Batumi to Host 3rd Int’l Advertising Festival

Interview

On September 21-23, the third International Advertising Festival ‘Ad Black Sea’ will be held in Batumi. GEORGIA TODAY talked to Vato Kavtaradze, co-founder of the festival.

Where did the idea come from?

Such festivals boost the development of the relevant industry in the country. There are not many countries that enjoy such festivals. It demands a lot of effort and we began thinking about the festival some 5-6 years ago, because it needed planning and inserting into the international calendar. The first took place in 2015, with State support, as well as with the involvement of advertising workers and the private sector.

How important is such a festival for Georgia?

Very important and very special, because it helps to raise the bar and the quality of the industry. Batumi is the best place for festivals of this kind as there is a nice atmosphere of sea, sun and people gathering to socialize and share their experiences. The festival stands on three pillars: contest, educational program (seminars and workshops), and entertainment (hanging out and having fun). As I said, Batumi is the best place for all three.

What are the contest categories?

FMCG (Fast- Moving Consumer Goods), Other Consumer Products (Including Durable Goods), Consumer Services, Media, Entertainment and Leisure, Social Advertising and Charity, and Others.

Which countries will be participating?

Around twenty countries, mostly countries from our region, i.e. the post-Soviet space. The states from the Black Sea region, as well as the Baltic countries, will be there as will a number of entries from Eastern Europe. Perhaps one day we will broaded our scope, but for the time being what we have more than satisfies the requirements of the region.

Tell us about the jury

They are: Jean-Paul Lefebvre, a Creative Director from Belgium; Rimantas Stanevicius, Creative Director from Lithuania; Andrei Copots, Executive Director, Ukraine; Ants Tonnison, Creative Director from Estonia; Giorgi Kvlividze, Senior Art Director from Georgia; Can Faga, Executive Creative Director from Turkey; and Gleb Glonti, Creative Director from Russia. Each year, we try to put one Georgian to represent the country as we hope that it helps the integration of international expertise to the Georgian industry.

What about the award?

The award is specially designed and totally unique. It is made with plastic that is washed out by the Black Sea. With that we also fulfill some sort of social responsibility that makes a statement about the environment that we are serving. We hope that this is something that shows our perspective and vision as one of socially responsible. This special award stands out from all other awards that exist in the world.

Has there been progress since 2015 in the advertising sphere?

Definitely. The industry is developing, growing. The quality of produced advertisements from certain agencies is getting better and I think we are all contributing to that improvement.

What are the expectations for the festival this year?

Expectations are always good. This year, we are holding the festival together with the Check in Georgia project with the support of the Ministry of Economy and the government. We hope that this contribution will strengthen the festival and make it bigger. The collaboration of the government and the private sector is always appreciated.

What will make this festival differ from previous ones?

We always try to make some improvements. There are several surprises that we are preparing for participants. Surprises usually come from the weather, too- the first festival was sunny, while the second saw continuous downpours! Let’s see what happens this time.

Registration is open until September 17. Interested parties should go to: www.adblacksea.com

Maka Lomadze