The 13th edition of SoMo Borac, the competition that rewards the best digital projects in the region, is about to take place. Applications are open until September 24, and the official awards ceremony will be held on October 24 at the Mozaik Event Center in Zagreb.
Digital marketing and advertising is an industry that requires exceptional flexibility and the ability to acquire new knowledge and skills that keep pace with the dynamics of emerging trends. Experienced marketing and communications professional, Vanja Vaniček, Director of Marketing, Customer Experience, and Corporate Communications at E.ON Hrvatska, who this year is also President of the SoMo Borac Advertising Jury, shared her perspective on the competition’s contribution to the industry and the value it brings to everyone in the profession – whether someone is just starting their digital journey or is a long-time “digital native.”
1. This year you are the President of the SoMo Borac Jury in the Advertising stream. How did you experience this role and what will guide you in leading the Advertising Jury?
Vanja Vaniček: Chairing the Advertising Jury of SoMo Borac is both an honor and a great responsibility for me. It is also an excellent opportunity for a unique insight into the background and strategy of the most successful digital projects in the region – their innovative approaches, trends, and technologies shaping the market. Through the work of the jury, valuable contact is made with experts of various profiles, and the opportunity arises to look at different perspectives of the industry through dialogue. I would especially emphasize that in the judging process it is crucial to be guided by professional integrity, transparency, and constructive discussion so that the works that truly push the boundaries of creativity, strategic thinking, and execution are recognized and rewarded.
2. What distinguishes a good campaign from an excellent one? What will you personally pay the most attention to when judging?
Vanja Vaniček: In digital marketing, there is an extremely large number of elements that need to be thoughtfully set up and aligned for a campaign to be truly successful and effective. If even one link is missing or a key factor is neglected, the final picture, and thus the result, changes. Every new campaign also brings a new combination of these factors, and this dynamism and variety are precisely the beauty of this job.
What distinguishes a good campaign from an excellent one is the way it connects all those elements into a whole while exceeding expectations. In the digital environment, that means having a deep understanding of the consumer and the context (a clearly defined insight as the epicenter of a solid strategy), a relevant and bold idea logically translated into channels and formats, and consistent, dedicated execution that leverages the advantages of technology and measures real impact.
When evaluating entries for SoMo Borac, it is extremely important to view them in the context of the specific category they are submitted to, because the success criteria differ between, for example, social media campaigns and integrated digital projects. These aspects – strategic grounding, creative and content relevance, and quality of execution in relation to the category and its challenges – are the ones I will personally pay the most attention to.
3. How does a project like SoMo Borac affect the development of digital in this area? How do you think SoMo Borac and similar projects will develop in the future?
Vanja Vaniček: SoMo Borac plays an important role in the development of digital communication across the entire region. For more than a decade, it has gathered the digital community and shown that knowledge and creativity in this area are diverse and globally competitive. It is not only a competition but also a place for exchanging experiences and continuous professional education, a space where the best practices are highlighted through a transparent process. Such a platform raises the quality bar. Through constructive competition and the jury’s expertise, standards are further strengthened, and innovation is encouraged. In a domain that changes month by month – with new formats, technologies, and channels, SoMo Borac provides a clear compass for what excellence in digital marketing means today.
In the future, I expect an even greater role for SoMo Borac as a regional reference point. I believe the emphasis will increasingly be placed on innovative use of technology, AI, sustainability, and social responsibility of digital projects, as well as on the quality of presentation of entries – so that excellent projects also have the opportunity to be clearly recognized. In this way, SoMo Borac will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of the digital industry in the region.
4. Which category do you think will attract the most interest and entries this year?
Vanja Vaniček: Every year in digital brings new surprises, so it would be ungrateful to predict which category will be the “most popular.” What I sincerely hope is that growth in quality and number of entries will be visible in all categories – from social media and content marketing to integrated campaigns and new formats. That would be the best proof that digital communication in the region is maturing and developing in all its segments, not just in a few of the most attractive areas.
5. Do you have a message for this year’s SoMo Borac entrants?
Vanja Vaniček: Behind every submitted project lies a lot of effort, thought, creativity, and risk. My advice to entrants is to present their work clearly, comprehensively, and with context – because a good story helps the jury understand all your work and the strategic thinking behind it. Don’t be afraid to show courage, innovation, and results; it is precisely such projects that push the boundaries of our industry.
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