Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Ekrem Dupanović, ekrem@www.media-marketing.com
The most read news today, and one of the most read news in recent months, was Valicon’s ranking of brands in individual countries of the region and the region as a whole. When I was arranging with Kemal Koštrebić to send us the news and infographics it was clear to me that we had a real thing in our hands. For years now I follow this Valicon’s research and I am aware of the practical usefulness of its results. Each country should carefully analyze these results because they are the best indicator of the situation in the market and in the domestic economy. Of course, the results are most useful for the brands. Especially for those that are not on the list of the ten most popular on the national level and among the 25 at the regional level. They should think about what they might be missing to be successful. For the lucky ones whose logos are on the infographics, the results are a chance to see who their direct competitors are, and how they can further improve their position in the market. Large number of readers of this article shows that brands have taken the presented results seriously. On Wednesday, we will publish an interview with Kemal Koštrebić about reactions to the announced results.
Another good news, which has also attracted a lot of attention today, is the one from HURA, which states that the jury of this year’s BalCannes will be composed of advertisers. All juries in the region have so far been monopolized by creatives who often mutually exchanged votes and awards. At every mention of advertisers, they would declare them unqualified to assess creativity. My view is that advertisers are the first and most important jury for any work. The fact that a work has entered a festival already means that an advertiser rated it as good, since they accepted it. Had the work been rejected, it would not have the chance to be rewarded. When in 2003 we organized the first No Limit Sarajevo Advertising Festival, I decided that for each award we would assign a certificate both to the agency and the advertiser. After a remark by a creative director of one agency that nobody does that, and that neither should we, I asked him: “What would you get tonight had your client rejected your work?” He didn’t answer. So, this is a big step for BalCannes, and we underline our full support to HURA’s decision. The composition of the jury has not yet been released, but since I’m familiar with it, I can say that, in my opinion, the BalCannes awards will be among the most credible awards this year in the region.
I see this move by HURA as a major step towards convergence of creatives and CMOs. The future is in a mixed jury in which creatives and advertisers will discuss the creative values of a work together. Slowly, festival by festival, there will be a better understanding. As much as agencies seek greater understanding of advertisers for their creativity, advertisers must also be understood. Their responsibility is great. An agency, if they make a mistake, risk to lose a tiny bit of their face, and the possible loss of a client. A client risks the success of their product on the market, which could result in financial loss and loss of jobs. Both sides must have more understanding for each other.
I hope that the directors and presidents of national associations of Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia at their upcoming meeting in Belgrade will discuss how to bring closer all the stakeholders in the advertising process: agencies, advertisers and the media. Relations between them are very poor. Everyone is trying – if possible in any way – to get everything, but to pay nothing, or next to nothing. Everybody suffers. The media industry is collapsing. Every day there are fewer media and the content quality has been subpar for quite some time now. Agencies can’t charge for their creative ideas and are waiting for months for the payment of their invoices from the advertisers. Clients use blackmail to get major media discounts and cheap creative ideas. This brings them only short-term gains. In the long run, interest of advertisers are rich media with well-paid journalists who will spread optimism among readers, listeners and viewers, and increase consumption and investment. Squeezing the media for absolutely unrealistic discounts does not lead to this prosperity. This situation shows that all three parties in the advertising business are immature for serious business. The creative part of the industry is immature (agencies), the media industry is immature, the companies, as advertisers, are immature. All this escalates through pitches, which everyone today will point their fingers at as the first and the biggest problem of the advertising industry in the region. How to make them serious? Well there’s a good topic for the Belgrade meeting.