The CTA komunikacije agency has been present for no more than two years and it already received the most prestigious global communication award – the Golden World Awards for Excellence and the most important Croatian PR award – the Grand Prix. The campaign lasted seven months and the law was amended, making the lives of island children with disabilities and their parents much easier.
Gordan Turković’s first step towards his own agency started with his traineeship at the Public Information Unit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Zagreb, where he first got familiarized with communication tools and techniques. This experience came as a great reference later when he got a job in one of the leading Croatian PR agencies where he worked for seven years. As an advisor he participated in numerous political campaigns in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels and he worked with clients from other sectors.
– Political marketing implies integrated communication. It has taught me to lead strategic and creative process from start to finish, as well as the importance of analytics and research. All the knowledge I gained in the most dynamic types of campaigns a person can work in, I have successfully used in projects for other types of clients. I have obtained an image of how the whole process can be improved. That is why I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, those of public relations, into the possibility of working in integrated communication campaigns, which involve a much wider range of tools, skills and creativity. Namely, I am one of those who believe that PR and marketing can and must be complementary disciplines and that by working together they achieve the best results for the client. Talking to Petar Tanta I realized we share the same vision and general thoughts on our profession’s future development. We have therefore decided to unite our forces in what is today the CTA komunikacije agency – says Turković who founded the agency of which he is executive director with Petar Tanta two years ago.
He organizes operational tasks, communicates with clients, improves work processes and determines the strategic direction of all campaigns and accompanying creative concepts and Petar Tanta is in charge of the finances.
Communication challenges
According to Turković, his agency can respond to all communication challenges: it provides strategic consulting services, public relations, digital marketing, creative marketing concepts, graphic design, visual and audio content production, planning, media buying and education, web design and other web solutions. CTA komunikacije has so far had clients from Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, but they are increasing the number of references and experiences and when they are ready, they will step out more strongly into foreign markets. They are in contact with colleagues from other countries of the European Union, the USA and the region, follow trends and develop in accordance with market needs.
Although it has only been in business for two years, the agency has already received two valuable awards. This year, together with the Association Brački pupoljci it won the most significant national PR award – Grand PRix of the Croatian Public Relations Association (HUOJ) – for the campaign Nešto zbilja važno (This truly matters) and the world’s most prestigious PR award Golden World Awards for Excellence, awarded by an expert jury from around the world under the auspices of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
It ‘truly matters’ indeed
– There is no greater recognition in public relations. We rejoice at the fact that thanks to this, the Nešto zbilja važno campaign and the values it advocates are universally recognized. This initiative and the law amendment have made the lives of island children with disabilities and their parents much easier and relieved them of enormous burdens. This is more important to us than the awards that in the end came as confirmation that we have done the right thing. It is up to us to progress every day, push ours and the boundaries of our clients, thus providing references that will allow for a new job and challenge to come knocking at our door – Turković says, adding that the campaign Nešto zbilja važno is his favourite and most socially important project.
It lasted seven months and received huge public support. Numerous celebrities joined in and together they finally managed to change the law amendment.
– I believe that the campaign has set a precedent and showed other disenfranchised groups in society that they can fight for their rights – says Turković and points out that the beauty of working in an agency comes from gaining knowledge from many, entirely different areas.
CTA komunikacije has a diverse portfolio that includes clients from healthcare, tourism, retail and technical protection sectors, as well as investors and non-profit organizations. Part of the time and work is regularly devoted to associations that deal with the most vulnerable social groups. Last year, the agency conducted the aforementioned This Truly Matters campaign, as well as Upletimo se (Knit Yourself In) with Ozana, association that cares for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
On all channels
– We lead the entire process for our clients, from development of a strategy to its realization, through all available channels. In each subsequent project we go a step further and never work on to a template. This is one of the first settings Petar and I agreed on at the beginning of our journey together and we try to install this values in all our colleagues – emphasizes Turković who, compared to the part of his career where he worked for others, has a greater responsibility in his own agency.
He signs everything and has to keep track of everything because he simply does not have the luxury of not knowing what is going on. However, his biggest challenge is to balance the team so that everything runs smoothly.
– So far we are doing well, but given that there are more and more of us, we will need additional skills in this segment. I learn every day – says Turković.
CTA komunikacije employs five people, in addition to several freelance associates, depending on the scope and requirements of a particular job. When it comes to the relationship with his employees, the experience Turković gained during his previous career was great help. First, there is the acknowledgement of stress, which can be a limiting factor in this job. Thus, it is important to assess in advance how much of it an employee can handle and dose tasks and responsibilities accordingly, as well as their division among team members.
– We invest a lot in internal education of employees on project management and work organization in order to avoid tight deadlines and accompanying anxiety. We always say, ‘Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today because something new can appear in the agency every day, something unplanned.’ Dynamics and unpredictability are a part of the charm of our job, but sometimes, if you are not well organized, they can also be a curse. Our advantage is flexibility because we are a small agency. We can adapt much faster to the client and his needs, as we are more agile than some larger systems – he emphasizes.
Continuous improvement
CTA komunikacije holds internships designed for graduate students looking for their first real business experience. They carefully choose potential interns because one of them might become their future colleague. The agency is also successfully dealing with the corona crisis. At the beginning of the pandemic, the volume of work decreased slightly, but not drastically as expected. At that time, there was a job opening of digital marketing manager. During the quarantine, employees communicated with potential clients and already this summer we saw the fruits of this approach – an increase in the number of assignments.
– So far everything is good – says Turković, emphasizing that he has achieved his entrepreneurial goal, but the improvement and development of business follow next.
His role model is one of the greatest alpinists of all time, Jernej Nejc Zaplotnik, who wrote in his book ‘The Path’: Anyone looking for “a goal” will remain empty when it will finally be reached, but whoever finds a way, will always carry the goal inside.’
– This is my guiding principle and I believe that people who go into entrepreneurship constantly improve themselves and the environment in which they operate. On that path there are always new entrepreneurial opportunities and possibilities to perhaps try business branches different from the initial one – Turković points out.
Source: LIDER MEDIA
