Authors: Dina Javorić, Ivan Škorić
The most important thing Cannes taught us is the immeasurable value of a simple, good idea. Just one is enough, together with people who believe in it. That is exactly how, at one moment, we were sitting at the Zagreb Fair in the middle of the night, and at another, happily baking in the Cannes sun.
Although our ticket to Cannes was just one idea, once there, we naturally found ourselves in a sea of brilliant ideas and minds. In the festival atmosphere, you feel almost torn, but in a positive way, because there is never enough time, while excellent talks and potentially unforgettable experiences are everywhere. There is nothing left to do but keep moving, sacrifice a little or a lot of sleep, and surrender to the festival’s dynamic atmosphere.
Almost without realising it, we spent several hours studying all the work on display, which became one of our favourite parts of the festival. Many of those projects now live in our photo galleries as an excellent source of inspiration – for the projects we are currently working on, but also as a reminder of the kinds of projects we hope to take part in one day. We were also particularly impressed by how easy it was to start a conversation with anyone. Everyone was extremely approachable and communicative, ready to share their experiences, advice and impressions.
Of course, the main reason for our “lack of time” was that another major task lay ahead of us. As soon as we read the brief, everything was clear: it was extremely fun, but equally, if not more, complex and challenging for us because we had never encountered anything similar before. Our task was to design an installation for the NGO Re:wild that would travel to music festivals and similar events and provide visitors with an interactive experience that would also encourage them to care about the protection of endangered animal species.
Unlike the local competition, this time we had an experience against which we could compare the entire process. In one respect, that made the competition easier for us, although not knowing what to expect sometimes has its advantages. On the other hand, the opportunity to reach the global stage brought considerably greater pressure. Of course, that pressure came entirely from ourselves and from our desire to present ourselves in the best possible light.
Although pressure is an inevitable part of agency life, this competition was an invaluable experience for us because it taught us how to handle it at a much higher level. In just a few days, we went through an intense process that forced us to make quick decisions, trust our own ideas and remain focused even in moments of the greatest uncertainty. That is precisely why the sense of pride and relief we felt after the final presentation before the jury was even stronger.
Cannes truly impressed us on every level. We arrived without overly high expectations, but still with great hope. We left Cannes full of pride, a desire to grow and develop as creatives, and renewed hope – this time, the hope that we will have the opportunity to return one day and once again be part of such a spectacle.
