Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
The Croatian national festival of creativity in market communications, Days of Communication, is getting closer (March 28 – March 31). Ahead of this great event, we have conducted a series of interviews, first with some of the lecturers (Mark Earls, Yousef Tuqan Tuqan), then with people who are tasked with catching all the captivating moments from the festival (Ratio video production), and today we bring you the first interview with one of the organizers of the festival.
We talked with Andrea Štimac, a member of the Organizing Committee of the Days of Communication and the founder of Collaborative Expertise. We talked about the rich program this year, and we also got a couple of tips on how to make our stay in beautiful Rovinj as useful and entertaining as possible.
Media Marketing: How would you describe the atmosphere and energy of the Days of Communication to someone coming to the festival for the first time?
Andrea Štimac: Days of Communication is a place of great conversation and inspirational creativity. We will hear world class speakers who will share the ideas that will set the tone for this year. We are part of a career-changing moment when brands, campaigns and agencies win awards. And there are also the parties that can steer the course and development of our industry ? In terms of the program and formal parts of the festival, good practices are promoted, innovative topics are raised to push the boundaries of knowledge, and quality content affects the perception of our industry in the public. Days of Communication are a great opportunity to hear lectures that are current at the Cannes Lions festival, knowledge and trends that are currently in the focus of the industry, but also to start conversations that drive the industry toward better knowledge, business, and results.
Media Marketing: What are the biggest challenges for the organizing committee when preparing the festival?
Andrea Štimac: Top lecturers, current topics and new festival formats – every year. Organization of the Days of Communication is complex and responsible. It is complex because we need to offer our colleagues from the field of market communications a variety of top lecturers and events during the festival. And it is responsible because industry experts organize the festival for their colleagues, but also for themselves. There is incredible enthusiasm and energy when colleagues by profession and competitors in business work together to organize this festival. There are so many different experts and personalities with the same goal – to have a top festival every year, with topics that are discussed at world’s biggest conferences, but which is also relevant from the perspective of the needs of the market in which our experts work.
Media Marketing: Which challenges will this year’s Days of Communication tackle? What were the major issues you focused on when preparing the program?
Andrea Štimac: Some of the topics will be artificial intelligence and creativity, personalization of market communication and privacy on the internet, voice tech and similar topics that we meet on a daily basis. The most important thing is that we bring top experts who will talk about the best global practices and topics from world conferences. Since the topics are relevant from the perspective of the market’s needs, it certainly influences new knowledge and motivation. Every year, we have more and better content outside the main hall – panels, presentations and innovative conference formats, and thus we positively influence on dissemination of new knowledge and the direction of industry development. This year, I would recommend the participants to google the program thoroughly, especially the one outside the main hall. I recommend you make a personalized schedule for all three days.
Media Marketing: Organizers once again did great job, with some big stars announced. Which speakers will grab most attention this year? Who are you excited to see there?
Andrea Štimac: For me personally, it would be Matt Biespiel. The man won 88 Cannes Lions. And you already heard his words “Data make you right. Technology makes you meaningful. But creativity makes you special.”
My recommendation would also be Steve Vranakis – Executive Creative Director at Google Creative Lab, Yousef Tuqan – Design & Innovation Principal Director at Accenture Interactive, and of course Sir Martin Sorrell.
I would also add India’s first female creative director and this year’s ambassador of the Cannes Lions initiative: See It Be It, Swati Bhattacharya.
We also have the new “Spark the conversation” format, and I will have the honour to host Swati Bhattacharya in the panel on the topic: Women leading the change: make each other shine. Through conversation over Rosé and informal socializing with the festival participants, we will talk about a new generation of women-creators, accelerating their career, motivation and supporting others in their career. We will talk about redefining the image of women’s creative leadership that is a key imperative today for the industry that wants to attract the best talents, boost innovation and prosper in the future.
Media Marketing: What is new this year on the festival, and what would you recommend to everyone who will visit the festival this year?
Andrea Štimac: We are preparing a lot of novelties – peculiar and special. This year, after they hold the lecture on the 360 stage, we will take our lecturers to a quickie – or to be more precise, to the Quickie Hall, which is located in the grove of Hotel Lone, where the guests can have a Q&A with the speakers. The questions and the dialogue are actually the platform of the festival, so you will have the opportunity to watch the lectures from the main hall in several places: on the large LED display at the lobby of the hotel, at the Lone Club over coffee, on the terrace of the hotel Lone in the sun and even in the five-star pool at the hotel Lone. So, please, bring your swimsuit.
