The world has been moving extremely fast under the mark of digital and information technologies and communication plays a key role in the success of every business activity. That is why a new Bulgarian festival will be searching for the intersection between advertising and art in an attractive and interactive way.

The first in Bulgaria open-air festival "Art of Advertising" will bring students from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" and from the National Academy of Artto the City Garden downtown Sofia on June23 and 24. Students will be working on company-set topics and will be creating visual communication in front of passers-by and visitors. They will be working in teams as the goal is combining different knowledge and skills into a common workflow. In Bulgaria, companies often complain about the lack of an adequate link between education and business, so the new festival aims to be a bridge between future professionals and companies.

“I think the festival is a good intersection point that will show ways students can use their skills efficiently," says Chief Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Sofia University and organizer of the event, Nikola Vangelov. “Students will see how things happen in practice and will be working with real companies that are both Bulgarian and foreign ones. These teams will be creating something new and interesting, the way it happens in companies’ creative departments. Every type of communication should be directed properly in order to be effective. An ad that works well on the US market may not be successful in Bulgaria because of various factors such as intercultural differences, for example. Consumers define the way advertising looks like and advertisers must think of ways for successful marketing communication. Advertising is a type of communication that is focused on groups of people and is relevant to them everywhere in the world. In the sphere of advertising, Bulgaria is by no means lagging behind world leaders. Many international companies have also been working here and their experience in each aspect of communication and advertising has long been passed on."

According to Nikola Vangelov, advertising can be art and vice versa, but the intersection point between the two easily brings down barriers in communication, in the joint work of people from different professional spheres, as well as between advertisers and consumers.

"The Art of Advertising" is part of the cultural calendar of Sofia Municipality and is under the auspices of mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova. The best works will receive awards and the festival is open to everyone as it includes a program of accompanying events that will be attractive even for children.

English: Alexander Markov