April 6, 2022 - Two of Manjgura's recent projects are nominated for the Grand PRix Award of the Croatian Public Relations Association (HUOJ) for the best communication projects in 2021, marking also Manjgura’s 25th anniversary.

Total Croatia News readers are familiar with the marketing company, as we've worked together on several projects in the past. One of them, Viber Total Croatia Total Info Community – virtual reception of Croatia in the covid era won the Grand Regional Grand PRix last year.

The project of the first public interactive exhibition on diabetes in Croatia called "DiJAbetes under Control", which took place last November on Zagreb's Cvjetni Square, was designed and implemented by Manjgura for Zagreb Association for Diabetes to inform the public, as well as patients, about the ways to influence positive treatment outcomes with good glucose control and timely treatment, despite the focus of decision-makers and media on COVID-19 and pandemic-related issues. One in 11 people in Croatia suffers from diabetes, while at the same time this disease is the third leading cause of death – every day, 13 people in Croatia die from diabetes-related complications.

During the three days of the exhibition, 1,589 people viewed interactive content, while the exhibition itself was featured in all central news and broadcasts of national televisions, as well as print and online editions of a large number of media.

Last year, Manjgura also achieved excellent success in the field of political communication – in the "election year" of 2021, Krešimir Macan, Manjgura owner and prominent regional election adviser, led the campaign of  Marko Filipović (SDP) for the mayor of Rijeka, among three other winning campaigns.

The project was particularly challenging, as the elections took place under pandemic conditions, while Rijeka was the city with the most candidates for mayor in the last local elections.  Although the people in the know and the polls at the beginning of the year did not give him much of a chance, Marko Filipović won a firm victory in both rounds and secured the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) a majority in the city council, keeping Rijeka "red" contrary to the expectations of many. With the efficient and affordable use of digital video combined with digital advertising, Marko Filipović virtually entered every house in Rijeka in just a month and a half, turning from a "Kvisko" loser, unknown to two out of three citizens of Rijekas, to a convincing election winner.  He promised Rijeka would remain "OPEN AND FREE" and that as a "NEW FORCE OF THE CITY"  he would meet with a "NEW RHYTHM OF THE CITY", which he consistently communicated in all phases of the campaign.

The Grand PRrix winners will be announced on 12 April this year, and you can find out more about the projects and the prize itself here.

July the 3rd, 2021 - Croatia's Manjgura is in the final for as many as four prestigious public relations awards covering a wide range, from the fight against cancer to navigating entry into the country amid the coronavirus crisis.

As Dubrovacki Vjesnik writes, the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) has ranked two of Manjgura's successful projects in the finals of the IPRA Golden World Awards.

The project "Rakoborci - Hrvatska protiv raka" (Cancer fighters - Croatia against cancer) is in the finals of the category of agency campaigns for non-governmental organisations, while the project "Total Croatia Travel Info" is in the finals of as many as three agency categories - for crisis communication; for a project at the country, city or region level; and in the travel and tourism category.

"Rakoborci - Hrvatska protiv raka" is a project implemented by Manjgura for the Coalition of Health Associations and the Association SVE za NJU (ALL for HER) back at the end of 2020, with the aim of urgently adopting a national strategy against cancer. As the only EU member without such a strategic document, Croatia has been threatened with losing access to dedicated EU funds to fight cancer. Thanks to the activities initiated through this national campaign and the Croatia Against Cancer platform, the National Strategic Framework against Cancer was adopted in less than two months, and hrvatskaprotivraka.hr continues to raise citizens' awareness of its role in the fight against cancer.

After the international HUOJ Grand Prix and three Polaris for crisis communication, the Total Croatia Travel Info Viber community project was recognised by international experts who placed it in the finals of as many as three categories for the IPRA Golden World Awards.

With the support of Mediacor, the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community was established, through which users received daily updates on epidemiological measures in force and ways to come to Croatia, and community members also had a chatbot - a virtual assistant, programmed to answer frequently asked questions. However, the efficiency, accuracy and self-sustainability of the project are mostly due to the hard-working volunteers on the project, who throughout the summer, several times a day, updated the most important data and answered questions from users within the TCTI Viber community.

The world's leading association of PR professionals, IPRA, has been rewarding the outstanding achievements of communication professionals from all over the world for more than 30 years. In the last round, a jury of experienced communication experts will evaluate the originality, relevance, set goals, as well as the creative strategies used and concretely visible results achieved. The winners are expected to be announced at the end of July.

Check out the Total Croatia INFO Viber community here.

June 1, 2021 - Having already won the 2021 HUOJ International Grand PRix for crisis management, more recognition for Manjgura and Mediacor and the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community with no less than 3 medals at the 2021 Polaris Awards in London last night. 

Just over a year after its founding, the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community (TCTI) achieved more recogntion at the Polaris Awards 2021 in London, a gala event which was held virtually this year.

TCTI was a project by leading Croatian PR company, Manjgura, Mediacor and Total Croatia News, to create a Viber community to provide much-needed travel information in real time in multiple languages to tourists wanting to come on holiday. With almost no official information available in May, 2020, TCTI became the main source of reliable information for tourists wanting to visit. A large part of the success of the community was thanks to outstanding cooperation with the Croatian Border Police, in particular Marina Mandic, head of PR for the Ministry of the Interior.

In addition to helping tourists and helping to facilitiate two weddings, TCTI was also responsible for assisting ABC News on a week-long trip of Dubrovnik. The ensuing coverage to the important US market comprised 6 feature stories, including the one above on Good Morning America which was watched by 12.5 million people. 

The awards were in the following categories:

Silver medal in the category of Creative Use of Data.

Silver Medal in the Social Media Campaign category.

Bronze medal in the Pubic Affairs Campaigns category.

Manjgura founder, Kresimir Macan, had this to say:

"They usually ask me why we did it at all with no budget, and what kept us going. We became the virtual welcome desk of Croatia. The main rule of hospitalty is to never turn away a potential guest. And the questions just kept coming. One very important thing everybody forgets - pos- Covid travels were very complex and usually the main challenges were at the first steps  of the journey while still at home, or attempting to board the plane. I’m so proud to say that all of our community members and many others successfully boarded their planes in spite of all the challenges, and they landed and entereed Croatia without problems."

And it was nice to see some other familiar faces among the winners...

PR agency Vajt from Split, owned by Jerko Trogrlic, and Dutch entrepreneur, came home with a bronze medal in the category of Social Media Campaign for their sterling work on the introdcution of the digital nomad permit to Croatia. 

About Polaris:

Polaris Awards is a global competition rewarding exceptional work in political management, election campaigning and public affairs.Now in its 4th year, the competition seeks to identify and celebrate the best political communication programs undertaken for political organizations and candidates, as well as the most innovative use of communication techniques and technologies by campaigns, political consulting and technology firms, and marketing, media and public relations agencies around the world.

Entries are judged by an international panel of 26 political management experts from all over the globe, including campaign managers, political consultants, communications professionals and academics. Awards are handed out in 18 categories based on the techniques and the media used.

You can see more of the winners on the Polaris Awards Facebook page, as well as Manjgura and Mediacor. 

The TCTI Viber community is still very active, and you can join here (you will need to download the Viber app)

April 23, 2021 - The Total Croatia Travel INFO (TCTI) Viber community, in partnership with Manjgura and Mediacor, has won the 2021 HUOJ International Grand PRix Award for Crisis Communication.

It was a project with no money, an unbelievable amount of work, and no official recognition, interest or thanks. 

Blood, sweat and tears, with a total investment of just 2,000 kuna (US$320) that generated more than 10 million euro of tourism spend for the Croatian economy in 2020. 

And that is without counting the free PR for Croatia, including a visit organised for ABC News, which led to 6 features on Dubrovnik, including one by Good Morning America - watched by 12.5 million people. 

It was one of the biggest and more significant learning experiences of my digital life, and a key factor in my thinking to create my own national tourism portal in 10 languages that launches in Dubrovnik on May 1 (you can get a sneak preview here). 

I have already written the story of how the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community came to be, after Manjgura and Mediacor were shortlisted as one of three finalists for the presitigious PR award in the category of Crisis Management. You can read the whole story here. 

The postscript to that article is that last night, the winners were announced, and TCTI won the category for the best project in the category of crisis communication, beating the official Koronavirus.hr project (with a price tag of 1.1 million kuna). 

Although the award is associated with TCN, it actually goes to the partners with whom I worked, Croatia's oldest and (in my opinion anyway) best PR agency, Manjgura, and Mediacor. You can check out Manjgura services here, and Mediacor here. 

The project was conceived by Manjgura founder, Kreso Macan, who had the vision to see the need, and the determination and drive to pull off the project. It was a masterclass of how to achieve the goal. 

Macan brought others into the team to expand the functions, and Aleksandra Djermanovic from Mediacor and chatbot queen Jelena Sipusic Jurcic from 4app.hr were beyond magnificent. 

A huge thank you to Marina Mandic and the team from the Croatian Border Police. Their efforts to assist were truly outstanding, and I have never seen a public institution which works as effectively as MUP. 

Massive thanks to the Manjgura and TCN interns, the legendica that is Iva Tatic, and also special thanks to Ivica Mrkoci from MUP, who is volunteering his time to answer questions - superb effort, and we are very grateful. 

And a big thanks too to all members of the community, whose feedback and participation allowed us to provide the very best information to people at a time when there really was none.

You can join the TCTI Viber community here (you will need to download the Viber app)

February 12, 2021 - 2020 may have been a tough year for most of us, but Croatia's oldest PR firm went from strength to strength, as Manjgura grew 100% last year.

With its expertise and problem-solving skills, which was a daily practice even before the COVID-19 crisis, Poslovni.hr reports that the Manjgura PR agency achieved record results.

Although the pandemic also hit the communications industry for a year, it is no secret that the services of versed communications experts have been more in demand in some segments than ever before.

One of the leading Croatian PR agencies, Manjgura, ended 2020 with great results and revenue growth. However, Manjgura is deserving of success "in a year in which no one was intended to succeed." The agency is already well-known for its dynamic work environment, in which many are surprised by the variety of everyday challenges and necessary competence. 

As Katarina Leko, the director of Manjgura, points out, the world seemed to have stopped. However, things still had to work - only in crisis conditions that grew into everyday business instead of rare occurrences.

“Looking for ways to continue our business as successful as possible in new circumstances, and with intricate planning and challenges in everyday work processes, today, everyone must continuously communicate with the market and stakeholders.

For a year now, ways have been sought to remain present in public space, to convey essential and current messages to customers, partners, suppliers, and investors, to encourage the public and help those in need, but also to reposition brands and address the market in the 'new normal' circumstances.

With reinforcements in the senior team, organizational and managerial changes in the agency, we were able to respond to the increased demand for the services we provide but also expand the offer of integrated services in communication management," says Leko.

In previous years, Manjgura was mostly associated with political campaigns, but today they have the most considerable turnover in the health sector, tourism, and advising strategic investors.

Even in the year in which they achieved record results, with 100% revenue growth, the share of turnover generated through services in the private sector completely dominated. Only about 10% of turnover was generated by the provision of services in the public sector.

As an agency specializing in crisis communication, Leko points out, Manjgura did not have to specifically adapt to the mode of work in which it is planned and operationalized from today to tomorrow because problem-solving is part of their job. 

Executive director Anamarija Hrvoić Đurić explains that part of the everyday tools, such as organizing events for the public and the media, disappeared overnight, and they needed to be creative in achieving the set goals.

"For us, the organization of events in previous years was more the exception than the rule, so we largely continued with regular business, but also expanded the circle of clients who needed a different approach to communication," said Anamarija. She adds that other tools have been given priority, so the agency has launched several Viber communities to accelerate communication and exchange information with people in the field.

"From several local chat communities to the large Total Croatia Travel Info project, where we provided thousands of tourists with updated information every day thanks to which they could come to Croatia without hindrance, our Viber chatbot was the first tourist chatbot in Croatia," said Hrvoić Đurić. Part of the engagement is always focused on socially beneficial projects such as Croatia Against Cancer.

"With the patients' association, we conducted a campaign that resulted in the adoption of a long-term national strategy that should save tens of thousands of lives that are currently destined to be lost due to cancer," explains Katarina Leko.

Senior advisor Maja Pekeč came with 15 years of experience from the public sector, breaking the myth about the usual rule of transferring agency people after gaining experience in the client ranks.

“If we follow predefined patterns and do not allow a departure from the usual, we cannot expect a different result. We are often unaware of this rule, both clients and agencies.

Since I can look at the client-agency relationship from both perspectives, I know that we can offer clients solutions that are often, I would say, pioneering because such an approach is exactly what I missed when I was a client," said Pekeč.

Although Manjgura's team usually has about ten people, they are always looking for new colleagues. "Always, even when we don't have an open offer. You happen to recognize talent, a set of character and professional qualities, and you see an opportunity to develop or launch a project or collaboration with that person that you have long desired.

We do not run away from the fact that we work a lot, but smartly and creatively. In small companies, every contribution is seen, and few omissions remain hidden, which is why the value system and responsibility towards work are especially important to us.

We work in almost every sector, so even though each of us is an expert with our own specific 'superpowers,' we can only demonstrate them with a team that we get along with and that keeps pace," says Leko.

Learn more about Manjgura from the official website.

The Croatian Public Relations Association (HUOJ) has presented its awards for best communication projects. Krešimir Macan, the founder and owner of Manjgura, one of the oldest Croatian public relations agencies, was awarded the Grand PRix for his overall work in the field of public relations and an exceptional contribution to the development of the profession, reports prglas.com on March 14, 2019.

“As for Krešimir Macan, we can say that he is for the PR profession in Croatia what Digitron is among calculators, so one of the first associations when discussing public relations in our country. In what we can call political PR, he is surely at the top of the list of relevant Croatian experts whose services, expertise and competencies are equally appreciated and sought after by all political options in Croatia, as well as many in the wider region. He is among those responsible for the fact that in late 2017, after five years and a series of unsuccessful attempts, the harmful ban on the cooperation of state bodies and state-owned companies with public relations agencies was abolished, which certainly deserves recognition and respect,” said HUOJ president Ana Tkalac Verčić.

“After more than 20 years of work, this recognition of my colleagues and the profession means a lot to me. When I started in public relations, few even understood what I was actually doing, and today high-quality communication is the foundation of every successful business and project. Looking at what we have accomplished in the last two decades, I think we can be proud and motivated to continue working even better,” Macan said, receiving the most prestigious professional acknowledgement in the field of public relations.

Macan was first introduced to the public relations field as a teenager, when he worked as a tour guide, although he probably was not aware that he would dedicate his professional career to this field. It is less known that Krešimir Macan has a university degree in electrical engineering. However, his path was determined by the Homeland War, when he held the office of the secretary of the Ministry of Information and later the head of the Information Section of the Foreign Ministry. He has since built a successful professional career with a focus on crisis communication, media relations and strategic communication in politics.

He is happy to share his knowledge and experience with students and colleagues, thereby actively contributing to the development of the profession through his activities with the HUOJ and by participating in numerous conferences and expert panels. He is a member of the renowned International (IAPC) and European Association of Political Communicators (EAPCs) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). After 20 years of successfully heading Manjgura, last year Macan handed over the agency management to director Katarina Leko.

Translated from prglas.com.

More news about Krešimir Macan can be found in the Business section.

A successful local political campaign in Sibenik is recognised at the prestigious Polaris Awards in London.

How does one resist the urge to preserve this cake forever?