Great campaigns rarely begin as big things. Sometimes, a few words, an image, a detail from everyday life or an association that someone on the team decides not to dismiss too quickly are enough. From that first impulse to a campaign that can withstand the scrutiny of the audience, the client, the market and, ultimately, the profession, there are usually many more decisions than can be seen in the finished work.
Those are precisely the kinds of works KAKTUS 2026 will once again be looking for this autumn. Following the close of submissions for this year’s awards on 21 September, the composition of the expert jury that will decide on the best individual and integrated campaigns from the past year is now also known.
This year’s jury brings together 30 professionals from companies, creative, PR and digital agencies across the region, divided into two groups according to the type of work they will evaluate. The awards are presented in 25 categories and are intended for organisations, companies, institutions and agencies for the highest-quality and most professionally executed individual and integrated campaigns.
Two juries, 30 perspectives on regional creativity
Individual works will be evaluated by the single-channel jury, chaired by Vasilije Ćorluka, Commerce and Business Development Director at Publicis Groupe, Adriatic Region. He was elected chairman by a majority vote of the jury members.
Alongside him, the single-channel jury includes Alan Divković, Creative Director, Kofein; Aleksandar Sazdovski, Creative Director, New Moment Skopje; Ana Jancevska Jordanovska, Brand and Communication Director, NLB Banka Skopje; Blaž Kocjančić, Creative Director, Internavti; Darko Milovanović, Marketing Director, HEINEKEN Srbija; Edin Bešlić, Creative Lead, McCann Sarajevo; Ivana Milinković, Art Director, Agencija 101; Jakov Vilović, Creative Director, Utorak; Joško Jureškin, Creative Director, I TO NIJE SVE!; Maja Knežević, Marketing and Communication Director, Addiko Bank Srbija; Marija Trkulja, Creative Exellence Manager, Bambi; Nataša Milutinović, Creative Director, SIVO; Nikola Jovanović, Managing Director, Havas Adriatic, and Nikola Kostoski, Marketing Director, Dr. Max Srbija.
Works in the integrated categories will be evaluated by the multi-channel jury, headed by Nikola Žinić, Founder & Brand & Creative Strategist at 5068.agency. He was also elected chairman by a majority vote of the jury members.
The jury also includes Anselmo Tumpić, Executive Creative Director and Co-owner, Studio Tumpić/Prenc; Danka Trbojević, Marketing Director, Merin Group; Dejan Spirkoski, Creative Director, Saatchi&Saatchi Skopje; Drago Mlakar, Creative Director, Luna\TBWA Ljubljana; Dubravka Petrović, Creative Director, McCann Beograd; Đuro Radosavović, Creative Director, New Moment New Ideas Company; Hrvoje Filipčić, Marketing Director, Perutnina Ptuj Group; Katja Butala, Head of Marketing Communications, NLB Group; Martin Atanasovski, Marketing Director, The Coca-Cola Company; Petra Krulc, Regional Chief Strategic Creativity Officer, Futura DDB; Siniša Waldinger, Creative Director, Bruketa&; Stefan Dimitrijević, CPD Marketing Director, L’Oréal Adria-Balkan; Uroš Goričan, Partner & Creative Director, Dobre zgodbe, and Vladimir Mitrović, Creative Director, Ovation BBDO.
Ideas that endure
The cactus was chosen as the festival’s symbol from the very beginning precisely because of its ability to survive where conditions are far from ideal. It needs only a basic stimulus to continue growing, and the festival applies the same logic to creative ideas.
They often begin simply: with an association, a story, a symbol or a memory. The difference lies in what the team does with that initial impulse, how far it manages to develop it, turn it around and transform it into communication that the audience can recognise as relevant.
That is why KAKTUS 2026 will once again be looking for campaigns and projects that go beyond the obvious and that, despite the conditions in which they are created, manage to find an effective way to reach their target groups.
The 12th regional integrated communications festival KAKTUS 2026 will be held on 4 and 5 November at Cineplexx Galerija in Belgrade. For the third consecutive year, the festival will have a regional character, bringing together ideas, individuals, brands and agencies while highlighting the strength of regional creativity and opportunities for networking within the industry.
