Petar Popović: Design is a part of business abroad and is essential for the survival of companies and services

In the global automotive industry, Croatian designer Petar Popović has made a significant mark working for Toyota, Ferrari, Renault, Maybach… Popović is a multiple award-winning multidisciplinary designer who also works for the pharmaceutical, technology, and tourism industries, and he completed a full rebranding for the large global pharmaceutical company ACG, from tablet design to the company logo. He was born in Rijeka and lived, studied, and began his professional career in South Africa, where he worked for most of his career. In Croatia, he gained experience at the agency Bruketa and Žinić and Parabureau, and for three years he was the head of the graphic design department at Rimac Automobili. Last year, he opened the company Billion Design and is currently designing for the pharmaceutical and IT industries.

You are one of the few designers from Croatia who has worked with a large international company. How did you get the rebranding job for ACG?

While I was working and living in South Africa, I was invited for an interview for the position of design director at the largest global branding consultancy – Brand Union. There, I met a colleague who was the design director of the company but was leaving. After that meeting, we concluded that we had a very similar view on design, the world, and solving design issues and challenges related to brand strategies. By a twist of fate, I declined that job and accepted the position of head of the graphic design department at Rimac. After my departure from Rimac Group in 2021, our business connection was renewed; that director from Brand Union is now at ACG Group, which reached out to my company Billion Design for consulting in strategic design. The size of ACG is indicated by the fact that they are the largest global supplier of products and services for gelatin capsules as well as solutions for protective films and foils. They have sixteen production facilities and operate in 138 countries across six continents, including Croatia, in Ludbreg.

What did you design for ACG?

We worked on the complete rebranding and strategic design, which is a huge and lengthy process for such a large company. When I say that we developed a visual identity for them, it is not just a logo but a complete system of visual graphic elements, the way the company approaches certain design solutions, and even the building of the company culture. However, the work we are doing for ACG is a marathon that is still ongoing. Every day we find new solutions and channels of visual communication for ACG and its sister companies. Some projects have been completed at a basic level; much of it is not visible to the average audience – considering that ACG is a B2B company, not B2C. For us, branding does not mean just handing over visual elements and considering the job done; we become a strategic partner of the company. We are involved in many more touchpoints. As I mentioned, we also work on company culture, signage, fashion design, digital or UI/UX, corporate exhibition design, packaging, spatial design, illustrations, and even custom typography.

How did you prepare for the redesign and what inspired you?

The history of ACG is extremely interesting. First, we conducted comprehensive research and developed a series of solutions that met the basic task, but we consciously turned to the subconscious to carve out a new path for the company’s future. In that process, we were inspired by an old interpretation of the ‘logo’ that relies on the company’s core business, which we liked, and from that starting point, we adapted and developed a new identity as a universal solution for the entire group. We also sought a way to allow the logo’s form to adapt to various materials and technical executions without significant adjustments to the identity, while still being innovative and timeless. We also took into account basic geometric elements that we can further adapt and build complex visual systems from. When we mention systems, we mean digital, web, applications, and similar, as well as physical, product design, industrial design, architecture, and interior design.

How long did that job take?

The job for ACG is technically still ongoing. The basic part lasted about three to six months with many developed and supporting derivatives of the core brand. This also includes the development of various technical standards and applications. Ongoing projects are still in progress to help deepen the story and build the ACG brand. We are aware that this is a long-term project and that some results will only be seen much later on the brand’s timeline.

Who are your other major clients?

So far, we have dedicated most of our time to pharmaceuticals and well-known clients in the automotive industry, where we also work on UI/UX and overall design and storytelling solutions that deepen the brand’s story, and thus the emotional connection of all those associated with the brand. We try not to specialize in one industry but to offer knowledge across a broad spectrum of design. We are also developing our products that are independent of the client and targeted at a wider audience.

You started your career in South Africa. What brought you there and what projects did you work on?

I could write a novel about that, but in short, my parents went in search of a better life as far away as possible from the events of the early nineties in the former Yugoslavia. The goal was to isolate ourselves as much as possible at that moment, and South Africa was a good choice for a temporary home, but that decision turned out to be much more than a refuge for a young family. That country allowed me to experience what it is like to live in a ‘third world’ country, which I put in quotes because in many ways it is much more developed than some European countries. I was fortunate to enroll in a very high-quality faculty for graphic design and design in general. Paula Scher, a world-renowned designer from New York, gave us lectures, and in Cape Town, I had the honor of talking to and meeting top designer and artist Stefan Sagmeister. Based on a good portfolio, I was fortunate to get my first job at the branding and design consultancy Brown KSDP (now Brand Union), where on my first working day – which happened to be a holiday – I got the opportunity to work on branding the new car brand Maybach. The first part of my career that I spent in Africa allowed me to learn to work with blue-chip clients such as Maybach, Toyota, Renault, Lexus, KFC, Southern Sun, Tiger Brands, SASFIN banking group, Barclays, Vodafone, Ferrari…

Do you rely on design trends or just on your creativity?

We try as much as possible not to follow trends, even if it may not be immediately visible. We want to find a way to package visual systems to be timeless. This sometimes means they must be as simple as possible. Good design is that the product – whether graphic or industrial – is created in its zeitgeist, but still holds value outside the confines of that time. That is our methodology at Billion Design, whether we are designing a logo, graphic interfaces, product design, or interior design, because the solution should not have an ‘expiration date’.

What kind of work environment can motivate you?

The opportunity for frequent travel, meeting new people, establishing contacts, and getting to know new cultures is one of my main motivations and incentives for work. For us creative souls, this is crucial. Getting the chance for an interesting landscape in both a geographical and social sense feeds us.

How many awards have you won and for what?

If my memory serves me right, about twenty. There are awards for animation, branding, illustration, product design, digital design, visualization, and similar. Among the latest awards is Core77, which is an American award for visual communications, branding, and product design, and I was awarded bronze for the visual communications I developed for Rimac Group. I believe that awards are often not an indicator of how well the job was done. Design and storytelling are primarily about solving problems for clients and their products. If through that process a sufficiently creative or innovative solution is reached, then there is room for the possibility of winning an award. We are here primarily to solve all communication of brands and services to the audience and potential clients. Here, the battle is often fought between various compromises to make the solutions the most optimal and efficient in the long run.

Why have you often changed companies and where do you work now and on what projects?

Geographically, I have worked in Johannesburg, Cape Town, London, Belgrade, Sveta Nedelja, and Zagreb. Throughout my career, I have worked with clients such as Toyota, Vodafone, Ferrari, Renault, Maybach, and various others in FMCG, technology, and tourism industries. I am glad that during my business and creative journey, I have had the opportunity to work in diverse industries. From consumer goods, food industry, culture, cities, real estate, pharmaceuticals, automotive industry, tourism, fashion, tobacco industry, military industry, and IT industry. Currently, I am mostly working with pharmaceutical industries, IT, and startups..

How recognizable are Croatian designers in the global market?

Croatia created its creative voice quite early, which is true for the rest of the Balkans as well. It is true that we are talented not only in design but also in other creative fields. I also think we would be more recognized if countries like Croatia invested more in these industries. Design is a part of business abroad and is essential for the survival of companies and services, and visual literacy is at a higher level. Unfortunately, we are still fighting battles when explaining what design is and why it is needed. Generally, awareness of quality design in Croatia is still relatively low, and the difference between good and bad design is not well understood.