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HONESTY IS KEY TO SUCCESS ALEKSANDRA KOŽUL
ALEKSANDRA KOŽUL,COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, EXTERNAL, INTERNAL AND DIGITAL, NOVASTON MARKETING CONSULTANCY BUSINESS
HONESTY IS KEY TO SUCCESS
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The 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 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
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.
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
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.
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?
