Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Ekrem Dupanović
Slovenian Advertising Festival (SOF) last year thoroughly refreshed its competition program. But as the advertising and communications industry is constantly changing, every year some adjustments and touch-ups are necessary. This year, “grooming” of the competition program was in the hands of the Competition Program Council, led by Tanja Mezga, head of projects in the design agency Gigodesign. Tanja has been involved in the organization of some thirty communications festivals in different capacities, and she was also a co-founder to one of them (Magdalena Maribor).
Media Marketing: Since we don’t often have a chance to write about Gigodesign, tell us what’s new in the agency?
Tanja Mezga: One of the nicer sides of working in a design agency is that our work is never monotonous: each project brings something new, and with many projects we get a new client with whom later, on the basis of good experiences and mutual trust, we cooperate on new projects. Such new things are perhaps the most beautiful part of it all, because they usually give the best results.
In addition, since the last time Media Marketing wrote about Gigodesign, we have expanded our successful business to new areas – the areas of Service Design and Users Research. We just recently completed such a project for one of our long-time clients. In the process, we learned a lot and the results positively surprised our client. We believe there will be more such projects in the future. Our Miha Klinar is currently in Belgrade where he is lecturing on Design Management at the invitation of Nova Iskra.
Media Marketing: What was the last product you “created”, or the last project you worked on?
Tanja Mezga: There are more of them. In addition to the aforementioned user research there was, for example, Seascape 24, the second boat for the same client, which in this year’s Boot Düsseldorf won the award for the boat of the year. There was also the innovative concept for trailers of Adria Mobil, called Adria Aviva, which was awarded as the best concept of vacation trailer. Then there was Scoutee – a smart radar to measure the speed balls in sports. Bimeo – aid in the rehabilitation of neuro-motoric diseases and conditions … In the graphics and communications field we have redesigned the Loto, the oldest game of the Slovenian Lottery, and designed the identity of their new hit game Tiki Taka. For Gorenje, we prepared a campaign on the occasion of 25th anniversary of their support for the Slovenian Nordic skiers. In the end – perhaps most current news for Slovenia from our business – for the partners of the new Nordic center in Planica we have prepared the project Roads of Experience at Planica. The project brings added value to the partner companies in the form of constant presence in content rich story that goes far beyond the usual appearance in posters and banners, and brings additional interest for visitors to the location in the valley under Ponce.
Media Marketing: This year you were the head of the team that redefined SOF competition program. Why was that necessary?
Tanja Mezga: The world is changing, and with it, our industry. With the changes we follow the novelties, and every year, as far as possible, we adapt to the needs of participants. You know the saying: “There’s no rest while we’re rebuilding!”
Apart from me, the Competition Program Council (STP SOF), under the auspices of the Slovenian Advertising Chamber, included: Urša Pučko, Jernej Špende, Tine Lugarič, Petra Muth Zupanc, Boštjan Napotnik, Toni Tomašek, Andraž Zorko and Mija Gačnik Krpič, who is also the president this year’s festival.
Media Marketing: What’s new in the SOF competition program?
Tanja Mezga: This year’s changes in terms of content are more of an upgrade of last year’s thorough renewal of SOF’s competition program. Over time, we found that we always have to give time to participants to recognize the changes and adopt them; therefore I will present only the most obvious:
- We have expanded the category Social Good that was introduced last year. In addition to the Social & charity, now we also have Social Commercial projects as an incentive to all actors on the market (non-commercial and commercial) which in any way improve our society and environment (goodvertising).
- Under Radio Communication we have added Other Forms of Branded Radio Communication where we invite all the radio stations and all others who create modern content for radio. Nothing is as it was so the radio is also spreading to other communication channels …
This year will be the second live competition for young creatives at SOF, similar to how they do it at the Cannes Lions Festival, to which our winning team will travel as a reward. Last year premiere of live briefs and 24-hour competition were met with a great response among the young people. This year we expect even better response. The challenge will be interesting, jury will be strict, and award, as always, enticing.
Media Marketing: Do you think that changes that you and your team have made will increase the number of entries and yet facilitate jury’s work?
Tanja Mezga: Changes are, of course, made to that end. We want the national festival to present the annual harvest of our profession. At the same time, every year we want to invite to SOF applicants who have not recognized it as their own festival yet, because we noticed new and fresh ideas in many communication projects, which are not traditional participants of SOF, and we will be very happy if they join us this year.
The jury is also a good indicator of freshness in our industry and high professional standards. Gal Erbežnik, president of the jury, is one of the most recognizable and most respected Slovenian creative directors. In the jury are also: Gregor Ahman, one of the most awarded creatives of Slovenia who lives and works outside Slovenia; Vasilije Ćorluka, last year one of the most awarded creative directors in the region. Matej Praprotnik brings to the jury freshness of media which are characterized by creative transformation within the “old” media ecosystem; Katja Petrin Dornik, Matija Kocbek, Miha Bevc and Tine Lugarič represent a collection of several of the most renowned modern and innovative Slovenian creative and art directors; and Peter Šepetavc adds to the jury broad digital and technological knowledge.
Media Marketing: Are you monitoring the entries? Are results visible?
Tanja Mezga: Let’s wait for the entry deadline to expire. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, and I would use this opportunity to invite all those who make their decisions last-minute to register.