The expert juries of BalCannes, the regional creativity competition, have recognized those who stood out with their creative achievements and granted them finalist status!
Who made it to the finals? From 30 March 2026, new finalist projects will be revealed daily – Monday to Friday – on the Media Marketing portal and BalCannes’ Facebook page, continuing until April. This year’s BalCannes project showcase will again take place on social media – leading up to our gathering at DK2026.
Please note that finalists will be announced in alphabetical order by project name, so don’t miss the daily updates!
PROJECT NAME: Metalac – Tu tvit or not tu tvit | ENTRANT: Pioniri Communications | CLIENT: Metalac | COUNTRY: Serbia | CATEGORY: II. Best in Channel: 11. Best Social Media Idea
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
It’s easy to win a title, but try keeping it. Anyone can stir things up, but few can maintain the heat, especially on X, aka Twitter, a network many brands avoid. And Metalac? It dances on the edge even when things boil over. Our challenge was to maintain the status of a regionally unmatched brand on a platform whose content isn’t based on customer complaints. The recipe: react quickly, comment wittily, and stay a brand with a folksy and insightful tone. When Belgrade painted public transport Nemanjic blue, we offered an upgraded design. When Melania Trump chose her inauguration outfit, our followers got “sherpa style” suggestions. When new technologies were discussed, we tried AI—because if it can “cook” an image, Metalac can comment on it too. The results? Over 4M impressions, nearly 1,000 saved bookmarks, 3,000 reposts, and engagement of 166,000.
PROJECT NAME: Moja veza | ENTRANT: Imago Ogilvy | CLIENT: Hrvatski Telekom | STRATEGIC PARTNERS: Riba ribi grize rep, DRAP, 404 / MYTY | COUNTRY: Croatia | CATEGORIES: I. Best on Market: 11. Corporate Communications; II. Best in Channel: 03. Best Print (Ad, Publication, Poster)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Many tutorials aim to introduce seniors to the digital world, but seniors often find them uninteresting. What everyone does find interesting are tabloids. That’s why HT created Moja veza, a magazine designed to promote digital skills among seniors. Moja veza is an online and offline tabloid filled with juicy stories – with a twist: every story is rooted in technology. Each article includes a link to a YouTube tutorial explaining the featured technology. The magazine had all classic tabloid section and explained 50+ digital terms. A total of 20,000 copies were distributed, while the online edition was promoted through media, social media and GDN. The website reached 131,934 active users (50% above the average niche portal) and 245,039 views. YouTube tutorials exceeded 1 million views. 70% of the audience was 45+, GDN CTR reached 1.28% (28% above the global benchmark), and total FB, IG and GDN impressions reached 19,756,206
PROJECT NAME: Music Posters “Music Embroidered in Jazz Sounds” | ENTRANT: Effectiva agency | CLIENT: Halkbank Skopje | COUNTRY: North Macedonia | CATEGORY: II. Best in Channel: 03. Best Print (Ad, Publication, Poster)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
“Music Posters “Music Embroidered in Jazz Sounds”
12 music posters, each inspired by a different Macedonian folk song. Through a contemporary visual language of abstraction, rhythm and emotion, each poster functioned as a visual interpretation of sound and as a bridge between tradition and the contemporary context.
By using modern technology, the posters gained an additional interactive dimension. With a single touch, the audience could listen to the song behind the visual motif. In this way, the poster ceased to be a static communication material and became an experience.
“Music Embroidered in Jazz Sounds” is a project that connects history with the present, using the freedom and improvisation of jazz to transform tradition into a visual, sonic and spatial experience.
A project by Halkbank, aimed at affirming Macedonian folk music through contemporary jazz expression and modern visual communication.
This is not an homage to the past.
This is a dialogue between times and an affirmation of our cultural heritage.
Through this project, Halkbank did not communicate a product or a service, but a value.
As part of Halkbank AD Skopje’s annual corporate event, the posters were exhibited as a spatial installation, while the National Jazz Orchestra performed the same Macedonian folk songs live, reinterpreted through contemporary jazz arrangements.
The audience experienced a multisensory journey where visual language, sound and contemporary Macedonian gastronomy came together.
Find video summaries of past finalists on BalCannes’ Facebook page.
Congratulations to the finalists!Only the very best among them will earn the BalCannes awards and will be announced at the grand award ceremony during DK2026, taking place from 7 to 10 May 2026. See you in Rovinj!
