Communications sector Serbia 2022 by CorD Magazine

STILL BELIEVE THE FUTURE IS 16 WE BRIGHT & GREEN

DEJAN RANĐIĆ, DNA COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL MANAGER; ALEKSANDRA JEVREMOVIĆ, DNA COMMUNICATIONS CLIENT SERVICE DIRECTOR

CAMPAIGNS SHOULD 4. MARKETING REFLECT PEOPLE’S REALITY TAMARA DALTROFF, EACA DIRECTORGENERAL

STABILITY THROUGH 12 CREATING CHANGE

TAMARA BEKČIĆ AND MILENA AVRAMOVIĆ BJELICA, DIRECTORS AND CO-FOUNDERS OF CHAPTER 4 PR IN SERBIA

TEAM THAT’S BEEN 18 BRILLIANT GROWING FOR 18 YEARS

IVANA GLIŠOVIĆ, MILICA POPOVIĆ, SUZANA MAGDELINIĆ, PR MANAGERS, RIGHT

IN THE HECK DO 08 WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT?

GALJINA OGNJANOV, PROFESSOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS

CATCHY, EDGY AND OUT-OF-THE 11 BOX COMMUNICATIONS WITH A PURPOSE MAJA STOJANOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OLAF&MCATEER

IS THE YEAR OF SETTING 14 2022 NEW STANDARDS IN PR ALEKSA ČOKIĆ, GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, RED COMMUNICATION

IMPRESSUM EDITOR IN CHIEF: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR: Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Maja Vukadinović, Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Ljubica Gojgić

Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić, Miloš Belčević PHOTOS: Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR: Mark Pullen TRANSLATION & EDITING: PULLEN EDITORIAL HALIFAX

Communications 2022

SALES MANAGERS: Biljana Dević, b.devic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović, v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER: Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs

FINANCE: Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER: Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs

DIRECTOR: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com COMMUNICATIONS 2022 PRINTING: Rotografika d.o.o. Segedinski put 72, Subotica CorD is published by: alliance international media

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Communications 2022 IS CRUCIAL TO 19 LISTENING COMMUNICATION

NEVENA KURTOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FUSION COMMUNICATIONS

25 HONESTY IS KEY TO SUCCESS

ALEKSANDRA KOŽUL, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, EXTERNAL, INTERNAL AND DIGITAL, NOVASTON MARKETING CONSULTANCY

CORPORATE REPUTATION 20 CANNOT BE MEASURED BY GUESSES

TEACH US BETTER 28 PANDEMICS COMMUNICATION

NIKOLA LAZIĆ, DIRECTOR NINAMEDIA RESEARCH

RAJKA ŠINIK VULIĆ, MARKETING DIRECTOR, EGZAKTA ADVISORY

THE PANDEMIC HAS 26 ACCELERATED MARKET TRANSFORMATION

UROŠ ĐORĐEVIĆ, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, DELL TECHNOLOGIES

RISKS OF FALLING INTO THE 22 THE STEREOTYPE TRAP

OF EXPERIENCE 29 AANDCOMBINATION FRESH IDEAS

INCLUSIVE ADVERTISING

SRDJAN CRNOGORAC, GENERAL MANAGER, BLACKWOOD COMMUNICATIONS SERBIA

COMMUNICATION IS THE 27 PRESENT’S FOUNDATION IN THE FUTURE

OLIVERA STEFANOVIĆ STANKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROGLAS PUBLIC RELATIONS

MADE COMMUNICATION 24 CUSTOM SOLUTIONS ARE THE FUTURE ANĐELINA PETROVIĆ, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, COMTRADE

LEASING, INCREASINGLY 30 STAFF POPULAR

ALEKSANDRA BOJADŽIEVSKA, DIRECTOR E-SEARCH

Communications 2022

INTERVIEW TAMARA DALTROFF, EACA DIRECTOR-GENERAL

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SHOULD REFLECT

PEOPLE’S REALITY

Monitoring upcoming regulatory changes and anticipating how they will impact the industry has been one of the main challenges of 2021, and will continue to be a challenge in 2022. The EACA stands ready to provide the industry with valuable input at any given moment

ACA – the European Association of Communications Agencies – has been the voice of Europe’s communications agencies and associations for years. Here we speak with EACA Director-General Tamara Daltroff about the major issues confronting the industry today, as well as commercial communications’ economic and social contribution to society. Looking back at 2021, what have been the major legislative challenges faced by the industry and what are you expecting for 2022? Innovation in the sector has been fast-paced over the last decade, not to say the last decades. However, what’s new is the desire of legislators to increasingly regulate innovation in response to the rising economic and social impact of media and communication actors. In this context, monitoring upcoming regulatory changes and anticipating how they will impact the industry has been one of the main challenges in 2021, and will continue to be in 2022. Various legislative initiatives are emerging to enhance the transparency of the Digital Single Market. These include, of course, the Digital Services Act (DSA), which sets rules for media platforms, hosting and service providers and for very large online platforms (VLOPs) to combat illegal content and improve the transparency and accountability of platforms. Similarly, the

Communications 2022

Digital Markets Act (DMA) sets out criteria for identifying market “gatekeepers” and specifies what they should and shouldn’t do online. These two pieces of legislation alone have important implications for the advertising industry. Targeted advertising is likely to be prohibited for minors, but also for categories of personal data considered sensitive, i.e., data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinion or religious or philosophical beliefs.

There are still important questions about the implementation of these provisions. How can we ensure that minors are protected against targeted advertising? Likewise, a ban on targeted advertising for minors means, in return, that non-targeted ads to minors are still possible. To what extent is this a major achievement? If the legislator wants to prohibit targeted advertising based on the profiling of minors, it should be explicitly mentioned in the text of the

TRUST

PREDICTABILITY

UNCERTAINTY

Advertisers are increasingly aware of the importance of transparency to increasing consumer trust

Regulations need to be enforceable, without generating legal uncertainty. And this is where significant efforts still need to be exerted

More and more agencies are flagging inflation as a major challenge when dealing with clients and talent retention

regulation, which is not the case at this stage. Equally important is the legislative proposal on political advertising. The European legislator intends to increase the transparency of electoral events and the influence of advertisements related to them, especially on social networks. Under the plans, a political advertisement will have to indicate that it is advertising intended for political purposes and reveal the donor, the political party behind the advertisement and the money spent on the campaign. While this is supposed to increase transparency during elections, a question remains as to what type of advertising will be considered political and what advertising won’t. For the time being, this is far from clear, as the definition used by the legislator is extremely broad. For media and communications agencies, but more generally for advertisers, commercial advertisements should not fall within the scope of this new regulation. However, the growing number of advertisements promoting a societal message would quickly fall within the scope of the new regulation, even though they are not intended to influence the outcome of an electoral process.

sets to foster business growth. With regard to the economic and social value of AI technologies, regulators are trying to frame innovation to serve a societal purpose and promote the ethical use of AI. The European Commission published its Artificial Intelligence Act proposal in April 2021, which seeks to ban AI systems that manipulate consumers through subliminal techniques or exploit vulnerable individuals. Moreover, the Regulation seeks to mitigate the risks of certain AI uses and foster investment and innovation in the sector. Agencies developing and applying AI systems must subject them to a risk assessment, and either take steps to mitigate this risk or stop using them all together, depending on the level of risk. It also stipulates requirements on

status quo will be needed to ascertain where the pain points are and where our industry has weaknesses. In the summer of 2021, EACA co-initiated, together withWFA, the first ever global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) census in the marketing and advertising world, intended to assess where the industry stands in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion, and to analyse people’s perception of DEI in their own workplace. National agency & advertiser associations participated in this census across a wide variety of countries and territories, gathering more than 10,000 responses from 27 markets. The participating European countries in this census were Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Turkey. Initial results have identified key challenges related to family status, age and gender, as well as ethnicity and disability, sense of belonging, experience of discrimination and demeaning behaviour. Despite these serious concerns, the marketing sector still outperformed several other sectors that were analysed by research partner Kantar, scoring an overall 64% on the Inclusion Index, ahead of the next highest sector, HealthandPharmaceuticals,whichstoodat60%. In 2022, we will work closely with the agencies & associations to improve on the biggest pain points of the industry. To address diversity, inclusion and equity in the advertising industry and beyond, it is not enough to change how we recruit and promote diverse talent. Communication and Marketing campaigns should reflect the reality of the people who are interacting with businesses on a daily basis. Today’s consumers expect to see people they relate to represented in the advertising campaigns of their favourite brands. And brands strive to be as customer-centric as possible. This implies knowing who is drawn to your brand and making sure those groups are represented and included in marketing efforts. Another aspect of Diversity and Inclusion relates to brand safety. Brand safety is a set of measures that aim to protect the image and reputation of brands from the negative or damaging influence of questionable or inappropriate

Artificial intelligence is increasingly catching attention of regulators who intend to preserve the ethical use of these technologies. How are these legislative advances influencing the industry? Artificial intelligence has become part of our everyday lives. AI technologies are transforming entire industries, including the media and communications industry. AI is a family of technologies that can optimise existing processes or enable brand new activities, for example by improving predictive models or personalising the delivery of services. It presents major new opportunities, but also serious risks. AI provides unprecedented revenue opportunities while cutting costs significantly. AI is neither necessarily good nor bad; it is primarily a reality and ethics always depend on the use of technology in line with the values promoted within society. AI is crucial to our industry, and will continue to be, as the future of media and communications lies in the potential to efficiently use high-quality data

It should be noted that the industry has made significant progress in rendering targeted advertising more transparent over several years. A successful example of a transparency initiative is the “YourOnlineChoices” platform, which was developed by the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) the quality of data sets, with potential fines for noncompliance. The proposal still needs some clarification on the categories of AI systems falling under the scope of the Regulation. Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is becoming increasingly important in the advertising industry. How does the industry adapt to these changes and what are agencies doing to promote D&I? Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have already been highlighted by EACA as a challenge for our industry. In 2020, we launched our own high-level taskforce, comprising National Associations and Corporate Members from across Europe. We kicked off our work at the beginning of 2021, acknowledging that data and an analysis of the

Communications 2022

INTERVIEW content when advertising online. This includes issues such as knowing how to exclude unsuitable and unsafe content and how to target and include diverse publications. As a matter of best practice, we recommend that brands determine their risk tolerance and corresponding suitability criteria before working on keywords and semantic technology, in order to avoid being linked with discriminatory content online. Since this topic has gained increased importance important over recent years, the EACA Media Agencies Council has published industry guidelines to help companies incorporating D&I within their Brand Safety standards. Brand safety is also relevant when it comes to the spread of online mis- and disinformation, which is a big topic at the moment. What can we expect to see on this subject in 2022? The spread of mis- and disinformation is a hugely important issue. The European Com-

EACA is a signatory of the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation and is participating in the process of revising the Code in line with the European Commission’s guidance. This process is expected to be completed by the end of March 2022 mission is very concerned about the impact it can have, particularly during important election periods. It has legitimate concerns about the way online advertising, however unintentionally, can actually monetise this content. This is an area where industry and regulators share similar goals: brands naturally don’t want their advertisements to appear alongside potentially harmful content. Navigating these risks can be a huge challenge. When it comes to online platforms, each takes a different approach when it comes to misleading content, with some focusing primarily on content removal, while others also employ labelling techniques. Which social media networks are the most relevant for marketers today, given that some of them - like TikTok for example - were almost

Communications 2022

unknown but are today among the most influential? TikTok indeed provides amazing opportunities for marketers – it’s difficult to understate the impact of the app. You only have to look at how songs that trend on the platform go on to dominate the U.S. charts to understand the importance of its reach. It has more than a billion active users and is growing at a staggering rate. While it is mostly associated with teenagers, more than a third of its users are in their 20s and almost a fifth are in their 30s. That said, other platforms remain hugely important to marketers. We are facing inflation for the first time after many years. How much is the industry affected?

Highly. It is a real concern. Agencies are people-centred businesses. The industry, and especially agencies, are struggling to find the right talent. Mental health was the subject of many discussions within the agencies, but also within EACA, in 2021. There was an incredible number of pitches due to postponements from 2020. The workloads of the teams were alarming. This development has unfortunately not helped in terms of retaining talent in agencies, or even in the industry. Agencies tried to compensate for that by providing higher salaries. The current inflation rate on wages, but also on office costs, do have an impact on agencies. We have more and more countries flagging this challenge when dealing with clients.

Communications 2022

INTERVIEW GALJINA OGNJANOV, PROFESSOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS

WHAT IN THE HECK DO

CUSTOMERS WANT? The appearance of each new media form also has a significant impact on the way advertisers communicate with consumers, making communication with them increasingly complex. We can certainly expect the attention of consumers to be an even more limited resource than it’s ever been before, and that it will be even harder for advertisers to succeed in fighting to be noticed

lthough it confined us to four walls and directed us towards numerous electronic devices, as the only shop window available to us, the pandemic hasn’t created a radically new type of consumer. On the contrary, the changes happening in marketing communication are constant and even occurred before the crisis, and will continue to occur after it ends, says marketing expert Dr Galjina Ognjanov, a professor at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics.

Communications 2022

“During the initial emergence of the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic, we seemingly paradoxically took a backwards step, as there was a significant increase in levels of television consumption. This only confirmed the view that all media, both traditional and new, are equally important in marketing communication, while advertisers must follow consumers wherever they are at a given moment,” notes our interlocutor. “So, today we are discussing the so-called customer journey, i.e., the journey taken by a

consumer when considering the purchasing of some product and the advertisers who must endeavour to ensure that, during that journey, the consumer encounters their brand, and does so multiple times, and in different places. The radical change that has occurred implies that consumers increasingly consume different media in parallel, with their attention divided. Likewise, they are faced by different possibilities to avoid the advertising messages that companies send their way,” explains Ognjanov. “That’s why

DIGITAL

CONSUMPTION

CAUTION

We’re moving towards the strong dominance of digital channels, which will have a more than 70% share of total advertising budgets by 2024

It seemed from the beginning of the pandemic that a lack of job security would result in a significant drop in consumer spending, but it now seems that we’re facing the opposite situation

Artificial intelligence has contributed to radical changes in the way consumer data is collected and analysed, but its development is accompanied by a large number of ethical dilemmas

advertising is today increasingly assuming the characteristics of entertainment, socalled advertainment.”

year of the pandemic (2020) we saw a fall in advertising revenues compared to 2019. This applies to Serbia and the other economies of the Western Balkans, but particularly to the markets of developed countries. This fall stood at 1.2% at the global level. However, it was slightly higher in Serbia, at around 6 to 7%. From the perspective of this period of time, it seems that this fall shouldn’t particularly concern us. In contrast, at the global level, we’d already observed a significant increase in revenues (of almost 20%) from media advertising across all media during the course of 2021. As was expected, the highest growth was recorded in the sphere of digital media. Given that Serbia, to a large extent, follows the trends of developed markets when it comes to marketing communication, it is to be expected that total revenues will continue to grow, while this growth will be the highest when it comes to digital media advertising. Globalisation creates the possibility to reach a large number of individuals at

achieved through centralisation, exchanges of information, organisational learning and synergistic effects – applicable at this time? Among other things, with the aim of achieving the savings you mention, the concept of integrated marketing communications has been developed within the scope of marketing theory. However, it became clearing during the practical implementation of this concept that integration is primarily essential due to growing media fragmentation. In a world of fragmented media, consumers have become elusive. The integration of marketing communications is today the most important condition to even reach consumers. That’s why it can even often be heard that classic advertising no longer exists, but rather has today given way to so-called content marketing. Thus, the work of modern advertisers, or their agencies, consists of the production of content that will be positioned through so-called. POES, i.e., different categories of media: Paid, Owned, Earned and Shared. A significant role in this process is played by individuals, existing and potential consumers who participate in the creation of communications (co-creation) and their further transmission. But I wouldn’t say that all of this can lead to savings over the long run, on the contrary, because we’re witnessing a trend of growing advertising budgets, with the exception of occasional shocks (crises).

In the context of communications, what differentiates the juncture in which we’re living from previous crises? When discussing consumption and consumer habits, the current crisis differs significantly from previous ones. It wasn’t caused by economic collapse, nor were production capacities and other resources destroyed. When it comes to consumer behaviour, with the outbreak of the pandemic we saw queues in front of food shops and excessive shopping to create home stockpiles. Then an increase in online sales was recorded, and food delivery companies (applications) did particularly well. Simultaneously, upon the initial outbreak but also throughout the course of 2020, we saw consumers refraining from buying some other products, such as clothing, that we normally consume on a daily basis, when we head to work, go out on the town with friends etc. It initially seemed that employment insecurity would lead to a significant drop in consumers spending, and governments responded by giving money and/or consumer vouchers to help their citizens overcome the crisis. At the end of 2021, however, we seemed to be facing the opposite situation: demand had increased, citizens had disposable funds and a desire to shop re-emerged, but the amount of goods offered on the market was significantly lower, as a result of the market shocks caused by the pandemic. How have such changes influenced marketing communications at both the regional and global levels? Changes in the behaviour of consumers – in terms of refraining from shopping, changing preferences and, a year later, the expressed desire to make up for lost time – have certainly been reflected in marketing communications. First and foremost, when it comes to the media market, in the first

There’s no doubt that advertisers and their agencies will be given increasingly challenging tasks and that, instead of consolidating and unifying messaging, there will be an insistence on the precise targeting of consumers the level of the whole world in a faster and easier way. Nonetheless, from the marketing perspective, I would say that this is still just one segment or one “target”. Apart from this market, regional and local markets still exist, and always will, but also micro-segments of consumers that will require the tailoring of marketing strategies, as well as marketing communications. To what extent are lessons learned from the previous crisis – when savings were

For years we’ve been witnessing the restructuring of the budgets of marketing campaigns, depending on the type of media through which they’re promulgated. What future trends can we expect in this respect? During the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic, we observed an increase in media consumption. I’ve already mentioned that growth was recorded in the case of television in particular, as a traditional medium that we’d previously concluded was slowly losing the battle against new online media. After multiple years of decline, the press also experienced a certain increase in the

Communications 2022

INTERVIEW consumption of media content. Similarly, data on revenues from media promotions at the global level confirms that advertisers relied on traditional media to a greater extent in 2021 than in previous years, including television, but also print, which recorded its best growth figures in the last 10 years. That’s why 2021 is considered a record year, and it’s believed that such a successful year - in terms of revenues generated from media advertising – won’t be repeated in the near future. On the other hand, as we know, a restructuring of media advertising budgets has been going on since the period prior to the pandemic. Significant reductions in the share of advertising revenues in the print media and on radio have been recorded for many years, while this reduction has remained significantly less pronounced in the case of television. Outdoor advertising has remained relatively stable, while intensive growth has been recorded in the digital sphere. Among developed markets, the share of investments in these media has already reached 63% of total advertising budgets and will continue to grow, albeit at a slightly slower pace. When it comes to Serbia, we’ve also observed a marked trend of growth in online media advertising, but television continues to have a dominant share in the structure of media budgets, accounting for 52% of total revenues from media advertising in 2020. Do possible ideological/political differences impact on the choice of social media platforms through which the messages of advertisers are placed (considering the rise of TikTok, controversies over Facebook), and if so, how? Where an advertising message will be placed is primarily decided on the basis of data from media research indicating what’s consumed the most by consumers, while ideological and political differences may impact on some advertisers refraining from advertising when they estimate that the image of a media outlet could have a negative influence on the image and reputation of the advertiser’s brand. What kinds of ethical dilemmas do marketing companies face when using artificial

Communications 2022

Artificial intelligence will certainly continue to develop and improve, but it’s equally certain – given the numerous ethical dilemmas – that the state will have to strictly regulate this area through the imposing of new regulatory solutions intelligence? What future developments can we expect in this regard? There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence, in general, represents one of the greatest technological achievements, which has brought numerous advantages in terms of the way various jobs are done and in the implementing of specific human tasks. The same applies to marketing, i.e., communication with consumers: AI has contributed to radical changes in the way consumer data is collected and analysed, thereby enabling more precise targeting and the personalisation of messages. However, AI’s development is accompanied by a number of ethical dilemmas. In the area of marketing, the most important ethical dilemma

relates to the way data is collected, stored, processed and exchanged, especially when it comes to personal data. Another ethical dilemma that’s no less important relates to the potential bias of AI algorithms, which can result in various forms of discrimination against individuals and social groups. Additionally, there are significant risks linked to the adapting of messages to an individual based on their personal characteristics and preferences. Thus, for example, a person who searches for information related to the treatment of serious diseases might be offered quasi-drugs, i.e., remedies for which no scientific evidence exists confirming their efficacy. This is a hugely important topic for policymakers and regulators worldwide.

MAJA STOJANOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OLAF&MCATEER

BUSINESS

CATCHY, EDGY AND OUT-OF-THE BOX

COMMUNICATIONS WITH A PURPOSE Olaf&McAteer entered 2022, the year in which it celebrates two decades of its existence, with the largest team since it was founded, the largest number of clients we have worked with in one year, with a senior team working together for more than 10 years and a third of its team 20+ years

specialisation of teams for an increasing number of services. At the same time, we all have a growing need for communication, fast, accurate information and a quality response to our needs in products and services. But also with a high quality response to our interests, values that we believe in, boundaries that we want to move, but also set. So, in essence, communications are returningtosomeactuallynormalhumanframeworks: respect for the personality of consumers, gender and every other equality, environmental, economic, and technological sustainability, then cultural, political or age differences... And these changes are not just a matter of communication, companies and brands are aware of these needs, they are changing their businesses. We are here to motivate and support them in that. Yes, it depends on us!

ight from the start, and today more than ever, they choose new opportunities, colleagues and clients with care. They like to work with people who share their values and views on communications, with people who are open to different opinions and who want to hear advice. This is their recipe for success

This year you are celebrating your 20th anniversary. Congratulations! What are the results, plans and wishes you are celebrating your birthday with? Thanks for the congratulations! It is truly incredible that 20 years have passed since the first PR steps on the Serbian agency scene. We have developed, grown, made mistakes, learned from our mistakes, followed and created trends. Twenty years ago, PR was synonymous with media relations, today we are an integrated communications agency that provides a 360° communication service to clients who know that smart and purposeful communication can contribute to achieving their business goals, but can also change our environment. We believe in long-term partnerships. Each of us in the team, regardless of position or age, knows something best in the field of communication! We try to let our satisfied clients and results speak for themselves, our quality of service and knowledge, instead of hackneyed and unpopular agency slang... catchy, edgy, out-of-the-box fun, follow-ups and briefings with lunch or about pets, and we fulfil our KPIs with satisfaction at the end of each day. At the beginning, I guess you didn’t hope to have a list of almost 50 services, nor

We believe in long-term partnerships. Each of us in the team, regardless of position or age, knows something best in the field of communication! did you dream of collaborating with 100 online influencers... Communications are not the same as they used to be, are they? On the one hand, they certainly aren’t. Technological development, social networks, speed, accessibility, but also Covid have influenced the growing need for communication through varied channels and the growing

Integrated communications bring much better and more comprehensive results, but also require much greater commitment. Is the satisfaction with a job well done greater? Satisfaction with a job well done is huge, sometimes because of a small individual victory that the client does not even notice, sometimes because of the work done for which we receive praise, not only from the client, but also from their competitors. Just as there is no diet with rapid results, or a dress that suits everyone, so there is no communication plan that will bring the same success to all clients. Integrated communications really give the best results but, even more than this, we believe that the best results result from an individual approach to the client’s needs, the trust we establish, teamwork and continuity.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

TAMARA BEKČIĆ AND MILENA AVRAMOVIĆ BJELICA, DIRECTORS AND CO-FOUNDERS OF CHAPTER 4 PR IN SERBIA

CREATING STABILITY

THROUGH CHANGE Chapter 4 is part of a group that operates on as many as 10 markets as the exclusive partner of BCW Global. The Chapter 4 team comprises mainly senior staff members who’ve amassed rich experience and knowhow in various industries, but also a willingness to develop, learn and monitor all that’s new, which is appreciated by both clients and associates in the quality of services among clients, though I must emphasise that local knowledge and experience are of the greatest value to clients.

Tamara Bekčić

igital transformation has created new business opportunities and led to the emergence of some industries that didn’t previously exist, while the pandemic has brought a paradigm shift, a higher level of engagement, connectivity, activism and solidarity, above all. Nothing will be the same again, insist our interlocutors. What’s brought to you by your partnership with BCW Global, which is one of the world’s leading networks? The most modern tools? Higher standards? Exchanges of experience? New clients? TB: Chapter 4 is part of the eponymous group that works in the area of strategic com-

Communications 2022

Users expect communication from brands and companies that’s tailored to them specifically, and under their conditions munications across Central and Southeast Europe. Although the agencies are mutually independent, since our establishment, a full 12 years ago, we’ve nurtured a spirit of community in terms of development, exchanging knowledge, experiences and tools, but also effectively supporting shared clients on different markets. The partnership with BCW, one of the world’s leading networks, instils additional confidence

A lot has changed throughout all these years that Chapter 4 has existed, and the most change has related to the means and channels of communication. Does that make it easier or harder for you to tailor campaigns to each client? MAB: At Chapter 4 we’ve always applied the ‘tailor made’ principle when it comes to preparing our clients’ strategies and campaigns. There is simply no other model, because every client has their own goals, business vision, purpose and plans, which makes it impossible to apply the same model to multiple clients. It’s true that tools and channels of communication have changed over the years, and we’ve adapted accordingly, endeavouring to always choose the optimal and most effective ways of communicating for a given campaign and the industries that clients represent. In essence, the communication strategy follows the business plans of the company or brand, and it is up to us to deploy the right tools and channels to ensure the messages reach the target audience. You are known for taking a broad overview of the bigger picture and for combining public relations tools with other areas of communication and marketing. Do you believe that such an integrated approach brings the best results and satisfied clients? TB: Thank you for these words! It means a lot to us that our working method is recognised and appreciated. Communication is a strategically important function. We believe in

taking a tailor-made approach to every client and every project, which means that we deal with the strategic planning of communication. This provides strong support to the business goals of companies, on the one side, while building lasting and high-quality relationships with target groups on the other. An integrated approach to communication is very important, because it is aligned with the times in which we live and ensures that key messages reach the right audience on time. I must also mention that I’m not overlooking creativity when I emphasise strategy, because that actually gives us added value. Clients value your experience, knowhow, familiarity with the market, analytical and proactive approach etc. How important is it that you also have excellent contacts in the media and institutions that are important to the shaping of public opinion? MAB: The Chapter 4 team comprises mainly senior staff members who’ve amassed decades of experience and knowhow in various industries. Each member of the team has an industry in which they specialise, but essentially all of us in the team are constantly evolving, learning and monitoring all new developments – not only in the field of communications, but also in complementary industries and business generally. And that’s what our clients and associates appreciate. It is natural for us to strive to have the best possible relations with the media and institutions, because we rely on each other in our work and support one another, but that’s not the decisive factor. Transparency and ethics in work are very important to us as a team. We’re also perhaps the only agency in Serbia to have signed the Helsinki Declaration of 2017, when - at the Global Summit in Helsinki - the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) called on the global PR industry to adhere to 10 principles of ethical practice (Helsinki Declaration). Considering the ever-increasing influence of the PR industry worldwide, and the significant dangers of unethical behaviour, this declaration aims to unite the global PR industry under the auspices of ethical practice. Digital transformation was discussed for years, but it became a reality for all of us overnight, thanks to the pandemic. How much has that shifted your perception and created new business opportunities?

Milena Avramović Bjelica

Chapter 4 is perhaps the only agency in Serbia to have signed the Helsinki Declaration, which defines 10 principles of ethical practice MAB: That’s right! It was spoken about for a long time, then the pandemic happened and everyone had to react quickly and make decisions, transforming the way they work and the way they communicate. If we can say that something good came out of the pandemic, then that would be the fact that it is now much clearer to the top management of companies why communications are so strategically important. It is also a good thing that two-way communication has been enabled between managers and employees, and that it is becoming increasingly dynamic. The flip side to that coin is that users expect communication from brands and companies that’s tailored to them specifically, and under their conditions. One study shows that smartphone users touch their phones more than 2,600 times a day. This means that the communication users want must be fast, consistent and interesting, but also stimulating for users. And digital transformation has really created

new business opportunities and led to the emergence of some industries that didn’t previously exist. Can anyone predict what communications will look like in the post-covid period? We’ve certainly all learned something new over the past two years... TB: It isn’t news to say that crises cause great changes – economic, political and social. And that people and companies are affected when global crises occur. If there’s one key lesson from the years marked by covid-19, that is that we must create stability through constant change, all the time. And that isn’t simple at all. From the perspective of our current situation, nothing will ever be the same again. We’ve changed personally and professionally, as have our thoughts, habits and tendencies. That impacts on everyone, from individuals, families and teams, to brands, organisations and industries, and we are redefined as a consequence of crisis, uncertainty or difficulty. That’s why communication is experiencing a paradigm shift, with an increased level of engagement, connection, activism and solidarity, above all, and a greater appreciation for transparency when building reputation.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

ALEKSA ČOKIĆ, GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, RED COMMUNICATION

2022 IS THE YEAR OF SETTING

NEW STANDARDS IN PR

Red Communication is one of Serbia’s most successful local agencies, with more than 30 clients, all market leaders in their respective industries. This is an agency that actively masters the new channels of communication, while cooperating with both media outlets and influencers on a daily basis

xplaining the secret of Red Communication’s success, the Group Account Director Aleksa Čokić says that everything is based on a combination of know-how and the monitoring of world trends, while he stresses that this ‘young’ market provides fertile ground for successful work and setting of industry standards.

Are you still considered the fastest growing agency in Serbia? That’s an epithet from a few years ago. We’ve now grown sufficiently to leave it up to others to grow fast, maybe even faster than us. The focus of our operations changed substantially in the previous period, as did our working

Good interpersonal relationships and job satisfaction are key factors of progress and good work methods. PR has died on multiple occasions during the last decade and a half, and each time t has come to life even stronger than before. This profession is relatively young, so all of us who have been working in this field for more than ten years are considered to be experts and scientists, despite being in our early 30s, and that is how we gained trust and respect of clients and people in this profession. Your specialist areas include corporate and brand communications, crisis management, BTL services and event management, ATL services, media relations etc. What do companies seek the most? How would you assess the market? Agencies are usually profiled to cater for one or two categories, but we specialize in almost

Communications 2022

all areas, and that’s thanks to our people. We have a brilliant team of employees and we fully encourage development of personal affinities within the scope of the profession, and we are glad that this diversity has brought our business success and satisfaction in the workplace. All sectors covered within the framework of the agency achieved success in the period behind us. However, as always, it is crisis PR that’s in the lead, and the times are such that we no longer have to call the media to report a particular problem. It is now enough for social media posts to create a problem for major companies. The event team has grown immensely and we’ve even organised numerous events during the Covid, with an obligatory disclaimer - following all the recommended safety measures.

a lot of new knowledge has been gained when digital finally came into the hands of us prs. The whole industry has mutated and pr is now stronger than ever. Agencies have bounced back significantly, while relations with clients have improved. The time of terrible clients and some kind of dictatorship has passed; trust between us is greater and we’ve finally become partners. The number of communication channels is growing constantly, while social media is gaining precedence and influencers are now more popular than sports stars... Despite the fact that we’re practically living in the future, you continue to nurture traditional values: honesty, trust, good interpersonal relationships etc. Is that the secret to success?

Although you work with a lot of large, successful and profitable companies, you don’t have unlimited budgets. Is it heresy to say that this fact also has good sides, in terms of encouraging creativity? Budgets are not unlimited, but they are far higher than they were in the year 2000, when we were pioneers in this profession, attempting to convince clients that they should invest in marketing; hence why we had to develop our own creativity and provide marvellous ideas that cost very little. We grew up in the ‘90s, when possibilities were very limited, so having a great imagination was essential, while it also provided an excellent base to engage in a profession that did not exist in our country back then. This led to successful projects, to ideas that the client approves instantly and pride due to campaigns implemented successfully. Following world trends in a market that’s still young is a fertile ground for being successful and setting standards in the industry. The pandemic has reminded us of the great importance of crisis PR, but what has it taught us? What novelties has it brought us when it comes to communications? PR is like a lotus, the only flower that blooms in sludge. The pandemic brought a disaster at several levels when it comes to the planet as a whole, but that’s the very reason why PR flourished. From the first moment of the pandemic and lockdown, we began working all day, covering everything from crises to donations, but also did creative work to prevent the spread of the virus and later promoting vaccination. At least as far as the Red Agency is concerned,

Digital has officially finally arrived for us PR people, so the entire job has mutated and PR is now stronger than it’s ever been If there is one thing I have learned through the years, it is that respectable interpersonal relationships and job satisfaction are key factors of progress and good work. We are absolutely in step with the times, but we wisely

choose not to apply things from the modern Western business culture - cold relations with employees and top management do not exist in our team. I like it when colleagues socialise beyond work, when they go out together, see each other etc. At Red we are all one big family, full of most diverse members, but also full of love. We actively master all new channels of communication and cooperate on a daily basis with the media and influencers. Influencer marketing has advanced significantly and is still changing, and I think Serbia is significantly more advanced in this field than the other countries of the region. You implemented excellent campaigns dedicated to promoting the vaccinating of children and the fight against ovarian cancer last year. Are you satisfied with the effects? We proudly accept all campaigns of this type and I think it is very important that we use our opportunities for the right cause. We’ve entered the pharmaceutical sector in the last few years and realised how much power it holds, which is why we managed a large number of campaigns successfully, and the campaign of a major pharmaceutical company in the fight against ovarian cancer is one of the best, which makes us extremely proud. We’ve worked on a large number of projects with our friends from UNICEF over the years, and our commitment to this type of work always gives a campaign the desired effect. We have another challenging year ahead of us. What kinds of plans and expectations? The market is advancing and has an increasing need for large agencies and professionals, while freelancers with micro clients and minimal budgets hold almost no sway with the media, and have no effect. When it comes to Red in particular, this year is very important for our agency, because we really have major plans to expand our business to new market categories and projects that will undoubtedly change the market and set new standards. I really love working with competing agencies, because improving the quality of work has resulted in us all managing to collectively raise prices for our work, thus helping improve the success and importance of the profession. My wish for 2022 is for my colleagues to support the idea of agencies being paid for their participation in pitches as of this year, which would show respect for their time and ideas.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

BRILLIANT TEAM THAT’S BEEN

GROWING FOR 18 YEARS The team at agency Right strives to keep pace with trends and innovations in the field of public relations, marketing and communications, to nurture strong ties with partners in the media, institutions and companies. And both are equally important for success. IVANA GLIŠOVIĆ, PR manager

MILICA POPOVIĆ, PR manager

SUZANA MAGDELINIĆ, PR manager

We Have A Leadership Role

The PR world is complex and composed of an array of other participants who are equally important for the successful placement of desired content.

ne of the basic tasks of public relations is to ensure high-quality two-way communication with various target groups, which certainly include representatives of the media, who are our basic channel for transmitting messages and achieving the goals we set. Our relationship is based primarily on trust and the mutual understanding of our professions, with reciprocal support and partnership relations. The path to a text that we will read on portals or in the next day’s editions of popular daily newspapers is paved with cooperation between many relevant actors, and the success of our work is dependent on their efforts. Whether it relates to the placement of a new product, idea or the organising of an event, the strength of the entire chain lies in each of its links. We have the role of a leader; a leader who holds the baton and coordinates all other participants in a project, all for the sake of developing one idea and achieving one goal, and that goal is positive publicity. We know that we’ve succeeded when the client is satisfied.

Communications 2022

PR Isn’t Gender Sensitive

Prepared For New Challenges, Successes And Anniversaries The company’s coming of age represents proof of its quality, confirmed through almost two decades of successful operations and survival on a market that’s often ruthless.

gency Right celebrated its coming-of-age last September. We are proud of our more than 350 successfully organised events and over 100 implemented CSR projects; of our cooperate with our dear clients, kilometres of press clippings that we’ve written together and the significant projects into which we’ve breathed life; of our nurturing of ties with partners in the media, institutions and companies. Above all, we are proud of one another, because we’ve always been a team - both when working and when creating; when celebrating and toasting our success; when crises are overcome and emails are sent from other continents and different time zones. We are always there – for work, for clients, for each other. And we are more prepared than ever for new challenges, successes and anniversaries.

Despite global statistics showing that PR staff would rather “don heels” than “put on a tie”, it would be overly simplistic to claim that women dominate the field of communications, public relations and marketing.

ood PR can be done by anyone who is able to excellently combine speed, efficacy, intuition, multitasking, honesty, emotions, a rich vocabulary, coordination and composure, especially in stressful situations and crises. Although PR is not gender sensitive, the fact is that more girls enrol in faculties to study PR, journalism and communications, and that there are more women than men in every agency, including ours. An explanation for this fact perhaps lies in the very nature of the genders. Magnetic resonance imaging shows that women use more areas of the brain to communicate and evaluate people, which is why they are naturally better at doing so than men. A woman will better recognise the kind of environment in which she finds herself, more easily establish contact and better assess relations between the people in her presence, which is perhaps why she succeeds in establishing supremacy in the company of PR experts. And we’ll see whether that supremacy is fleeting or enduring.

NEVENA KURTOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FUSION COMMUNICATIONS

BUSINESS

LISTENING IS CRUCIAL

TO COMMUNICATION Integrated communications agency Fusion Communications is continuously creating and recounting its clients’ unique brand of story through a variety of communication channels. Comprehensive communication strategies represent the basis of Fusion’s services: public relations, experiential marketing and social media marketing

that help us reach even the most specific target groups. On the other hand – HOW we convey our messages is just as important as reaching the right audience. In a time of content overload, I believe some basic good old traits are coming back in a big way – honesty and integrity. You have to know what you stand for, back that up with notable facts, stand behind your word, product and company – own up to your truth, even when mistakes are made. It seems that there’s a yearning for the real human touch in communication. The pandemic has accelerated this process.

he most important aspect of communication is listening, and therefore data and insight are things that we rely on greatly when creating strategies for our partners and clients. It is only with an open ear and flexibility that we can say that we are working in the right direction, says Fusion Communication’s MD Nevena Kurtović.

The most important aspect of communication is listening, and therefore data and insight are things that we rely on greatly when creating strategies for our partners and clients. It is

Alongside all the changes that are brought by the years, there’s one thing that doesn’t change, and that’s the need for communication. What’s required for you to communicate in the right way, to ensure you achieve the best results for your partners and clients? It is crucial to always listen to the sentiment and messages from our audience and the market. We live in an era of almost limitless possibilities for precise communication. We can finally have a two-way conversation with our target group, so why not use that opportunity?

only with an open ear and flexibility to adjust our communication that we can we say that we are working in the right direction.

Almost any piece of information can today go viral overnight. Does that make your work easier or harder? That really depends and varies from case to case. Sometimes, even when you try your best to “make” something go viral, it doesn’t happen. We see more often that viral content comes from spontaneous situations, relying on different factors to help with the push. A recent

It seems that there’s a yearning for the real human touch in communication. The pandemic has accelerated this process

Thanks to the large number of communications channels, it is easy to send a message that will reach a large number of people, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that those people will trust you. That requires something more than technology, right? Absolutely! Technology has helped, in an immense way, with various channels and tools

video by a Chilean actor became so widespread that we even saw it shared here in Serbia, and a very famous U.S. personality also shared it, giving it next-level viral success. What is also noticeable is that viral videos mostly have the same characteristic – they trigger emotions. So, to answer your question, if done right, it can be very much to our advantage, but I don’t think there’s a single secret formula for making content go viral. Usually, if that is the only goal, it tends to fail. Looking deeper into the emotion and message is far more important.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

NIKOLA LAZIĆ, DIRECTOR, NINAMEDIA RESEARCH

CORPORATE REPUTATION CANNOT BE

MEASURED BY GUESSES Corporate reputation is researched and established by serious multidisciplinary teams of scientists. As of recently, this service has started to be offered in Serbia by Ninamedia. Ninamedia Research is the only research agency in the region to have developed its own methodology for assessing corporate reputation, which it applies successfully. The final finding is expressed in the form of a rating in the Corporate Reputation Index (CRI) chapter in the development of the internet. As the Facebook founder explained, the company will invest at least 10 billion dollars in the new project. This will enable currently unimaginable experiences for users, who will be able to use virtual avatars to socialise and travel without limitation, but also without leaving their home. And who knows what else. Zuckerberg said that the name change was already being considered back in 2012 and 2014, when the

June 2017, as much as 77.5% of America’s adult population had a positive opinion of this social media platform, with only 15.11% expressing a negative view. However, four years later, in May 2021, the percentage of positive impressions had dropped to 52.69%, while the negative ones had leapt to 37.47%. If we consider that the company reported profits of 85.9 billion dollars last year (for the sake of comparison, Serbia’s entire GDP for the year was just 60.5

It only seems that there’s no direct link to the facts regarding the way a product or service is currently performing on the market. Ultimately, though, it is definitely connected to crucial parameters like revenue or profit

hen Facebook changed its name to Meta at the end of October 2021, founder Mark Zuckerberg very rationally explained that the purpose of this move was to create separate names for a large corporation and the world’s most popular social media platform, which has approximately 2.9 billion users. Speaking at the time, Zuckerberg added that the company had great ambitions in terms of developing the socalled Metaverse, which will represent a new

Communications 2022

company acquired Instagram and WhatsApp, but that the final decision was made on the eve of the birth of the Metaverse. There’s no doubt that there were many good arguments, right? But there’s at least one ‘however’ in this story, behind which hides a series of challenges that led to a significant decline in Facebook’s reputation, primarily in the U.S. Less than a month after Zuckerberg announced the change, his former employee, Frances Haugen, testified before the Senate of the United States Congress about the way Facebook is endangering democracy and placing profit before the public good. She accused the company of fomenting hate speech and polarisation among users, because likes are more frequently given to extreme views than neutral ones. And likes lead to profits. Haugen stated at the time that the safety of users, particularly children, had been compromised. Facebook has been at the receiving end of various criticisms for years, and that has its price. In

billion dollars), then it is clear why Mark Zuckerberg opted to preserve his exorbitant income instead of the name which had, over the course of 17 years, been added to all world languages and become iconic. He distanced the company from the social media platform, which was accumulating ever more baggage. What did Mark Zuckerberg actually do? He definitely heeded the advice of good experts who deal with corporate reputation. Simply put, this somewhat obscure term pertains to the way a company is regarded by its stakeholders. And these are not just managers and (co)owners. The full picture comprises a company’s reputation among its employees, but also among its business partners, competitors, investors, banks and even clients (customers, service users), as well as the local or general community in which the company operates. It therefore only seems that there’s no direct link to the facts regarding the way a product or service is currently performing

on the market. Ultimately, though, it is definitely connected to crucial parameters like revenue or profit. That’s why it’s no surprise that the need to build and maintain a positive corporate reputation leads to the synergy of business and science, which provides serious methodology and science and research tools enabling the maintaining of a good reputation. More importantly, these tools ensure that the issue of reputation never wades into the raging waters of unpredictability, which was threatening to happen to Facebook. And not just to this social media platform: let us recall Uber’s 2018 troubles, when a series of accusations led to a significant decline in the brand’s reputation. Such examples are numerous. Even the owner of a green grocers in Mala Krsna, or the woman who knits sweaters in Sirogojno, know that one must be careful when it comes to business reputation. “Good morning, neighbour!” or “Welcome, please help yourself!” are taken for granted, but what else is hiding “under the bonnet” of business reputation? Companies never fully control the information that’s generated about their operations or brands. Following the emergence of social media platforms, which are simultaneously mass media outlets and a means of interpersonal communication, it became far more complex to keep an eye on all possible “escalations”, and even more complex to control them. Many stakeholders form personal views about a company and its brands without having any interaction with the company.Thousands of negative comments on a socialmediaplatformcaneasilyremain“underthe radar” of the management, while those seeming to be outsiders who have negative views about a company can become powerful influencers. And what can we even say about the possibility of the management not having accurate information about its internal reputation, i.e., the company’s reputation among its employees? This internal reputation has a direct impact on productivity, as well as loyalty to the company. Corporate reputation definitely cannot be measured by guesses. If that was the case, then pensioners playing dominoes and chess in shabby community halls would make the final judgement. Fortunately, there is someone more competent! Corporate reputation is researched and established by serious multidisciplinary teams of scientists. As of recently, this service has started to be offered in Serbia by Ninamedia. Ninamedia Research is the only research agency in the region to have developed its

Thousands of negative comments on a social media platform can easily remain “under the radar” of the management, while those seeming to be outsiders who have negative views about a company can become powerful influencers own methodology for assessing corporate reputation, which it applies successfully. The final finding is expressed in the form of a rating in the Corporate Reputation Index (CRI). With very complex methodology that’s also scientifically and practically verified, through statistical procedures, the numerical value of the index is calculated and represents the ultimate rating of corporate reputation. This rating is reached following the identifying of research subjects and dimensions, after which indicators for each

individual dimension are established. This forms the basis to develop an index and instruments for measuring the index. At the end, with a numerical display of the index, i.e., the total score, results are presented to the client according to subjects and dimensions. Only on the basis of this result can company decision-makers competently navigate the ship of their business toward a long-term positive reputation. Otherwise, to use another nautical metaphor, they could be left high and dry.

Communications 2022

INCLUSIVE ADVERTISING

THE RISKS OF FALLING INTO THE STEREOTYPE TRAP Linda Nilsson is the CEO of the Swedish Association of Communication agencies (KOMM). As KOMM launches new research on inclusion and representation in Swedish advertising, she shares how accurately the ad industry is reflecting society at large – and the impact it has

hat does representation mean to you? For me, it’s about making sure every voice is equal and heard. Representation needs to be based on the Swedish population. But often we are presented with media or advertising that doesn’t truly represent the world around

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us or the communities we live in. At KOMM, we wanted to understand how Sweden is faring when it comes to inclusion and representation in advertising. We conducted a study in partnership with Sveriges Annonsörer (the body for Swedish Advertisers), Google Sweden, and the Geena Davis

Institute. Together, we analysed representation within top advertising campaigns that were nominated for three prestigious awards over the course of six years (2015-2020). We looked at this in the context of Swedish demographics, while also reviewing the use of stereotypes within these campaigns. This is what we found:

The difference between being ‘seen’ and ‘representation’ A quarter of all characters represented in the campaigns we analysed were people from ethnically diverse backgrounds. And with 25.9% of the Swedish population having a foreign background,2 we were initially encouraged by the first wave of results. It sounds great, right? It’s in line with the share of the Swedish population born abroad so it stands to reason that the representation we see in advertising is at least on a par with the diversity we see in our society. But when we looked closer at the use of stereotypes within these campaigns, it became clear that there was a discrepancy in how they are being represented. In the campaigns analysed across the six years, white characters are consistently shown to be ‘smart’, more often than non-white characters. In a similar vein, white characters are shown to have a job – more often than characters of colour. White characters are also shown to be leaders more often than characters of colour. The persistence of tropes and stereotypes When compared with Swedish population data, women are also fairly well represented

on an aggregate level. Sweden has an almost constant rate of 50% representation of women in advertising, compared to 38% internationally.3 But while we see a decrease in the use of tropes and stereotypes overall, there are two exceptions. The categories where we see a very clear under-representation are people over 50 and people with larger body types. That the use of ageist tropes and stereotypes is increasing is a sad and worrying trend. The same continuous under-representation can be seen for characters with larger body types as the thin body ideal persists, in spite of debates around body image and mental health. While there is much to be done to improve on these areas, the good news is that it’s not all gloom and doom: there are some areas where representation has improved. In 2018, 43% of ads used at least one marginalised group trope or stereotype, but in 2020, this was true for only just 15.1% of ads. And while 15% is still too high, the fact that it has improved by 27 percentage points is an encouraging and positive trajectory. Across all years analysed, the most common stereotypes were sexist ones – we’ve all seen the ‘damsel in distress’, for example, or the overly sexualised female.

Improvementhasbeenmade,with34%ofads in 2018 invoking a sexist stereotype, compared to just 3.8% in 2020 – an improvement of 30 percentage points. So, while we are closing in on these numbers to neutralise sexist stereotyping, we recognise we need to do even more. Campaigns that break stereotypes We want to encourage the communications industry to look at this data and make an honest assessment of where we are and where we want to evolve in the future. And style icon Iris Apfel, 100 years young, is the face of H&M’s latest collaboration – showing us once and for all that age is just a number. The collection was designed for all ages and sizes, making inclusion more than just the campaign material, but putting it front and centre of the products and business objectives. Marketing can either solidify stereotypes or break them. I want us to be on the side of breaking stereotypes. Ask yourself: what stories are missing today? Are you seeing your audience for who they truly are? And how can you tell human stories without the use of stereotypes? After all, it’s not just being seen that matters – it’s how that representation plays out.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

ANĐELINA PETROVIĆ, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, COMTRADE

CUSTOM MADE COMMUNICATION

SOLUTIONS ARE THE FUTURE As a company with operations spanning three continents, which today – after three decades in existence – has business solutions for various industry verticals, Comtrade’s communication strategy is primarily aligned with the breadth of its operations

he rapid development of technologies like AI, IoT, robotics and 5G networks are leading to the ever-faster spread of information. Companies that have recognised this, and duly adapted their business and communication strategies in the right way, have established themselves as market leaders.

Comtrade is a leader in the IT domain, but also in business communications. What are current trends like in this area? New technologies have enabled previously unimaginable forms of communication between companies and their surrounding community, but also with employees, thus the harmonising of internal and external aspects is an essential precondition for modern businesses. As a leader in IT, we are tasked with leading change through innovation and creativity. With the introduction of new types and formats of communication, employees participate in the creating of content through interactive programmes and digital tools – the best recent example of which is the launch of Comtrade AR (augmented reality) effects, as well as applications with benefits that are available to employees on our internal portal, which they use on a daily basis to get informed about current affairs in all parts of the world where Comtrade offices are located. A global market focus led to us orientating ourselves towards the establishing of an international network of communication and cooperation with eminent global media companies, so our communication approach and organising of work from home during the pandemic was presented to the world by Forbes Magazine, while the expansion of our business in Ireland was reported on by The Times. What importance does information have in a digital business environment?

Communications 2022

The future lies in custom-made solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of clients or partners, as well as organisations themselves Information has become one of the main assets of companies, and the proper management of data is an imperative for successful operations. Companies that have recognised this, and duly adapted their business and communication strategies in the right way, have established themselves as market leaders. The future lies in custom-made solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of clients or partners, as well as organisations themselves. New forms of communication must be harmonised at all levels of an organisation, which is why agility is among the most relevant prerequisites to ensure success. And all companies in the digital environment are striving to find a trusted partner that adapts to market changes with agility. We saw an example of this in 2020, during the first phase of the organising of work from home, when Comtrade secured the largest internal VPN network in this part of Europe, thus enabling secure and uninterrupted communication among employees.

What should be the focus when it comes to strengthening image and reputation, but also when it comes to improving competitiveness? In a sea of information, it is important to remain authentic. Company reputation and image are based on reliability and integrity, and constantly upgrading and creating new, innovative approaches to communication is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage. Technologies that enable direct contact with clients provide significant insights into their needs, but also those of employees, thereby providing space to create personalised services. In the domain of information technology, this aspect related to customised solutions and software services tailored to the needs of clients, while new digital formats have been introduced in the domain of communication, a good example of which are internal digital applications for employees, AR effects and other AI-based tools.

ALEKSANDRA KOŽUL, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, EXTERNAL, INTERNAL AND DIGITAL, NOVASTON MARKETING CONSULTANCY

BUSINESS

HONESTY IS KEY TO SUCCESS The development of technologies and new media, changes in society, and with them changes in the behaviour of people, have all led to the need to integrate all communication activities and customise communication messages development of technologies and new media, changes in society, and with them changes in the behaviour of people, have all led to the need to integrate all communication activities and customise communication messages. It long since hasn’t been enough use one or even all forms of communication, rather it is necessary to combine them in the right way, with specially tailored messages. On the other side, what hasn’t changed is the dependence of business success on a satisfied

The marketing Network has achieved its goal over the past ten years – to be a portal that operationally networks participants in the marketing communications market. That’s why there are no professionals in this field who don’t “browse” the Marketing Network to see what’s new or who fail to respond to an invitation to share their experience. Adbook is one of my favourite Marketing Network projects. Despite having only existed for three years, it has set certain standards

Business operations shouldn’t be defined exclusively on the basis of a product and service, rather people seek more

he establishment of the Marketing Network, a portal that promotes good practice examples and new trends, thereby contributing to the raising of standards, has proved very important for the marketing communications market - explains Novaston Marketing Consultancy’s Aleksandra Kožul. How would you evaluate Serbia’s marketing communications market over the past 10 years? The importance of marketing communication has only been growing since the beginning of this millennium. The world is changing uncontrollably, as is communication itself, while the aim remains the same: for companies and brands to build, in the right way, lasting relationships with (potential) customers. The

and loyal consumer (client), and for a decade already that client hasn’t only sought the value of the product, but rather also demanded the value of the brand. That’s why they can no longer be viewed only as a goal, rather they are partners, whose views, wishes and ideas must be heard and understood. Social media networks, for example, increasingly exclude intermediaries in communication, so consumers want to hear a brand’s voice and enter into dialogue with it, instead of just receiving information. The pandemic has placed an additional emphasis on issues of social justice and inclusion, the treatment of employees and the stance of companies regarding public issues. Marketing can no longer be imagined without action and investment in social responsibility. The key ingredient to real success is honesty, because clients and consumers recognise and severely punish any preening and “socially responsible” activities conducted purely for the purpose of increasing profit. What role in the development of the market has the Marketing Network played over the past 10 years? Which of the Marketing Network projects is your favourite?

in the production of higher quality and more meaningful marketing content. On the other side, linking the sale of the publication to the humanitarian campaign to donate funds to social associations in Serbia represents an additional value of this entire project, which has been recognised by numerous companies, agencies and individuals. Handle with care - in what context will we use this phrase in 2022? We concluded that business operations shouldn’t be defined exclusively on the basis of a product and service, rather that people seek more. During the pandemic in particular, survival is only achieved by those who – alongside added value – also offer a more humane approach to people, demonstrate environmental awareness, support the availability of education or, simply, who show that they care for the planet and for humanity. “Handle with care” today relates to all aspects of business, to marketing communication as a whole and the entire industry generally. Together, we must all be more empathetic; everything we do and the way we work, but also the way we live, must have a higher purpose – a better future.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

UROŠ ĐORĐEVIĆ, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, DELL TECHNOLOGIES

THE PANDEMIC HAS ACCELERATED

MARKET TRANSFORMATION Dell is one of the leaders in digital transformation, putting at the heart of its offering digital technology solutions, products and services that enhance business and its processes

Even before the pandemic, tools were used to enable business communication and remote interaction. In many spheres of life and business, such technologies have brought many good things and advantages. Direct contact and communication are very important factors, often crucial, both in private life and in the business environment, especially since humans are social beings who develop, are formed and exist in a community. This is especially the case in some areas of business, such as the sale of products and services, which in most cases requires direct contact with partners, distributors, customers and everyone else.

o our great pleasure, Dell Technologies in Serbia and Montenegro can boast of a partnership network that has the capacity to withstand all market demands at all levels of business - says Mr Đorđević with undisguised pride. We are about to enter the third year of the pandemic without reliable information on whether or when it will end. How does this affect you and your plans, the need to develop new services? That’s right, it sounds pretty amazing, but we are approaching the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact of the virus on all aspects of life is very large, also on the information technology market. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Dell Technologies, as a socially responsible company, is fully committed to the health and safety of its staff, all of its associates and society in general. The impact of the pandemic on business and the business results themselves are continually being discussed and comprehensive analyses are made on how to maintain and improve business while respecting all of the prescribed measures and preserving human health. I would like to thank all our partners who have been bearing the brunt of the pandemic and successfully managing all business demands. The transformation of the market was considerable even before the pandemic and generated the need for modern services, but the pandemic accelerated this trend. When we talk about communications, we usually mean external ones, although

Communications 2022

Direct contact and communication are very important factors, often crucial, both in private life and in the business environment internal communications are equally important. Can modern means of communication replace personal contact? In these difficult times, direct contact is avoided for completely justified reasons, to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Given that the digital transformation is ubiquitous and that companies are increasingly striving for the digital, it was expected that your solutions would become more accessible to the wider market. In which sectors is it most felt? You are absolutely right, digital transformation is ubiquitous. It is a continuous process which has been ongoing for some time and which should bring great improvements in business and business processes using all available tools and technologies. Dell is certainly one of the leaders in the digital transformation that puts digital technology solutions, products and services that improve business and business processes at the heart of its offering. As a company we are present in all sectors, but I would like to point out that there are noticeable large investments in reforms and digitalization of the public sector, which is certainly a big step forward that is important for us all.

OLIVERA STEFANOVIĆ STANKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROGLAS PUBLIC RELATIONS

BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION IS THE PRESENT’S

FOUNDATION IN THE FUTURE Proglas PR applies everything new that yields results, while simultaneously remaining true to tradition. They say that they’re big enough to be able to successfully implement complex tasks and small enough to apply an individual approach to each client in order to create a model of cooperation that ensures the best result

Photo: Aleksandra Popović

As one of the most complex and dynamic segments, communication requires the “whole person”, 365 days a year. The burden on people in this field has never been at such a high level, and someone wanting to reduce the flow of information can also reduce the effects of their operations. It could be said that we are grateful to IT, while on the other hand we also have lots of superfluous material that burdens everyone. As the younger generations would say, “you live and work on social media networks

As one of the most complex and dynamic segments, communication requires the “whole person”, 365 days a year

t is necessary to maintain part of the traditional approach to communication, but also to continuously introduce something new, because practise shows that it’s necessary to be informed in order for communication to be adequate for the client, the agency and society as a whole - advises Proglas Public Relations MD Olivera Stefanović Stanković How much are current events influenced by directions in the development of communications? The time in which we live is woven from the information that we need, with an emphasis on receiving that information at the right time, in order to exploit it adequately. An inevitable topic of the last two years relates to the pandemic and the essential receiving of information at the right time, in order to overcome operational obstacles, i.e., for work to carry on in continuity.

and portals”, but when it comes to the current situation, we hope that the further direction in the development of communication will move a few steps backwards, because the exchange of energy and the presence of the human factor completes the whole picture of operations. It is necessary to maintain part of the traditional approach to communications, but also to introduce something new continuously. Proglas PR applies everything new that proves to be applicable in practise, while simultaneously remaining true to tradition. Young people who work in the communications sector don’t read the news, but rather gather information from social media to create their own picture, which isn’t good. Are the new trends in the field of modern communications acceptable? The most innovative approach possible is naturally sought in modern communications, but

expectations are like that too. Many innovations are accepted in practise and adopted, but there are unfortunately many segments that remain without success due to their complexity and are applied less. We definitely need to work on new trends and making them fit the needs of clients and society as a whole. There’s been lots that’s new over the last two years, but unfortunately just online communications as a whole aren’t sustainable, and testifying to that are hybrid meetings, which confirm the need for the presence of the human factor. Modern communications as much as possible, yes, but also personal physical contacts. How applicable are PR tools in the modern digital world? There were once lectures insisting that text that’s literate is not required for social networks, while the picture is the most important element. That gradually changed. A picture or video together with a text are today seen as a package, and that’s simply implied. It is necessary to teach younger generations to strive for perfection by applying all PR tools in communication through the digital world, because it is necessary for them to be part of it. One of the important segments is also the distribution of information that needs to be conducted in a way that’s targeted, and not random. It is necessary to use PR tools as much as possible in order to posit the required information, and truthful information is essential in order for communications to be at a high level.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS RAJKA ŠINIK VULIĆ, MARKETING DIRECTOR, EGZAKTA ADVISORY

PANDEMICS TEACH US

BETTER COMMUNICATION Egzakta is a highly professional IT and management consulting company based in Serbia with the capacity to help its clients in the private and public sectors in the SEE region make the right decisions and unlock all potentials

ocusing on their clients’ needs, developing more effective campaigns, and finding solutions for increasing returns on marketing investment will be high on the list of priorities for many marketing communications professionals in the coming period. We’ve all read stories about how the world will never be the same again after Covid-19, but how will the communication industry change in this new future? The pandemic caused by the Covid 19 virus appeared suddenly, spreading with astronomical speed, leaving enormous consequences and affecting all aspects of our businesses and private lives. For understanding trends in the communications field, a few things are important. Firstly, digital transformation in the last decade has already reshaped the communications industry and digital channels have become more important by the day. The second fact is that the crisis principally triggered permanent changes in how people consume and interact with brands, and it caused some deep and long-term changes in marketing approaches. And finally, companies are faced with serious financial problems and have been forced to reconsider their marketing budgets and activities. Focusing on clients’ needs, developing more effective campaigns, and finding solutions for increasing return on marketing investment will be high on the list of priorities for many marketing communications professionals.

Communications 2022

Generally, I think that the customer-centric campaign will be in focus, while customers appreciate communication and an experience that is relevant to them. The key will be in a paradigm shift, with increased levels of engagement, activities, and above all, a higher valuation of transparency when building reputations. Also, every business or company who prefers to act responsibly should more than ever insist on distinct communication, based on truth and realistic expectations, which will be established to increase business and stakeholder value and meet society’s new demands once it emerges from this crisis.

The communication trends relevant to each business will depend on its market, industry, and strategic position What trends in communication will mark the coming period? It’s difficult to predict long-term trends in such a dynamic environment. The communication trends that are relevant to every business will depend on its market, industry, and strategic position.

What is Egzakta’s comparative advantage or how do you explain to a potential client why to choose Egzakta as a business partner? We have the best regional team, the leading value-adding consultant team in SEE with hands-on experience from working with numerous regional companies on similar projects. Our collaborative approach and unique working style, characterised by close collaboration with our clients, are recognised from the market. We are the fastest growing management consulting company in the region. Our portfolio of projects and clients and our compact team allow us to compete with large global players on the market. Along with methodologies and practices from big names, we add local flavour and knowledge, and this has proven to be the best combination for our clients.

SRDJAN CRNOGORAC, GENERAL MANAGER, BLACKWOOD COMMUNICATIONS SERBIA

BUSINESS

A COMBINATION OF

EXPERIENCE AND FRESH IDEAS Although Blackwood communications is considered a new agency on the Serbian market, its team consists of experienced professionals with countless communication projects behind them and successful work with clients, mostly with an international background.

eople who work in this branch of industry, communications, have to be curious by nature, to be interested in innovation, especially those who can improve their profession, and this certainly does not apply only to the field of technology - says Mr. Crnogorac.

You are one of the pioneers in the public relations and communications industry with an enviable experience in media relations, crisis communications, integrated marketing... What makes you happy in your work? For all of us who have been in the business for a long time, happiness can take many forms. But it seems to me that the strongest is always somehow connected with new beginnings. That’s how it is now with us at Blackwood communications. Despite the fact that we are now considered ‘newcomers’ in the communications market in Serbia, our team consists of experienced professionals, who have a lot of communication projects behind them and successful work with clients. Since we have found ourselves at the beginning again after so many years of experience, we are really excited, which in my opinion will be helpful to rediscover much-needed inspiration. What are the greatest challenges for you today? Are they a consequence of the pandemic and technological development? It’s possible that this will sound like a heresy nowadays, but in my view the challenges of the profession are universal and don’t change much with external circumstances. If communication experts

can be challenging only if you have not been prepared for them or are not ready to tackle the challenge. People who work in this branch of industry, communications, have to be curious by nature, to be interested in innovation, especially those who can improve their profession, and this certainly does not apply only to the field of technology. The fascination of modern man with the world of technology is understandable, because it brings novelties that we have not previously encountered. It’s like falling in love, fascination at the beginning can make you ‘take off’, but how it ends depends on you. It seems that the future will always bring some change, something exciting for us, like with the metaverse now.

The fascination of modern man with the world of technology is understandable, because it brings novelties that we have not previously encountered do their job well and build their own or the client’s reputation, then they will not be much affected by the consequences of crises, new social phenomena and so on. The foundations on which your reputation is built must be stable and based on universal values, and everything you listed

Have your colleagues forgotten the golden rule of PR and marketing - the essence is in the content? Can a lack of content be compensated by large budgets and aggressive campaigns? It seems to me on the contrary that my colleagues greatly emphasize its importance, because without the right true content that inspires and fulfills people, large investments in technology and campaigns are pointless. Without good quality content, there is no connection between the audience and the brand, and when that’s the case, people can experience the campaign only as good entertainment, which they will not remember for more than ‘three days’. Technology is there only to help us and make it easier for our message to reach the target audience, and for it to be in the right format and through the right communication channels.

Communications 2022

BUSINESS

ALEKSANDRA BOJADŽIEVSKA, DIRECTOR E-SEARCH

STAFF LEASING,

INCREASINGLY POPULAR E-search is a small family-owned firm working in HR for 20 years now. Their reference list holds a number of companies from the IT world and other fields, including successful cooperation with Microsoft Development Centre Serbia since day one.

ur guiding principle is that only the best can succeed in a turbulent business environment such as our market - says Mrs. Bojadžievska, adding that for them, quality is the key to all success. Therefore, in each project they apply a set of governance and quality control principles. You have worked in HR for over 20 years, and during the last two E-search has seen its full expansion. What led to this? Is it related to the pandemic? E-search is a small family-owned firm that in time focused mainly on the IT sector, in itself seeing an expansion during recent years, thus this has had a considerable amount of positive impact on our company. I’d say this has been going on for more than two years. The IT sector has continued to grow despite the pandemic, unlike other sectors. As market leaders, you help clients find the required human resources. Does this cover all, including the highest positions? This has certainly been part of our business, started by my late father just over 20 years ago. Today, E-search also recruits students for certain types of expert teams that operate in the above sector. We are very proud to employ young people, for whom this is their first job, and to cooperate with them. This is a profession with a very good supply of education in Serbia. The second and equally large part of our business is staff leasing, offered as a service since our company was founded. Clients increasingly need these two services to go hand in hand.

Communications 2022

The supply of human resources in the rapidly expanding IT sector is excellent, but the market is highly dynamic How would you assess our workforce? What is the supply? It is easy for you to find what your clients need, or does the search for a good candidate sometimes take a while? The workforce supply depends both on the sector and job posting, but the key point is certainly good communication with the client and understanding of what the client needs. I would also add that, as we

mainly work with the IT sector which is in a state of rapid expansion, the supply of candidates is excellent, but the market is highly dynamic. Under such conditions one must be ready to act quickly and offer the candidate more than the competition does. Although your primary approach is aimed at corporations, we pay particular attention to communication with candi-

dates. Does this produce the best cooperation between candidates and clients? Since our clients set high standards, the candidates we choose must meet all of the required criteria. Our company recruits different profiles in different sectors, but even within single companies clients sometimes require a set of different job posts. Fortunately, once we fill them, they tend to remain, while fluctuation and the need for replacing staff is low. It is important to note that every candidate receives feedback from us, whether they pass to the next round or not. Due to our professional relationship with every candidate, we have a pool of candidates that we can call for other jobs as well, if they have proven themselves but did not receive an opportunity for the post that was open at the time.

unresolved issues and problems that remain to be solved through practice. Therefore, the answer is YES, this is a very turbulent environment for us and our business. You believe only the best can succeed. This means you believe quality is the key to all success and you seek it in yourself and your candidates?

You just answered the question. We believe that the most important thing today is to be able to respond well and without delay to the requests of our clients and expectations of our candidates. We believe smaller systems such as ours have an advantage regarding the above characteristics, and I am certain that many people share this opinion with me.

Speaking of corporations, who are you biggest clients? Microsoft is one of them? Our reference list holds a number of other companies from the world of IT, and companies from other fields, but we have

The most important thing is to be able to respond well and without delay to the requests of our clients and expectations of our candidates successfully cooperated with Microsoft Development Centre Serbia (MDCS) since the company was established. Our market is known as a turbulent business environment. What makes it such? To what extent does our legislation contribute to this? Agencies such as ours have found themselves in a highly turbulent period recently, after the new Law on Agency Employment (staff leasing) came into force as of March 2020. Although this law regulates the rights and obligations of staff concluding labour contracts with a temporary employment agency for referral to temporary jobs, as well as the relationship between the agency and end employer, we have been faced with defined limits on the number of referred staff. This resulted in many changes to our business, reduced opportunities, and many

Communications 2022

Communications sector Serbia 2022

Articles inside

STAFF LEASING, INCREASINGLY POPULAR

A COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND FRESH IDEAS

CUSTOM MADE COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS ARE THE FUTURE

HONESTY IS KEY TO SUCCESS ALEKSANDRA KOŽUL

COMMUNICATION IS THE PRESENT’S FOUNDATION IN THE FUTURE

THE PANDEMIC HAS ACCELERATED MARKET TRANSFORMATION

PANDEMICS TEACH US BETTER COMMUNICATION

THE RISKS OF FALLING INTO THE STEREOTYPE TRAP

WHAT IN THE HECK DO CUSTOMERS WANT?

LISTENING IS CRUCIAL TO COMMUNICATION

CATCHY, EDGY AND OUT-OF-THE BOX COMMUNICATIONS WITH A PURPOSE

CORPORATE REPUTATION CANNOT BE MEASURED BY GUESSES

2022 IS THE YEAR OF SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN PR

CREATING STABILITY THROUGH CHANGE

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SHOULD REFLECT PEOPLE’S REALITY

BRILLIANT TEAM THAT’S BEEN GROWING FOR 18 YEARS