From Almaty to the Croisette: GForce Grey Puts Kazakhstan on the Cannes Map

In this exclusive Creative Nomads interview with Adjournal Asia, Creative Director Evgeny Gavrilchenko opens up about the creative risks, personal reflections, his favorite campaigns from Asia and beyond, and the bold storytelling that put Central Asia’s creative voice on the global stage.

Kazakhstan made history at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, with GForce/Grey’s campaigns “The National Sport of Kazakhstan” and “Svet Saltanat” earning the country its first-ever Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions in 2024 and 2025—marking a major milestone for its creative industry.

What does Cannes Lions mean to you—not just professionally, but personally?

For the past 15 years, advertising has been a 24/7 commitment for me — so Cannes is where the professional and personal blur completely. It’s not just a festival; it’s a checkpoint where you're forced to reinvent yourself.

Before 2024, when GForce/Grey brought home Kazakhstan’s first-ever Cannes Lion for The National Sport of Kazakhstan, my focus was on rethinking the process — how we judge ideas, how we build work that can actually make it to the shortlist, maybe even win. Now, with our agency returning to the Croisette for a second year in a row with winning work, I find myself asking: what's next?

On one hand, sure — we haven’t won a Grand Prix yet. So there’s still that mountain to climb. But on the other, I sometimes wonder if it’s time to walk away from Cannes altogether. Because no matter what anyone says, Cannes Lions is the world’s most glamorous creative casino. The stakes are massive. The chances? Tiny. And it takes so much energy to play the game — energy that maybe, just maybe, could be used elsewhere.

From brief to execution, what was the most challenging part of bringing the campaign to life?

If we’re talking about Saltanat Light — this year campaign that won a Silver Lion in Digital Craft, a Bronze in Sustainable Development Goals, and also made the shortlists in Outdoor/Special Build and Digital Craft/Data Visualisation — then the honest answer is: there wasn’t one single “most challenging part.” The entire project, from start to finish, was a challenge in the broadest sense of the word.

Nothing like this had ever been done in Kazakhstan before. For the GForce/Grey team, for the client, for our producers — there was no best practice to borrow. Everything had to be invented from scratch. We had to solve problems on the go, build the plane while flying it. And because the project sat at the intersection of old-school, physical outdoor media and real-time digital integration, even our lawyers had to step up and figure out how to secure the permits and approvals that didn’t yet exist.

On one hand, there’s this brilliant quote from Gabriel Schmitt, Global CCO of Grey:“You know when something feels fresh, rewarding, and new — and you just can’t understand how it didn’t exist before? That’s what we need to strive for every day.”On the other hand, when an idea like that lands on your desk — bringing it to life tests your limits in the toughest, most unforgiving ways.

What impact did the win have—on the client, your team, or your creative confidence?

The awards were a great bonus — for both our team and the client. But honestly, we were already thrilled just by doing the project itself. The real impact was seeing the idea come to life. Watching the Saltanat neon sign light up, knowing that its software is actively helping women in Kazakhstan feel a little more protected — that’s what truly mattered.

And then, the day after launch, the entire local media picked up the story. People from the industry started calling and texting saying they were mad they hadn’t come up with it themselves — that’s the real buzz. Of course, having Cannes Lions on the shelf now adds a layer of pride. It proves that what we built wasn’t just powerful locally — it was world-class.

Which campaigns stood out to you the most this year? Any favorites from Asia?

That one's easy. My top 3 overall:

• Corona – Sun Reserve. A beautiful, elegant campaign that lives right at the intersection of creativity and legal finesse.

• PENNY – Price Packs. An absolute commercial masterpiece from Serviceplan Munich.

• L’Oréal Paris – The Final Copy of Ilon Specht. Because this is what it’s really about — how we, as advertisers, can shift culture and move society forward. It’s a powerful piece. Made me tear up.

And from Asia, here’s my top 3:

• Nikka Whisky – No Labels. A classic poster campaign by Dentsu Tokyo, but it somehow captures the entire beauty of Japanese culture. A gem.

• Sad Kama-Chan from Thailand — built on a super-local insight, yet totally resonant worldwide.

• Hyundai IONIQ – Night Fishing. Visually stunning and entirely driven by product truth. Just brilliant.

Corona – Sun Reserve. A beautiful, elegant campaign that lives right at the intersection of creativity and legal finesse.

PENNY – Price Packs. An absolute commercial masterpiece from Serviceplan Munich.

L’Oréal Paris – The Final Copy of Ilon Specht. Because this is what it’s really about — how we, as advertisers, can shift culture and move society forward. It’s a powerful piece. Made me tear up.

Nikka Whisky – No Labels. A classic poster campaign by Dentsu Tokyo, but it somehow captures the entire beauty of Japanese culture. A gem.

Sad Kama-Chan from Thailand — built on a super-local insight, yet totally resonant worldwide.

Hyundai IONIQ – Night Fishing. Visually stunning and entirely driven by product truth. Just brilliant.

What advice would you give to young creatives from Central Asia who dream of winning at Cannes Lions but feel it’s out of reach?

I could go on with a bunch of motivational fluff — but let’s keep it real. The most important thing is this: stop dreaming and start doing. Even if you think you don’t have the perfect brief in front of you. Every story can be told in a way that feels new — you just need to find the right insight, the one that hits people where it matters.

And don’t underestimate your local or regional context. What feels “normal” to you might blow a global jury’s mind. Just look at Sad Kama-Chan — a campaign built on a hyper-local truth that resonated with the world.

Also, remember: Cannes is a team sport. Find your people — the ones who are just as hungry as you are — and stick with them. I’ve never seen a Lion-winning case with just one name in the credits.

Oh, and read AdJournal every day — maybe they’ll interview someone who actually knows what they’re talking about (unlike me), and they’ll tell you exactly how to get on that stage at the Palais.

Source: Adjournal Asia