On November 16, three universities are jointly organizing a professional memorial evening in honor of István Sas
Advertising psychologist, advertising film director, creative director, presenter, writer, teacher, speaker, mentor – it is not easy to list everything that the legend, who passed away in May, was in one person, one of the most prominent figures in the history of Hungarian advertising.
On November 16, three universities, the Budapest Business School (BGE), the Budapest Metropolitan University (METU), and the Babeș-Bolyai University (BBTE) in Cluj, are jointly organizing a professional memorial evening in honor of István Sas, on the occasion of which Árpád Papp-Váry, the dean of METU and head of the marketing master's program, gave an interview.
How long were you colleagues with István?
Pista joined BKF, the predecessor of METU, around 2007. He taught several professional subjects, including Advertising Psychology, then Advertising and Media Planning, but he also had film and media projects at BKF, as well as a subject on online creativity. It may not be an exaggeration to say that we tailored the subjects to his personality, which he then filled with professional content.
Did you meet at the university?
I met him several times at various events (e.g., at the Advertising Eaters' Night held since the early 2000s), as well as at professional conferences, but during our years at the university, I had the opportunity to get to know him better.
What was it like to work with him?
The teaching profession is a strange state; it is an independent, often lonely genre, as you put together your lessons alone and prepare for your classes alone. A refreshing exception was our joint presentations. We conducted the research work together and assembled our presentations, rehearsing them several times to ensure everything went smoothly. In these joint projects, I always tried to come up with something new, but it was difficult to compete with him in this regard.
He was not keen to talk about his own advertisements during his presentations. What could be the reason for this?
Indeed, he never spoke about his own advertisements. But he also did not like to show ads that were made last year, except for those he considered benchmarks. He was very knowledgeable about international advertising trends, constantly keeping track of advertisements from every continent – we could experience this up-to-date knowledge during his presentations.
Where did the idea for the memorial evening come from?
The news of Pista's death spread like wildfire; my phone was ringing constantly. Colleagues called me, including Dávid Harsányi from BGE. Many professional organizations and associations, as well as higher education institutions, commemorated him in various articles and posts. It was already suggested at his funeral that there should be a forum where we could collectively remember him in a dignified manner, as he was not only an internationally recognized expert but also our colleague, teacher, co-worker, friend, and mentor.
Who will be the speakers at the memorial evening?
We will hold an introductory presentation together with Dávid Harsányi (BGE), followed by Magor Kádár (BBTE) and György Kaszás. After the awards, there will also be a roundtable discussion with Pista's former film crew members, the „hard core”: composer Iván Rusznák, producer György Sándor, and cameramen Péter Vékás and Sándor Kurucz.
What do you think truly defined his personality?
Pista passionately loved everything he did. This passion was coupled with professional rigor and humility: he always supplemented his presentations with the latest data and research results; I knew few professionals who were as up-to-date as he was. He had incredible work ethic: he tried to fulfill every request, whether it was a presentation, a conference, or a consultancy request. He was a giant in his field, who created outstanding work as an advertising psychologist, writer, director, and educator. Our task is to carry on this rich legacy and not let it fade into oblivion.
I would never have embarked on this (…) if I did not passionately believe in the greatness of advertisements. Moreover, I will go further; in the fact that this genre is one of the most interesting, entertaining, and indeed very lovable inventions in the world!” István Sas (1946-2018)
Date of the memorial evening: November 16, 2018, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Budapest Business School, 1055 Budapest Markó utca 29-31.
You can find more information here!
