For more than a decade, the MIXX Awards Europe have recognised and celebrated the campaigns shaping the future of digital advertising. Each year, the competition shines a spotlight on creative excellence and strategic innovation, honouring work that resonates with audiences and drives real results. In 2025, the Awards return for their 14th edition with a central theme of Future Proof Creativity – championing ideas that stand the test of time rather than fleeting trends.
At the heart of this year’s Awards is Andrei Dragu, IAB Europe’s Awards Event Director, who is leading the organisation and delivery of the programme. From managing entries and guiding participants through the process to working closely with the Jury and ensuring every detail runs smoothly, Andrei plays a pivotal role in bringing the MIXX Awards to life.
In this blog, we’re shining the spotlight on Andrei to learn more about his role, what excites him most about the 2025 edition, and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into celebrating the very best in digital advertising across Europe.
“I like to think of my role as both conductor and stage manager. On one side, I set the rhythm and make sure that the orchestra of entries, jurors, partners, and sponsors stays in sync. On the other side, I’m backstage ensuring every wire, cue, and detail works flawlessly so the spotlight always falls on the campaigns themselves, not on the machinery behind them.
It’s about creating clarity and flow for entrants, giving confidence and structure to the jury, and delivering an experience where creativity is celebrated without distraction.”
“For me, 2025 is a milestone year because we’ve reimagined the categories from the ground up. The new structure doesn’t just reward what worked in the past; it mirrors where digital marketing is heading.
By organising the Awards around six pillars from Tech & Innovation to Culture & Communities, we’re building a framework that maps the full breadth of creativity today. That excites me because it means the Awards don’t just recognise campaigns, they also provide a compass for the industry’s evolution.”
“A truly great entry, it’s a story, one that begins with an insight, unfolds with creative bravery, and ends with proof of real impact.
The strongest entries connect human tension with brand action and show how creativity solved something meaningful.
Judges are not only looking for clever executions, they’re looking for the spark that made people feel, think, or act differently. Creativity is the spark, but results are the echo. Without both, the story feels incomplete.”
“My biggest piece of advice is this: don’t focus only on what you did, but explain why it mattered. That’s why we introduced the Campaign Rationale section for 2025.
It serves two purposes. First, it makes life easier for participants, giving them a dedicated space to explain their category-centric thinking without getting lost in details. Second, it gives judges immediate clarity on why the campaign belongs in a specific category.
This is crucial because sometimes the same campaign could fit into several categories, but the rationale helps connect the dots between the idea and the criteria.
For entrants, it’s the chance to frame your campaign in the best possible way. For jurors, it’s the lens that makes comparisons fairer, faster, and more relevant.
My advice is to treat this section as the heart of your submission: frame the challenge, highlight the unique angle, and show why your campaign deserves to stand out in the category you submitted your work.”
