The winner of the 19th competition for the #RogerHatchuelAcademy local talent to represent Romania in Cannes, in 2024 is the valedictorian Eduard Dica, a communication enthusiast, Erasmus recipient. tiktoker and a promising copywriter. Let's discover his world, beyond the 2 minutes video application propelling him in the winners league.

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR SOUL SING? WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

Hanging out with my friends, seeing my family happy, my sister (we’re past the stage of arguing about everything and in the past months she has become the closest person to me), the inside jokes with my cousin, my dogs and my cats, traveling, singing while driving, developing myself and becoming a better person, kindness. 

2. A CHILDHOOD STORY THAT ANNOUNCED THE CREATIVE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY 

Not a particular story, but the fact that whenever I’ve been in challenging contexts, I’ve always found solutions. All my life I've been asked by people where do I get so many ideas from. 

3. BEST CONTEXT EVER FOR INSPIRATION WAS

Living. In my case, inspiration comes from the everyday life. It can happen while watching your favorite TV series, while cooking, while walking on the streets, while scrolling on Social Media or listening to music. Life itself is the best context for inspiration. 

4. THE PROJECT YOU LOVED MOST

Kaufland Summer TV. It was the concept underneath we created content for Kaufland (alongside my agency) at the major music festivals in Romania. Since then, I’ve known that I would like to create TikTok content, and this is the direction I want to focus more in the future. 

5. THE PROJECT OTHERS LOVED MOST

“1 million challenge: admin vs followers”, a TikTok campaign through which we celebrated the fact that Kaufland was the first brand in Romania that reach 1 million followers on TikTok. 

6. THE BEST THING ABOUT LOCAL CREATIVITY IS

Romanian humor. For me, it’s priceless. Romanians know how to find the most authentic insights and transform them into something creative.  

7. BEST STATEMENT OF LOCAL HUMOR

Stand-up comedians, TikTok creators and memes. Also, there is a TV series called “Las Fierbinti”. People may be reluctant when they hear about this series (I was too), but I think the show is an excellent portrayal of local humor.

8. ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL HEADHUNTERS, RELATED TO LOCAL CREATIVES

One of the best pieces of advice for international headhunters looking to engage with Romanian creatives is to truly immerse yourself in understanding the local culture and creative landscape. Romanian creatives bring a wealth of unique perspectives and innovative thinking, often influenced by their rich cultural heritage and resourcefulness. A Romanian creative may ask you to close the window because the air current will catch you. You may not understand at the beginning, but you will. And I think that’s beautiful.

9. BEST PLACE IN BUCHAREST

Victory Avenue, it’s my favorite place in Bucharest. You can have a good walk, a tasty ice cream, a craft beer and more. The place is simply full of life. 

10. BEST PLACE IN ROMANIA

It’s hard to choose one. Romania has a lot of beautiful places where you can find nature, adventure, or fun. Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Maramures, Bucharest. Each one should be visited.

11. MOST DISTURBING CLICHÉ ABOUT ROMANIA, IN THE MEDIA OUTLETS OF THE WORLD IS

That Romanians are thieves. I’ve never been rubbed in Romania though, but I know stories from friends who were rubbed in other countries in Europe.   

12. ROMANIA SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR

Hospitality, kind people, parties, nature, tasty food, beautiful people. 

13. YOUR VIEWS ON SPIRITUALITY

I’m not a religious person, but I do think that there is something greater than us. Some call it God, some call it luck, others karma. And I really believe in karma, what you offer is what you receive. Bad experiences are there to teach us something and sometimes we should be thankful for a bad experience, because it made us stronger. 

14. YOUR VIEWS ON MONEY

I’m not interested in money, or the idea of having money. I’m only interested in the things and experiences you can have through money. And I want to have a lot of experiences.

15. AN INSPIRATION SOURCE YOU RECOMMEND FOR A YOUNG CREATIVE

Not a specific one, for everything can be an inspiration source. So, read the books you like, watch movies and series if you enjoy them, travel as much as you can and follow whoever you like on Social Media.

16. A LOCAL BASED FEMALE TALENT THAT DESERVES TO BE PROMOTED AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, AS EXPONENT OF LOCAL CREATIVE SPIRIT

Not one, but two: Andreea Siran, senior Copywriter, and Adriana Paulica, senior Art director. They are my senior teammates and I really think that their talent should be promoted at international level. They just inspire you, not only through their creative work, but through their way of being. I think that creativity also comes when you work with people you enjoy being around. And these two girls inspire me and make my job better every time we work together.  

Eduard's Biography 

Eduard Dică was born on June 12, 2000, in Turnu Măgurele, a small town in the south of Romania. He graduated from Marin Preda Theoretical High School in 2019, where he focused on social sciences. Pursuing his passion for communication, Eduard continued his education at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest. With a passion for digital communication, he earned his bachelor's degree in Communication and Emerging Media in 2023.

Currently, Eduard is a master's student in Digital Communication and Innovation at the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations within SNSPA and a Copywriter at v8 Interactive. 

Outside of his professional life, Eduard is an avid animal lover, sharing his home with four dogs and five cats. He enjoys spending time with friends, attending music festivals, traveling, and singing while driving, despite his self-admitted lack of vocal talent.

In 2024 he was the recipient of a scholarship at the Future of Creativity Module and the winner of #TheAlternativeSchool's RogerHatchuelCompetition with destination Cannes Lions for the eponim educational program.

Note: Eduard's cover picture is signed Manole Sava, Green Mind Studio.