Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
Piše: Ferida Abdagić
Photo: Dajan Javorac and Daniel Tepšić at Young Lions awarding ceremony
You know that feeling when you think that everything that can be said has been said about certain topic? And after hundreds of different perspectives of the same theme you get fed up with it. You need to persevere because that is your job. And then something happens that you never thought of. You find yourself thrilled by somebody else’s perspective and double thrilled when you find out who that person is.
That’s exactly what happened to us when we saw a video for “This is not just another tea advert.“
“When was the last time you saw something for the first time?”
Is it possible to live in Bosnia and Herzegovina all your life and then see it as for the first time? Thanks to the Mania agency promotional video for Bonito it is possible. It’s no wonder. Dajan Javorac, the creative director of Mania and his colleague Daniel Tepšić were introduced to us this year during the branding conference Brand New Jungle as the winners of Young Lions B&H competition, organised by UNICEF and international festival of creativity Cannes Lions. We expected to meet them again.
So, this is NOT just another advert for a marketing agency. This is an interview with young and creative leader of a young and creative agency.
MEDIA MARKETING: Introduce us to MANIA. Who are the team members and what do you offer?
Dajan Javorac: Danijel Tepsic, Srdjan Sipka and I founded MANIA in 2014 in Banja Luka. What makes us different from others is that we have a team of young, enthusiastic and talented people. Our youth allows us to pick up on world trends, new technology and knowledge quickly. Our greatest advantage is that we have our own production which enables us to control not only the idea but the quality of the final video, photography, website and any of the other service that we offer.
MEDIA MARKETING: Who is Dajan Javorac? Why did you choose this industry?
Dajan Javorac: First of all I am a part of a team of friends who together produce results. My position in the company is a creative and a film director. I founded with two friends the marketing agency MANIA which now employs over 20 people and almost always works on domestic brands.
My goal in life is to work in a job that tests my creativity. MANIA is the place where we have several projects on the go demanding creativity, there is no room for creative block.
MEDIA MARKETING: How important is it to have a degree in this business? Can a talent substitute formal education?
Dajan Javorac: Most important thing is that a person is hungry for knowledge and self improvement. Some people discover that at university but there are other ways. Talent allows people to see where they need to improve, but talent alone is not enough. Degree or not, talent or not, you’ll never be good enough unless you give it your all.
MEIDA MARKETING: What are your favourite projects?
Dajan Javorac: When your work provokes emotions in people that is one of the greatest satisfactions. There’s always a secret hope that your work will influence society in some way. Projects woven through with emotion are my favourite projects especially when done in cooperation with other creative people. The challenge is to get together with different creative people and come up with a project where different styles work in harmony. Projects like those are my favourite.
MEDIA MARKETING: In times of mass production in all segments of society, how big a challenge is it to create something that stands out?
Dajan Javorac: Our goal is to be different, to have our own voice. Mass production is not the way to find individuality but to churn out quantity. When we approach a project we leave our comfort zone, with a clear goal that this project will be our best. When you understand your shortcomings and you try to overcome them with each new project, it is hard not to achieve results.
MEDIA MARKETING: In you advert for Bonito tea you showed B&H in a unique way. How did the creative process flow?
Dajan Javorac: When we filmed the video for Sutjeska few years back, we were hoping for a future project which would require a promotional video for the whole country. When we started preparing Bonito teas campaign we were inspired by the country’s abundance of clean water and pristine nature. The greatest challenge was selecting shooting locations, we were mindful to keep the video under 2 minutes. Now this project is complete we are hoping to expand on the theme in future projects to include B&H rivers, sea, food and activities.
MEDIA MARKETING: This advert gives the impression that it’s been made by people who really love this country. Is that correct and what do you think of B&H? Do you plan to stay here or do you think that there is not enough opportunity for people like you here?
Dajan Javorac: This shoot allowed me to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. I had a chance to meet people from all over the country and experience at firsthand the wonderful hospitality of our people. From the elders of Lukomir who helped us to the youngsters of Kravice waterfalls who turned for work early for our sake. It was pleasure to meet models and extras from all over the country. Seeing things like that makes you realise this country is full of life and we have a future.
MEDIA MARKETING: Which project are you most proud of?
Dajan Javorac: Sarajevo Video Guide, Sutjeska Tourist Video, image spot for Bonito Ketchup and of course the tea campaign we’ve been talking about.
MEDIA MARKETING: This year together with your colleague you visited Cannes, as a winner of Young Lions B&H competition. What was your experience of that trip? What has this win brought to you?
Dajan Javorac: Daniel Tepsic and I cooperate well on marketing projects. On this occasion we presented Bosnia Herzegovina at a competition of young marketing experts. The most positive realisation for me is that our projects have the same sensibilities as award winning international projects but with much smaller budgets. This confirms to us that we are on the right road and motivates us to continue. The best thing for me at Cannes was meeting people of my own age from all over the globe.
MEDIA MARKETING: Who do you learn from and how do you learn?
Dajan Javorac: Long term, I learn from my colleagues, both from mistakes and from successes. You learn a lot by experimenting and leaving your comfort zone, when you accept to do something you’ve never done. Learning on internet is a daily task which I see as a pleasure. There’s nothing that interests me more than what I do and it is the most interesting topic for me.
MEDIA MARKETING: What are the Agency’s future goals? What’s your unfulfilled dream in this job?
Dajan Javorac: The Agency’s goal is to take on more daring projects, to help our brands achieve world exposure. Also, to expand our team, to give them working conditions which allow them to achieve their maximum potential. My personal goal is to showcase myself as a film director, and to see our film in the regional cinemas within the next two years. And to work on creative projects with ambitious and daring clients.