The first gathering of the Woman.Comm Club in Serbia will be held on June 27th at the “Balkan” cinema in Belgrade, expecting more than 100 women from the Serbian and regional communications industry.
At the end of April, it was announced that Bojana Stanković, director of the Belgrade agency Smart Vision, became the ambassador of the Woman.Comm Club in Serbia, an association whose primary mission is to affirm the role of women in the communications industry and their creative and professional values.
This is more than enough reason for her first presentation on the Media Marketing portal.
Smart Vision is a full-service agency dedicated to communications since 2007. Its team consists of visionaries and change-makers who contribute significantly to the communications industry in Serbia and beyond.
Media Marketing: What is the role of women in the communications industry in Serbia?
Bojana Stanković: It’s significant! And every day, it is becoming more substantial and important. I think the best evidence of this is the number of women leading marketing and communications departments in companies, media, marketing agencies, as well as the number of women who are in ownership structures of the mentioned entities in our country’s communications industry. Furthermore, I would say women are much more willing to collaborate and exchange ideas, to work on joint projects and achieve a higher, common goal. This is also the guiding idea of the Woman.Comm Club and one of the main reasons I gladly joined this regional Women’s Club at first sight.
One of the key reasons why we are more open to collaboration and uniting rather than mutual competition is, I believe, because as women in our entire region, we still face many prejudices and obstacles that our male colleagues have already overcome and left behind, along with various challenges both in business and personal environments. However, I also feel that these challenges are becoming fewer over time and we are overcoming them more easily.
Finally, considering that empathy is a strength, especially in today’s world full of challenges, women naturally exhibit this noble virtue and ability. Not only in communication with others but also in business communication and in their daily professional roles.
No offense to our male colleagues, many of whom, of course, share the same values and virtues, but I would say that emotion is the primary and most important “fuel” for women, both in private and professional life. And that is our greatest strength. Today, more than ever, it is essential to listen to others, understand them, “walk in their shoes,” and speak the same language.
Media Marketing: How did you decide to take on the role of key ambassador of the Woman.Comm Club in Serbia, and what are your experiences from the first contacts with potential members?
Bojana Stanković: As someone who has seen and experienced the personal and professional benefits of business associations through membership in international associations like GCPR and IPRA and the regional Woman.Comm Club, I greatly value the opportunity and role the Club has entrusted me with.
I received the invitation to take on this role from my wonderful colleague, Irena Miličević Vukoja, the director of the Woman.Comm Club, and the agency Smart Vision, of which I am a co-founder, has become a co-production partner of the Club in Serbia.
I carry both of these “titles” with great pride, but clearly, also with great responsibility. Membership in the Club involves regular meetings, workshops, webinars, exchanging experiences and ideas, socializing… In addition to that, we have a sort of “missionary” goal to acquaint as many of our colleagues from the entire region with the work of the Club, its ideas and vision, projects, and plans. Only together, united around the same goal, can we continue to improve our industry and communication environment.
For this very reason, I am very proud that at the end of this month, we will hold the first gathering in Serbia in Belgrade, where we will introduce dear colleagues from the communications field to the Woman.Comm Club. I am convinced that this will greatly contribute to the goals I mentioned and increase the number of members from our country. I am also looking forward to the wonderful experience of meeting, socializing, and creating new professional and friendly connections, as well as professional networking and regional collaboration on projects and campaigns, being felt and achieved by other women from Serbia.
As for the first contacts and reactions, they are just as I expected and hoped for – very positive, which further motivates!
Media Marketing: You have planned the first event for June 27th. What is it about? Here is an opportunity to invite women from the communications industry in Serbia to join you.
Bojana Stanković: That’s right, on June 27th, in the beautiful and historically inspired space of the “Balkan” cinema in Belgrade, whose name connects us in terms of the area we live in, we will hold the first regional gathering of the Woman.Comm Club in Serbia. We expect the arrival of more than 100 successful women from the communications industry of Serbia and the region, and the main topic of this gathering will be: “Communications all around us, but how do we communicate?”
During professional and expert panels, we will comment on current trends in communication, share ways we overcome obstacles and challenges, and provide, I believe, some new solutions, as such gatherings always bring forth new ideas. For this occasion, we are also preparing an excellent workshop on the topic of Imposter Syndrome. Along with the exchange of experiences and knowledge, it brings me great pleasure that we will gather, make or deepen acquaintances and friendships, strengthen the network of successful women and excellent communicators in the region. And who knows – maybe we will come up with the next big regional project or campaign.
In fact, all of this is the main task of the Woman.Comm Club: to get to know each other, become friends, professionally connect, and work together.
