Festivals of creativity have a significant role in the professional environment. Recently, festivals have been increasing their influence on the development both of the industry and world economy in general. Festivals also serve as a great source of inspiration, which is so necessary for everyone involved in creativity. We talked about this with the organizers, participants and jury members of one of the international festivals of creativity – «White Square». Every year entries from more than 35 countries take part in the Festival, including Europe, the USA, China, MENA region, CIS countries, Asia, Latin America and others. White Square annually updates the contests and nominations while sharing the principles of socially responsible marketing, peacefulness and upholding universal human values. The call for entries is open till April 28, 2023.
Which concept underlies White Square International Festival of Creativity, and why do you think holding the festival is important?
Alena Ustinovich, founder of White Square International Festival of Creativity:
This year White Square Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary. It's not so much, but it's still very significant for the project. While creating the festival, we used an ascetic white square as the basis of the concept and name, which initially became a kind of symbol of creativity in advertising for us. After all, it is from a blank sheet of white paper that ideas, behind which strong brands later emerge, are most often created. For us, advertising is art, but an applied art that performs certain marketing tasks. There are limitations, but there are no limits for the art of the creators. It's a cocktail-festival with the professional excitement, passion and inspiration of advertising artists from different countries. That's why we have subsequently varied the corporate identity, adding facets and colors, but maintaining and promoting the core values: finding the best, pure ideas and encouraging their creators. People in the advertising industry are talented and, to me, really change the world for the better. Hope that we will see a lot of new bright entries and participants this year as well.
What, in your opinion, is the mission of advertising festivals like White Square for the industry?
Steve Colmar, Executive Creative Director, Publicis Groupe Portugal:
It's easy to forget that advertising festivals are more than just awarding the best entries. Most often we focus on recognizing entries, congratulating their creators, celebrating the contribution of brands and rejoicing in the evolution of our industry. To be honest, I personally see the role of festivals not only in this. Festivals are always an exchange of experience, different points of view, new approaches to work, and, of course, interesting people we meet here. Every meeting is a chance to improve yourself. And thus create the future of the industry. Therefore, it is safe to say that the White Square has a high mission: to build a bridge between advertisers and marketers, to create a space where all of us together can create an open future for brands.
Folker Wrage, founder of Wrage / Antwort, Switzerland:
Advertising festivals provide much more than just awards. It's one of the few opportunities for us to spend time away from the office and focus on learning and improving our skills. We make friends, get inspired and become part of a global community. I know of no festival more focused on inspiration and education than White Square. That's why I always try to find a way to be here.
Ali Rez, Chief Creative Director of Impact BBDO MENA, UAE:
Аdvertising festivals are extremely useful because they not only promote creativity as an industry, but also inspire and motivate creatives to create all the best projects. This is the wave that lifts all boats. White Square annually demonstrates a collection of the best works that certainly deserve recognition and promotion.
István Bracsok, Chief Creative Director and founder of White Rabbit Budapest, Hungary:
In a nutshell: if there were no Olympic Games, could someone run 100 meters in less than 10 seconds? In more detail, creative work is the main task of agencies. That is why creativity is the most important criterion for making a decision on choosing an agency. Clients are looking for someone who could offer innovative ideas, impulses and innovative thoughts that they themselves could not come to. Ultimately, prestigious festivals of creativity, such as White Square, serve as a demonstration of the fulfillment of this main industrial task.
Riccardo Rachello, Senior Art Director of Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, the Netherlands:
In my opinion, festivals are an excellent opportunity to take a break and measure the pulse of the industry. I think in any field of activity there is time for action and time to weigh what has been done in order to evaluate your next steps. For the industry as a whole, festivals are the place where works that will become benchmarks for next year are awarded, the time when the industry is thinking about which direction to go in order to match the time.
Michelangelo Cianciosi, Executive Creative Director of DigitalGo, Italy: If it is true that genius is 1% talent and inspiration and 99% hard work, then this one percent is absolutely important! Advertising festivals in general, and such young and innovative ones as White Square in particular, are just the places where I look for inspiration and (why not?) becoming a muse for others!
Tommaso Mezzavilla, Executive Digital Creative Director of Robilant Associati, Italy: For me, participation in the advertising festival means an excellent opportunity to share experiences, establish contacts and develop: this is exactly what happens on White Square. You see thousands of works, you exchange the vision of the future, the role of creativity, creative ideas with people with representatives of the advertising industry from all over the world. This is one of the best places I've ever been to expand my network of contacts. Every year I meet wonderful creatives, talented young people, innovative managers here, and some of them become not even connections, but friends!
Daniele Fiandaca, founder of Token Man Consulting, Great Britain: Festivals like White Square are sources of inspiration. And considering that diversity lies at the very heart of creativity, I enjoyed discovering gems there that are sometimes lost at other festivals due to cultural differences.
Fernando Pérez, Senior Designer of Interbrand, Spain: White Square is a meeting place for minds and creatives, where heads and hearts unite for innovative and bold moves. I hope to convey my vision and experience of combining strategy and creativity from the stage of White Square in order to inspire the participants to take significant steps.
Francesco Guerrera, Chief Creative Director of Different, Italy: The presence of festivals is our huge advantage as an industry, because culture is the last barrier against ignorance that we all see on social networks and around us. Festivals are one of our most important values. The White Square is vital for the region as a breath of fresh air and a new look from the outside. It was the same in Italy, when we decided to establish the IF! festival, thanks to which the reputation of the industry has grown significantly today.
Christoph Nann, General Creative Director of FCB Hamburg, Germany: There are places where the concentration of inspiration is off the scale. Where there is so much inspiration that it seems as if you are breathing not air, but ideas. An example of such places are advertising festivals, and especially judging rooms. For the creative, this is the best "food" that can only be. That's why I love working in the jury so much and that's especially why I'm annually waiting for White Square.
Nikolina Popovic, Creative Director of Grey MENA: I believe in the power of creativity. Undoubtedly, it drives business, influences the development of culture and changes the world. Therefore, advertising festivals are a pure concentrate of amazing results in business, culture and the creative industry. It's like continuously injecting first-class creativity intravenously for several days. You increase your ambitions and expand your horizons. This is exactly what happens on White Square, and even more.
Such festivals as White Square with its spirit of professional drive, excitement and many excellent cases from different countries annually inspires participants with new creative ideas which are prerequisite for successful business in today's economy. Participants from all over the world can submit their projects online in 210 nominations, which cover the whole spectrum of communications, marketing, branding and creative industries.
