At the 35th SOF, Dominic Czaja, founder and CEO of the agency DOJO, delivered a sharp and analytically grounded presentation arguing that, under conditions of increasing uncertainty, the creative industry is progressively losing confidence and with it, its negotiating power. Czaja, who founded the agency immediately after graduating without capital or prior experience, quickly attracted major clients such as Edeka, Spotify, and HBO, establishing a reputation for viral, provocative campaigns that consistently capture the spirit of the times.
Speaking at Slovenia’s largest advertising festival, Czaja emphasized that his objective is to build a successful and profitable company, but not at the expense of compromises that would gradually erode its integrity. Since 2021, DOJO has implemented a 3% social contribution fee charged to clients, dedicated to supporting charitable initiatives and individuals experiencing homelessness. In this sense, DOJO positions itself not only as an “ad” agency, but also as an “add” agency, one that actively adds value to society.
In his view, high-impact ideas do not emerge in overly optimized or comfortable environments; rather, the opposite is true. A strong creative process requires a degree of unpredictability, tension, and complexity—conditions that enable breakthroughs beyond conventional solutions.
A central theme of his talk was that an agency’s identity is defined as much by the projects it rejects as by those it accepts. As he noted: “The decisions you reject shape your identity just as much as the ones you accept.” Saying “no” is therefore not a sign of weakness, but an indicator of strategic maturity, particularly when a project, relationship, or direction fails to meet clearly defined professional and value-based criteria. If collaboration feels misaligned, it is highly likely that it is also conceptually flawed.
He further addressed the relationship between clients and agencies, advocating for a model of equal partnership between stakeholders. In his view, traditional hierarchical dynamics are giving way to collaboration grounded in mutual trust, clear strategic direction, and aligned values. In this context, he stated: “The client may be king, but the agency is queen,” highlighting the need for a balanced distribution of power and responsibility on both sides.
Among the key reasons for declining projects, he cited misalignment in budget, strategic understanding, values, creative ambition, or long-term vision. Equally decisive, however, is often the quality of interpersonal dynamics between teams, which directly affects both effectiveness and outcomes.
Czaja is convinced that organizational culture is not a transactional component but a core competitive advantage: “In an environment defined by rapid change, pressure for efficiency, and high levels of uncertainty, a clearly defined identity and a confident position have become key drivers of long-term relevance and differentiation in agencies.” In doing so, he reaffirmed his overarching thesis: success depends on the ability to attract attention, and he is unafraid of operating outside the mainstream. DOJO’s rebellious and provocative campaigns consistently resonate with the zeitgeist, shaped by an ironic, sharply tuned language and a refined sense of pop-cultural trends.
