Jelena Fiškuš and Sean Poropat are the founders and creative directors of Studio Sonda, an independent centre for design and communications dedicated to the transformative power of creativity in society. Working from their inspiring base in Vižinada, Istria, they create globally recognised projects guided by the philosophy that design must be logical, honest and intuitive. Their work has received the industry’s highest honours, including the Cannes Lions, Red Dot Best of Best and Eurobest, while their Designed By People programme continues to redefine how brands connect with users. As frequent jury members at leading global festivals, they actively shape the future of the industry, while Jelena currently serves as President of the Management Board of the Croatian Association of Communications Agencies (HURA).
Jelena Fiškuš and Sean Poropat will be among the speakers at the 14th Branding Conference, which will be held on 18 September at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo. More information about the conference and tickets is available at branding.ba.
This year’s Branding Conference addresses control in a world of algorithms. Are brands truly losing control over communication, or do they simply need to learn the new rules of the game?
If they plan strategically, understand the changes taking place in the world in a timely manner, educate themselves and act transparently, those who manage brands can turn every moment into an opportunity. Communication used to be more one-way, with a stronger illusion of control, whereas today’s world entails constant two-way communication, in real time, and rapid reactions… Therefore, the task is not to try to control the narrative, but to refocus on creating an atmosphere in which the brand will be loved and respected.
In the era of personalisation and data, is creative intuition becoming less or more important?
Intuition is an ancient evolutionary tool and is important because it allows us to process all the abstract concepts of the modern world. It has always been important and always will be, and no amount of data or personalisation can diminish its existence, power or value.
Algorithms predict our every move and serve us exactly what they think we want. Data and personalisation tell us “what” and “how”, but only human intuition can give us the genuine “why”. Relying entirely and exclusively on data leads to mediocrity and predictability because algorithms optimise what is already known and recycle past behaviours to predict future ones.
Creative intuition, on the other hand, makes leaps into the unknown. If all brands use the same tools and the same datasets, the result is a uniform market in which everything looks the same and communicates in a similar way. Therefore, to create a project that truly resonates, intuition is not merely our most powerful tool, but an essential one.
However, one of today’s bigger problems is precisely that, amid widespread saturation, people are losing touch with themselves. What is needed is to find the peace, place and silence required to listen to that vital intuition and create. For this reason, we are proud of our self-chosen position of working from a small community in the interior of the peninsula, our Vižinada, which has only around 300 inhabitants. It gives us enough time for introspection and listening to our intuition, as well as excellent transport connections with the whole world whenever we crave some dynamism.
You have said that the idea will remain the key to everything. How can we distinguish a great idea from merely well-packaged content today?
People are not stupid; everything is very fast, dynamic and verifiable within seconds. Although it is easier than ever to produce “well-packaged content”, developing communication that is not transparent and aligned with the brand’s actual values is risky. The tools we have, including artificial intelligence, have brought us to the point where average looks good. Content is optimised for scrolling, designed to be liked, trigger a short-lived dopamine rush and hold our attention for a few seconds. But what remains when the Wi-Fi is switched off? The content disappears.
A great idea, on the other hand, “breaks through” that screen. It changes perspectives, enters everyday conversations, mobilises a community and solves a real problem. At Sonda, we always strive to create work with a physical and emotional imprint, whether through working with the community or through design and communication that encourage reflection. You will recognise a great idea by the fact that it does not desperately try to fit into the current trend. It is so powerful, authentic and human that it creates its own universe.
You often speak about the long-term impact of design and ideas. Is the greatest problem facing contemporary brands their focus on short-term results?
It is difficult to generalise. Many brands do think strategically over the long term. Those that do not will probably feel the consequences very quickly, as users will flutter away like little bees towards some new nectar.
In fact, focusing on short-term results may well be the greatest danger facing brands today, and it is directly connected to the topic of control addressed by the conference. The rapid measurability of data has spoiled us; numbers are delivered to us immediately: clicks, likes, views… And then, intoxicated by immediate and measurable data, brands fall into the trap of short-term victories.
The problem arises when tactics are mistaken for strategy, when a brand lives from one day to the next. By feeding the algorithm whatever is currently trending, brands can end up losing control over their own identity, while the whims of social media dictate their vision.
At Sonda, we believe that design, communication concepts and ideas must make sense and leave a mark that lasts much longer than a single campaign or story. A long-term idea is what builds trust, loyalty and brand legacy. True control means having the courage to say: “We will not compromise our long-term vision simply to get more clicks today.”
If you had to predict one major change in brand communications by 2030, what do you think will disappear completely, and what will become more important than ever?
By 2030, we believe the illusion that AI-generated content can replace human connection will disappear entirely. There will be so much perfectly polished synthetic content that people will become indifferent to it. As a result, authenticity and credibility will become more valuable.
When the digital space becomes completely automated and predictable, the greatest luxury will be tangibility, imperfection and genuine community, in other words, sincere human contact. Brands will demonstrate their purpose in the physical world, in local communities, by solving real problems, just as we at Sonda strive to do today.
Ultimately, the brands that prosper will be those that are not afraid to be imperfectly human. Because AI tools may be able to replicate a visual or a text, but they will never be able to replicate genuine, raw human emotion and that feeling when people physically gather around a good idea.
