Changing the hotel’s name was not the only change that needed to be communicated. When the renowned Belgrade Falkensteiner became ZiJin Hotel Belgrade through an acquisition, communication had to accompany the business transition during a period of a complex reputational and socio-political environment in Serbia.
For the strategic management of that process, V+O Communication Serbia | SEC Newgate won a gold award at this year’s IPRA Golden World Awards 2026 in Athens, in the Industrials category. The agency is also the only winner of a gold IPRA award from Serbia this year.
The communication strategy was focused on preserving the trust of key publics and the stable positioning of the new hotel brand. It included reputation management, direct communication with key stakeholders and communication through social media. A cultural concept was also developed that connected elements of Serbian and Chinese culture through art.
For the agency, this is the second consecutive year of winning an international IPRA award.
“I am particularly proud of our team, which has won this prestigious international recognition for the second year in a row. For us, it is confirmation that through a strategic approach, expertise and an understanding of a complex business and reputational environment, we create communications that have a concrete impact. Our strength lies precisely in our people and the expertise we build locally, but also in the support of the global SEC Newgate network, which enables us to apply knowledge, experience and best practices from different markets in our work with clients. This award gives us additional motivation to continue raising professional standards and creating communication solutions that deliver real value,” said Natalija Racković, Director of V+O Communication Serbia | SEC Newgate.
Five gold awards for V+O Group | SEC Newgate
The award for the project carried out in Serbia is part of the broader success of V+O Group | SEC Newgate, which won a total of five gold awards and the Global Contribution Award at this year’s IPRA Golden World Awards.
The project Landmarks of Connection Photo Exhibition for LAMDA Development won gold in the Event Management and Live Communication – Agency category, while Hellenic Championship: Greece Back on Tennis Map for Legacy International received an award in the Sport – Agency category.
The project AKTOR4TheFuture for AKTOR Group was awarded in the Corporate Responsibility – Agency category.
The ReStart programme by Mastercard won gold in the Environmental, Social and Governance – Agency category, as well as the Global Contribution Award, a special recognition intended for initiatives that make a significant contribution to achieving one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“This year’s recognitions represent a great honour for our teams and clients who place their trust in us to design communication with real business and social impact. It is particularly significant that the awarded projects come from different markets, sectors and areas of activity, confirming the value of strategic thinking and creativity when combined with an understanding of stakeholders and social trends. The total of 22 recognitions that the Group has won at the IPRA Golden World Awards represent significant confirmation of the quality of our work, as well as the ability of a company that originated in Greece to continuously achieve international recognition,” said Teti Kanelopulu, Group CEO, V+O | SEC Newgate.
This year’s ceremony was held in Athens, a city that holds a special place in the history of public relations. It was there, in 1965, that the Code of Athens, one of the key international ethical documents in the field of public relations, was adopted.
