We don’t ease into goodbyes — we go out with a bang.
Our final day brought visionaries, broke boundaries and made it very clear: DK isn’t just another conference. It’s a movement. If you were here, you felt it. If you weren’t — well, there’s always next year.
Photo: Neva Žganec/PIXSELL
Speaking about the importance of a good brief in the communications industry, he referenced a quote by philosopher Blaise Pascal, who said he had written a long letter because he didn’t have time to write a short one – and added: If you want people to truly understand your idea, be brief and clear.
In an inspiring keynote, Machado spoke about the power of ideas that not only push the boundaries of the industry but also leave a mark beyond it. Drawing on his experience shaping campaigns for Burger King and Dove, he shared concrete insights into how marketing can be more than just a message – it can be a catalyst for real social change.
Photo: Neva Žganec/PIXSELL
The room was already electric thanks to the return of David Shing — digital philosopher and chaos ambassador. His session, Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes, pulled no punches. It was a challenge: use technology (especially AI) to bring us closer, not push us apart. Wild hair, sharp tongue, huge heart — Shing did what he does best: blew our collective minds. We’re in the industry of making people want stuff, but we have to start making stuff that people want, concluded Shing at the end of his talk.
Photo: Neva Žganec/PIXSELL
Then we flipped the spotlight back to creativity with our all-star panel, On the Role of Creativity Today. The vibe? Cross-industry brilliance. The message? Creativity isn’t an optional extra — it’s the main event.
On stage, we had HURA Board Chairwoman Jelena Fiškuš (Studio Sonda); Nebojša Slijepčević, Oscar-nominated director and Visionary of the Year; Vanja Žanko, curator and founder of Nomad; Juraj Zigman, the fashion wizard who even Beyoncé calls and Marko Dabrović, architecture icon and partner at 3LHD.
They may speak different creative languages, but the consensus was loud and clear: creativity is a power tool for questioning, shaping, and reimagining the world around us.
If we keep treating creativity as something that comes at the end, we’ve missed the point. What we saw here is that it’s the starting point—not just for good campaigns, but for real business results and social impact. And if someone still doesn’t get that, they might be at the wrong festival, said Davor Bruketa, DK Organizing Committee member.
But we weren’t done. Not even close.
Mirella Crespi stepped up with a masterclass in strategy and analytics — proving that data and creativity are actually partners, not enemies. When used right, they don’t water each other down — they amplify results without killing the soul of the idea.
Photo: Zvonimir Barišin/PIXSELL
And because we love a good brain workout, Friday’s lineup of panels kept the big questions coming: Will AI Actually Pay Off? powered by Raiffeisen Hrvatska, From Witch Hunt to AI: Lessons from Yuval Noah Harari, Can Money Talk Be Sexy? powered by Addiko Bank, Zagreb, I Love You. What’s Next?
So yeah, we wrapped things up the only way we know how: by turning up the volume, tearing down silos and proving once again that creativity, conversation and a little bit of chaos can change everything.
Featured photo: Zvonimir Barišin/PIXSELL
