The theme for the Eurovision event in Helsinki next May was revealed on Monday in a joint press conference by European Broadcasting Corporation EBU, host broadcaster YLE and T.E.A.M. or Television Event and Media Marketing AG of Switzerland. The company has held the commercial rights to the Eurovision Song Contest since 2004. The theme is going to be True Fantasy.
The theme has been selected to be a base, where designers can go on to create new and unprecedented ideas. According to Executive Producer Heikki Seppälä, YLE wants to include Finland and Finnishness in the theme with all its contradictions. The opposite ends of Finnish nature and character will be woven into the overall theme. Also the seemingly impossible dream of winning Eurovision of 40 years and the runaway victory of Lordi in Athens 2006 are an example of such contradictions.
Event Manager Kjell Ekholm, also a member of EBU ESC Reference Group, justified the decision to employ young talent to produce the visual side of the contest and the set design to YLE’s Eurovision Radio: “Finland is a leading country in so many areas just for that reason that we believe in the creativity of young people”.
The theme and set designs were put on tender with several agencies, whittled down top a shortlist of best proposals of which finally two groups emerged victorious.
The assignment to design the theme was given to a three-man design agency Dog Design The trio have worked together since 1994 and are “offering a wide range of graphic design, illustrations and art direction services from concept to completion”. The group members, Ilona Ilottu (b. 1970), Petri Salmela (b. 1971) and Eeva Sivula (b.1967) will create the visual theme.
Eeva Sivula tells Iltalehti ”We want to take Eurovision everywhere in Helsinki, even in surprising locations.” The agency will dress Helsinki up for Eurovision in a way that will be shared by TV viewers everywhere. Her colleague Ilona Ilottu explains, that they came up with the idea of a kaleidoscope in trying to find a way of transforming the true into fantasy. The style will be kaleidoscopic plain patterns combined with modern minimalist design. Ilottu describes the visual style as functional, beautiful and minimalist.
A young group of four from the University of Arts and Design in Helsinki were selected as set designers. Kristian Schmidt (b. 1978), Jenni Viitanen (b. 1981), Samuli Laine (b. 1983) and Kalle Ahonen (b. 1981) promise to design a set based on Finnish mythology of Kalevala and how the hero Väinämöinen caused his rivals to sink in a swamp with his singing. “We aim to combine Finnish nature and design with modern technology”, Kristian Schmidt summarises the foursome’s work.
Also revealed was the sponsorship of the event by TeliaSonera, the leading telecoms operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions. The company was formed by a merger of the former state monopoly telecoms of Finland and Sweden and the company now has interests also in Eurasia, Russia and Turkey.
Managing Director Juho Lipsanen reveals TeliaSonera will start co-operation with YLE already in January in connection with the Finnish national finals. The telecom promises to bring a multimedia age involvement in Eurovision with broadband and mobile media solutions. “We want to bring a new era of Eurovision to the fans and show Finnish know-how to a large European audience” he says.
As the main sponsor, TeliaSonera has all European events, marketing, media and new media rights.
The press were also told that more than 40 countries have registered themselves for the Eurovision Song Contest in Finland. As Helsingin Sanomat quotes, “the number is in principle limited to 40 according to current rules of the contest”.
Also more precise details of the visual theme were promised for January or February, when also the hosts of the show will hopefully have been selected.
For more info see YLE.fi/eurovision