Effie Awards Croatia, the country’s most prestigious competition for marketing effectiveness, has appointed a new Organising Committee that will guide future seasons and continue building a platform of excellence in market communications. The decision on the new members was made following the adoption of the Committee’s new Rules of Procedure at the HURA Assembly, as well as the successful conclusion of the 2025 season in Rovinj, where 15 outstanding and effective campaigns were awarded.
In line with the practice of Effie Worldwide, and alongside HURA’s representative Eva Trstenjak, the new Organising Committee consists of representatives from three stakeholder groups – advertisers, agencies, and neutral members.
Advertiser representatives are Dubravka Štefanac (A1 Hrvatska), Vanja Prahić (Croatia osiguranje) and Bruno Krčelić (ENNA grupa). Agency representatives are Dina Dretvić (Imago Ogilvy – full-service agency), Ljiljana Ivošević (OMD Media – media agency) and Jelena Fiškuš (Studio Sonda – creative agency). Neutral members are Andrea Mišura Žuvela (Mizuco) and Mario Fraculj (University Algebra Bernays).
“Effectiveness – the ability of creative campaigns to deliver real and measurable results – is at the heart of every Effie award. But behind an award that celebrates effectiveness, there must also be a team of experts who develop the competition just as effectively, keeping pace with changes and market needs. That’s why I am especially pleased that we have assembled an outstanding Organising Committee – representatives of agencies, advertisers, and neutral experts who understand the industry, anticipate trends, and build a platform that connects, educates, and rewards our market,” explained Eva Trstenjak, HURA’s representative on the Organising Committee.
“Connecting ideas with results while staying true to the profession and its values is certainly a challenge, and Effie is proof that strategically conceived communication can create real change. I believe that, as a member of the Organising Committee, I can help make Effie even more visible and understandable to the wider public – not just as one of the awards, but as a symbol of excellence in market communications. I will strive to expand the space for support and recognition for all those who invest tremendous energy, expertise, and heart into projects that are both commercially effective and leave a lasting mark,” said Dubravka Štefanac (A1 Hrvatska).
“For years, I participated in Effie as a submitter, and now I am stepping ‘behind the scenes’ of the competition, which is especially exciting. Effie is my favourite industry award because it honours ideas that work – tangible results behind creative ideas. I look forward to collaborating with the rest of the Committee, sharing experiences, and jointly developing new initiatives that will further strengthen the value of the competition in Croatia,” said Dina Dretvić (Imago Ogilvy), one of the agency representatives on the Organising Committee.
The new Organising Committee will begin its work in the autumn, with the focus on timely preparation of all activities for the Effie Awards Croatia 2026 season.
More information about the competition is available on the official website.
