Alexey Fedorov, Executive creative director, BBDO Moscow, joined CREATIVE jury of White Square international advertising festival and shared his opinion about current industrial questions. In 2020 his works won about 100 awards, including D&AD, Epica, Cresta, Adstar, White Square, Effie Europe and Effie Russia and many others.

—  2020 has been challenging for the communication industry in every country around the globe. What professional experience or lesson that could be named as a discovery have you got?

—  It was very interesting to observe how our business and its processes adopt to new reality. The most important thing I understood is that I was wrong in a lot of things – everything I considered impossible quickly started to work.

—  In your opinion, what are the things in communications, advertising and creativity that stayed in the past forever, and what will remain unchanged for the projects to work properly & effective?

—  Definitely the paphos of creator, who  is not ready for teamwork and listen to others. Dissent, the pattern interrupt and breaking the rules will remain unchanged.

—  The projects of your agency again and again have been award-winning at international advertising festivals around the globe. Is there any formula for success, or is it like playing in a casino, when you don't know which bet will be the winning one?

—  I will not say anything new here. First, we are thinking if it will be interesting for someone and what’s new in our idea. And definitely, about craft at all the stages. Afterwards everything depends on the luck.

—  Do you have a project in your portfolio that is particularly special to you, perhaps the one that was a prize-winning at ad festivals, or, vice verse, a project that stayed unnoticed despite its significant results? If so, why this project is so special to you?

—  I am sentimental here. Each project is not the only idea and results. For me it is emotions, human relations, bright moments together. Thinking spontaneously at the moment I am fan of our “Festival of crispy cinema”. New crispy Sneakers came out and we have made up to organize a festival with very short sketches where everything that is crispy in the film we will give a voice with Snickers. That was very funny! People liked the idea and they shared their own mini movies.

— You are a jury member on the White Square Festival 2021, and you have already been a jury member on various international creativity festivals. Can you name one or more key evaluating criteria of entries for you and why? 

—  When I am inspired with the idea and its execution.

We remind you that White Square 2021 entry system for is now opened for submission into 7 contests, 129 nominations оnline until May 17. Till April 15 all the participants are provided with special participation fees.