The festival was marked by an encounter with the world's most famous robot, lessons from Ryanair's viral strategy, presentations by local experts, and good fun.
A group of students from VERN's undergraduate studies in Public Relations , Journalism and Cyber Communications and the graduate study in Business Communications Management , accompanied by the head of the program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. sc. Tamara Kunić , participated in this year's Communication Days, which were held in mid-May in Rovinj. This popular festival of the marketing and communications industry once again brought together leading domestic and international experts, as well as numerous students eager for knowledge, inspiration and current trends.
The festival was officially opened by President Zoran Milanović , marking communications, both in politics and everyday communication, as a valid driver of social change. However, the arrival of the robot Sophia , the first humanoid robot that imitates emotions with facial expressions, attracted the most attention. With the help of artificial intelligence, Sophia talked to the audience, cracked jokes and asked questions, showing how the line between technology and humans is getting thinner. In addition to surprising everyone present with her answers, she also stimulated a serious discussion about the role of AI in everyday life and the future of communications.
A slightly different but equally interesting story was told by Michael Corcoran , the former head of social networks of the low-cost airline Ryanair. He told how, with his creative and often humorous approach, he managed to turn a brand not known for "warm communication" into a viral phenomenon with millions of views on TikTok. The students followed his presentation with special attention, which showed that success on social networks often does not require great production, but rather courage and honesty.
In addition to other speakers and experts, lecturers from VERN's studies also participated in the panel discussions - Petar Tanta , on the panel titled "Can money talk be sexy?" and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Hrvoje Klasić , on the panel on the works of Yuval Noah Harari .
In addition to the lectures, the students followed the panels and the BalCannes, MIXX and Effie awards that celebrate the best communication projects from the region. Days of Communication 2025 were more than a festival – for many students, they represented a glimpse into their own professional future.
(Contributors: Dora Barbić, Marieta Barišić, Laura Bonetti, Bruna Cvetković, Marika de Gravisi, Milan Jakičević, Karla Jelić, Monika Mohorović, Ines Nothaft, Šime Nujić, Isabella Pros, Paola Radovčić, Anamaria Rogić, Tara Sablić and Ivan Salopek)
