By: Jana Savić Rastovac, Executive Creative Director, McCann Belgrade
Photo: Mentors of the eighth Creative Express workshop
At the 8th Creative Express held in Riga, the two-day educational program co-organized by the Art Directors Club of Europe and the Latvian Art Directors Club, 32 young creatives from 16 different European countries were selected by their respective local associations, and asked to work together to tackle a real-world business challenge.
As one of the award-winning senior creatives at the educational session designed to provide professional training and promote young European creatives, I mentored a team of young creatives. In order to convey all the important messages from the creative workshops, I talked to Mercè Segú, ADCE Executive Director, Annija Mežgaile, Head of the Latvian Art Directors Club, and Hans Peter Albrecht, Creative Partner at The Wunderwaffe & Creative Express Director.
ADCE is one of the most iconic brands in the advertising industry, so I wanted to know what does ADCE stand for today. “The ADCE strongly believes in the strength of a European connected, collaborative and diverse creative community that, through creativity, can solve many different complex problems. It is the platform where the European creatives join together to foster, explore, celebrate and promote creativity as a multi-solution approach. Moreover, we do this through education, exchange knowledge and promote excellence in creativity,” said Mercè.
The Creative Express is just one of the baby programs run by ADCE. It gives experienced senior creatives a chance to work closely with youngsters. “The Creative Express is a project with lots of benefits at once – for young creatives, for the members of the member clubs, (a bit) for the creative industry, and for the fantastic idea of Europe. The young participants benefit from working with top creative mentors on a real clients briefing. They work with other creatives they met just a minute ago, in a foreign language in an inspiring surrounding. The young talents have the chance to build their own European / international network, experience deeply the idea of Europe, and hopefully – spread it. The benefits for the others are obvious. The better young talents are coached and educated for agencies, companies, industry. The Creative Express brings the idea of Europe alive,” explained Hans Peter, and added: “Times have changed. The classic Ad-business has lost the Mad Man-Status. Bad? No. Young people have – and develop – other, new ways to make the dream of a creative life come true. To be paid for having crazy ideas. In addition, there is endless, borderless young talent in Europe. Just wonderful to see how the „younger“ members of the European idea help to keep the creative fire burning. I’d like to give an advice – use Creative Express to exchange, talk, learn, grow.”
Apart from the various educational activities, the ADCE also hosts the ADCE awards and the ADCE festival. “The ADCE Awards is a unique contest were only local winners from European national awards compete together. They are judged by a selected international jury who assess which are the best works in Europe for one year. The ADCE Awards want to promote the excellence in European creativity by enhancing the best local works in a diverse creative Europe. The ADCE Awards sets the highest benchmark of creative excellence in Europe,” Mercè said. “The ADCE Festival, it is the place for the creative community to meet once a year to be inspired, learn and exchange experiences, around a specific topic. This year we are going to honor the people who already today are working through creativity for a better world, tackling issues like sustainability, diversity and integration. Talks, workshops, networking spaces and installations will be programmed during 2 days in Barcelona (8-9 November) and the ADCE Awards will be announced at the end of the Festival.”
LADC is the co-host of the Creative Express educational sessions. It represent a platform where local talents can meet and exchange experience. “LADC is a space where they can share knowledge and, more importantly, be connected,” Annija says. LADC has a few important projects – one of them is Ad School – not only the students get a fast intro into magic of creating the ads, but it is a perfect spot to be discovered as all the lecturers are key people in the industry. Another is the local ad festival “Adwards”. “For 13 years we have managed to get fantastic international and local jury. To get Grand Prix or be nominated for Agency of the year is a big honor and something everybody is very proud of. Seminars and lectures are an important task for LADC as well – through our proactive board we have brought to Riga some stars, such as – Sir John Hegarty, Stefan Sagmeister, Chuck Porter, Keith Reinhard, Dave Trott and many more,” she adds.
In conclusion, the interviewees have agreed on a must-have thing for every local ADCE club, which is – members, the best talents in the country, different creatives from design to photography, sound and film. ADCE club holds together the industry – so meet ups and parties are as important as education and inspiration.
