THE SECRET FORMULA OF COMMUNICATION 2021
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DIGITAL COMMUNICATION IS A NEW GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY The digital world is a global market, and the best ticket to enter it is digital communication or communication in a digital environment
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he pandemic has fundamentally changed the world, people's attitudes and habits. Distance is what has prevailed in the past year and a half, and that is contrary to human nature," says Dušan Stojaković, Chairman of the Managing Board of the Public Relations Society of Serbia (DSOJ). "Many people have mistakenly equated physical distance with social distance. These two distances are by no means the same and there lies a great potential and hidden threat of the pandemic for the whole society," says Mr Stojaković in an interview for D&C magazine's special called Communications.
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The global pandemic has changed not only the way we communicate but also people's behaviours and habits. What has changed the most compared to how it was before the crisis? — People are social beings and their key need is to correspond with the world around them. No matter how much we try to overcome the barriers imposed by the so-called external factors, I have the impression that our relationship will never be the same. This doesn't have to be a bad thing necessarily. Over time, thanks to this, we might undergo some kind of renaissance in human relations and communication. Maybe we will realize how important we should be to each other. For now, whether we are on the side
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of science and vaccination or the opposite side, suspicious people and conspiracy theorists, whether we want to wear a face mask or not, we find ourselves stopping more when we want to say goodbye or meet someone, and make this movement of a hand that is going for a handshake into a light touch with clenched fists or touching elbows. The new reality created new circumstances such as social distance and lack of physical contact. Many companies adjusted their operations to these new conditions. How has all this affected the communications segment? — Physical distance doesn't necessarily need to be social distance too. For the most part, companies have overcome the new situation and the challenges it brought by moving communication to the digital world. Prevention of the coronavirus spread also entailed remote work and the combination of both remote and office work. I think that most employees have not yet returned to their offices. In addition to quality and verified information, agility is one of the most valuable communication currencies and nd it was exactly the agility of the transition to the digital world that dictated the greater or lesser success in communication. Before the pandemic, online meetings were a rarity, except for those people working in multinational companies. In a year and a half, MS Teams,
D UŠA N STO JA KOV I Ć Chairman of DSOJ's Managing Board
The question is whether we are agile enough to see and understand the coming changes and to adapt accordingly
Zoom, Google Meet and other applications have become an inseparable part of our reality, whether we use them for business requirements, educational purposes or just drinking coffee online with dear people. Although I believe in the power of physical encounter and body language that completes the impression of the interlocutor's interest, I must admit that digital communications have brought many advantages in my work and that I am now better acquainted with the work of my co-workers. Since the start of the lockdown, in the company I work for, a short team online meeting has been held every morning at 10 am. This helped us to preserve a working atmosphere, but also to support each other when morale drops because of everything that has been happening to us. Since I am one of those people who see opportunities rather than threats in everything, I would like to remind you of one extremely positive outcome of this imposed alienation – remote work is possible and is productive if we are responsible enough and able to strike balance between our private and work lives. Let this occasional remote work, along with intensive digital communication, be a small gift brought to us by the coronavirus. Is our market ready for the changes that are happening all around us, and by the market, we mean consumers,
companies and agencies? — Perhaps we should not ask whether the market is ready. It is always and never ready. The question is whether we are agile enough to see and understand the coming changes and to adapt accordingly, and then to incorporate them into our work, clients and people's needs. I could go on and on about the changes in the market brought about by the pandemic, but also the changes in the needs of consumers, companies and agencies. Since all the dimensions of these changes are still not certain and final, I would like to mention another type of change that we should not ignore or skip. I call these generational changes and TikTok is a prime example of that. This social network introduced a completely new aesthetic and communica-
tion format, which was readily accepted by young people. At first, older generations did not really understand it. However, an increasing number of older people are beginning to understand TikTok, while companies and agencies that have recognized the potential of this social network have achieved phenomenal results in reaching the desired target groups and conversion. How can we achieve synergy between communications, marketing activities and sales on the one hand, and new customer needs, on the other? — Digitalization is the keyword here. It
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is a new global opportunity. I always say that to my students, encouraging them to develop an entrepreneurial spirit. I try to inspire them to think that the whole plant is a limit for them, not just the country they come from. The digital world is a global market, and the best ticket to enter it is digital communication or communication in a digital environment. Today, everything is for sale - our performance, image, style, lifestyle… I wouldn't separate communication, marketing and sales. This is yet another new hybrid of the modern age, created from the new and increasingly complex needs of consumers and clients. Most of us are just a click away from our favourite brands. Brands are "in our pocket" (on a smartphone) so to speak, and if we, as communicators, do not put our 'hand' in that 'pocket', it
My challenge in improving communication will be to advocate for the principle that the information contained in the title of an article should be in its content
will be difficult to achieve the desired result, regardless of the type of communication we use. What will be the biggest challenges for the communications industry in the coming period? — Constantly reducing the budget and zipping up the business are already challenges. People from our profession, the media and companies, already feel, suffer and live this in their daily work. Although everything has become more expensive, the communications market is having to deal with even smaller budgets. This is not good because an insufficient
As a group of professionals gathered under DSOJ, we noticed a lot of things regarding communication in the media, at all levels and on all topics, and suggest how to correct them. But before we do that, we, as a society, have the priority of fighting the greatest
budget often leads to low quality, while key messages are only partially communicated, which often results in noise in communication and various additional consequences. On the other hand, people are listening more and hearing less, both to each other and to all of us who are directing key messages to them. Their patience to consume correct and timely information is dwindling. Simply put, life is different now. We feel more tension, have less time and more challenges. Communication is digitized. This shortens the path that leads from the message to the recipient, but also offers much more content, which is often below acceptable quality and hinders the use of common sense and the development of critical thinking. My challenge in improving communication will be to advocate for the principle that the information contained in the title of an article should be in its content, i.e. if we start reading certain content, we should get answers to questions that made us want to read it. In other words, we can call this reasonable sensationalism, on the account of sensationalism per se, because without it, today's media cannot survive. How did DSOJ adapt to the new environment and what were the biggest challenges for you as an organization? — As a professional association of public relations professionals, DSOJ especially felt the consequences of this crisis, diversified interests, lack of time and reduced budgets, which delayed the implementation of some of our key formats, such as the annual conference, which we are known for. We had to find a temporary way to bridge the period until both the market and our profession are normalized, hypothetically speaking, without depriving the professional public of new findings, education and approach, mostly digital communication trends. Also, we should bear in mind that the market has been flooded with online formats that have saturated supply and stifled demand. At one point, as the second wave of the pandemic subsided, almost everyone tried to offer some kind of online content and new formats, known as hybrid events, were created (speakers were in physical space, without an audience or with an extremely limited audience, while most audiences were online). I think hybrids are more or less the future of the conference industry.
scourge of modern times, and when the time comes, we will transform our observations into recommendations for better communication, both qualitatively and in terms of modality, discourse and content, and we will be ready to offer it to all interested parties.
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LET’S RESTORE THE REAL MEANING AND IMPORTANCE TO COMMUNICATIONS
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I can tell from my experience that we need to return to the culture of communication, the essence of the content we exchange, the accuracy of the information, relevance and reputation of participants in communication, and the facts that are communicated, thus raising the value of true information and fostering openness
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asmina Stojanov has been in the communications business for over 30 years. A long-time radio and news agency reporter, she started her career back in the 1990s at Radio Pančevo. She worked in political marketing for eight years while being employed by the office of former Serbian President Boris Tadić. Since she became the head of Nova Communications agency, she has been mainly involved in corporate marketing. We talked with the owner and Managing Director of Nova Communications, about the essence and the meaning of communications, the challenges she faces daily and the current market challenges. "If you are asking me what are the secret communication formulas in our agency, the answer to that question could be summed up in four words professionalism, trust, commitment and reliability," Ms Stojanov says.
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You have vast experience in the field of communication. In your opinion, what is the most important thing in
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the communications sector today? — We need to restore the meaning and importance of communications. We are living in an era of galloping development of digital connectivity. At the same time, this progress is accompanied by challenges related to preserving the basic communication values from how we communicate with each other to the broadest forms of professional, social and business spheres in public life. I can tell from my experience that we need to return to the culture of communication, the essence of the content we exchange, the accuracy of the information, relevance and reputation of participants in communication, and the facts that are communicated, thus raising the value of true information and fostering openness. To be clear, we are watching a game in which lies more often beat the truth, and prosiness beats the essence. In both the public and private sector, we should work on greater structuring of communications – namely, on planning, analyzing, fostering bet-
JA S M I NA STO JA N OV Owner & Managing Director of Nova Communications
The most important thing for us is that our client has a solid trust in us and that they get the best value for their money
ter relations with the public and the media, strategic thinking and lobbying. Response, especially in crises, should be characterized by greater openness, accessibility, and above all timeliness. Due to haste or procedural stiffness, I often notice that subjects refute themselves in times of crisis communication. There is also the logic of “nobody remembers what happened yesterday”. What were the biggest challenges that your agency had to overcome during this pandemic-induced crisis period? — The biggest challenges we faced in the year of crisis have been maintaining the stability of the company's operations, on the one hand, and supporting our clients and their campaigns, on the other. We have tried to ensure that all our clients receive maximum support from us relating to their needs and business trends. Furthermore, and regardless of the circumstances, we continued to work on attracting new clients, who in turn, have recognized our commitment and ability to achieve the best results on the market with the best possible conditions, taking care of every cent that our clients spend on campaigns.
The media market and the communications sector have undergone significant changes. What are the most important market trends at the moment? — New technologies have already opened the door of the future to us, which will shape both marketing and communications. The biggest challenge is the accelerated development of the digital sphere, whereby new marketing and communication trends will emerge that will follow in the footsteps of the development of artificial intelligence. As for television, it is not "an old lady" and I think they wrote it off too soon. The entire digital and television sphere will prove to be the strongest platforms. The trend will be the personalization of content for different groups of consumers and developing a personal relationship between buyer and seller through marketing. How to communicate with clients and run their campaigns in the so-called ‘new normal’ today? — The client’s trust is the most important thing. The crisis is rapidly distinguishing between "professionals" and "passers-by" in the marketing business. The first reaction of companies is to fear for their business and want to cut costs. Budget control poses a danger that can lead to bad decisions which, in turn, can result in greater losses. And in this recklessness and haste, marketing is the first to suffer. If you reduce your advertising budget or stop advertising altogether, as Henry Ford said, “those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time”. Good and accurate marketing is
The trend will be the personalization of content for different groups of consumers and developing a personal relationship between buyer and seller through marketing
guaranteed to be profitable and it goes against the cost-reducing decisions that companies make. It is vital for agencies to play a role in this, and that they encourage the client because they trust the agency and see it as a reliable collaborator that ensures security and confidence in the well-being. We adjusted the campaigns, content and dynamics and made projections together. We have strengthened our mutual relationship by preserving the business and a successful perspective from fear and losses. How important is it for the client to give the agency free rein, so to speak, to create a strategy and how important is mutual trust? — Focusing on the client, creating a re-
lationship with the client with an emphasis on quality and results, successful sales of new business opportunities with the use of new tools, market-oriented campaign management and having a good understanding of the business environment – all of the aforementioned goes into creating a strategy for the client. The most important thing for us is that our client has a solid trust in us in terms of their vision of when and how and where the advertisement should be placed, as well as that they agree to change when we, as experts with experience in monitoring of market trends, tell them where and when that will be most visible and to identify the best target groups for the campaign. My client needs to get the best value for their money.
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EVOLUTION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
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In business communication, evolution seems to be an on-going process. It has become significantly more visible and more intense in the last two decades, especially last year, when importance and changes in communication, internal and external, became evident after the COVID-19 pandemic had caught us all off guard COM M E N T
ast year most certainly taught us to be prepared for the unexpected in the future. Our reactions will be much faster and it will be much easier and simpler for us to find balance, in communication and in other aspects of our private and professional lives. Efficient communication, in line with strategic needs and targets of companies and brands, is the most important factor of commercial sustainability and growth. That is why all of us working in the communication sector always say that strategy is the foundation and that development of digital technologies has become a helping tool to pinpoint our target groups more easily, ways to reach them and convey our messages in new and innovative ways and achieve more valuable results. For the most part of the 20th century, companies and brands used traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio and TV to communicate with consumers and general public. These communication methods were efficient in their efforts to reach wide public, but also relatively expensive and not accurately directed towards specific groups of customers. In the 21st century, digital communication technologies have created completely new ways of communication with target audiences. In the new era of the Internet, smartphones and social networks, the brands and companies, as well as individuals can very easily interact with their target public. Technologies and channels of commu-
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M I L E NA AV RA M OV I Ć BJELICA Executive Director & Cofounder, Chapter 4 Communication Consulting
The chatbot technology which relies on artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the technologically most advanced trends in business communication
nication I have previously mentioned alone will not be enough to preserve their customers and we have to go back to where we started, relying on strategically adjusted communication, responding to specific needs of your target public. One of the key factors to evaluate business efforts, including the success of communication which supports it, is the user experience. The user experience is a single element of key importance to differentiate brands. Poor communication greatly contributes to poor user experience. Loyalty that customers used to have for a company or a brand, today can disappear with a single poor user experience. In order for a company to provide the best user experience, it has to, first of all, rely on a satisfying professional communication, with both – its own employees and its customers. Internal communication has evolved owing to the pandemic and messages are no longer conveyed only from the management to employees. They have become a twoway street much more, and include messages conveyed from the employees to the management as well, which helps empower the employees who act as the best ambassadors of a brand or a company they work for. During the pandemic, many com-
panies have realized the importance of communication, both external and internal, and accelerated their digital transformation in order to respond to their current environment. Mobile phone has become the main tool of communication with both internal and external publics. Communication adjusted to mobile phones is the main tool to establish ties with customers. I believe that in 2022, there will be an increased number of companies using mobile phone technology to distribute their messages to consumers. The chatbot technology which relies on artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the technologically most advanced trends in business communication to be expected to gain even more and wider impact in 2022. The chatbot technology gives an opportunity to companies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their communication with consumers exponentially. Among other things, chatbots can respond to many inquires in real time, and even take over entries before they are even filed. Relevant business communication trends depend on the market, the industry and the strategic position. But the fact is that the evolution of communication is heading towards artificial intelligence with an impact in almost every industry.
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CHANGED FOR GOOD OR FOR THE BETTER?
Communication is experiencing a paradigm shift, with increased levels of engagement, connectivity, activism and a higher valuation on transparency when building reputations I N T E RV I E W
TA M A RA B E KČ I Ć Managing Director & Cofounder, Chapter 4 Communication Consulting
esponsible communication and partnerships for greather good must be established to increase business and stakeholder value and meet society’s new demands once it emerges from this crisis.
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What has happened to us and what will change in 2022? — If there was one key learning from the previous years marked by Covid-19, it is that we need to create stability through ongoing change, all the time. Quite a paradox, right? And a tough one. It is not news that crises often trigger major changes - economic, political and social. And when global changes happen, it is both - the people and businesses that are hit. In view of our current situation, nothing will ever be the same, literally nothing. We have changed personally and professionally, and so did our thoughts, habits and preferences. That affects everything, from individuals, families, teams, to brands, organizations and industries, and redefines them as the consequence of crisis or difficulty. That is why communication is experiencing a paradigm shift, with increased levels of engagement, connec-
tivity, activism and, above all, a higher valuation on transparency when building reputations. As a communicator, what would you say is most important now? — We are likely to see that in 2022, too. And the need that all sectors and people have in common is the need for communication, all the time. Changes brought in the way that people consume and interact with brands require tracking, analysis and proactive planning for the future - for greater efficiency and stronger support to our goals in highly dynamic circumstances. Strategic planning has always been a part of the realm of communications, but the last part is the key – we have to be able to monitor and plan in view of constant changes. We have to make the communication timely, well suited content-wise, creative or attractive and impactful in a far from certain and highly changing world. How come some brands and organizations adapted more quickly? — It was not easy for anyone. In nature, resilience and adaptability are key traits for survival. It is similar in busi-
Covid-19 crisis showcases how we can help move people and guide positive behaviors by adequately informing individuals about the roles they can play
ness. The most resilient and adaptable teams succeed more often than those who are reluctant to change. Management and communication play a prominent role in it. The most successful and resilient companies during the pandemic are those who managed to establish good communications based on a deep understanding and appreciation of their stakeholders. We know that resilience and adaptability are needed for success in business today. They are closely related and the good thing is that it is something we can work on and grow, through strategic efforts. What is responsible corporate communication for you today? — For communicators, the Covid-19 crisis showcases how we can help move people and guide positive behaviors by adequately informing individuals about the roles they can play in maintaining shared goals and engaging with them in a purposeful manner. It refers to internal and external communication. And it also greatly increases the need for responsible, transparent, and well-crafted communications, conscious of a hyper-connected world. We have all been changed for good. And some of us have been changed for the better. With more solidarity and sensitivity to societal needs, as well as finding ways to support those in need. Sense of purpose and purpose driven business and communication are more important than ever, across the planet and all industries, and especially so for the young generations who have it in their DNA and tend to assess job opportunities, relationships and efforts through the lense of sense of purpose.
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MECHANISMS OF INTEGRATION AND FURTHER EXPANSION OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES The digital economy gives us a choice, saves time and greatly simplifies various processes. We can freely say it improves the operational level of our life and business COM M E N T
t’s November 2021. How to start any communication topic without it being related to the Covid-19 pandemic and all causeand-effect topics such as its effect on markets, people's lives, their habits, education, business and communications? It’s almost impossible! The pandemic spun our lives 360 degrees. We can deny it but it is there. We can focus on it and we will not see beyond it. The pandemic indeed affected everyone, but let's see in what way and what it brought to all of us. In terms of the economy, the pandemic has affected the whole world in a way to push even harder in the direction of digitalization, e-commerce, new digital services, but also the establishment of new business mechanisms, such as remote work. Some industries almost came to a grinding halt, primarily tourism and catering, and some, like retail, have transformed. I believe that many will still be expanding, especially when it comes to education, communications and entertainment. We found out that a very large segment of our needs can actually be regulated through online platforms and that the whole process can function quite well and efficiently. This is certainly the direction in which market economies, but also our lives, will further develop. However, we should be reserved about one thing. The digital economy gives us a choice, saves time and greatly simplifies various processes. We can freely say it improves the operational level of our life and business. For it to have its further course of development, ideas and a new approach to creativity are needed, for which we also need a per-
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N E V E NA M A RT I N OV I Ć
Digital is a much wider field than marketing and even communications
son and a social context. This should actually be our focus today, namely to find new ways and modules that will create a link between the digital and physical worlds. Exclusivity is no longer an option. What does this mean in the context of communications? It implies a conceptual turn that shifts its centre from a person to the mechanism itself. The main question is no longer what the digital world will bring us, but how and in what way we can integrate it into our lives. I believe that many people will disagree with this statement, but the current process of which we are all a part is exactly that - to find a successful mechanism that integrates these two ecosystems into one. For some time now, I have been debating with colleagues from marketing and communications about what constitutes brand strategy today and whether the development of the digital ecosystem has changed its traditionally established postulates. Many still advocate the position that "it is just another channel of communication" and that the basis and principles of defining a strategy are the same. Well, it's not like that! The rules of the game are now changed. Digital is a much wider field than marketing and even communications. Digital is both a channel and a product and service and analytics and education and sales. It takes time for all of us to adopt these changes so that we can continue to actively monitor their development. For example - everything that used to take us months to analyse
like brand setting and value definition, today, thanks to digital channels, we can test in a few steps and quickly get feedback on what is the right direction for us and what is not. Also, we can reach a person in any position anywhere in the world faster and with less effort than ever before. Networking takes on a whole new dimension thanks to digital. All this opens up a wide field of possibilities that we can only use through the development of creativity and continuous testing, which brings us back to the thesis that the focus should be on finding a good mechanism that integrates our digital and physical presences, before finding the answer to what needs are we fulfilling in either of those two worlds. This is very important for all those industries that have direct communication with consumers, and for brands to be even more open in terms of improving their products, services and communications. This, also, further attracts the development of creative industries that need to devise new mechanisms. In terms of the market, this will affect the development of smaller creative consultancies/agencies/startups that will be more project-oriented towards clients, and less focused on strategic communications that are slowly being forgotten, because in practice they are important only at the level of operational functioning. I see this as a trend that will have its application not only in marketing, PR or digital agencies but also in media outlets and even educational systems.
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BE WHO YOU REALLY ARE WHEN PRESENTING YOURSELF TO THE PUBLIC If your communication suits your core, you will never have to pretend in front of your audience. By doing so, you will be natural and convincing
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or this year's special edition dedicated to the communications sector, we spoke with Tanja Vasojević, Communications Director of the Corporate Communications Department of Delta Holding, about market leadership and what effective market communication looks like in terms of the community, clients and employees, as well as about changes that are happening on the market and adapting to them. "I believe that our company’s challenges coincide with the challenges that everyone in our environment has been experiencing. The focus is on change, which is now faster than ever. These changes include, and perhaps more than ever imply understanding new generations and employers adjusting,” says Ms Vasojević.
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Delta Holding is a large corporation and a market leader. What does leadership look like in a crisis in terms of effectively communicating with clients, employees and the community? — What is leadership if not leading people in times of crisis? In a crisis,
companies that are true leaders make quick and courageous decisions, taking into account, above all, the health of their employees, partners and the society which we live in. Communication in such periods must be even faster and more precise, and above all human and empathetic. How ready is the market for the changes that are taking place now and how can we adapt to new circumstances? — They say that change is the only constant in human history, and yet, in a way, it disturbs and frightens us because it’s new. Meaningful and purposeful adjustment of the qualities is the best way to go, and as we all know throughout the history, it is those people who adapt the best that survive, not the strongest ones. So, we have no choice whether to change or not. There is only a choice whether we want to survive (on the market) or not. You are known for your quote “We are what we communicate”. What communication principles are considered
TA N JA VA S O J E V I Ć Communications Director, Corporate Communications Department, Delta Holding
Developing corporate culture and working on employer branding are publicly displayed on our office walls
important? — You have just highlighted the most important principle - be who you really are when presenting yourself to the public. If your communication suits your core, you will never have to pretend in front of your audience. By doing so, you will be natural and convincing. What will be the biggest challenges next year for your company and for the sector you lead, as well as the entire communications industry? — I believe that our company’s challenges coincide with the challenges that everyone in our environment has been experiencing. The focus is on change, which is now faster than ever. These changes include, and perhaps more than ever imply understanding new generations and employers adjusting to those generations who are born in the late 20th and early 21st century. Developing corporate culture and working on employer branding are publicly displayed on our office walls to remind all team members of our strategic, tactical and operational obligations on a daily basis.
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A CONSORTIUM OF EMOTION AND TECHNOLOGY
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We’ve developed a variety of advanced tools intended to make communication easier than ever and it has never been easier to connect or find someone
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N E V E NA KU RTOV I Ć Managing Director of Fusion Communications
e interviewed Nevena Kurtović, Managing Director of Fusion Communications, for The Secret Formula of Communications special issue, about changes in the communications sector, consumer behaviour and what awaits us in the future.
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How will brands develop in the future in the so-called new normal circumstances? — The ‘new normal’ was one of the key phrases used last year and yes - the pandemic has generated many changes, some of which we were already waiting in the background to happen and were fast-forwarded, others that happened unexpectedly, leaving many unprepared. Be it one or the other, the fact remains that brands must evolve regardless of ‘new’ or ‘old’ normal. The shift happened in the needs of both consumers and the public. We live in a world of content overload, so what must a brand do to differentiate. Now more than ever, having a unique approach is important. Brand values have been more important than ever. Not just defining them but implementing and living true to them. A work-life balance, people and
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environment-oriented approach — all of these traits are coming to the forefront in various communication tools and with not just companies, but individuals. The Covid-19-induced crisis has permanently changed consumer behaviour. What are the main principles of communications today? — A focus on communication between brands and consumers has always been imperative. It’s only through clear, regular and two-way communication that a brand can make an impression and effectively communicate to its audience about how the brand itself is adapting. A world that is still feeling the effects of a global pandemic does not want to buy from a brand that is loudly centred on the material. The emotion needs to be triggered, the unity and mutual recognition. Letting customers know how much brands care is important — and so is letting customers know what the brand is doing about a certain problem or issue. When there is any kind of turmoil, we now turn to our favourite brands/companies/individuals to check if they are taking a stand. In some cases, it helps define our attitude and opinion, and in others, it defines our opinion of the brand.
The relationship between agencies and clients should always be a partnership, together they create success which leads to long-term collaboration
How do brands survive and adapt in a given situation and what will be the role of the agencies in that process of adaptation? — Ultimately, brands must always be ready to adapt. They must be light on their feet, observant, responsive and sensitive to the needs of their audiences. They need strategies that encompass what we never thought possible pre-pandemic. The relationship between agencies and clients should always be a partnership, in which together on a goal-driven path each side navigates through its role and together they create success which leads to long term collaboration. What awaits us in the future? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel in 2021? — Communication should always strive to lead to progress. And it should ultimately result in a more productive understanding. Effective communication is what helps you gain agreement, share your ideas, sell things and generally achieve your objectives. Most importantly, it strengthens and maintains key relationships. We’ve developed a variety of advanced tools intended to make communication easier than ever and it has never been easier to connect or find someone as we have so many options to communicate. Having that in mind, the misunderstandings have grown, leading often to glitches in communication. We need to focus on how we say things and we need to reconnect in real life. The future needs to be a consortium of emotion and technology.
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LESAFFRE - BAKING THAT FOLLOWS COMMUNICATION TRENDS
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E-baker is the recipient of the Digital Award, in the Digital Image category, given by Lesaffre globally and it is also the winner of the Disrupt Award, in the Industry and Production category, as a successful innovator in 2020
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e are witnesses to rather peculiar circumstances in the business world that have been lasting for almost two years now. Milena Obradović, Regional Marketing Manager of Lesaffre, which is a global leader in the production of yeast and yeast extracts, tells us how the company is adapting to new conditions every day and how they communicate in challenging times.
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How much has the communication and operations in Lesaffre changed in the past period and in what way? — The changes that have taken place have further expedited the digitalization process, which has already entered all business segments. This gave us the additional impetus to launch the E-baker (E-pekar) platform, a new communication medium, in December last year, after we had realized that we needed to be close to our clients and work on disseminating their knowledge and skills. Today, this learning platform has about 250 registered users, including bakers and people who are yet to become one, as well as students of bakery technology. Our platform has an interactive approach and we upload the content in video format and have live webinars. We also have a motivational programme, where we reward bakers with gifts once they collect a certain number of points that they can use in our virtual e-shop. E-baker is the recipient of the Digital Award, in the Digital Image category, given by Lesaffre globally and it is also
the winner of the Disrupt Award, in the Industry and Production category, as a successful innovator in 2020. What makes the E-baker platform so unique and who is it intended for? — Lesaffre has created this innovative portal as a platform for educating everybody who wants to learn something new and improve their existing skills through webinars for university and high school students, and video content for bakeries. The lectures cover topics like bread-making and different types of pastries, and the lecturers are renowned figures from the world of baking and production. So far, twelve video lessons for professional bakers and four webinars for university and high school students have been uploaded to the platform. We are planning to start recording new video lessons and hold more webinars. Thanks to having technology experts and other lecturers from the industry, course participants are given the opportunity to improve their knowledge and receive a certificate upon completion of the course. To what extent has communication and attitudes towards customers and associates changed? — Maintaining and developing business relationships implies constant contact and support in the entire system and we are very focused on that. During the lockdown, we had regular telephone contacts with customers, helping them
M I L E NA O B RA D OV I Ć Regional Marketing Manager OCEA
In Serbia, we plan to organize several events and seminars on the topic of portfolio development and business improvement
"remotely" as much as we could. When the market opened, we continued our regular field trips and strategically directed our plans towards our customers and their activities. In Lesaffre Serbia, we have successfully launched two new revolutionary products based on sourdough, which we believe will completely meet the expectations of the modern consumer – they are healthy, contain no E-additives, and have extended freshness and intense aroma and taste. What are your company's plans? — We think that 2022 will be quite similar to 2021. We hope that the conditions will normalize, so we can continue with more intensive activities. We plan in Serbia to organize several events and seminars on the topic of assortment development and business improvement. In the Q4 of next year, we will start collecting applications for the 4th Pekarijada competition. We will organize more online gatherings with representatives of the digital community of end consumers. Lesaffre’s ‘Let’s Bake Together’ (‘Mesimo Zajedno’) community on Facebook has almost 100,000 followers and close to 20,000 followers on Instagram. As time passes, digital gatherings have become the primary channel of communication and socializing, and we will continue to use them a lot. Although baking is considered a traditional activity, Lesaffre has shown that even in our industry we have to follow trends, that we do it successfully and will continue doing so in the future.
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COMMUNICATION GIVES MEANING TO BOTH BRANDS AND PEOPLE
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We always try to reconcile brands in relation to their primary goals and certain other needs that are of wider social significance
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ormalcy couldn’t care less about time. It is the result of adequate readiness at a given moment. Under the watchful eye and using a quality source of information, we are constantly learning how to be flexible and benefit the business goals of our clients.”
though the limits for some other everyday challenges are not respected in our industry anyway. Certain new solutions were rapidly imposed, which we adopted even faster, only to later become the creators of these solutions ourselves with the view of having more efficient formats.
How ready is the market for all the new situations and circumstances we are currently facing, and how ready are all of us who work in that market? — Depending on the industry and the stability of the organization at the time, Covid-19 has had mild symptoms for some market stakeholders, while in others, it exacerbated the already nurtured systemic instability and caused more severe consequences. Some categories simply had no choice and, due to the nature of their business, and remained on the defensive, without any tactics to mitigate the attack. In order to maintain positive business results, some have resorted to much more radical measures. It seems to me that the way out is on the side of those who did not have to weigh out in the short term, but in the reflection of their stability, have been looking for more efficient ways to overcome another crisis, whichever name it goes by.
The imposed distance remained only in the physical realm, but the things that had built ties of our successful partnerships were additionally fortified during this period. First and foremost, we have remained stable, responsible and proactive, and only from such a position, we can provide appropriate support for our clients and their expectations.
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What does managing customer expectations look like in the so-called new normal? — By nurturing consistent performance and using our strongest weapon - strong resources and expertise, on the one hand, and years of trust we have built up, on the other - we have managed to respond to the challenge at every stage of this unplanned period and further strengthen relationships with our clients. The crisis has put us in sixth gear, al-
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The McCann Agency has always gone beyond in terms of social events in our country. What are the biggest challenges when it comes to cooperation with various stakeholders such as NGOs, associations and the like? — We closely monitor and use every opportunity to boldly react to social novelties. It is courage that hides the biggest challenge. As someone who deals with communications, we have never limited ourselves to the mere execution of project tasks. We always strive for brands to reconcile some other needs that are of wider social significance concerning their primary goals. At the end of the day, this kind of communication gives meaning to both brands and people. In that field, by provoking important social topics, we have implemented a lot of successful campaigns that have managed not only to raise awareness but also to change things. It sometimes takes a long time to achieve the desired changes in society, but these are only obstacles that additionally moti-
RA D O J KA B O Š KOV I Ć Client Service Director, McCann Belgrade
The strategic commitment of our teams will certainly provide an answer to that, so some new services will primarily be reflected through the Digital and BTL service
vate perseverance. Our successful cooperation with Društvo Ponosa (The Pride Society), regarding gender equality and samesex relationships, is now in its fourth consecutive year. We were the first on the market to appear publicly and cover this topic. We provided support and by devising campaigns and nurturing continuous communication, we raised some important issues, while, at the same time, inspiring and empowering members of the LGBT+ community to be what they truly are. Then, there is a partnership with the organization LICE ULICE, which supports people who live on the margins of our society and find it very difficult to get a job. Our support for culture and social activism is reflected in long partnerships with Bitef, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, the Exit Foundation and many others. What will be the biggest challenges next year, and is McCann preparing to launch new services? — Next year could be a year of additional capacity reviews and (re)positioning or consolidation of positions. Faced with digitalization in all its glory and technological innovations, the biggest challenge could also lie in reconciling them with solutions that are traditionally rooted. The strategic commitment of our teams will certainly provide an answer to that, so some new services will primarily be reflected through the Digital and BTL service. The challenge of perseverance in relation to this one-of-a-kind period in our lives continues. I hope that we will close that chapter as soon as possible and encourage communication next year in the direction of some other, more relevant but also positive topics. McCann Beograd - www.mccann.rs
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WITH 2021 IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR, CAN WE KNOW WHAT 2022 IS BRINGING?
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As someone who has been "infected" with corporate and all other types of business communications for two decades now, I can still clearly see how they are evolving each day
COM M E N T
ne can no longer even follow communication trends if one is not fully immersed in the digital universe. Whether you want to learn something new or to share some news, you need to be part of the online space to stand out. Even though we are already highly accustomed to rapid changes in our everyday life, 2021 showed us that, whether we like it or not, sometimes we have to step on the ball and stop for a moment to really focus on the world around us. In 2020 we were all shocked, challenged and somewhat united by the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2021 it felt like we were a bit confused about whether to look back or ahead, so we have very carefully started to feel the pulse of everything – from our employees to our business partners, feeling the need to show even more understanding, solidarity and patience than before. That for me was about the only upside of the whole global healthcare crisis – we have learned how important good and emphatic communication is, especially in the business sphere. With a focus on the internal public, accessibility, providing safe options for remote or home office work, and yet with the desire and need to be surrounded by people – communication concentrated on underlying the importance of togetherness was the key element in overcoming the obstacles of the pandemic. For Mlekara Šabac, 2021 was a year when we marked our 90th anniversary. We didn’t feel like some grandiose celebrations were the way to go, but we wanted to make sure that what we do this year and how we communicate it – will make an impact and send strong and positive messages. So, with that in mind, we set out to define and implement a couple of big, overarching corporate projects that demanded equally encompassing and firmly integrated communication. This, along with the fact that corporate communications were introduced in our
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M A JA BA D J I N G EO RG I J E V I Ć Corporate Communications Manager, Mlekara Šabac (The Šabac Dairy)
We have completely redesigned our corporate visual identity
company just a year prior – contributed to the fast evolution of Mlekara Šabac’s communication approach and gave it a decidedly new image. The focus of our corporate communications in 2021 was to further develop what was established as our main goal – connect all of the pillars of our business strategy, create synergy with key messages to both the internal and external public, and present one, comprehensive, image of the company that has been a staple of the domestic dairy industry for almost a century. Throughout the year we have been creating and implementing projects and campaigns that were designed to highlight our core strength – most popular brands and products, like Sirko, A la Kajmak and Šabačka. Communication aimed to simply state and remind of the importance of knowing facts when it comes to choosing good food – that these are authentic and high-quality dairy products, made exclusively from the domestically-sourced raw milk and natural ingredients, without additives and preservatives. It might seem simple enough, but with today’s abundance of information, I strongly believe that by speaking the facts, as plain and simple as possible, one will ultimately have an upper hand in every communication. Parallel with communicating our core business principles and values we have decided that with words we
also need to implement visual representation worthy of Mlekara Šabac and its tradition and longevity. This meant several really big changes that have started with our new corporate visual identity and logo. From there we have gone into the redesign of our most popular brands, to make them both more visually appealing, but also, equally important – more practically and sustainably oriented. And finally, we have completely re-designed our website that will be our central communication hub in the future. This was all done in close cooperation with Futro Design Studio, which we saw as the creative partner who understood our business and communication vision, mission and values. I, as a communication expert, also look expectantly at 2022 and business communication trends that are, according to International Business Times, going to be quite diverse and will offer something interesting for every type of business and customer. These trends can be summed up as follows: direct engagement with consumers through B2B social media; further growth of social media advertising; advance of ‘mobile first’ or ‘mobile friendly’ business communication; spread of AI-powered chatbot technology; and rediscovering of traditional communication methods like classic neon signage, that can now be more custom-designed to suit specific customer wishes and needs.
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IT IS NECESSARY TO INVEST IN INNOVATION Technology has created more choices and opportunities in communicating with clients. Changes in consumer behaviour and desires are constant, but they are always more visible and faster in emergency situations I N T E RV I E W
e have been taught that crises often cause lasting changes and accelerate the course of history. Today, we are witnessing how the pandemic affects the changing economic, social, political and cultural spheres, and thus communication at all levels. We can't be too relaxed anymore, while changes, trends and projections of current and future habits, needs and expectations of clients must be monitored on a daily basis.“
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How do you handle your clients today as opposed to the pre-COVID period? — Expectations are higher, so starting from crisis communication, external and internal, every company, if it does not want to be average and wants something more than just surviving on the market, must invest more in innovations in all areas, especially in communication. Communicating properly, sending out a clear message to both employees and clients, and coping with a sea of (dis)information is today more than ever, crucial. Calmly and rationally, but quickly enough, we need to make certain decisions, based exclusively on verified information, which should be viewed from several angles. Only in this way, while adhering to all the pre-planned steps, we can achieve positive results. Thanks to this approach, our Novaston platform has managed to annul the initial blow to its clients, and we welcome the New Year with new projects, not only in Serbia but also in the region. How much has consumer behaviour, customer requirements and media consumption changed? — We are now getting more information through online media and every company, especially in the retail sector, has to adjust its business accordingly. In terms of marketing communication, the situation is getting increas-
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A L E K SA N D RA KOŽ U L Communication Director, External, Internal and Digital, Novaston Marketing Consultancy, NOVASTON
Timeliness and responsibility in providing accurate information remain important, but there is also a growing need to add to this transparent and well-designed communication
ingly complicated because customers have more and more choices, and the competition has never been stronger, at all levels. It is no longer important just to have a good and diverse offer or to provide a good atmosphere, but consumers want to have the simplest possible shopping experience. That is why more money is being invested in research and campaigns. The pandemic has changed where and when people shop - now, they visit stores less often, shop locally and plan outings more carefully than before. The digitalization of services has changed shopping, but still, the ability to see and touch items that you buy is still an important factor for consumers. Practicality, care and speed have become the most important trends, as is the combination of physical and digital tools for a better, stressfree, consumer experience. Stores must be crowd-free, easily accessible, with ample parking, food and beverage outlets, special offers, offer the possibility of buying bus and train tickets, etc. Consumers want information on when to plan the best time to shop (discounts, promotions, avoiding crowds), but also personalized help and advice in choosing items they want to buy. What will happen to the communications industry in the coming period? — Although many experts believe that the pandemic will not last long enough to completely change human communication, we are witnessing changes at all levels that will certainly remain in some form or even spread in the coming period. We have been read a lot about adapting to virtual communication and how working hours have become un-
defined. Communication through computer programmes and mobile applications is so efficient, that it will surely become even stronger. Online classes and conferences have become a reality and will probably, in some way, spill over into other areas that involve physical presence and personal contact. Negative consequences, which will be a great challenge, still relate to preventive hygiene measures (employees require more personal space), job uncertainty and earnings as a result of the global crisis, as well as lack of quality communication and alienation. Employees now rely more on informal communication. In which way did we adapt to the socalled 'new normal'? — In the past period, and for the first time ever, most companies have clearly put their employees, their safety and health at the forefront. They also reorganized their work so there has been no stagnation as such and 'production' was smooth. Today, we are witnessing that some aspects of social life are likely to return as close as possible to the pre-pandemic period, and the transitional period will be less intense. Timeliness and responsibility in providing accurate information remain important, but there is also a growing need to add to this transparent and well-designed communication without which it is impossible to make business decisions. Interestingly, having adequate internal technology is one of the main challenges for internal communication. Today, according to global research, about half of companies believe that they need to invest more in improving digital channels in internal communication.
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WE ARE ONE CONTACT POINT FOR THE CLIENTS Our biggest advantage right now is the fact that our clients can find all the communication services they need in one place I N T E RV I E W
TA M A RA J O KA N OV I Ć
here is only talk about what this crisis has brought us. Let’s also talk about what this transition has taken away from us, because that is a very important starting point that has changed everything, including the way we manage clients and the way we communicate”, said Tamara Jokanović, MD at Represent Communications
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What does client relation/management look like today, given that both consumer habits and the way of consuming media have changed? What has the Covid crisis brought? — How we manage clients today in this Covid environment and how we did it a year and a half ago when Covid first hit are two entirely different stories and completely different challenges in management and communications. Eighteen months ago, all we talked about was surviving – literally and figuratively. Today, with everything we know and all the skills we acquired, we are talking about adapting to the market, customers’ and thus clients’ needs. The agency has not been a mere executor of work for a long time, but a consultant in the areas for which it has been employed, and that is exactly what the client wants and expects from it. But we are also not budging when it comes to high standards in executive roles. So, it is safe to say that today’s client-relation requires a multidimensional view of internal and external situations, things, problems and possibilities of a company, circumstances in which we do business and the cli-
ent we are working with, but also the possibility of a multichannel performance from one place (reduced number of contacts). How important is it for a client to give the agency total freedom when creating a strategy? — The client will never give the agency free range, because a strategy, especially a communication strategy, largely depends on the set-up of the business strategy and the company’s development. On the other hand, agencies do not know all the details of the business that certain sectors within the company deal with to be able to create the strategy on their own. It is cooperation and creativity between parties gathered around the same goal. Also, multinational companies have a business strategy that they send out from their headquarters and all that needs to be done is localization. So, the key link in the client-agency relation is trust. If there is trust, the client will not hold back or withhold information believing that by that the agency, as its trusted partner, consultant and professional in the area for which it is hired to cover, will suggest what’s best for the situation company is in. But, if the agency doesn’t have the right information, it is the same situation you would have with a doctor or a lawyer…you will not get the right treatment and/or the opposing party will have better evidence which it will use to its advantage. So, I believe that if there is trust and belief in “the real thing” the end result cannot be anything but the best one.
Managing Director at Represent Communications
I believe that if there is trust and belief in “the real thing” the end result cannot be anything but the best one
Where are the ethical boundaries of PR and how far-reaching can good PR be for clients? — Ethical boundaries in PR exist, just like in any other profession, but the current communication arena looks like a platform "everything is fair in love and war", because everyone, and I will return now to my first answer, goes through survival and adaptation. Little is said about the far-reaching nature of good PR. Its true value is seen only when a client is hit with a crisis. Then it becomes clear just how much has the company invested in its image, stakeholders, partners…and even more clearly if it hasn’t. What are your plans when it comes to expansion and acquisition of new clients? What services would you highlight? — If we take a look at the current portfolio of our clients, I would say, without trying to sound pretentious, that it holds almost half of the companies from the Serbian market that deal with communication in some way. If we take into account that because of some exclusive contracts we are not able to work with the competition, I will say that there is not much room to expand. That is why we started the transformation process last year, of our services and Represent itself, but also of all the units which operate within the System, and why we introduced new services and products in order to additionally upsell our existing clients and project target those who are not our regular clients. Our biggest advantage right now is the fact that our clients can find all the communication services they need in one place, or what we said at the beginning – one contact point, and thus a better understanding of the client and solving their problems.
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PR UNDER MASKS
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How has the pandemic changed public relations? LINKEDIN
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A L E K SA N D RA M I H A J L OV I Ć Director of RIGHT PR agency
ommunication is the basis of interpersonal relationships. There is no situation or circumstance in which we do not communicate in a certain way. Various phenomena and events such as wars and natural disasters did not stop communication. And the same goes for the coronavirus. COVID-19 certainly influenced the way the message was shaped and the type of channel for transmitting information, but in the end, it always reached its end destination. PR experts have an extremely important role in every crisis, and the coronavirus pandemic is no exception. It is in such circumstances that have a big responsibility and we are expected to be the first to help our clients, various companies and organizations, for them to see all the risks and to arm themselves with the best possible strategies and tools to ensure optimal and transparent communication with their partners and the public, and more importantly, with their employees. Companies have realized the importance of investing in their employees. They realized how important is for their employees to be motivated and happy, even though they are locked in a house away from the team and colleagues all the time. Internal communications have become the backbone of PR strategies. We have to get to know each individual and colleague in the team, explore their interests, habits and in accordance with that, create a message and a way
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to say "thank you" and "you are an extremely important part of the team". Although COVID-19 has greatly affected the operations of most industries as the success and growth of PR agencies depend on the success and growth of these companies even though their PR budgets have been drastically reduced, and in some cases, emptied out. Now more than ever, PR has demonstrated its strength and necessity. It is not without reason that some have called this period „a golden age for public relations experts." It no longer mattered where our agency was based, whether we are in the city or across the river. Will the briefing meeting be with us or the client... We all worked from the same place, that is from home. Zoom meetings replaced real encounters but the quality was not compromised. We worked harder than ever, devised countless strategies, made the biggest number of phone calls, and "saw" our clients more often than usual. The coronavirus pandemic encouraged us to think better and further, to be courageous in our ideas and suggestions, to look for opportunities and space for communication, even where there are none at first glance, and for our message to be, at the same time, appropriate, sophisticated and reach the right audience. That was not easy to accomplish, especially when all eyes are on the media, lurking at the first opportunity, ready for criticism and condemnation. Most companies and clients have tak-
Even though PR budgets have been drastically reduced, and in some cases, emptied out, now more than ever, PR has demonstrated its strength and necessity
en advantage of this moment to do CSR projects, aware that the local community needs support more than ever. The key role of PR agencies was to quickly identify needs, communicate even faster with institutions and enable efficient use of donations despite all the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by the epidemiological situation. Above all, we should not forget that our task was to inform our clients and partners about the situation regarding the virus all the time. We sent out daily summaries with information and changes in the rules for entering our country because some of our clients are foreigners who still had to travel. What happened to events? At first, it was unthinkable to organize them. They were usually postponed and ultimately cancelled. But again, thanks to PR experts who reacted in an agile and creative manner and were open to new options and solutions, an alternative was quickly found without compromising on quality. For clients who needed to organize large offline events during the time of strict measures, with the technical support of our long-term associates, we suggested a very useful solution organizing online events by choosing a good and stable event streaming platform. Online events was one click of a mouse away and the occasions to hold them were different - workshops, conferences, panel discussions, New Year's Eve's in-house parties, etc. Although some people still choose not to see it, it is obvious from all the aforementioned that spending money on PR is not a cost but an investment. This profession has proven its necessity because a company's reputation that is built over the years can collapse in an instant without PR experts. Furthermore, the fact is that some practices, such as online events that we had to organize in digital space, have become desirable and will most likely continue to evolve and improve. Certainly, "live" events will continue to be held and the PR profession will always exist, hidden behind masks or without them.
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WE ALWAYS KEEP UP WITH THE INDUSTRY’S DEVELOPMENT
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We are moving on to our next campaigns while keeping up with digital marketing trends since they literally make the industry go round these days, and can be extremely essential to any business success
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J E L E NA Z V E K I Ć & DA N I E L A B U C A L O Owners of Smart Agency
e plan to maintain the logic of a “boutique agency” that allows us to focus on client’s industry and niche and centre our work on higher quality of strategic and creative projects. Besides that, as business owners, we like to personally dedicate ourselves to each client. We think their brands deserve it. At the same time, we plan to strengthen the creative part of our team and to continue cooperating with our networking partners,” said Jelena Zvekić and Daniela Bucalo, owners of Smart Agency.
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How much have bloggers and influencers changed marketing trends locally and globally? — Jelena: Influencers and bloggers have long been a staple in the communication mix because, in addition to achieving the goal of each campaign, which is having direct access to a narrowly defined target group that is in line with brand goals, their engagement is usually more favourable than other forms of the communication mix. Therefore, we have a double effect here and for a smaller budget, we can communicate more directly with the audience. There is always the question of the depth of communication and the effect because such content is often consumed superficially, where the followers attention is focused on the influencer itself, more than on the brand. Improvisation has no place here and therefore often, in this type of campaign, we have a situation where the client corrects the content to mutual satisfaction, i.e. to the satisfaction of the influencer, the agency and the client. What is crucial to achieving good marketing effects - quality service/product or rather a well-devised campaign? — Jelena: I would say that the client's commitment to "push" the prepared campaign through to the end and to dedicate an appropriate budget for it is crucial, as well as to link it with other elements of the marketing and sales mix because one without the other makes no sense. Some-
times it happens in practice that the client gives us a brief and we develop and launch a good campaign, but it lasts for a short time and it does not result in good sales. In that case, the effects are absent. But if a well-designed campaign, properly implemented by the agency and lasts long enough thanks to the use of the right communication mix and connects with the entire business, the effect is simply inevitable.
Client's commitment to "push" the prepared marketing campaign towards market through all channels and to dedicate an appropriate budget and time for it, is crucial in succeeding of any campaign What are the challenges in devising a good, effective campaign for a company? — Daniela: The biggest challenges are the two "i's" - the idea and the inspiration. If there is inspiration, and before that good motivation, the right idea will happen. After we come up with the campaign’s idea, we must have a real, innovative design that will accompany it. This is where the third "i" – innovation – comes in. It sometimes takes some time to find that "line" that connects the client's expectations with the campaign’s idea and the way the agency’s creative and design teams will realize it. But when that happens, all that we need to do to create a good campaign is to have a dedicated team that continues to work and organize things in the right way. How much can marketing help increase sales? — Jelena: Previously, the only problem with this was the metrics themselves – namely, how to measure the effect of marketing on sales growth. As online advertising and online sales became dominant, and as we got precise tools for measuring the results of online campaigns, this metric is no longer questionable. In terms of classic
offline retail, we still rely on indirect techniques to measure this contribution. How did the pandemic period affect the operations of your agency and to what extent? — Daniela: We have been committed from the very beginning to forming a network organization with great partner companies, rather than creating an independent, large organization. This time we were allowed to be flexible, and the pandemic did not jeopardize our work. In the first moments of uncertainty, the clients paused their investments in media campaigns, but they reverted to their earlier plans with the next campaigns. The circumstances were such that we got a lot of completely new, creative tasks, so the agency has been functioning rather smoothly. What new skills have you developed and applied as an agency since the onset of the pandemic? — Jelena: At the onset of the pandemic, we happened to be at the epicentre of projects that focused on software development. We were creating online trade fairs and appearances on a global level in the fashion, clothing and footwear industry, which spontaneously introduced us to the developer world. We have developed great things with one partner organization and client. By doing so, we entered a completely new world of software development and implementation. What are the agency’s plans and goals for the next period? — Daniela: We plan to maintain the logic of a “boutique agency” that allows us to focus on client’s industry and niche and centre our work on higher quality of strategic and creative projects. Besides that, as business owners, we like to personally dedicate ourselves to each client. We think their brands deserve it. At the same time, we plan to strengthen the creative part of our team and to continue cooperating with our networking partners. We are moving on to our next campaigns while keeping up with digital marketing trends since they literally make the industry go round these days, and can be extremely essential to any business success.
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