Hrvatski Telekom has launched a new communication campaign highlighting key facts about the quality of its network while reinforcing the strength of its brand recognition in the market. The message is quite simple. Even without a visible logo, people can easily recognize which brand it is. Especially when you are the leading brand in the market. The campaign is strongly present in public space and relies on consistently built brand codes, such as the distinctive magenta colour as a visual signature and a recognizable sonic identity.
The creative concept deliberately uses a psychological mechanism known as open mental loops. Question-based messages and the absence of a logo create a sense of anticipation that sparks curiosity, as the human brain remembers incomplete information more easily and instinctively seeks its resolution. This phenomenon is known as the Zeigarnik effect, the tendency for unfinished tasks or open questions to remain longer in memory than completed ones. It is also linked to the need for cognitive closure, the individual’s desire to reach a clear answer and eliminate uncertainty. This is why audiences spontaneously complete the message in their own minds and attribute the ad to the brand even without a visually present logo.
Outdoor formats such as citylights and billboards are designed as questions that emphasize network strength and encourage passersby to draw their own conclusions. Television spots rely on the sonic identity which symbolically completes the message. The campaign is also presented on DOOH screens where real-time data on the number of connected users, data traffic volume and coverage levels are displayed. The message is clear. Sometimes colour, typography and sound are enough for a brand to be recognized. The project was developed in collaboration with Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, Go2Digital and Pro Media Group.
At roughly the same time, a similar approach was used by McDonald’s in the New Zealand market. That campaign also omitted the logo and relied on recognizable colours and product names. Clearly, when you are the best, everyone knows your name.
