The end of every year is marked by lists of the best things that happened that year. Movies, series, events… it’s the celebration of the year that has passed and the moments it’ll be remembered for. Even though Señor had a fantastic 2021, instead of writing about our great campaigns, the “Agency of the Year” award, hiring new people and winning over new clients, I’ve decided to focus on the future and wishfuly think my way into forecasting the moments that will mark 2022 for us.

1. Re: Guys, who left those dirty dishes in the sink?

This kind of e-mail can only mean one thing: we’ve returned to the office, the pandemic is over, we’ve forgot about Zoom calls, and the only time we think of corona is while ironically buying the homonymous beer. Although working from home has its advantages (no one knows about my little afternoon nap), nothing beats live brainstorming. Creativity feeds on other creativity — we came up with some of our best campaigns while sitting on the couch, but not the one at home. In that atmosphere, it’s also easier to tolerate an occasional dirty cup in the sink.

2. New señores or señoritas

We’re hiring new people — the wunderkinds who write, draw, shoot films or photos in their free time, as well as the experienced ones that aren’t worn out by the industry, but whose creative buds are instead excited every time they’re met with a new (well written) brief. Lately, the advertising industry has kinda lost its sexiness so it’s missing out on all that prospective young talent that’s now knocking on IT startups’ doors. Everybody needs fresh blood, and that goes for advertising too. Coding isn't everything. If you recognized yourself in these lines, give us a shout, we’re always looking for ways to strengthen our team.

3. Re: The next weekend is a working one :(

Another e-mail: a notification that we’ll have to work this weekend, the only one in 2022. That way we’re going on with our tradition from 2021 which also had only one working weekend. Work-life balance is extremely important for the wellbeing and productivity of the employees and, consequently, the agency. How will someone think of a groundbreaking campaign if he hasn’t had any time to go to a good movie, exhibition or a concert? They say that inspiration is for amateurs and that the professionals can be inspired on demand. For that to be possible, creatives need a pool of experiences to pull the inspiration from.

4. Señor is the “Agency of the Year” — again

One of my favorite business achievements in 2021 was Señor winning IdejaX’s “Agency of the Year” award. Trouble with such accomplishments is that you can’t rest on your laurels — the next (hungover) morning you start from scratch. Nobody remembers who won this title four years ago (besides maybe the members of that agency). Repeating the title, besides meaning that we’ve had a good year, would ensure a longer remembrance of our victory.

5. The police breaks up “Intimno ruženje”

Our traditional yearly gathering with clients, associates and advertising colleagues “Intimno ruženje” is being held in 2022 after two years of a pandemic break. The police is there because we exceeded the curfew, so we’re packing up and continuing the party in Kolaž bar because everything is still open after midnight. Science and vaccination have done their "magic".

6. We’re turning down yet another potential client

We’re being invited to yet another pitch alongside six other agencies, the brief isn’t very clear, the budget will be declared later on, and the deadline is in two weeks — and we answer with “Thanks, no thanks, good luck!”.
Our rule is to work on those pitches we deem important for the strategic growth of the agency, and to say bye-bye to the less serious ones for contacting us.

7. A new campaign for an old client

We’re launching a new campaign for Iskon, Zaba, Wiener, bonbon or one of our other long-time clients.
Unlike the previously mentioned pitches, we prefer focusing on the existing clients and invest our resources into brands and people with whom we have a history of a pleasant and fruitful collaboration. Only with mutual trust and respect between the agency and client can you create a communication that is effective, creative and useful for every participant (including the community).

8. Filming in Argentina

Our new international client is inviting us to shoot the campaign in their headquarters in Buenos Aires, and we’re quickly opening Duolingo and frantically thinking of a reason for how come our name is Señor, but no habla español.
Before 2008 and the first economic crisis I remember, the budgets in advertising were so large that, even for local clients, campaigns were being filmed in South Africa and color-corrected in Bologna, and meetings were held in Kiev. The crisis put an end to that kind of extravaganza and suddenly everyone was doing some penny-pinching (which is a good thing, up to a certain point). For good old times, I’d like to be in that situation again. It doesn’t have to be Argentina, I’d be happy even with Budapest.

9. A new project by Señor, just for Señor

They say that the shoemaker's son always goes barefoot. That’s probably because the shoemaker sometimes simply doesn’t have enough time for his shoes since he’s always working on someone else’s. That’s why one of my wishes for 2022 would be to work on a project just for Señor. So far, the results of our work that went beyond the limits of advertising were great: we’ve launched a clothing brand called "Uzorak stolice", had a screening of our short film The art of feedback on film festivals and torn down writer’s and creative’s blocks with our unBLOK. What’s gonna be next? We haven’t tested our musical skills yet, hm…

10. Surpriiise!

I couldn’t think of anything for the last event on the list so I’ll work my way around it by calling it a surprise event. Let 2022 surprise us with something pleasant and be better than the last two years not only for us, but for everyone.

And there you go, that’s it, the ten events I hope will mark the upcoming year for Señor. While going through them, I noticed that many of them include repeating something from the last year, but that’s just a sign that we’re doing something right. Maybe I can, in the manner of vortex life coaches, manifest these moments simply by closing my eyes and wishing for them really really hard, and then they’ll just happen.

The text was originally published in Lider magazine’s special “Business 2022”.