Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
We recently published a text that was sent to us by Angela Buljan Šiber, founder and director of the IZONE Zagreb agency. Angela and Dunja Ivana Ballon, the director of HURA, recently travelled to Geneva, to attend the Digital Design Days conference – the world’s largest digital conference, to learn more about the organization of top conferences, since they’ve been part of the organizing team of the Days of Communications since its beginnings. This is the most relevant event of the Croatian communications industry.
They heard a lot of interesting things in lectures, but in terms of organization of large conferences, they learned nothing new. Why? Simply because Days of Communication, in terms of program, production and organization, belong to the very top of events worldwide – and it’s an event that encourages other organizers to come to Rovinj and see how things are done.
Nikola Žinić, Co-Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, is one of those who have been involved in its organization since the day one.
Media Marketing: What was the mission of the festival when it was first launched? Has it remained the same even after a number of successful editions of Days of Communication?
Nikola Žinić: Since the very beginning, we envisaged Days of Communication as the central national gathering, where each year we would celebrate the best of market communications. Initially, it was quite modest, I remember the first festival at the Zagreb Fair, it lasted for one day, we had awards ceremony and an exhibition.
Today, this is truly a central event that is relevant not only for Croatia, but also to the whole region, and along with the awards for the best, the main part of the program has been taken over by educational content with truly top world lecturers as well as locally relevant and current topics.
There is also a bunch of accompanying programs, entertainment and opportunities for socializing, opportunities for participants and students, the wonderful ambience of the Hotel Lone … we can proudly say that all of us who have worked on the festival since its very beginning to date have built something important and unique.
What is important is that from the outset we’ve all been united and uncompromising regarding one thing. To bring top lecturers. To set high criteria in selection. And we have stuck with that to this day. That’s why Days of Communication is breaking records with each consecutive year.
Media Marketing: To which challenges will this year’s festival provide answers? What were the main questions you focused on in preparation of the program?
Nikola Žinić: The hallmark of this festival is the variety of topics and different angles of looking at things.
This year’s program will deal a lot with the proliferation of artificial intelligence as a new space for creativity and interaction with consumers, as well as topics related to privacy and internet safety, fake news, creativity, entrepreneurship and activism through tech
Media Marketing: Festival in numbers – what specific part of success of the festival most fascinates you as one of the organizers?
Nikola Žinić: First and foremost, definitely the number of visitors who year after year break the record. Last year there were three thousand, an increase of 85 percent in just two years. Also impressive is that the festival is supported and covered by more than 100 companies and media, and our experts have entered as many as 244 projects to the festival competitions, which will receive 64 awards based on the assessment of the juries that have 40 members!
Media Marketing: Which lecturers from previous years have left the biggest impression on you, and who do you look forward seeing this year?
Nikola Žinić: I’m sure to remember the creative director of Twitter, Trump’s campaign director and founder of The Pirate Bay. Last year, I was especially impressed by Graham Fink.
It’s hard to pick a favourite among 50 Croatian and international speakers. I would love to hear them all. But I will definitely be in Che-Wei Wang’s lecture. He is an expert in computational and generative design whose knowledge is used by NASA and will talk about whether machines can make aesthetic decisions. I am also interested in what Ralph Echemendia has to say. The man known as The Ethical Hacker will talk about hacking as a creative process.
Of course, I will not miss Sir Martin Sorrell – the biggest star of this year’s festival. Last year I listened to him in Cannes and it’s inspiring to listen to all that experience emanating from him. Particularly important is the moment in which he arrives to the Days of Communication, following his departure from WPP’s leading position and a big change in his life.
Media Marketing: What awaits us in late March in Rovinj? Are there some special surprises you haven’t announced yet?
Nikola Žinić: I’m glad that this year we managed to organize the Quickie in the little grove next to the hotel. It’s a place where you can get answers directly from speakers, after they hold a lecture in the main hall.