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BEA WORLD 2026, JURY PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN HEUBNER (VOLKSWAGEN): “I WOULD LIKE TO REWARD PROJECTS THAT STEM FROM BOLD CHOICES AND HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE AND IRREPLACEABLE VALUE OF THE PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE.”
From the centrality of the creative idea to the role of artificial intelligence, as well as the importance of authenticity, inclusion, and measurable impact: the manager explains which characteristics will make competing projects truly competitive at the 21st edition of ADC Group’s global award, and offers agencies advice on how to win over the international corporate jury. Take advantage of the final days to enter your events with the Early Bird promotion.
“Be precise in describing the decisions you made and honest about the challenges you faced. A jury composed of marketing experts doesn’t need more adjectives. It needs proof, context, and clarity to understand the connection between the business challenge, the creative idea, the audience experience, and the final impact.” The corporate jury president of Bea World 2026, Christian Heubner, Director Experience Communications at Volkswagen, sets the course for live communication: less show for the sake of it, and more ideas capable of making an impact. At the core of his approach are strategy, cultural impact, and authenticity.
As a reminder, the Early Bird rate is available until July 31st, allowing you to enter your projects for the Best Event Awards World 2026 under particularly advantageous conditions.
DOWNLOAD THE BEA WORLD CALL FOR ENTRIES https://beaworldfestival.com/events-call-entries/
The same date also marks the deadline for the Super Early Bird promotion on Delegate Passes, offering a €300 discount off the standard rate.
BUY YOUR DELEGATE PASS https://beaworldfestival.com/ticket/
The Bea World Festival, taking place on November 26th and 27th in Venice, continues to be one of the main international observatories for the event industry. However, for Heubner, its role goes far beyond awarding the year’s best projects. The festival, the manager explains, must remain a benchmark capable of shaping the future of the sector.
“A relevant event isn’t simply a flawlessly executed moment: it creates meaning for a brand, shifts the audience’s perspective, and ideally generates action that goes beyond the event itself. Live communication shouldn’t just capture attention: it should create memory, meaning, and momentum.”
According to Heubner, Bea World must continue to champion executive excellence, but above all, recognize the strategic weight of live communication.
“Bea World is at its best when it doesn’t just document where the industry is today, but challenges us to define where it should go tomorrow. So let’s continue to celebrate excellence in execution, but also reward the strategic value of live communication: the strength and originality of the core idea, the measurable impact it generates, and its relevance within the broader cultural context.”
Looking at the competing projects in the 2026 edition, the jury president doesn’t hide what he hopes to find among the entries.
“I hope to discover work that makes the jury say: ‘That was a brave choice, and it couldn’t have been done in any other way.'”
Attention will be focused primarily on those projects that demonstrate how live experiences are irreplaceable.
“I want to see ideas that can only exist as live experiences. The strongest projects understand the unique value of physical presence.”
However, creative quality, he emphasizes, is also measured by the ability to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.
“Budgets are under pressure, audience attention is fragmented, and people are increasingly skeptical of anything that feels artificial or overly staged. Often, it is precisely from these constraints that the best creativity emerges. Sometimes the most powerful experience isn’t the biggest, but the one with the clearest idea and the greatest emotional precision.”
VIEW THE JURY HERE https://beaworldfestival.com/jury/
Among the major trends transforming the event market, Heubner identifies AI as an essential tool, provided it is used to enhance rather than replace the human value of the experience.
“The future has already begun. For several years, technology was often seen as the main attraction; today, however, it is increasingly the protagonist behind the scenes.”
AI, he notes, already allows for a better understanding of the audience, personalized content, the removal of language barriers, and making experiences more relevant. Yet, even as the role of technology grows, the value of real-life encounters increases.
“In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and synthetic content, live experiences are the moments where people know they are living something authentic. This offers us a unique opportunity to build trust.”
The future of live communication, according to Heubner, will lie in the balance between innovation and emotion.
“Personalization must not turn into isolation. Immersion must not become sensory overload. And artificial intelligence should never replace creative judgment, emotional intelligence, or human spontaneity.”
For the jury president, sustainability, inclusion, and authenticity cannot be considered mere add-ons.
“The best experiences don’t ask people to admire a brand: they invite them to become part of its story. Sustainability, inclusion, and authenticity are not optional features; they must be integrated from the initial project concept.”
Drawing on his experience at Volkswagen, Heubner reiterates that live communication must also be designed to be truly accessible and aligned with brand values.
“A contemporary experience should be responsible in its resource use, open to diverse audiences, and transparent about brand values. People immediately sense the difference between genuine conviction and a message built solely for the stage.”
Finally, a direct message to the finalist agencies presenting their projects to a jury of leading international brand marketers.
“Don’t try to impress with the pitch presentation. Make the jury understand why the project itself was truly extraordinary. Explain what was at stake, which conventional path you decided not to take, and why your core idea was the best answer.”
Rather than spectacular storytelling, the jury will be looking for substance, context, and the ability to demonstrate the value of creative choices.
“A jury made up of marketing experts doesn’t need more adjectives: it needs proof, context, and clarity to understand the link between the business challenge, the creative idea, the live experience of the audience, and the ultimate impact. Clarity convinces. Courage is remembered. And authenticity is almost impossible to fake—especially live.”
A manifesto summarizing the vision of Bea World 2026: rewarding not only the best-executed events, but those capable of leaving a lasting impression on business, culture, and people.
This year’s creative concept for the event will be designed by Next Group, the winning agency of Bea Italia 2025, accompanying the festival with the theme “Live is BEAutiful”—an invitation to celebrate the power of live events as a driver of innovation, creativity, and relationships.
Live Communication Week will be a true event marathon: November 24th and 25th will feature the 23rd edition of Bea Italia, while November 26th and 27th will mark the 21st edition of Bea World, the award showcasing the best international events and live communication projects.
To read the official competition rules, register your events, or purchase a Delegate Pass, visit the official website www.beaworldfestival.com.
For commercial inquiries:
Barbara Rosselli – Bea World Festival Business Developer
barbara.rosselli@adcgroup.it – Tel. +39 333 6409496
For registration inquiries:
Ilaria Scapolo
ilaria.scapolo@adcgroup.it – Tel. +39 348 9263816