At the Woman.Comm conference, and No Limit BH Advertising Festival, held in Sarajevo almost a year ago, Vesna Beganović, the founder and partner in Via Media agency, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. It was I who suggested Woman.Comm to honor her with this award and I presented many pieces of evidence to support my suggestion. I also had the privilege to award the prize to Vesna in front of a full auditorium.
Although, while receiving the award, Vesna stated in her first sentence that she thinks the award was given to her a little bit early because she still has so many plans and things to do, I think that this award came at the perfect moment; the Lifetime Achievement Award was invented for people like Vesna Beganović.
She reached a certain level in her career but still packs energy and ideas. No one can stop her from entering a new adventure and conquering new heights because for Vesna, nothing is impossible. Everything she has accomplished to this day deserves a firm handshake, a hug, and sincere congratulations.
Last year, the campaign U Bingu sam (I am in Bingo) brought triumph to Via Media, both on local and regional scenes, winning all the major festival awards for creativity in advertising, with big global awards already on their way. First was EPICA. There will be more, in the region, but also in the world. This success has seldom been seen by any of the numerous regional agencies. The multi-awarded campaign with Enis Bešlagić as the leading role is just a logical and expected outcome of persistent work lasting for 26 years, since the moment Vesna founded Via Media agency in Bihać.
The campaign is fantastic but far from a coincidence. It came to life on firm foundations that were strategically built for years. It is not a result of a crazy idea that some genius creative person in the agency had but a result of daily dedicated work by a well-led creative team.
I will repeat here what I already said at the No Limit festival while announcing the award for Vesna Beganović: “If somebody had told me 23 years ago that I would do tonight what I am doing now, I would have told them that they were insane. We did not understand Vesna; she was always just telling the truth, but we were not honest.”
And it truly is that way. When she decided to move from Bihać to Sarajevo to start an agency here and a new career, I was one of the first people she contacted. I do not remember anymore how it came to our meeting, but I know I was pleased. Vesna is from Bihać, where my roots originate from. I spent all my summers in Bihać till the end of high school, staying with my grandparents. Vesna’s and my veins have the river Una running in them, and that is not a small thing.
Well, I do not remember who told Vesna about me or how we came in contact, but I do remember how our first conversation ended. I told her to stop going on a wild goose chase, to return to Bihać, and continue building her agency there, and to forget about Sarajevo because she stands no chance here.
Of course, she did not listen to me; that would be unlikely for Krajina mentality, stubbornness and spite. We met often later, I witnessed Vesna’s beginnings in Sarajevo, the founding and first steps of Via Media. And I always told her the same: “Vesna, return to Bihać, these surroundings will eat you alive.” Thank God, she did not listen to me. She started developing the agency with modern models, which distinguished it from established agencies in Sarajevo from an early beginning. I posted an interview with her in Business Magazine which I published at that time. It was the first interview someone did with Vesna.
And now, more than 20 years later, I am still doing the same. Writing an interview with Vesna Beganović. Nothing new on my side; on her side, nothing like that time when I did the first interview.
But, let’s start from the beginning.
“I worked briefly on television in Bihać as a videographer before I began working on RTV USK as a television program producer in 1995. I was responsible for video montage before I transferred to the marketing department, where in a short period, I became the marketing department manager. Later, I decided to go to Zagreb. Going to Zagreb came from my desire for personal growth, but also from my need to leave Bihać, where I lived through tragic war experiences. In a very short period, I lost my husband, my best friend who was my maid of honor, and my brother died. I steered my emptiness and sorrow towards work, existence, and learning. Even though I have always been interested in architecture, war happenings stopped me from continuing the study of architecture and the history of art. That is the reason why I turned to marketing, and media became my first touch with that profession.
I did radio advertising distribution in the agency Kali marketing in Zagreb before I applied for a position in POP TV in Slovenia. I worked there as a TV program director, TV show recording organizer, and video editor. That experience helped me become an independent member of the team that established the public RTV service in B&H”, starts Vesna her story.
Nine months later in Zagreb, she applied for a job competition in agency McCann Erickson for a marketing traffic position. Even though she did not know what that position exactly implied, she felt like it could be connected with advertising distribution. She gained her first experience in McCann by working with international brands. Ivica Vidović had an important role in her career; the legendary director of McCann told her: “I believe in you, I am leaving you in the deep waters; swim and keep your head above water, you can do it.” He shared with her his presentations to study thoroughly. He introduced her to Coca-Cola as an account manager. Coca-Cola sent her to Prague for training, as a part of preparations for the launch of new products in B&H. “Those preparations, besides the marketing aspects, included complete logistics, the opening of the first bottling plant in B&H, and the founding of McCann Erickson office in Sarajevo. In a short time, from the position of account assistant, I became strategy manager for the Coca-Cola brand, responsible for entering the B&H market and opening the office for McCann Erickson”, remembers Vesna.
Twenty-seven years ago, on Feb 9th, 1997, in Bihać, she established Via Media Bihać, overseeing the entry of global brands like Opel, Nestle, Heineken, and Zott into B&H. She spent five years traveling between Zagreb, Bihać, and Sarajevo. Developing a marketing agency with local clients in Bihać posed significant challenges, so in 2001, she decided to relocate to Sarajevo with her two small children.
The market and competitors did not embrace her readily. Despite her hope for the industry to rejuvenate the advertising sector after the war, that never happened.
“I did not want to leave my team in Bihać without jobs, so I brought them to Sarajevo with me. I organized their living arrangements, and took care of their professional and personal needs. That soon turned out to be a mistake. They did not share my vision, refused to adapt, and were unwilling to work hard. I remember falling ill due to stress after landing a major project for OHR, organizing the High Representative Paddy Ashdown’s visit. My team, who usually relied on me, did no work, and waited for my instructions. I realized that I could not depend on the people who did not believe in my vision or wanted to step out of their comfort zone. I had to let them go. Despite being irrational, being alone in an agency that organized the most important event in the country was brave. I’ve never shied away from making big decisions. Everyone loves you when you’re successful, but few stand by you when things get tough.”
During that time, Vesna faced challenges in Sarajevo. She did not know many people in Sarajevo and had to put in a lot of work to win clients over. She was persistent and dedicated. But beyond sheer willpower and energy, Vesna carried something else with her, which was crucial for her career, and that was her constant thirst for knowledge. Continuously improving herself, applying for international funds, and attending courses across Europe – knowledge became her most valuable asset.
“To attract clients, I had to be innovative and introduce new things to the market. The period from 2003 to 2007 was pivotal for the agency. We secured major clients like Volksbank, USAID, Sony, World Bank, Bosnalijek, Fabrika duhana Sarajevo, Mesna industrija Lijanović, BH Telecom… During that time, Berin Tuzlić joined our agency as a partner. He sold his apartment, invested in the agency, and oversaw the creative and production department. We became business partners, merging rationality and creativity, and fostering a positive creative spirit. We worked for 16 hours a day. In the first nine months of 2006, we built the Via Media building with a production studio, creating an innovative workspace, and became a significant agency in the B&H market during the same time.”
Via Media was a pioneer in implementing WOM (word-of-mouth marketing), customer product reviews, creating branded content, introducing product placement in television shows, producing animated TV series for children, and shows for young adults, and establishing the first digital department for new media inside the agency. They recruited people from other agencies and media, and educated them for EU tenders and applications for campaigns in Spain, Austria, and Turkey.
“Continuously bringing fresh ideas and innovations on the market, with the lack of client understanding, really drained me. I decided to go on a vacation in Dubai, and already in the next year, in 2007, decided to open a branch office of Via Media there. I wanted to create new opportunities for the agency. In the same year I was a part of the team that initiated the Dubai Lynx Festival for Dubai Media City, connecting them with the Cannes Lions Festival organizers. In Dubai, we worked on projects different from the ones we worked on in B&H. I was thrilled to provide the Via Media team with opportunities to work in an exceptionally demanding and competitive market, and to gain valuable experience. When foreigners could own 100% of a company in UAE in 2017, I transferred ownership to my older daughter Medina, who continues to develop the agency.”
Vesna is particularly proud of the fact that during the 2010 recession, she started the Branding Conference, which became a leading educational event in the country during the years. Via Media invested money, creative resources, and production capacities, bringing world-renowned speakers to share their knowledge and experience, contributing to the improvement of the communication market in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I have always been interested in different views on the future, innovations, developments and different approaches to solving challenges. The harder the situation is, the bigger my energy boost is, and it motivates me to find the best solution. I remember the time when Porsche and Nokia halted all their campaigns during the recession. We lost 1.2 million KM in contractual revenue in a week. Everybody in the agency panicked, asking: ‘What now?’. I coldly stated: ‘I will find us another million.’ The hard life situations I went through taught me to fear nothing, embrace the unknown, and be fearless.”
In 2012, Via Media founded Reach, a media agency to support their media campaigns, considering that as a creative agency, they were not able to provide competitive conditions for their clients. Nina Borovac joined them to manage the media agency, soon followed by Mario Grgurević, the current CEO. Reach became a contractual partner for Omnicom Media Group. From a small media agency, Reach became a market leader within 10 years.
In 2017, the Branding Conference became an official partner of the biggest festival of creativity, the Cannes Lions Festival, acquiring a license to organize a Young Lions competition for young professionals under 30.
Via Media reinforced their team in 2012, retaining key team members from that time, who are still the backbone of the agency today. As a leader, Vesna has always been demanding, but empathetic and responsible towards people, always giving them space for professional growth.
“People have always been my priority. I ensure not only tangible benefits but also a culture of learning and development, fostering fulfillment and professional satisfaction.The Via Media agency team is exceptional, but I have to pinpoint the five key team members, who contributed to agency transformation and growth in the past years. They are Haris Mujanović, Elma Kadrić, Damir Ruvić, Naida Lindov, and Irfan Avdić. The decision for Haris to take up my role ended up being a great one. He took over the marketing director position at Bingo Group and generated amazing results with his different approach. With an abundance of experience, expertise, commitment, and sportsmanship, he dived right into the deep waters and showed that, with a great team, he can position Via Media as a leader, not only in B&H, but also on the regional level. I believe that Haris, in this new phase of our growth, can position Via Media on the global stage.”
Regarding the Via Media – Bingo connection, I was curious to find out where the idea to connect came from, what was the interest in it for the Bingo Group, and what was the interest for Via Media.
The partnership with Bingo created a playground for Via Media to achieve its strategic and creative potential. “Everything I wanted to accomplish for B&H brands during my career, the possibility to make that vision come true, will become possible through this partnership. I am happy that Amna Džambić Branković became a partner, because with fresh energy, existing agency legacy, resources, and market position, Via Media has unlimited potential for further growth.”
Years of creating a fertile soil for the development of creativity and successful business, peaked with the campaign U Bingu sam (I am in Bingo), winning awards in all regional and international festivals they applied for. In less than two months, agency shelves were filled with so many awards that it was hard to think of another campaign with that kind of success.
“The fall came bearing fruits of our work, and awards have been coming in since September. I see them as acknowledgements for all our efforts. We achieved what no other agency in B&H has done before, and only a few agencies in the region have matched; winning the Agency of the Year title in B&H, the Agency of the Year title in the Golden Drum Festival for the Adriatic region, and the Grand Sempler at the Sempl Festival. I take pride in winning all the most prestigious awards at the No Limit BH Advertising Festival: the Grand Prix, the main award, and the Agency of the Year title. Bingo Group was recognized as the Advertiser of the Year, and Haris Mujanović, the CEO of Via Media agency, as the Advertising Person of the Year. Damir Ruvić, the Creative Director at Via Media, was presented with the Creative Person of the Year award. Amna Džambić Branković won the Woman of the Year 2023 title and Ladies in Ambassador for 2024 title, while I was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for my contribution to the communication industry. We secured three main awards at the 11th SoMo Borac Festival, the leading regional digital festival, where our campaign created with Bingo was most successful. The Epica Awards brought us a bronze award, the only award won in the Adriatic region at the festival, which stands out because all the campaigns are evaluated by the most famous journalists from around the world dedicated to advertising and communications. Being the most awarded agency in the history of B&H is a great achievement, but it also carries a significant responsibility and commitment. We need to continue creating and working even better. These awards confirm our commitment to creating new values for our clients and customers and serve as motivation for our team to remain proud and motivated to tackle new challenges. New business and creative opportunities are coming our way, and we have a reputation for recognizing and making them a reality.”
Vesna witnessed several wrong moves and situations in the advertising industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She genuinely hopes that the communication industry in B&H will take responsibility and change the direction of its business from the current state towards improvement. The synergy achievable between agencies, clients, media, and consumers, contributing to the growth of all businesses and benefiting consumers, needs to become the primary focus. The lack of collaboration, ethics, and responsibility for one’s work does not contribute to the development of the marketing industry. B&H institutions might not have specific knowledge, but they do have the position to work with an expert team from the private sector to create a legal framework for the quality development of the creative industry, essential for improving the entire market. HURA in Croatia is a great example, not only for improving its market but also for contributing to the enhancement of the regional market.
“Through various projects and festivals, I have collaborated, and still collaborate with numerous regional agencies. Some individuals I bonded with not only through business but also through positive emotions, such as my friendship with brilliant Žarko and Lazar Sakan, the sons of Dragan Sakan whom I cooperated with; there is also Sašo Pešev, a New Moment partner in N. Macedonia. I greatly appreciate being able to always share my creative thoughts without restraint with Davor Bruketa, who is selfless and has enriched the Branding Conference program with his knowledge and experience. I value my collaboration with Damir Ciglar from Imago, with Dunja Ivana Ballon, the executive director of HURA, and with Božidar Abramović, the CEO of OMD. I collaborate well with Ivana Parčetić Mitić, the founder and CEO of Marketing Mreža and Kaktus Festival, with Ula Spindler, the partner at Pristop, with Valerija Prevošek, the Pristop Media director, and with Ljiljana Boljanović, the managing director at Olaf & McAteer Beograd. All these friendships and collaborations enrich my professional and spiritual life, and I am thrilled to have them.”
Via Media will celebrate its 27th birthday in 2024 especially by moving to a new office building, marking a new phase of growth.
“The opening of our new building will be featured in Media Marketing. At the moment, I am occupied with the final touches, the sweet torment of furnishing, and relocation planning. I will only say that the new building will be unique in its concept and dynamic, where Via Media will act as a powerful agitator of strategic, creative, and productive energy in the service of business development.”
Interviewer: Ekrem Dupanović
Photographer: Irfan Redžović
