However, if I have to do it, then I would like to highlight Fernando Vega Olmos from Argentina, a speaker with a soul who runs the advertising agency Picnik in Spain. Fernando remains true to his ideas and beliefs. After all these years in advertising, he still believes that the best is yet to come.
MEDIA MARKETING: Is that all that you will remember this year’s Golden Drum for, or is there more?
Mojca Briščik: Besides the competition and lectures, I will remember the positive energy between the speakers and the audience, which was evident from the accessibility of the speakers even after the lectures, and then from the collegiality that developed among the members of the jury… The guests praise the festival’s hospitality by which the Golden Drum is becoming recognizable. Often the important good things are hidden from plain sight, to which we, as a team, are very dedicated to.
MEDIA MARKETING: Golden Drum is returning to Portorož next year. Agencies rejoiced the news, as is evident from the thundering applause in the hall after the announcement that GD is returning to its roots.
Mojca Briščik: A year and a half ago, when I took over the lead of the Golden Drum, we wanted to mark the 25th anniversary where it all began. Due to the available capacities and some of the circumstances at the time, in the beginning that was just wishful thinking. Today, the picture is different: Due to the new circumstances and changes that have happened in the meantime, Portorož may again offer the right conditions for organizing an international festival next year, which is a great pleasure for us. For the 25th anniversary we return to our roots.
MEDIA MARKETING: The jubilee next year mandates some special effort. For some time now a working group has been working on proposal of the best competition content. Who are the members of this task group, and what do you expect from them?
Mojca Briščik: For the 25th Golden Drum, on behalf of the Slovenian Advertising Chamber, I invited to the Competition Council Janez Rakušček (Luna TBWA), Mitja Tuškej (Direct Media), Petra Krulc (Grey Ljubljana) and Uroš Goričan (Pristop) who are led by Stojan Pelko in preparing a re-design of the competition program and have been working since the spring of this year. I can say that the foundations are already in place.
Personally, I believe that Golden Drum, along with their professional help, will step out of the usual framework and choose a path that other festivals have not yet recognized. The Golden Drum in that sense is becoming more brazen, and I believe this decision will pay off in the long run.
MEDIA MARKETING: What is your personal, intimate wish for the next Golden Drum?
Mojca Briščik: Certainly, I want to have more guests join us next year, primarily from the Adriatic region, and that two outstanding people who have traced their mark in the world of advertising agree to come and hold their lectures. Who they are will remain a secret for now.
Otherwise, I can already announce one exceptional lecturer, who will return to the Golden Drum stage next year after twelve years. He is Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher of the world renown. His thoughts have already left his mark at his first appearance, and in the meantime he has literally conquered the world, so we can hardly wait for him.
MEDIA MARKETING: Paideia Events once again passed the test this year?
Mojca Briščik: Among the organizers, the Slovenian Advertising Chambers and its partner, Paidea events, we do not make “us” “them” distinction. We strive for the same goal – to make a successful festival – we are working in-sync and we succeeded this year as well. As long as the Golden Drum is our joint project, we will all be fully engaged! And that’s basically the only thing that counts.