DK Festival is once again dedicating part of their program to students, with the aim of giving young talents a more direct insight into the communications industry and its real working conditions. As part of the festival, which brings more than 100 sessions and gathers leading experts from Croatia and around the world, the Student Track powered by Raiffeisen Bank will be held at the Garden Stage powered by Somersby, a space intended specifically for students.
Through a range of formats, students will have the opportunity to ask questions, take part in discussions and connect with industry professionals.
The program includes The Foreplay Era: Ask Industry Pros Anything, an open conversation with experts focused on career beginnings, first professional steps and the challenges of entering the job market. Participants includeIva Pavelić (Client Service Manager, Organizacija, member of HURA and IAB Croatia), Dario Marčac (Co-Founder & Partnerships Director, Crew Media, member of IAB Croatia), Roman Turk (CEO, DIVISION 4 VISION, member of HURA and IAB Croatia), Sven Hamzić (Director and Co-Founder, NoCapp Studio, member of IAB Croatia) and Luka Glavaš (Co-Founder, Flaster, member of IAB Croatia), who will speak from their own experience about employer expectations and career development.
The panel Expectation vs Reality: Survival Guide to the Marketing Industry, addresses the differences between the perception of the industry and its everyday reality. Zara Bangoura (Junior Consultant, EY Croatia, member of IAB Croatia), Alen Bajrić (Co-Founder, FOMO Agency) and Kristian Marinić (Co-Founder, FOMO Agency), moderated by Marin Vlainić (Head of Community, HURA and IAB Croatia), will use concrete examples to bring closer the working conditions, project dynamics and key competencies needed for a career in the communications sector.
Foto: Borna Jakšić/PIXSELL
For students who want direct contact with the industry, Speed Dating: Brains Before Bios has also been organized, a format of short and structured conversations with agencies, where the focus is not on the CV, but on the way of thinking and the approach to problem-solving.
The panel Is Marketing a Career or a Trap? opens up the question of the long-term sustainability of a career in marketing, without simplifying the complexity of the industry. The discussion features Marija Čortan (Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, L’Oréal Adria-Balkan, member of IAB Croatia), Ivan Frančešević (Chief Data Officer, SeekandHit, member of HURA and IAB Croatia), Marin Ostojić (Creative Director, ZOO Agency, member of HURA and IAB Croatia) and moderator Marko Matejčić (Intelligence and Data Products Lead, Adverity), bringing perspectives from brand, performance, creative work, and strategy.
An additional perspective is brought by the panel Why Most Smart Ideas Stay Invisible (and Others Take Over the World) by HUKI, which focuses on the process of developing and communicating ideas, from their initial form to reaching a wider audience.
The Student Track is part of the overall festival program, allowing students, alongside content specifically intended for them, to follow other panels, lectures and discussions and gain a broader picture of the industry. In addition to the program segment, DK Festival also offers a range of additional content, including interactive formats and an evening program, through which participants further connect and exchange experiences in a more informal setting.
For students, a special 1 + 1 registration free offer has been secure, and more information about the program and participation is available on the official festival website.
