The International Festival of Advertising Red Apple is a main creative event of the country. This year it will have global changes about which the president of the festival Ella Steward told Sostav.ru during an exclusive interview.

- Good afternoon, Ella. Nowadays everyone expects the new wave of financial crisis. Do you think it is right time for changes?

- We do not choose time for changes; it is dictated by actualities and opportunities which we need to use. Today the role of festivals in advertising industry is changing on the whole. These festivals serve as source of development in the first place and form general directions of industry for the near future. That is why we need to think about professional level of Red Apple, so as to attract main participants, members of jury and speakers for the learning program.

- How do you want to see the festival itself?

- Russia is a unique country as it is located between two continents - Europe and Asia. And positioning of Red Apple as a Eurasian festival logically results from this fact. It also will be mark our festival out the others. Now we form membership of jury inviting key specialists from Europe and Asia.

We want any self-respecting creative network to add Red Apple to a list of forums that are necessary to visit. In other words we strive for being a festival winning in which will be worth some points in the Gunn Report rating.

- What have you already changed?

- In the first place we worked out new positioning and corporate style of Red Apple. We have new design of an award. It is unusual and remote from other festival’s awards. It also has an effect on communications campaign for supporting of design.

Changes in forming of jury have already been mentioned. We also elaborate and form the learning program more seriously and want to do it more inspiring. We try to be beyond the frames and standards of industry and country.

- Will you change corporate identity every year as early?

- We decided to adhere to one certain corporate identity because we really love it. As for the advertising and informational campaign.

- Do you have members of jury who have accepted invitation?

- Yes, we have ten members of jury who has confirmed their attendance. I am glad to share some names with you and this year we expect really outstanding advertisers.

First of all, the list of jury include David Guerrero, the director of BBDO Guerrero (the Philippines) who is author of well-known work for Pantene of the past year, which got almost 50 million views on YouTube and became a manifesto for women who take leading position. David will become Chairman of the jury.

Sophia Lindholm, the creative director of Forsman & Bodenfors (Sweden) has confirmed participation. We know her for the advertisement of yaw direction stability of Volvo trucks with Van Damme’s split on the top of them. Jonas Keller, the creative director of Jung von Matt/Alster (Germany), will also take part in judging. He is famous for gaining gran-prix of Cannes Lions in 2012 for his Mercedes project.

- Are you going to make changes in nominations?

- The festival is a mirror of an industry and as it develops so we should introduce new categories and nominations too. This year we are introducing Creative Effectiveness which is really essential. Agencies have to look wider than it is dictated by strong academic rules of brands or policy of clients. Any campaign, even the most brilliant, makes sense only when it helps clients to solve their marketing goals.

- Who prepares the festival?

- Agencies which are not indifferent to the development of advertising industry in Russia are involved in a process of preparation. But spectrum of works is wide and we open to everyone who is ready to proceed with the work. Guidance of preparation to the festival is provided by general director of Red Apple Valentin Smolyakov and project manager Ulyana Savinykh.

- What do you want to wish participants?

- Exchange ideas, change the world!

Ella Steward is the president of Red Apple festival. Before she came to an advertising industry she worked in such companies as Ernst & Young, Mars, Kraft Jacobs Suchard. Since 1996 she has been a financial director of BBDO Moscow. Since 2000 Ella has been a co-president of BBDO companies. Since 2003 she is the chairman of board of directors and the executive director of BBDO Group.