By: Jelena Ivanović
Marija Matić is a Planning Director at media agency Direct Media. She is a person who believes in education and considers it the most important basis for professional development. As part of the AcademIAA program, she is coordinating the Media Module which most people at first don’t consider the most interesting and creative sphere. However, Marija, together with her colleagues who will teach in the context of this Module, wants to show the importance and role of the media in the world of communications, in a way that is appealing, dynamic and interesting. She has a well-earned reputation as one of the most preferable associates thanks to her professionalism, meticulousness, but also very mild and unobtrusive nature.
How did the invitation to join the team that will organize the AcademIAA educational program for the first time sound to you?
Marija Matić: I’m always delighted with the ideas about education, which I consider the basis for professional development. With great pleasure I accepted participation. The challenge is all the more greater if we know that AcademIAA is intended for young participants, many of whom are advanced university students for whom this will be an opportunity for the first real encounter with the world of marketing. I would add that it is a great privilege to work with people who are coordinators of other modules, as well as with lecturers on this project. I believe we have a great project.
You have participated in the creation of the concept, and especially content of the Media Module. I know this wasn’t an easy task, especially if we know the number of lecturers and the intensity of lectures. Tell us something more about the Module itself.
Marija Matić: The idea of this module is to introduce participants to the world of media advertising, and that students understand our role in the world of communication and advertising. Regardless of the fact that media advertising is mostly talked about through data and figures, our goal is to show that this part of marketing is extremely interesting and, most importantly, measurable.
The module will open with a lecture by Katarina Kostić (Business Development Director Media Operations SEE, Universal Media), who will talk about the phenomenon of media and communications in today’s advertising. Then we move on to the concepts of media planning, which will be presented by Saša Đurđević (Media Planning Director, OMD). These concepts are the basis of any further talk about the strategies, planning and implementation of campaigns.
The Media session is also attended by representatives of the media. They will present their medium, their attributes, their basic advantages and possibilities for campaigns, as well as the possibilities for creative use of the media. On the second day of the module media will be discussed by: Vlada Čeh (founder of the Institute of History of Advertising) who will talk about radio; Kosanče Dimitrijević and Sanja Pešić from Alma Quattro will present OOH; Danijela Jovanović (Director, Atica Media) will talk about print; Marija Karan (Marketing Director, TV Prva) will talk about television. Digital will be discussed by Goran Radulović (Head of verticals projects and native advertising, Ringier).
On the third day of the Module participants will be introduced to the media scene in Serbia. Trends, biggest advertisers, categories and brands in the media market, as well as the data on the consumption of media in Serbia, will be presented by Marinela Ristić and Petar Žigić (Media House). Target group analysis and research needed to define media and communication strategy will be presented by Ljubica Vukčević (Insight Analyst, Direct Media). Digital planning and new communication channels will be presented by Vladimir Aranđelović (Media Manager for Digital, Direct Media). Then the Triangle panel will follow, with the participation of representatives of advertisers, agencies and media. They will talk about the impact of media campaigns on the positioning of products and sale of brands, what is the role of the media and what is the role of all the others in the implementation of campaigns. Participants of the panel will be: Vesna Radaković, Media Director, Moji Brendovi; Robert Čoban, Director of Color Press; and Saša Toroman, Account Director, Starcom. The third day of the module will close with a workshop on the drafting of a media plan. Participants will be tasked to create a concrete media plan, and the workshop will be led by Sonja Jelušić, Client Service Director, Media House.
The final day of the Media Module will begin with a lecture on media buying, and the theme “What do we buy when we buy media”, which will be led by Mile Banić, Media Director, Media Com. I – as the moderator of the module – will present to participants one case study so they could get a comprehensive picture of the development of a media strategy.
The beauty of media business also lies in constant change and new technologies, and this will be talked about by Vitomir Jevremović, Director of Digital Mind. The Module will close with a panel on which there will be talk about the Serbian media market, or where we stand in comparison to the global trends.
Participants have great expectations. Their motivation letters are full of enthusiasm, desire to invest in their knowledge and the strong belief that AcademIAA is the best place to do so. Is there something you would like to say to them?
Marija Matić: To keep that enthusiasm throughout their careers. To do their job with love, because only thus they will achieve the best results.
What are your expectations in terms of the structure of attendees? Can you imagine them at the beginning of the program, and then at the end, after three months?
Marija Matić: I expect a group of young, curious people who are eager for new knowledge and ready to enter the world of marketing. The fact is that millennials are currently the most interesting demographic throughout the advertising industry, and the information that we got through various surveys have helped us in defining the project.
Since millennials are known for their desire to learn, improve and progress rapidly, it’s no wonder that the turnout was more than great. I’m sure that after three months they will come out happy with the knowledge that they had a chance to gain. I believe that many of them will remain in the industry and in the near future become its leaders.
Plan is to make AcademIAA a regular annual activity of IAA in the field of education. What would this mean for the Association, and what for the industry in Serbia?
Marija Matić: AcademIAA is an opportunity to attract the best young people, the greatest talents. This project provides a unique opportunity to hear lectures from professionals, to see practical examples and get practical advice from the biggest names in our marketing. I expect the AcademIAA brand to strengthen in the coming years, to attract more young talents and introduce them to marketing as one of the most interesting and most modern industries. We want more young people who see themselves in marketing, and the path that we have chosen, introduction of the profession through this kind of project, I think will be very effective.
Direct Media is one of the companies that greatly support the work of IAA Young Professionals Section. This is a long-term investment in the future, and shows timely concern for it. This is also a part of your corporate culture, but also your personal view. What are your experiences in terms of investing in young people?
Marija Matić: Since its inception Direct Media has made great investments in education. This is one of the fundamental values of our corporate culture. Experience is always the same: any investment in education returns to the company multifold. Educated employees are drivers of competitiveness, development and reputation. We foster a spirit of continuous improvement and through various educational projects we enable our employees access to all the new trends. I would highlight for example the DM Academy, an educational project of Direct Media which every year, through workshops and lectures, enables employees to learn about the new trends and gain new knowledge. DM Academy is a great way for networking and team development. Also, our Summer School allows employees to hear case studies not only from people from the world of advertising, but from various other fields as well: culture, journalism, literature, economics, fashion … It is very important that we look at the trends from different angles. This helps us a lot later in understanding the media and other communication trends. Of course, there are European and regional festivals that we go to, and the staff during the mentioned Summer School transfer their observations from lectures that have left the greatest impression on them.
What will you remember this project for?
Marija Matić: I will remember it for the shared desire and great enthusiasm to create a modern training center for young talents. It is truly a great pleasure to participate in this project. The atmosphere is great and we all try to make AcademIAA the best it can be. For now, everything runs perfectly, and I am thrilled with the response of potential participants. I would also send an especially big thank you to all the lecturers who are genuinely willing to support this project.
