For several years now, the most interesting community of local communicators has gathered at the Communication Days, among which a large part are public relations experts. Along with the organizers, the Croatian Association of Market Communication (HURA) and IAB Croatia, one of the festival’s partner associations is the esteemed Croatian Association for Public Relations (HUOJ), whose members gather at the festival. This year, the Communication Days will be held from April 20 to 23 at the Lone hotel in Rovinj, and alongside numerous PR experts discussing the local market, the special guest of the festival is the famous Paul Holmes!
He is the founder of The Holmes Report, a key report in the global PR industry, which he launched with the aim of proving and raising the value of public relations. After twenty years, The Holmes Report became PRovoke, expanded to five continents, and created world-renowned events, research, and reports. Paul Holmes’s mission has remained the same, and what is most important to him, he claims, is that communicators are aware of the fact that “in today’s world, someone’s brand is what others say about them, but the hardest thing is to get people to say the right things.”
What do people say about us? How do we face that? The real question is – how do we confront the future of PR? Paul Holmes will answer these and many other questions with the help of festival participants in his lecture PR in a Changing World, which will take place on April 22 on the main festival stage, stating: “In this struggle, no means will be spared – PR will have to compete with other disciplines, but also learn from them.” However, it is most important to remember, Holmes emphasizes, that those who are not ready for change will struggle, while those who rise to the challenge will advance like never before, which all participants of the Communication Days will be able to hear, and this is not the only topic that PR professionals will address as they can expect a series of discussions with local experts.
LET’S TALK DIRTY: SMEAR CAMPAIGNS IN THE MEDIA
Scandalous campaigns are more relevant than ever. Social media allows us to, often without any consequences, use our voice to tarnish individuals, groups of people, or even professions, and cancel culture is in full swing. Therefore, the goal of the panel Talk Dirty To Me: The PRoblem of Smear Campaigns is to be useful to everyone – from PR experts to journalists and influencers, and even scientists. Along with host Krešimir Macan (business and communication consultant, Manjgura) and discussants Petra Bašić Jantolić (executive director, Client Business Development, Addiko Bank), lawyer Vanja Jurić, and Marijana Grbeša (associate professor, Faculty of Political Science, Zagreb), participants will discuss how to deal with a bad public image.
TO PR OR NOT TO PR
Many would say we live in turbulent times, which is why it is no wonder that the public has almost lost faith in authorities and started questioning everything, even the very concept of truth. How do we get back on the right path? At the panel [Spark the Conversation] To PR or Not to PR powered by HEP, the conversation with festival participants will be led by Nina Išek Međugorac (executive director, Val Group), Tino Prosenik (CEO, Gruntek), Hrvoje Balen (chairman of the board, Algebra University College/president of HUP-ICT association), and Saša Kramar (board member, Span). This interesting panel will answer some of the burning questions, but also lead a discussion on traditional management – with the premise that the business sector has the power and responsibility to put trust and social values first.
