One of the major sidebars of the Zlin Film Festival, which is entering its final weekend today, is the Rainbow Marble, an international creative advertising festival accompanied by a 2 day professional conference. This year's conference, held on June 2 and 3, focused on political and green marketing and on media education The public was able to view the top advertising spots in competition, as well as 2009 winners from such other prestigious advertising festivals as the Cannes Lions, the Golden Drums, the Clio Awards and the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards at screenings held at the cafe Loft 577.

The competition among several hundred television and cinema commercials submitted from around the world was judged by luminaries of the Czech and world advertising worlds, including such names as Thomas Gensemer of Blue State Digital, one of Barack Obama's key digital marketing experts; Mike Longhurst of McCann Erickson; Johaannes Newrkla of Blue Tango; and Jiri Mikes, honorary president of Rainbow Marble and founding father of Czech advertising.

 David Brada, the creative director of the DDB & Tribal DDB Prague agency, said: "Speaking about the level of the commercials, I must say that it was very high. Nevertheless it wasn't hard to put together the short-list. In fact, it was a unanimous decision."

Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor