Queensland, Australia. Istvan Bracsok ( Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner at White Rabbit)
When can you say that an agency is top-notch?
When it adapts quickly ( this is probably the most important ability nowadays). When it encourages change. When it values talent. When it measures success. When it has the right work culture. When it advertises itself successfully. And last, but by no means least, when it has the courage.
Is the visibility of agencies at festivals relevant to advertisers?
Yes, it is! But you might ask: why? First of all, we should clarify why festivals are important to agencies. In a nutshell: if there were no Olympic Games, would anyone run 100 meters in under ten seconds? Creative work is at an agencies’ core. That’s why creativity is one of the most important decision criteria for when agencies are selected. Clients look for someone who can deliver innovative, and ground-breaking ideas that they themselves could not have come up with. As a result, prestigious creative awards serve to demonstrate the industry’s core task. One can thus say that creative awards turn agencies into more successful agencies. And that makes them attractive for new creative employees, who, in turn, guarantee and increase the quality of the agency. Some people will be strictly opposed, I know. But hey, I’m a CCO. And what would happen to the industry if creative leaders didn’t believe in the power of creativity anymore?
What do you like, what would you add and what would you change about advertising festivals?
My favorite thing when it comes to a festival is the rock’n’roll kinda’ feeling that you can still feel when you are there. Ok, I know it was way more rock’n’roll in the past, but i guess those days are gone forever. But on a more serious note: I always love to see the work that makes a huge impact on our industry and culture as well. They give me inspiration, and make me jealous. I would love to change the entry fee of some of the festivals, just to make it available for smaller shops too.
What advertising festival do you admire the most? Why?
If I can only pick one, it’s D&AD. Do I need to explain why?
Have independent agencies achieved sufficient visibility at these kinds of events?
Some of them have. But it’s all about money again. I’m totally positive that there are a lot of small independent agencies/shops out there that have the same high quality standards when it comes to work, but they cannot enter their work into the biggest festivals because they are simply way too expensive for them.
White Rabbit has won at several international festivals. How has it managed to do that?
Well, it’s not easy. Because of the problems I’ve mentioned. These festivals are super expensive, especially if you want to play with the big guys. So, being totally honest, it’s always a big sacrifice for us. But how else could you show the world that you’re able to create extraordinary stuff? It’s a real Catch-22.
What advice would you give to agencies for when it comes time to present their cases at festivals?
Study all the winning stuff. But study them carefully. You need to know all of them. And you need to understand the logic and also the craft. This is the most important thing when it comes to create an award-winning case study.