A chat with Peter Radovics, Creative Director at Lounge Group.
- What does it mean for you to be listed among the agencies on TopFICE’s global ranking of the Independent Agencies of the Year? And, furthermore, to represent your country on that list?
Being featured on TopFICE’s global ranking is an important milestone for us. It demonstrates that the work we do is being seen on a global level. Representing our country is both an honor and a responsibility, as it showcases, to a certain extent, the creativity that Hungary — and Lounge Group — bring to the global communication industry. We will try to ride this momentum and push it further next year, because we definitely see where we could go.
- How do you evaluate the success of your campaigns, beyond awards?
We evaluate our campaigns based on measurable business results, long-term impact on brand, meaningful engagement, and client satisfaction. However, we can’t evaluate them based on our feelings. Sounds tricky? It’s not, you just have to stay human to a certain degree.
- What has been your approach to sustainability or social responsibility in the campaigns you developed this year?
We don’t just communicate values; we try to actively contribute to them. We try to think of communication as an important asset of development, to move the case forward. This year, we focused on campaigns with real societal impact, such as the renovation of children’s homes, building playgrounds for disabled kids, and by creating campaigns for the Szintlépés Foundation and Szerencsejáték Zrt. A big part of our pro bono work goes towards another cause which is also really important for us: Hungarian Art. Cultural institutions like the MODEM Contemporary Art Center also need some communication boost despite the fact that everything they do is amazing. Look out for our next project with MODEM ‘Sonart’ in the next award season! Besides this, we are going to be the first Hungarian agency with an ESG strategy and report, because it matters, and because we work on these kinds of projects for our clients as well, so I feel that we should be there too.
- What have been the main challenges of competing in festivals or bids with large international networks? And how have you turned these challenges into competitive advantages?
The biggest challenge is competing with the sheer scale and resources and connections of large networks. However, our independence allows us to be more agile, flexible, and personal in our approach. We focus on innovation, tailored solutions, and leveraging local expertise, which often translates into a unique edge that is able to convince clients and festival juries alike. And we have the almighty data as well.
- Advertising, like many industries, is constantly evolving. Which evolutions within the industry do you consider to have presented the greatest challenge to you? And how have you managed to cope with them?
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing data-driven insights and authentic human feelings. Another daily challenge is not to forget what we call an idea. Dropping buzzwords, influencer names, and big data aren’t the equivalent of ideas. Keeping elements in their places, building bigger, smarter, stronger structures: now you’re getting closer to an idea instead of just being a smart user.