The interview was published at Marketing Mreža portal, announcing the call for this years’ Kaktus festival entries.
How would you evaluate the marketing communications market in Serbia and how much is it really integrated?
An integrated campaign involves meaningful use of several communication channels for the purpose of transmitting a message about a product / service and opening a dialogue with people whom we want to transfer this message to. There are many ways that an integrated brand approach can be achieved beyond the standard, so-called form of television video, billboard and social media announcement. I think that Serbia has high quality and strong brands that need to engage in a bit more courageous and different communication, which will include more active integration of brands with a purpose, sustainable development, collaboration, e-commerce and branded entertainment. Integrated is everything that is connected in a meaningful whole, not what is repetitive throughout the channels.
To what extent are our agencies and clients really ready for bold and innovative campaigns? Are we afraid and of what?
Trust is the key word here. A study by the “Contagious” magazine showed that the most innovative and bravest brand campaigns occurred after years of relationship with the agency. Perhaps a little discouraging, but definitely important information. Sometimes, for an unusual experiment in communication is necessary, the clients need a whole decade of partnership with the agency. Large brands in our market are ready for big steps, a number of them proved this in the past year, through innovative approaches in the media space, radical turns in the production expression and campaigns that are related to the goals of importance to the wider community. I think this is a very good sign.
Fear shouldn’t exist, fear is always paralyzing and leads to conformity. Agencies shouldn’t be afraid to present their ideas. If it is well thought out and there’s a valid reason for its existence, a courageous and different idea should never be auto-censored in the agency. Our clients are our partners and it’s our duty to be active and proactive in this partnership. Working on a good and unusual campaign is a very demanding and difficult process, which involves the willingness of both parties to take risks. I’m an optimist and I welcome the readiness of leading brands in Serbia to get into these risks more and more often. The results are visible and good.
The slogan of this year’s festival is “Idea is nothing without execution”. Is it really so and can ideas “survive” without a quality execution?
The execution is very important. Devil is in the details. Still, execution is nothing without ideas. For me, the idea is the queen of everything. Perhaps, more important than the execution today is good PR for the campaign itself.
Read more in the original publication.
