Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Ekrem Dupanović, ekrem@www.media-marketing.com
Last night Vedrana and I were invited to a party on the occasion of a thousandth issue of women’s magazine Azra, which is being published for 25 years now in the framework of the publishing house Avaz. It was a nice event. It’s been a long time since I saw better dressed guests and more bow ties at an event in Sarajevo. I guess part of the reason was the dress code printed on the invitation. Among the VIP guests was the crème of the regional music scene: Lepa Brena, Petar Grašo, Nina Badrić, Haris Džinović, Halid Bešlić, Tonči Huljić, Hanka Paldum, actress Zana Marjanović, actors Ljubiša Samardžić, Emir Hadžihafizbegović … the only one missing was Zdravko Čolić, who sent flowers and a card. We sat at a table with MD Bakir Nakaš and his wife Mina. Twenty years ago Bakir gave me an advice that I obey to this date. I guess that’s the only thing I actually practice when it comes to health. As we drove to Gračanica, where we went to the opening of a sports hall, I asked him what his best and shortest advice for good health is. He said: “Don’t go to bed after ten in the evening, and don’t stay in bed after six in the morning.” I joined Robin Sharma’s 5 am Club, so I go to bed at ten, and I get up at five.
Last night I got up every now and then to say hello to some friends, who were plenty among the guests, and to have a word or two with them. Everything was great until Nina Badrić took the microphone. Any possibility to chat was gone because the music and Nina’s singing were too loud. When she began to sing the seventh or eighth song, we got up and left.
This is now a good opportunity to comment on most of the events I’ve been to in recent years. Why live music? Why loud music that prevents any communication between people? Shouldn’t events be tailored to the mood of the guests? And the guests would like to communicate. In these hectic times, when we have less and less time to get together, events like this are a great opportunity to meet your friends, get to know some new people and talk to them. But then, without exception, live music comes in to make all of this impossible. The pinnacle of this was a few months ago, at the promotion of a new Huawei smartphone, which was held from 13 to 15 hours – with a rock band. My mindset is not suited to listen to live rock n’ roll in the early afternoon. Events like this, and the one last night, should be “seasoned” with discreet music that creates an atmosphere for communication. Or am I too old? Maybe it’s just me.
Day today began with a long coffee with Ivan Stanković, who was in Sarajevo at the invitation of Azra magazine. Ivan wore visible traces of the party last night that lasted until the early morning hours. I look forward to every meeting with Ivan, and it’s been ongoing for 25 or 26 years I think. In the meantime, we have become so close that we have gained immense confidence in each other, so we can talk about things that are not for the public. We became buddies. It was the same this morning. Exchange of information and tips. It was a very useful, interesting and entertaining conversation. Ivan was in his element.
It just happened that I wrote yesterday morning about Radio Sarajevo, and today in the studio of Federal Radio recorded a broadcast about the ‘former’ Radio Sarajevo. Azra Sipović, a journalist of ‘my’ generation, for a year now edits and emits the weekly show Radio that People Love. Each show lasts 45 minutes and has a guest from the ‘old guard’ with whom she talks about the work they did on Radio Sarajevo. Guests reminisce their shows, people with whom they worked, some interesting events … She called me just as I was preparing for the Azra’s event, and invited me to come to the studio today because it was my turn. So she called me the night on the eve of the release of the text, and had no idea what I was writing. It happened by chance – if anything today happens by a chance. Anyway, I went to the radio and we made a show that took me back to the golden age. We were happy and satisfied back then, but we did not know how much we really should have been happy. Emotions kicked in, so after the show we spent two hours chatting, evoking memories.
Today is the first day since I’m writing the diary that I have no one to thank for a campaign on the portal. No one has ordered anything from us. Which reminds me of Fuad Strik, who was a manager of Coca-Cola in Sarajevo for nine years. Once I went to a meeting with him, and he tells me that the day before he was returning to Sarajevo from Zagreb, and decided to drop by into the sales center in Tuzla at the end of working hours. He summoned the sales managers and salesmen and asked for a report on the sales that day. One of the salesmen said to him that no one had ordered anything that day. Fuad commented: “It’s not that you didn’t get any orders, but you haven’t sold anything to anyone today!” After the May holidays we will also start selling, and not wait for orders. Being proactive is the essence of our business, even in bringing in ads and sponsors.
The portal won’t publish during the May holidays.
To everyone, happy Labor Day.
To all who celebrate Orthodox Easter, happy Easter.
Sarajevo, 28 April, 2016
