PROGRAM

The Festival Reception, perched on the 11th floor of the stunning Grand Hotel Bernardin, will welcome delegates from 8 AM to 8 PM. This is your first stop to collect your official festival wristband—your all-access pass to everything Golden Drum has to offer during its vibrant run. Thanks to our partner Mastercard, Golden Drum is proudly a cashless experience. That means faster service, safer transactions, and absolutely no cash accepted at any festival venue. Just tap, pay, and play!

As the Golden Drum Festival roars into its fourth decade, get ready for an electrifying celebration of creativity, innovation, and inspiration. This year’s program is bursting with dynamic lectures, mind-expanding sessions, and powerful insights from a global lineup of trailblazing experts. From sunrise to spotlight, the day is packed with unmissable opportunities to learn, connect, and ignite new ideas. And when the sun sets? The legendary Awards Show brings the 31st edition to a dazzling close—don’t miss the grand finale of a festival that never stops pushing boundaries. Get ready to learn hard, network harder, and party like never before.

What are the most important trends impacting marketing today and how are brands leveraging these trends to make campaigns that are both creative and effective? Join Paul Stringer, Managing Editor of Research & Insights at WARC, for a data-driven look at the most influential trends in media, strategy, and effectiveness.

To be announced.

In a world spinning faster than a pitch deck refresh, where AI promises speed, scale, and suspiciously perfect symmetry, the one thing it still can’t fake? Craft. Julia Neumann, Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Le Truc, makes the case for why craft isn’t just a nice-to-have it’s the soul of work that actually sticks. Real craft is human. It’s messy. It’s obsessive. It’s the invisible line between something you scroll past and something that makes you feel something. And as the industry floods with templated “good enoughs,” craft is the last honest differentiator we’ve got. This talk explores how judgment, restraint, and risk - the deeply human stuff - create moments that matter. Why your gut will always outpace your prompt. And how keeping craft alive isn’t nostalgia - it’s strategy.

In this high energy session, Calvin Innes, GM and Executive Creative Director at JvM NERD, and leading authority on Fandom & Pop Culture, dives into the rise of fandoms as cultural powerhouses. From K-pop stans and anime obsessives to sneakerheads, gamers, and sports ultras, these communities are building worlds, driving trends, shaping pop-culture and creating real economic impact. Discover what brands can learn from these communities, how to authentically engage with them, and why fandoms might just be the most powerful media channels you’re not fully tapping into… yet.

It has never been more challenging for brands and organisations to navigate this volatile world. In this talk Jo-ann will discuss what it means to be authentic as a brand, why silence can be golden, and share the value of knowing when to stand up for what your customers believe in with compassion and conviction.

Celebrate the spirit of creativity—past, present, and future—in this uplifting and dynamic program segment. We begin by honoring a true industry icon as we welcome Marcin Sosiński, the newest inductee into the Golden Drum Hall of Fame. Join us for a conversation with Marcin as he reflects on his creative journey and the impact of a lifetime spent shaping ideas that move the world. From honoring a legend to championing fresh voices, we then turn our focus to the future. Get ready to meet the winner of this year’s Young Drummers Competition, proudly powered by Mastercard - a celebration of emerging talent, creative courage, and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. It’s a moment of recognition, inspiration, and a glimpse into the future of our craft.

Join us for one of the most anticipated moments of the festival as we reveal the winners of the Bronze and Silver Drum Awards—recognizing bold ideas, standout storytelling, and the craft that’s setting new benchmarks across the industry.

A chance to network, recharge and refresh before we continue with the second half of the festival’s sessions brimming with the latest trends and creative insights. Golden Drum delegates can enjoy special lunch offers on the 11th floor of Grand Hotel Bernardin and relax on the terrace while listening to the music brought to them by Radio Capris.

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To be announced.

With over twenty years of experience in creative advertising and PR (or eighty if you count all the late nights and weekend hours), Anthony Chelvanathan has seen (almost) everything. From exciting award wins and new business opportunities to difficult decisions and disappointing outcomes, Anthony has learned the importance of never-ending drive and perseverance, all of which stemmed from his childhood, fleeing a war with nothing but his family and still maintaining a never give up mentality. He will take you through his most successful work and the stories that shaped them, with all the good, the bad, and the brilliant.

For years, the creative industry has urged clients to “be brave.” But there’s a big problem with bravery — and it’s undermining everything we stand for. In this session, Jake Barrow, CCO of VML Czechia, will challenge the bravery myth head-on. Together with Vojtech Kubricht, lead marketer of the Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning Phone Break campaign for KitKat, he will make the case for something far more powerful: confidence.

We are in the biggest fight of our lives. Our enemy is the erosion of belief in the power of creativity, in favor of the illusion of certainty. And our enemy is big, ugly and absolutely determined to win. This talk will explore why we need to fight, and more importantly, what all of us need to do in order to win.

Freddie and Erik from Snask, the internationally renowned rockstar design agency from Sweden comes to finish Tuesday in glitter and design galore! They will give you insights in how to create eye popping design, how to break free from conventions, how to push your clients and a good dose of branding insights in the digital era. All this wrapped in a "stay-pink" larger than life package for your pleasure only.

Let the celebrations begin! Join us for an elegant evening of drinks, inspiration, and connection as we toast to the future winners of the Golden Drum Awards. We’ll gather on the 12th floor of Grand Hotel Bernardin, in the stunning foyer of the congress hall, to raise a glass to bold ideas and boundary-pushing creativity. Indulge your taste buds with Gramona Farm’s culinary delights, brought to you with love by Portorož & Piran—a perfect pairing for a night of celebration. Mingle with award nominees, jury members, and industry trailblazers as we kick off the festivities in style. This is more than a reception—it’s a tribute to the creative spirit that drives us all.

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The highlight of the 31st Golden Drum Competition! Join us for this special gala event where we will once again honour great creativity.

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Time to bid farewell in grand style with none other than DJ Alex Dee Groove, spinning the beats that’ll keep us moving all night long! As we celebrate this year’s creative triumphs, let’s raise a glass to bold ideas, fearless inspiration, and the unforgettable moments we’ve shared. Come dressed to impress in your most gilded and purple finest—this is your time to shine! We’ll dance the night away under the stars, wrapped in good vibes and great company. This isn’t just a send-off—it’s a purple-powered celebration you won’t want to miss. Let’s light up the night.

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