Raluca Marin (Ogilvy): # “TikTok it!” instead of “google it!” – that is the new paradigm of searching and finding information, adapted to the way we are consuming content

2023 was a very dynamic and full year, until its end. But what should we desire from this year’s reality? BR sat down with Raluca Marin, Managing Director Ogilvy Romania, in another series of interviews and talked about the Romanian marcomm industry, its evolution and what to be expected from 2024, at the same time not forgetting to touch the trends and agency’s side as well.

By Romanita Oprea

How was 2023 from a business point of view?

Despite its complexity, I can say that 2023 has been a very good year for us. We have grown and learned a lot, and this has been fully felt as we achieved most of what we aimed for. A high level of client satisfaction – that we measure each year at WPP Group level (which Ogilvy is part of) – is the best proof of the quality of our services delivery. This is further supported by our achievements in both effectiveness and creative awards. We also won important new business and strengthened the current clients’ partnerships.

Not to mention, Ogilvy celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. Seventy–five years of “divine discontent with our performance,” as one of David Ogilvy’s most famous quotes goes. It’s a point of pride but also a challenge to uphold standards with such a legacy behind us.

What were the most important changes & novelties in the agency in 2023?

The success of a company is closely linked to the level of collaboration it can sustain. In 2023, we continued concentrating our internal efforts on developing a real culture of collaboration that we call connected culture for creativity.

One of the initiatives for connected culture was the launch of the OgilvyxChanger program. This program consists of an advisory board of 35 young colleagues from every country across EMEA, whose purpose is to bring and maintain the next generation vibe. That is why this team was in charge with developing Ogilvy’s 75th anniversary campaign.

On the tech side, the focus was on AI integration across our services, as well as on providing training and automation options for our clients. The main AI driver being our local Centre of Excellence for technology and digital content production that serves the region.

What do you offer differently than the competition?

Creativity for business. Our fundamental mindset for impact. No matter how creative you are as an agency, you also need to have the capacity to create impact in order to be a real business partner for your clients. Through all our work, our ambition is to drive impact for brands, for people and for the planet.

Ogilvy has been creating impact for brands since the company was founded and we are staying true to this purpose today, as well. We are proud of the way we manage to collaborate at the intersection of people, capabilities, and geographies, to generate impactful ideas and solutions for our clients’ growth.

Was 2023 an intense year for your agency in terms of projects and campaigns?

Absolutely, part of the complexity I was mentioning at the beginning of the interview stems from this. We’ve been working at full capacity, experiencing organic growth, both locally and internationally for our clients like Dr.Max, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Brown Forma, Dr.Oetker. A significant focus was on strengthening the services and hubs we offer internationally. The pitches we won at the beginning of the year saw spectacular implementations, bringing in more awards for new categories compared to previous years. And last, but not least, in 2023we have intensified our network’s know–how on the local market, with global and regional specialists being present at various marcom events. It was probably the strongest year in terms of having our global leaders discovering the local market potential, as well as our internal talents.

What about the pitches your agency entered in 2023?

It’s been an interesting year from this perspective, a portfolio marked by diversity and a completely different pitching dynamic. We can talk about some of the pitches such as the communication campaign for Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023, the development and implementation of the largest retail conference in recent years on the local market – the National Retail Conference “LaDoiPași” – the METRO franchise and addingPurina brand in our Nestle portfolio. For the second part of 2023 I would also mention several extremely interesting projects with Lidl, and a strong year ending, winning L’Oreal, probably one of the biggest pitches in the influencer marketing area.

What do you wish for in 2024?

I wish for us to carry forward the mindset from 2023, exploring the level of opportunities for our existing clients and ending this year with new partnerships from the banking and FMCG segments, but also to develop more ESG projects that are so badly needed for our society.

Strategically speaking, we will make further investments in Influence and next-generation services for Brand Activation. Smart use of influencing and designing valuable relationships between brands and consumers translates into smart business practices these days. Our purpose is to demonstrate how this huge potential can help brands stand out from the crowd. Therefore, this year, we are going to bring significant changes in how we operate these business instruments on the local market. This means that we will develop an even more robust influencer marketing discipline within Ogilvy PR and bring more of the network’s expertise to our Experience business.

What did clients want the most in 2023? Do you see any changes in their approaches?

Advertising first, followed closely by a hype in PR & Influence. Perhaps the pairing of the two is not entirely by chance.

The attention needed when adapting to changes is more important than ever. Being able to persevere through challenges cannot be done without sticking to your values. So, in addition to the strategic requests, the PR & Influence services were significantly growing in demand, not as an additional part of a campaign as before, but as an integrated component. A big focus was on our expertise in advocacy since the clients were very interested in the authenticity behind influence, as a valuable communication channel that derives from real people. A natural consequence of the new expectations the consumers have from brands today – authenticity mainly.

What are the latest trends arriving in the marcomm industry?

#Artificial intelligence is likely to remain in the spotlight. For a long time to come we will probably discuss its attributes and the way we learn to use it. All processes that support automation with the help of AI will be automated. Everything that can be analyzed with AI will be scrutinized at a much more granular level.

This will lead to #hyper-personalization of consumer experiences. Personalization is not a new concept, but the impact and benefits it delivers, as well as its rapid growth, are creating better customer experiences. By using AI, we can delve even deeper into analysis and subsequently personalize our approach and proposed solutions.

Lastly, #advocacy continues its rapid growth. The Content Economy is solidifying its place through the impact created by real people. At global level we are setting the trends in this field with our yearly influencer trend reports. The one for 2024 is already available and is providing valuable information from our global experts. We will strive to localize some of them and explore, together with our clients, some of these trends that have the highest potential to create business impact.

What do you believe are the main problems in our industry and how can they be changed?

The old new problems – the imperative to deliver impressive results in record time and with minimal investment. If we overlay fast-consumption, fast-living, fast-thinking, fast-everything, and an impetuous desire to integrate AI-generated solutions, might not necessarily be the key to success.

At the end of the day, every time, without exception, common sense, relevance, a simple and correct creative idea will find its way beyond the executional pressure of the moment.

How important are consultancy and strategy in 2024?

More than ever, in a world where change is the norm, we need guidance to navigate the complex landscape we are living in. By combining creativity with the right strategy, personalized or even better, hyper-personalized, to meet consumers’ needs, we can look into the future with the certainty of growth and development.

Ogilvy has a fantastic consultancy offering at global level, with the well–known Behavioural science department and even a dedicated festival – Nudgestock is in its twelfth year, hosted by Rory Sutherland, the co-founder of the behavioural science practice within Ogilvy.

What are the media trends in 2024?

We have a very insightful paper on media predictions as well, very much appreciated by the marcom community. To mention some of them, #AI is occupying the first place, especially for its best usage in hyper-personalization and consumer data analysis, so important when we talk about media.

# “TikTok it!” instead of “google it!” – that is the new paradigm of searching and finding information, adapted to the way we are consuming content. Opportunities for brands to engage with audience are evolving at the same time as the constant growth of new channels. Also, brands must not only react to culture but also embrace it, and sometimes lead it. In 2024, social media success hinges on this cultural integration.

#Shifting eyes to ears for overstimulated audiences”. This trend is making its presence felt more often. From articles that can be listened to rather than read, to more and more apps offering their content in audio format as well.

What are the main DONTs in 2024 and why?

I am a strong supporter of authenticity. No matter the circumstances, staying true to your beliefs and values is the way to avoid concentrating on DON’Ts.

However, being authentic does not mean being resistant to contemporary trends, on the contrary, it means embracing them in a way that permits you to stay socially and cultural relevant without trying to “pose” as something else. We live in an era where cancel culture thrives, and consumers are quick to call out brands for insincerity. The key is to either set trends or seamlessly integrate them into your brand story with genuine authenticity.

What drives your passion for advertising?

I consider myself a knowledge seeker, passionate about understanding the foundational aspects of our lives. Advertising has this ever-changing nature that is so rewarding for people like me. There are constant opportunities to grow, learn, teach, become better, to interact with different people, and be the forefront when it comes to understanding behaviours.

I am also fortunate to have been a part of an agency and network for almost 15 years that promotes valuable thought leadership and facilitates this kind of opportunities for learning and growth.

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