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: Signs of inclusion: Inclusivity is the key | ENTRANT: Povem | CLIENT: Mastercard Slovenija | STRATEGIC PARTNER: Zveza društev gluhih in naglušnih Slovenija | COUNTRY: Slovenia | CATEGORY: II. Best in Channel: 07. Best Experiential Advertising & Events
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Mastercard emphasizes the importance of equal opportunities and an inclusive society. The Signs of Inclusion campaign, by highlighting the limitations of Slovenian Sign Language and the importance of financial literacy among the deaf, marked March 1st — the first Slovenian Inclusion Day, unanimously declared by the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia — in a creative way.
In collaboration with the Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People of Slovenia, Mastercard set up a POP-UP installation in front of the Parliament and conducted a social experiment with the message, “Inclusivity is the key.” Visitors gained insight into the world of the deaf and were encouraged to reflect on inclusion. Based on emotional responses, a viral video was created, highlighting the importance of inclusion and reaching over 50,000 views within the first three days.
The National Assembly organized a discussion among politicians, representatives from the initiative (Mastercard included), business, and NGOs to address the challenges of ensuring equal opportunities from the employment, educational, cultural, and everyday perspective.
The European Commission awarded the initiative Signs of Inclusion for its outstanding impact on accessibility, communication, and the inclusion of deaf and hard of hearing people, emphasizing it among European best practices.
PROJECT NAME: Sve smo mi iste #nepobjedive | ENTRANT: I TO NIJE SVE! | CLIENT: BIPA Hrvatska | STRATEGIC PARTNER: Švenk production | COUNTRY: Croatia | CATEGORY: II. Best in Channel: 01. Best TV Spot & Film
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The phrase “All women are the same” is deeply rooted in stereotypes and is often used as an insult, reducing women to simplified and imposed patterns of behavior. On the other hand, saying “You’re not a typical woman,” although framed as a compliment, implies that a “typical” woman exists and that being one is somehow less valuable. The main challenge of the campaign was to question these ingrained narratives and open space for a more authentic and inclusive understanding of female identity.
BIPA transformed the phrase “All women are the same” into a powerful message of unity: “We are all the same.” The solution was an emotional TV spot that, through fast-paced editing, diverse female moments, and a reflective voice-over, exposes stereotypes while celebrating experiences women instinctively recognize in one another. The campaign encouraged women to break free from imposed definitions and find strength in their individuality, together.
PROJECT NAME: Text to Dad | ENTRANT: Futura DDB | CLIENT: Onkoman | COUNTRY: Slovenia | CATEGORIES: I. Best on Market: 07. Health & Pharmacy; IV. Best of Positive Change: 03. Health & Well-being
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
In Slovenia, one in four men over the age of 50 will face prostate cancer, yet this same group is the most likely to avoid preventive check-ups. In fact, 80% say they visit a doctor only when they are seriously ill.
To reach this hardest-to-persuade audience, OnkoMan launched “Text Your Dad”, an initiative that speaks to men through the people they trust most: their children. Instead of addressing fathers directly, daughters and sons were encouraged to create and send an emotional text messages inviting them to book a preventive prostate check-up. A simple message generator transformed a few basic inputs into a personal, heartfelt message, helping start a conversation many find difficult. The choice of channel was deliberate. 86% of the target audience primarily uses text messaging.
Results: 2,000+ messages generated, 10,000+ video invitations shared, a +1,100% increase in calls to OnkoMan, and 120+ media publications nationwide.
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!
