Every marketer dreams of creating a campaign that people will talk about – and only those who’ve achieved it truly understand how difficult that path is. The partnership between Zagrebačka pivovara and the agency BBDO Zagreb has lasted a full 15 years and has become one of the strongest and most fruitful collaborations on the Croatian marketing scene.
At the heart of this relationship is the Ožujsko beer brand, which has grown from a ‘beer for the crew’ into an authentic Croatian brand with deep emotional capital. In that evolution, the campaigns were not only tools for product promotion but also stories that celebrate friendship, humor, unity, and, increasingly, social responsibility.
Is this the way to build a strong brand? We asked the people who made it happen.
The campaign ‘Be Brave, Stay Healthy,’ which recently won multiple awards at the Days of Communication festival, is the latest example of this approach. According to Ana Štebih Pinjuh, Marketing Director at Zagrebačka pivovara, it was a campaign with an authentic and significant social impact.
‘We pour passion, effort, and love into every campaign, but the recognition we received at this year’s Days of Communication in Rovinj truly took us by surprise. We’re proud of every trophy we won, but the real reward came in the form of heartfelt messages from men who told us they went for preventive screenings because of the campaign – and that those screenings literally saved their lives,’ says Štebih Pinjuh.
The campaign addressed prostate cancer prevention – a topic rarely seen in advertising, especially in formats that reach the ‘average Croatian man.’ This is where collaboration with BBDO proved essential.
BBDO Zagreb’s Chief Creative Director, Almir Okanović, explains that men are harder to reach because they are socially conditioned to ignore their health – at least more so than women.
‘A serious tone or classic encouragement simply doesn’t work. Our approach was a mix of sarcastic humor, brutal honesty, and a marching tune – and it clearly resonated,’ says Okanović.
‘We knew Žuja had the voice and trust of the public,’ adds Ana Štebih Pinjuh, ‘and we wanted to use that voice for something truly meaningful. Our goal was to remove the stigma around preventive screenings, to support men and show that caring for your health is a sign of courage, not weakness.’
This kind of authentic and meaningful communication didn’t appear overnight. The collaboration with the now-famous trio – Navojec, Bogdan, and Bitorajac – began in 2013 with the campaign ‘If You’re from Croatia,’ a project that laid the foundation for the Ožujsko brand as we know it today.
‘I wasn’t part of Zagrebačka pivovara back then, but I clearly remember that campaign,’ Ana recalls.
Through future campaigns, she says, they continued to celebrate what makes Croatians unique – diversity, openness, humor, and togetherness. She’s particularly proud that Žuja has been writing football history with the Croatian national team since 1998. It’s also important to her that, together with BBDO, they have successfully executed socially responsible campaigns, becoming a positive example and a responsible community partner.
‘Over the years, we’ve become real partners – even friends – building a relationship full of mutual trust and understanding,’ she emphasizes.
Today, that trust is the foundation for creative work that often pushes boundaries. While every new project brings high expectations – from the client, industry peers, and the public – the biggest challenge, according to Almir, is meeting their own standards.
‘The greatest pressure comes from within. Every time we start thinking about a new campaign, we feel a responsibility for it to be at least as good as the last one. At those moments, we remind ourselves of Warren Buffett’s favorite quote: ‘Low expectations are the key to happiness,’ and suddenly everything feels easier. Warren’s a billionaire – he probably knows what he’s talking about,’ he says.
Despite the pressure, their creative process has never lost its flexibility or human touch. Ana describes the collaboration as a long conversation.
‘We talk a lot, share ideas, sometimes disagree – but we always trust each other. What matters most is that what we create is meaningful and relatable to people,’ says Ana.
Almir emphasizes the importance of continuity.
‘There’s no fixed formula, but what matters is that the client and the agency nurture continuity – not just in communication but in how we think. One of the key questions we always ask is: ‘Who else but Žuja could do this?’ If we can immediately think of several other brands – we’re not on the right track,’ he explains.
Taking creative risks and being willing to push boundaries is a hallmark of this partnership.
‘Creative risks are what drive us,’ says Ana.
‘We don’t always see things the same way – and that’s perfectly normal. What’s essential is mutual trust and a willingness to talk’, she added.
Almir adds that none of them operate from a ‘safe zone.’
‘We do things others can’t – or won’t – do, and that always carries certain risks. But without it, there’s no progress,’ he explains.
In that context, technology is not just a tool but a means of making that extra leap. The new campaign ‘Be Great, Do a Small Thing’ used advanced production techniques and striking blue screen effects.
‘Unlike the football campaigns, here we combined two ‘live’ shots – one filmed outdoors and one on a blue screen, with special effects,’ Almir explains, noting that BBDO has been using motion capture technology since 2014 and considers itself a regional leader in that field.
The campaign was born out of a simple yet powerful idea: small things can make a big difference.
‘We found inspiration in everyday stories from our consumers – their small but meaningful acts of kindness. We wanted to show that you don’t have to do something huge to make an impact,’ says Ana.
And as Žuja continues to solidify its position as Croatia’s most beloved beer, it’s clear that this status comes not only from tradition or product quality but from the brand’s connection with people and the values it represents.
‘We want Žuja to be a brand that brings people together, inspires, and encourages positive change – but also brings smiles and joy,’ Ana concludes.
When asked which campaign is their favorite, Almir diplomatically replies: ‘All the ones where we didn’t just sell beer, but also did something good for the community.’
Ana, however, admits that ‘Be Brave, Stay Healthy’ is the most special to her.
‘It showed just how much power marketing can have for the greater good’, she concludes.
