We came to Bea World 2025 not just to observe, but to witness, and be witnessed. As first-time partners and proud members of this year’s Press Jury, we knew the 20th anniversary of the world’s leading event industry award was going to be special. But nothing quite prepared us for the scale of the ambition, the honesty of the conversations, or the weight of meaning behind this year’s claim: Live! With Respect.
The setting was Rome, of course. Where else would you close a chapter like this one? The Auditorium Parco della Musica, once again, offered the quite necessary acoustics, but it also gave context. History. Presence. And over two days, it became the stage for a record 470 entries from 40 countries, each one vying for the chance to redefine what it means to gather, to move people, to tell stories in real time.
“This is the 20th anniversary year for BEA World. Twenty years of transformations: digital innovation, sustainability, AI, immersive experiences. At every stage, BEA World has interpreted the present and anticipated the future. But what continues to define this award is the humanity that drives it”, commented Salvatore Sagone, President of ADC Group.
A consolidated and distinctive format, structured in three key moments – the juries with the live presentations of the shortlisted projects, the day dedicated to content, and the award ceremony – which represents the beating heart of the event.
As every year, the jury, made up in total of 60 top managers from major spending companies, assigned the coveted Grand Prix and GP Iconic Awards, as well as the category awards.
As press jurors, we had our say, and cast our vote. But we also had the privilege of seeing the work up close. Raw. Live. Projects that made you wish you’d been there. Projects that made you rethink what being there even means. From immersive theatre to AI-driven scenography to quiet revolutions in sustainability and inclusion, the shortlist was proof that this industry doesn’t sit still.
The Grand Prix Gold went to The Breathing Space by Gjensidige, by the Norwegian team at NOSLEEPTILLBROOKLYN. A beautifully considered project that embraced vulnerability, air, and pause as a branding language. The kind of event that doesn’t need to shout to be heard. Silver and Bronze followed with a powerful humanitarian piece from France “Vacances De Ouf – Journée des Oubliés des Vacances 2025 – 80 ans du Secours populaire français” by Auditoire for Secours Populaire Français, and a poetic campaign from Brazil Letters From Simone, by Atenas.ag for Itaú.
The Grand Prix Iconic Award was assigned to the Italian agencies Mosaico Studio and Fondazione Fratelli Tutti for the event “World Meeting on Human Fraternity”. Meanwhile, Experientia from Spain was named Best Event Agency of 2025, and the Press Award, chosen by our peers in the room, went to Strings Of The Soul by Latvia’s Luka.
Was this the year of AI? If you ask Gonçalo Oliveira, president of the 2025 Jury and Director at Deloitte, the answer is yes, but not just because AI was everywhere. It was how it showed up. “We are at the beginning of a real turning point,” he told us. “Projects are already enhancing experience in new ways. In the coming years, those who can embrace this change will gain a huge advantage.”
Still, even with all the algorithms, it was humanity that stood out. That’s been Bea World’s strength for twenty editions. You can digitise processes, automate responses, even synthesize entire narratives, but you can’t fake presence. You can’t fake being in the room.
And then there was the band, a heartbeat on stage. A group of musicians who managed, in just a few carefully chosen songs, to hold the room still. After two days of cutting-edge tech, bold metrics, and standing ovations, it was a voice – live, unfiltered, emotional – that reminded us why we do any of this. In a festival obsessed (rightfully) with the future, it was a powerful return to the now. To presence. To pulse. To the idea that sometimes, the most human thing you can do is share happiness between notes.
We also got a first look at the European Experience Index 2025 by 27Names. The findings?
- AI is powerful — but not magical. 97% of agencies already use it, but many clients expect miracles.
- ROI is elusive. Nearly half of clients still struggle to measure impact.
- Talent is fragile. One in two agencies say retaining the right people is their biggest challenge.
- Trust is currency. Clients say they want bold ideas, but still choose safe ones.
- Sustainability is still underfunded, despite being expected.
Sound familiar?
It should. Because it’s the world we all work in. The one we try to elevate. And events like Bea World, even in their most celebratory moments, do more than hand out trophies. They hold a mirror to the industry. This year, what we saw was promise. And pressure. And poetry.
Next year, Bea moves to Venice, which will be the splendid setting for the 2026 and 2027 editions, hosted in the spaces of the Municipality of Venice managed by Vela Spa. But Rome – this Rome – will be remembered.
See you there. Wherever there leads next.
