For every five euros in revenue earned in 2025 by communications agencies belonging to the Croatian Association of Communications Agencies (HURA), just over one euro came from work in foreign markets. Of the €396 million in total revenue, service exports accounted for €81.7 million, the highest figure on record according to the association.
The difference in the pace of growth is clearest when comparing exports with total revenue. According to the latest analysis by HURA, export revenue rose by 14.38 percent, marking the second consecutive year of double-digit growth. At the same time, the association reports that its members’ total revenue rose by €2.42 million compared with 2024. The year before, total revenue had grown by nearly 15 percent to reach close to €400 million.
HURA used data from the Digital Chamber and FINA (info.BIZ) to analyse its members’ business performance. Alongside revenue, it also tracked the number of people employed by the agencies. While employment grew by 4.1 percent in 2024, employee numbers remained almost unchanged in 2025. In her assessment of the results, Dunja Ivana Ballon, Executive Director of HURA, highlighted the agencies’ ability to retain jobs while maintaining the previous year’s level of business activity. The association now has 66 member agencies, the most since its founding, and in her view, their performance offers insight into an increasingly broad cross-section of the Croatian communications market.
Jelena Fiškuš, President of the Management Board of HURA, discussed how economic uncertainty affects advertisers’ decisions. She saw maintaining the previous year’s revenue as a positive outcome for the agencies and urged advertisers to consider how today’s budget decisions affect the long-term development of brands, even during periods of slower growth. “It is precisely in such circumstances that it is important to be bold, to have a clear vision and stick to it, and to keep investing in marketing and communications, as they are crucial to competitiveness, consumer trust and future growth,” Fiškuš said.
