Interview with BalticBest 2024 jury member Valters Jonats, Creative Director at McCann Riga.
Many agency executives complain that young people are not interested in working in advertising anymore; they prefer startups. How would you convince a young talent to choose an agency over a startup?
I think working in advertising gives you an opportunity to try and test new things: to find out who you are, learn about society, and test new ideas. It offers you an understanding of how society works. You will learn a little bit about everything. and because of that you quickly can become the most interesting person in the room.
You will also learn about human nature and in the way become an anthropologist learning how to touch the souls of people
When I started my career in advertising 15 years ago, for me it was sexy. It was new, it was fresh, it was daring. Maybe some people see startups like that these days, but for me it is hard to compare these two. I’m not sure that youngsters who love startups would necessarily be great in advertising and vice versa.
What are the main trends in consumer behavior in Latvia this summer?
Consumers are holding back; they are cautious and try to put some money aside for rainy days. The future is quite uncertain and it hits the economy. But many understand that they cannot lose the joy of life and still spend money on entertainment, fashion, etc.
Many brands are trying to play it safe; they are very cautious,
but I think it’s not a good strategy. During a crisis, there is a big opportunity to accelerate and gain market share when everybody else is slowing down.
Another big challenge is that prices have risen a lot. Latvia is not a cheap country anymore.
Yes, prices have skyrocketed, and everybody complains about prices. Many things like fashion or electronics are cheaper in the rest of Europe, and people buy from international e-shops.
Many brands and retailers have not understood that they are competing with brands from Spain or Poland. They have to change the business model or give people other reasons why to love your brand and choose it instead of cheaper competitors abroad.
Many Baltic agencies have disconnected themselves from the global networks and become independent. But you are still with McCann, why?
Maybe the other agencies do not know how to take maximum advantage of the global network? We have found ways to gain from the network. We get the contacts and knowledge, which helps us with new business. We are happy to be part of the network.
Although many agencies from our region have failed to work with foreign clients abroad,we are doing it. It takes time to prove that you are capable of serving clients abroad but it is doable. I don’t think that we can become a hub for the whole of Europe just because we are too small, but we can become a boutique agency that surprises clients with unexpected ideas.
McCann Romania is a good example – it has emerged from a local agency to a global one because of their original ideas that were noticed around the globe. It’s possible, and we are working on it.
Interview was conducted by Hando Sinisalu.
EXTRA INFORMATION
- Adwards creative competition win gives you points for Baltic Agency of the Year ranking! (read more about ranking)
- Winning any prize at BalticBest and become part of shortlist gives you more points for Baltic Agency of the Year ranking!
BalticBest 2024
You can find rules HERE.
Submission deadline: 12.08.2024
Shortlist published: 21.08.2024
Live judging and awards announced: 28.08.2024
