Golden Drum says the festival will be held from Monday, 13 to Tuesday, 14 October, in Portorož, Slovenia. The competition is open for entries. The Super Early Bird Fee runs until Friday, 25 April.

According to the Golden Drum, the Jury Presidents comprise: 

One-Channel Drum Jury President, Calvin Innes, General Manager and Creative Director of JvM NERD

"Great creativity isn't about how many tools you have. It's about how you use the tools at your disposal. The One-Channel category at the Golden Drum Awards is a testament to the power of disciplined storytelling and precision. It's about creating truly eye-catching, attention grabbing and emotive pieces of work that capture imaginations. It's about making a single platform sing, ensuring that every frame, every word and every interaction is crafted and shaped for maximum impact. As Jury President, I'm eager to uncover work that redefines the potential of individual channels. I'm excited about the prospect of discovering work which proves that when executed with brilliance, a single medium can cut through the noise and leave a lasting mark," says Innes. 

Omni-Channel Drum Jury President, John Mescall, Global Creative Chair, by The Network, USA

"The more complex things become, the more important it is for us to simplify things even further. We need to free our minds to look at a problem, and simply follow that problem to wherever it chooses to take us. No rules. No preconceived notions of what works and what doesn't. Every brief is the opportunity to make a new path. And because we have so many tools, approaches and media choices available to us, we really are free to do whatever the hell we think is right. Provided, of course, it's in service of solving the problem. That's why I'm so excited to be President of the Omni-Channel jury this year. I know that together with my fellow jury members, we're going to see problems solved with ideas and approaches we didn't see coming. And have maybe never seen before. And having been lucky enough to judge Golden Drum in the past, I know we're going to see ideas that are breathtakingly different to the norm. Ideas that come from unique places, unique attitudes and unique cultures. Ideas that are expressions of pure, uninhibited creativity. I hope you all enter your very best. Because your very best is going to make for a beautiful, wild ride for our jury," says Mescall. 

Craft Drum Jury President, Julia Neumann, Chief Creative Officer and Partner, Le Truc, USA 

"Craft is the difference between something you forget in five seconds and something that gets under your skin and stays there. In a world drowning in content and shortcuts, craft is the last honest differentiator. It's what shows the human behind the work, the judgment, the obsessiveness, the restraint and the risk. With AI now in the picture, we know it can replicate patterns, but it can't replicate gut. Or taste. Or the chills you get when something is just right. So, I'm excited to lead this year's Craft Jury at Golden Drum. And celebrate the kind of work that is radical, couldn't have been phoned in, templated, or done any other way. Work that sweats the small stuff. Work that makes us jealous. Work that reminds us why we got into this business in the first place," says Neumann. 

Creative Media Excellence Drum Jury President, Jo-ann Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Global Markets, Ketchum

"People are craving connection like never before. In a world where technology, data and AI are becoming ever more dominant, the creative touch supported by these new tools has the power to truly move people and create moments with lasting impact. As President of the Creative Media Excellence Jury, I am excited to be inspired by the creativity, the diversity and the impact of the work. Celebrating the craft and the people behind the work is an honour," says Robertson. 

Creative Business Excellence Drum Jury President, Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Edelman Canada 

"The true power of our work is measured by the impact it creates in the world. It thrives when human challenges meet bold solutions, where ideas — not budgets or industries — drive creative excellence forward. As President of the Creative Business Excellence jury at Golden Drum 2025, I am honoured to join visionary leaders in recognising the ideas that push boundaries, merge strategy with innovation and set new benchmarks for success. I look forward to the conversations that will shape the future of our industry," says Chelvanathan. 

Young Drummers Competition Jury President, Alexis Champa, Freelance Executive Creative Director 

"I am both honoured and humbled by my appointment as the Jury President for the Young Drummers Competition. It's truly an honour to be part of this event, where we'll be diving into the amazing work of the next generation of talent in our industry. I can't wait to see the innovative ideas and artistic expressions that these young creatives will bring to the table. Their unique perspectives are crucial in shaping the future of our craft, and I believe creativity knows no limits. I'm looking forward to evaluating their work, focusing on originality, impact and work that just gets us excited about the future of our industry. Together, we'll celebrate and inspire a new wave of talent eager to make their mark. I'm excited to partner with my fellow jurors and engage with all the participants," says Champa. 

Jury Members

Joining the presidents is a distinguished team of professionals who will evaluate the most forward-thinking creative work. Golden Drum says the jury lineup for 2025 comprises:

One-Channel Drum Jury Members

  • Robert Bohinec, Creative Director, AV Studio, Slovenia
  • Kaspars Eglitis, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\Latvia, Latvia
  • Christian Hellinger, Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Wien Nord Serviceplan, Austria
  • Bartosz Jeglejewski, Creative Director, McCann, Poland
  • Nina Modebadze, Creative Director, Redberry, Georgia
  • Jörg Riommi, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer, AIN'T, Italy
  • Hanna Stenwall, Executive Creative Director, INGO Stockholm, Sweden
  • Annu Terho, Creative Director, SEK / Part of Grey, Finland
  • Dorottya Tóth, Creative Director, DDB Budapest, Hungary, and
  • Rona Yakobi, Owner and VP Creative, RONA&IDO Advertising agency, Israel.

Omni-Channel Drum Jury Members

  • Fredric Antonsson, Creative Director, Havas, Sweden
  • Jessica Buch, Head of Strategy, Grey, Germany
  • Andrea Horváth, Creative Director, Café Communications, Hungary
  • Aleka Papadia, Executive Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup, Greece
  • Karpat Polat, Founder and Creative Chairman, KARPAT, Turkey
  • Annukka Puttonen, Creative Director and Brand Strategist, Think Again, Finland
  • Ana-Maria ?aralunga, Creative Director, Digitas Romania / Publicis Groupe, Romania
  • Kristi Veskus, Head of Work in Estonia, Estonia
  • Jens Petter Wærnes, Chief Creative Officer, VML Copenhagen, Denmark, and
  • Stefano Zanoni, Creative Director, LePub, Italy.

Craft Drum Jury Members

  • Nikola Foktová, Creative Director, Publicis Groupe, Czech Republic
  • Michele Mariani, Executive Creative Director, Armando Testa Group, Italy
  • Gergana Mincheva, Creative Lead, Next DC, Bulgaria
  • Grace O'Brien, Creative Director, AKQA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Nurlan Satarov, Creative Director, Cheil Worldwide, Kazakhstan
  • Bogdan Teodorescu, Executive Creative Director, VML, Romania
  • Zeynep Tonguç, Founder and Creative Director, PEP Brand Agency, Turkey, and
  • Anselmo Tumpic, Creative Director and Co-Founder, Studio Tumpic/Prenc, Croatia.

Creative Media Excellence Drum Jury Members

  • Patrícia Certek, Head of Strategy, Zaraguza, Slovak Republic
  • Mariann Forgács, Co-Founder and Co-President, Be Social, Hungary
  • Gianna Katopodi, Creative Director, Ogilvy, Greece
  • Stella Litou, Chief Executive Officer, Pro Plus Slovenia and RTL Croatia
  • Arthur O'Neill, Worldwide Head of Invention, Mindshare
  • Maria Tudor, Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Groupe, Central and Eastern Europe
  • Tolga Üner, Chief Executive Officer, GroupM, Turkey, and
  • Malgorzata Wegierek, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Media Network, Poland.

Creative Business Excellence Drum Jury Members

  • Aleš Brichta, Executive Creative Director, Triad Advertising, Czech Republic
  • Nicola Gotti, Chief Creative Officer and Partner, Bitmama Reply & Reply Ai Studios, Italy
  • Jenny Elisabeth Kaiser, Independent, former CEO of Åkestam Holst NoA, Sweden
  • Hloni Mohope, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC, Central and Eastern Europe
  • Gosia Nierodzinska, Partner Marketing Creative, Netflix, Central and Eastern Europe
  • André Pedroso, Chief Creative Officer, MullenLowe Delta, Ecuador
  • Lucia Petrášová, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, O2 Slovakia
  • Elena Plakhova, Chief Reputation and Marketing Officer, Nova Post Group, Ukraine
  • Jan Sederlöf, Executive Creative Director, N2 Creative, Finland, and
  • Marcin Sosinski, Chief Creative Officer, Poland and CEE, Dentsu Creative.

All Juries Drum Jury Members

  • Calvin Innes, General Manager and Creative Director, JvM NERD, UK
  • John Mescall, Global Creative Chair, by The Network
  • Julia Neumann, Chief Creative Officer and Partner, Le Truc, USA
  • Jo-ann Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Global Markets, Ketchum
  • Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Edelman, Canada
  • Christian Hellinger, Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Wien Nord Serviceplan, Austria
  • Jens Petter Wærnes, Chief Creative Officer, VML Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Zeynep Tonguç, Founder and Creative Director, PEP Brand Agency, Turkey
  • Arthur O'Neill, Worldwide Head of Invention, Mindshare, and
  • Aleš Brichta, Executive Creative Director, Triad Advertising, Czech Republic.

International Rankings

The festival says its competition is recognised and included on the WARC Creative Rankings, The Drum World Creative Rankings and AdForum Rankings, further affirming its global impact and prestige.

Golden Drum says it continues to hold its place in the 2025 WARC Rankings, standing alongside other prestigious award shows like Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clio Awards, LIA, Spikes Asia, Adfest, Eurobest, Dubai Lynx, Loeries and El Ojo de Iberoamérica. This recognition reaffirms its influence and dedication to celebrating excellence in the industry.

This year's World Creative Ranking has broadened its scope to encompass an even wider array of global creative awards competitions, analysing 22 international and regional shows. In addition to the Golden Drum Awards, the rankings feature Dubai Lynx, Spikes Asia, Adfest, Clio Awards, Guldagget Sweden Awards, The Drum Awards, D&AD, ADC US, The One Show, Cannes Lions, Danish Creative Circle and more, says the festival.

Golden Drum concludes that it is also featured in the AdForum Business Creative Report, a unique ranking of the world's most-awarded campaigns by industry sector.

Key Competition Information

  • Deadline for Super Early Bird Entry Fee: Friday, 25 April
  • Deadline for Early Bird Entry Fee: Friday, 27 June
  • Golden Drum Shortlists Announced: Tuesday, 30 September at 08:00 CET
  • Golden Drum Awards Show: Tuesday, 14 October

For more information, visit www.goldendrum.com. You can also follow Golden Drum on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor