The company dentsu Croatia continues the development of its global Digital Center of Excellence (DCE) hub in Zagreb, which has evolved from initial operational support into a technological and strategic centre within the international network. The project, announced in 2022 with the goal of developing digital expertise for global markets, today includes proprietary products, automation systems and AI models for campaign optimisation.
Following significant team expansion during 2025, the Zagreb DCE now manages complex international budgets, develops advanced models for predicting user behaviour and implements automated solutions for campaign optimisation across multiple markets.
From operational support to a strategic centre
The team in Zagreb brings together specialists in paid search, paid social, programmatic, AI, data analytics and automation, while the development focus increasingly shifts from operational support toward strategic management of digital performance.
As Tomislav Britvec, International Digital Activation Lead, points out, the integration of different disciplines has enabled the creation of a model that combines media planning, performance, data and technology into a single operational system.
“By bringing together performance, media planning, data & analytics, AI and tech teams into one structure, we created a model that enables faster, more precise and more scalable campaign management. Such an approach delivers a long-term competitive advantage for dentsu, and gives clients the assurance that decisions are based on a deep understanding of business goals, technology and user behaviour.”
In practice, this means the development of internal automation frameworks, scripts and AI models that optimise budget allocation, channels and bidding strategies in real time. This reduces the need for manual interventions while accelerating campaign testing and scaling.
Proprietary products and AI platforms
One of the solutions developed within the DCE is Media Intelligence Network (MIN), an internal AI platform designed to optimise digital investments. Based on defined target audiences, the platform generates granular audience segments and orchestrates campaigns across different platforms, including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Premium Programmatic and other channels.
By combining proprietary and zero-party data, the platform develops predictive models of investment and return on investment, while optimising budgets between segments and channels in real time.
A test campaign in the automotive industry showed a 17 percent increase in test-drive leads, along with a 46 percent growth in high-quality traffic to the client’s website compared with the standard performance approach.
Tanja Omazić Volarević, Head of Social, emphasises that channel integration and automation are changing the way digital media is managed. “Social, search and programmatic are no longer separate disciplines, but part of a connected ecosystem in which data integration and automation enable more precise optimisation in real time and more efficient media investments.”
Focus also on more sustainable advertising
The DCE has also developed the Green Programmatic Network (GPN), a solution that combines premium programmatic technology with a more sustainable approach to digital advertising. The model includes the selection of highly viewable media placements and optimisation of formats in order to reduce unnecessary CO₂ emissions.
The first campaign using this model was implemented by the client Terme Krka. The campaign results showed a significant increase in ad visibility and more than double the number of clicks compared with the average of standard digital campaigns. This approach demonstrates how digital advertising can simultaneously be more effective for brands and more responsible toward the environment.
AI as infrastructure
According to Marko Jambrešić, who leads the strategic development of the DCE, the industry is increasingly shifting from analysing past results toward a predictive decision-making model. “Instead of analysing what happened, we need to develop systems that predict what will happen. This means investing in infrastructure that uses AI to optimise decisions, while human critical thinking remains essential for strategic direction.”
Further development
Three years after its establishment, the Zagreb DCE has become an important part of the global dentsu network. Further plans include hiring new specialists in data science, automation and strategic planning, as well as expanding technological solutions developed in Zagreb to other international markets.
In an industry marked by growing media fragmentation and changes in privacy regulation, predictive models and the speed of adaptation are becoming key competitive advantages for agencies and their clients.
