In the early 1990s, all of us young aspiring creatives treated Hilandarska 14 like a pilgrimage. Even today, when I pass by that street, I feel a sense of trepidation, and memories stretch back to the day I first knocked on the door of that promised creative paradise. To me, the platinum plaque with the symbol of S Team Bates Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Balkans had an almost mythological significance. I was certain that Dragan Sakan, the guru of this new advertising religion I so painfully yearned to belong to, would induct me into his circle of apostles upon our first meeting. To my great disappointment at the time, that did not happen.
Back then, to be admitted to the Belgrade Saatchi & Saatchi, you needed more than enthusiasm and faith in your abilities; you had to show some knowledge. At the time, apart from a few pages about economic propaganda I read in Professor Štajnberger’s textbook Psychology of Work (a subject I barely passed), I knew absolutely nothing about the profession I wanted to pursue.
To clarify for younger colleagues – the time I am talking about was the pre-internet era when Larry Page and Sergey Brin were still Stanford students without even a garage in Menlo Park. The only way to “Google” marketing was by flipping through thick hard-copy editions of Philip Kotler. And economics and I, much like today, were far from being on good terms.
So, determined that this would still be my professional calling, I blindly set out on my own path. Fortunately, Dragan Sakan soon reopened the doors of Hilandarska 14, but this time not to welcome new kids, but to let a Pretty Woman walk out. This unique Pretty Woman won me over with her passion, knowledge, and sensuality. It was love at first page. This relationship has lasted for over thirty years. Like any relationship, it has had its ups and downs, occasional critical disagreements, and misunderstandings, but it has endured. Despite all the additional knowledge I’ve acquired and Googled since then, Sakan’s book has remained the paradigm of the work I continue to do today.
With gratitude to Dragan Sakan for everything he has done for our profession, I am now also thankful that he didn’t accept me into Saatchi & Saatchi back then. Otherwise, I might not have had the honor today to accept the UEPS recognition, DRAGAN SAKAN – New Idea, on behalf of the Head Made agency. The circle is complete.
I would also like to once again thank Anđelko and my friends from Belgrade’s Leo Burnett for the unforgettable journey through the Sava Šumanović landscapes of Srem.
Žarko and Lazar Sakan /New Moment, Anđelko Trpković /Publicis Groupe, Zoran Santovac /Head Made
