My nation branding experience includes Strategic Nation Brand analysis, Brand Development (meanings & messages), creating, planning, and executing strategic projects that highlight and communicate these new messages, themes and stories, Brand Communications including Transmedia marketing, Brand Management, and the Measurement & Reporting on activities conducted.
My major project is Serbia Creates, Prime Minister Brnabic’s nation brand initiative the aims to connect perceptions of Serbia with creativity, innovation and technology. I research, analyse and evaluate creative industries activity across a range of subsectors, (film, music, contemporary art, design, fashion etc.) and work out how best to strategically support and promote the sectors through the Serbia Creates platform. This includes conceptualisation and development of key programmes such as events, creative hubs, creative education programmes, careers information and more. I am particularly interested in boosting the connections between culture and creativity and the tourism sector. I recently drafted the National Strategy for the Creative Industries and the Strategy for Education in the Creative Industries sector for the platform.
As Content and Programme Director for Serbia at the Dubai 2020 World Expo, my role was to devise how to communicate Serbia’s many messages under a single overarching “story.” I researched, conceptualised and wrote the Pavilion’s overall theme (the world’s first city at Vin?a) plus content for three major digital exhibits (Vin?a, Serbia Today – Business & industry, Chronology of Creativity). I also wrote all Website content, Educational Materials for the schools’ programme, brochures, news releases, pavilion signage and podcast content. I further scheduled over 60 live performances of 30 musical and dance acts and coordinated the participation of over 30 speakers for the official programme that reflected the national messaging. The Serbia Pavilion was the most successful Serbia promotion ever, hosting over 1,2 million visitors, and resulting in more than 10,000 business contacts being made.
I am particularly interested in the impacts of the Film Industry – particularly Hollywood and China – on national image, international perceptions and soft power/public diplomacy and have presented on these topics at various events internationally. In January 2023 I presented “The Direct Link between Hollywood and Cultural Diplomacy” at the World Forum on Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin.