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Welcome to our jubilee Year in Review, Piksel in 2023, when we turned 10! 🎉  

For those of you who have been following our Year in Review reports, you might remember that in 2022, we teased you about the incredible things that came with the new 2023 year. Well, here we are – ready to celebrate another year of growth, creativity, and digital excellence. 

But before we get into the achievements, let’s start with the most important part of Piksel – our people. 

The people who made Piksel in 2023 legendary 

This year was a game-changer for our team. For the first time in Piksel’s 10-year journey, we surpassed 50 team members, making us stronger than ever. We welcomed an exceptional lineup of talented teammates, each bringing their unique skills and creativity to the table. 

Our team expanded across all departments, ensuring we could take on bigger, bolder, and more ambitious projects. 

Vanja, our Head of Communications & PR set up our new department that brought additional valuable services for our clients, and Bojan took charge of the most exciting part of the marketing sector – event planning and managing. 

The marketing and design team also got stronger with other fresh forces – Elena, Sandra, Ana, Nadja, Darko, Angel, Martina, Nenad, Hristijan, and Maja.  

We were especially thankful for Biljana – the latest addition to our operations team that we very much needed to become more organized. 😊 

To our entire team, we thank you for your creativity, dedication, and pure awesomeness. You are the reason Piksel continues to shine brighter every year. 

The clients & exciting collaborations that made our year 

With a stronger team came bigger opportunities. This year, we had the privilege of working with over 10 new clients, expanding our expertise across various industries. Some of the amazing brands that joined our Piksel network include Badel, Alfi Tehnocentar, EMIT, Modeliks, Vivaldi, MASIT, Thrivity… 

Each of these collaborations brought fresh challenges, creative breakthroughs, and digital transformations that set new standards. 

The Campaigns That Defined Piksel in 2023 

This year, we took things to the next level by telling stories that connect with the audience and leave a lasting impact. Check out some of the standout projects we launched this year. 

Grand Kafa’s “I domashen miris, i domashen vkus“ was a heartfelt campaign that celebrated tradition and cultural connection. Together with the right people, we managed to tell the story of locally produced coffee which is part of our favorite rituals.   

But, the story didn’t end there. We had another awesome campaign with Grand Kafa where we made some Grand Millionaires through a live talk show stream! 

Sava Penzisko’s “Investiraj na dolgi pateki” was one of the many meaningful stories we got to tell about long-term financial planning and security. 

Together with ProCredit Bank we won the hearts of various target audiences and made a lasting impact on them. #ProVoziSe was just one of the campaigns that we crafted together. It was aimed to encourage people to embrace sustainable mobility through a rewarding digital campaign, as a joint value of ProCredit and their partners Mastercard. 

Badel 1862 is another dear client of ours that allowed us to break the borders with creative ads, campaigns, and events from the very start of our cooperation. In 2023 we reached the peak with the launch of the premium brand Korlat – The Art of Spirit which ended up being the event of the year.  

Vivax, also known as our cool client, gave us the opportunity to create unforgettable events, such as the annual Vivax Cool Day, and the “I jas sum na Vodno” series. 

Regarding events, among the many other occasions, we brought an unforgettable atmosphere at the opening of the new Vivaldi furniture store. 

In the other spectacular news, we made a complete rebranding of Thrivity, supported by a brand new website, and a new communication approach in their marketing endeavors.  

Modeliks, the brand-new business planning and financial management software also gave us their trust in setting up their visual and communication identity, as in developing their first website.    

One of our dearest and awarded campaigns “Zasadi Zelba” continued to grow, thanks to the trust of KB Prvo penzisko drustvo, Sava penzisko drustvo, and Triglav penzisko drustvo, supported by MAPAS. The main highlight was the Eko-Ton – the sustainable projects hackathon which brought together 7 competing teams and more than 100 people in one place, to connect and share their knowledge about a more sustainable future. 

Another big win for Piksel in 2023 was the EMIT Echo Tech Minds podcast series which was only a part of the marketing strategy that we built for Emit Knowledge. 

In the other related news, our Devs team was very busy building a stronger online presence for many other clients. The projects they are especially proud of include the redesign of Replek’s website as one of our Macedonian clients, and Catalyst Care Group from the UK as one of the big wins abroad.

Piksel in 2023 at the Biggest Industry Events 

In 2023, we didn’t just create outstanding campaigns, we also led the conversation at some of the most prestigious digital marketing and business events: 

#Izazov2023 Trending Talks (Belgrade) – Vladimir Ristevski spoke about the biggest shifts in marketing, covering social media growth, influencer culture, AI tools, and employer branding. 

Macedonia2025 Summit – We were proud to be part of one of the most prestigious business and innovation conferences in the country, where Vladimir Ristevski moderated the panel on Digital Transformation – a topic Piksel knows best. 

Sarajevo Marketing Summit – Our Partner and Creative Director, Vladimir Ristevski, gave an awesome presentation at Sarajevo Marketing Summit 2023, which gathers directors, managers, and researchers in marketing, PR, branding, and many other industries. He discussed the importance of innovation and synergy in marketing agencies by exploring the past, present, and future of marketing mastery. 

Weekend Media Festival (Rovinj, Croatia) – Piksel connected with global marketing experts, creative minds, and industry leaders at one of the biggest media festivals in the region. 

Prodajni Mindset with Jordan Belfort – Our management team attended an exclusive event in Zagreb, gaining insights from The Wolf of Wall Street himself. 

SoMo Borac 2023 – Our very own Karakashevic joined the jury panel for the second time, recognizing the best in digital marketing across the region. 

PIKSEL X MASIT #DigitalUnited – We teamed up with MASIT (The Chamber of Commerce for Information and Communication Technologies, which serves as a platform for industry leaders to discuss and shape the future of Macedonia’s ICT landscape), to chat about the future of all things digital.    

Long story short, wherever there was innovation, marketing, and entrepreneurship to talk about, Piksel was there not just listening, but leading the conversation. 

Strengthening other organizations 

Piksel’s leadership team also took on influential roles within key organizations: 

• Filip Ristevski joined the Board of Directors at MASIT, strengthening our involvement in the ICT sector. 

• Dimitar Jovevski was a jury member for the E-COMMERCE AWARDS 2022, recognizing digital excellence in the region. 

• Our creative director, Vladimir Ristevski, spoke at multiple high-profile events, sharing expertise on digital trends, AI, and marketing innovations. 

• Our entire management team became a part of the CEED Business Club Board of Directors 

Giving back to society  

At Piksel, we believe that business success means nothing without making a strong community impact. This is a big part of our company culture, and we don’t think we should make a big story out of it, but we believe you may be inspired to do the same.  

❤️ Retvitni Obrok – In just two hours, our team prepared 140 meals for those in need, proving that collective effort can make a real difference. 

❤️ Team Contributions – There were numerous internal initiatives to help a family or individual which we all took part in. We were also happy to help a few small local businesses by placing orders for ours and our clients’ needs.    

Advancing our internal culture 

A strong team means strong relationships – and for Piksel in 2023, it was a time for bonding, learning, and celebrating together. 

Team Building in Mavrovo – We spent an unforgettable weekend strengthening our team bond, learning new ways to collaborate, and (of course) laughing, playing, and celebrating. 

10 Years of Piksel – We had a small team celebration for a decade of digital excellence, countless stories, and even more memories. 

Skopje Marathon – Our team pushed their limits, completing 5km and 21km runs – because, you know, we go the extra mile in everything we do. 

What’s next? 

As 2023 comes to an end, we’re not slowing down. We know that 2024 will be another year of bold campaigns, groundbreaking collaborations, and digital marketing that makes a real difference. So, stay with us, you will be surely entertained. 😊  

To our clients, partners, and Piksel team – THANK YOU for being part of this incredible journey. Let’s make 2024 even bigger, bolder, and unforgettable. 🚀 

Fresh from the buzz of SoMo Borac 2022 in Zagreb, Piksel had a story to tell, an exciting one. Last year’s edition gathered 221 award applications in various categories.  

Piksel attended the award ceremony and was one of the winners in the “Best Storytelling” category with the project created for the needs of the campaign of the three pension companies called “Plant a wish,” which was Piksel’s first entry in a regional competition.   

This year’s edition received over 230 applications for the SoMo Borac Awards in the SoMo Advertising and SoMo Media groups. А full-day conference was held for the first time, with more than 30 regional and international experts sharing their knowledge and experiences. The feedback is still coming in.  

In this interview, we talk with Enes Karakash, Head of Marketing at Piksel and a jury member at this year’s SoMo Borac Awards. We’ll dig into his insights on the exceptional projects, the challenges faced by the jury, and what these events mean for the dynamic digital marketing industry.   

Can you share the key elements that you believe contributed to the success of the storytelling campaign that won last year’s SoMo Borac award?  

The key elements that brought us this award are probably the ones that were the most challenging during the creation of the campaign concept. 🙂 You know, the classics – How to reinvent something already seen and done throughout the years?  

But, as the saying goes, The harder the struggle, the greater the reward. And the result of our creative struggle was indeed different in every way possible, focused on Storytelling through the growing-up of the main character, closely connected with the target audience and all the elements that followed that story, which gave the campaign a whole new life and meaning. 

What was your team’s approach to crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with the target audience?  

It all started with the simple question – Why? Why would a campaign about pension companies and funds provoke interest among the target audience and not be just another yearly educational campaign that quickly fades into forgiveness? As a bonus, from the very beginning, although nothing was guaranteed, we set the objectives for the next two iterations of the same campaign. This approach added value to the campaign and the client, in this case, the three private pension companies in our country. 

How do you determine the most effective channels for delivering a storytelling campaign, and how has that evolved with changing media landscapes?  

As everything evolves, everything stays the same in the marketing world. 😊 We were motivated by the everyday habits of the target audience and focused our effort on digital channels, mainly social media. But, the real joy to do and see were the plantings of new Pension parks in multiple middle-school yards throughout the country done together by the pension companies’ representatives and the pupils.   

As part of the jury committee, what criteria did you consider when evaluating this year’s campaigns?  

This year, for the first time in the decade-long history of SoMoBorac, the jury members were divided into separate teams so every member could evaluate in three categories. That made the task a bit easier but also gave me time to give each submission a more detailed look.    

For me, the main criteria were creativity and the implementation of new technologies to tell stories in a completely new way.   

Given the increasing number of submissions this year, how did the jury at SoMo Borac approach the challenging task of selecting the shortlisted projects in your appointed categories SoMo Web, SoMo Tech, and SoMoritanac?  

Something that the SoMoBorac organizers should be proud of is the system of voting that doesn’t leave room for speculation and the question – How in the hell did this campaign make it to the final? It’s simple – every jury member evaluates, often leaving comments and opinions about the submission. We even had the case of a campaign being completely scratched from the submitted category because it didn’t meet some of the main criteria we were looking for.   

As a jury committee member, what qualities did you look for in the campaigns that stood out to you?  

As I said before, creativity and new technologies. And, for a category such as SoMoritanac, a story that made a difference, promoting an issue that helped the ones that really needed that help, and hit all the right buttons on emotional and empathy levels. 

In what ways do you think the projects showcased at SoMo Borac reflect the current trends and challenges in the digital marketing landscape?  

Every new SoMo Borac is practically a case study of the evolution of the region’s digital landscape. A ‘case study’ that proves that this region is full of creative marketing people capable of producing world-class campaigns. Like this one: 

Based on your experience as a jury member, what common mistakes do you see?  

Trying to tell too many cool things they’ve done in the short 3-minute window that is allowed. Future tip for everyone – make it short, sweet, and to the point. And try to do it in 120 seconds.   

Did being on the other side of the process influence how you approach marketing campaigns now?  

Being on the other side just reminded me of why we do what we do. And that is to give our clients and brands a new scene to shine and add value with every campaign segment. 

As a marketing professional, how do you perceive the role of events like SoMo Borac in bridging the gap between regional markets and global standards in digital media?  

Looking at everything that marketers from the region created in the last couple of years, I don’t see that gap at all. 

What key insights or takeaways from the SoMo Borac Awards do you believe will influence the future strategies and campaigns at Piksel?  

Innovation and uniqueness. That is the way, the only way.   

In the spirit of perpetual innovation and sustainable growth, we are thrilled to announce our fresh strategic collaboration with the dynamic force – Startup Macedonia. Our journey ahead is not just about shared goals. It’s a commitment to cultivating a culture where sustainability, innovation, and knowledge-sharing flourish.  

So, combining our goals of sharing knowledge and strengthening the startup and innovation ecosystem, after a short and ambitious discussion we teamed up with Startup Macedonia.  

ECO-TON Hackathon: Creating Eco-Friendly Ideas 

Our collaboration started with Igor Madzov, Program Director at Startup Macedonia, who has wholeheartedly approached our “ECO-TON” project. Held at Innofeit, this hackathon brought together eight teams with the goal of creating sustainable solutions under the theme “Plant a wish for a sustainable future.” This event was organized by the three pension companies – Triglav Pension Company AD Skopje, Sava Pension Company AD Skopje, and KB Prvo Pension Company AD Skopje. 

For this hackathon, we crafted a special landing page as an open call for young innovators to get the chance to win a special prize. The outcome was amazing and so were the ideas.  

This wasn’t just a competition, it was a space for sharing ideas. Mentors like Natalija Burgieva from Mama Organa, Gorjan Jovanovski from Air Care, Olga Rajcic from Challenger, Dime Galapchev from FinqUp, Ana Gjorgjieva from ProCredit Bank, Enes Karakas from Piksel LTD and Mile Shosevski from Drill Tech played a vital role in guiding the participating teams.

The jury team, including Igor Madžov, chose the top three solutions. 

The three teams with the best solutions won cash prizes worth 1000, 750, and 500 euros. The Mycelium Packaging team took first place with their sustainable packaging project, followed by EcoDreamers with the ECOREST project in second place, and the G-CHANGE team with the Green Change project in third place. 

This success shows our commitment to supporting young innovators and sets the stage for more projects in the future. 

Global Entrepreneurship Week North Macedonia: Piksel’s Ongoing Commitment 

Our dedication goes beyond one-time events. Dimitar Jovevski, Piksel’s partner and General Director for Business Development, participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Week North Macedonia. Dimitar played a key role as the moderator of Session 3, titled “Opportunities for Financing Innovations and Development of the Financial Sector.”  

This event, organized by Nest Group and the M6 Educational Center, provided valuable insights into building global companies from North Macedonia. Dimitar covered important topics like funding, talent acquisition, and infrastructure development.  

Part of Piksel’s senior team, together with the rest of the attendees, participated in the event as an opportunity to upgrade their entrepreneurial spirit and innovation to enrich their contacts and acquaintances with potential collaborators, mentors, and investors, but also to learn more about topics such as startup innovation, digital transformation, creative industry, advanced skills, female and social entrepreneurship, green ideas and many other topics in the field of entrepreneurship. 

Entrepreneurs had a chance to learn and connect, making this event a valuable opportunity for everyone involved. 

Paving the Way for a Sustainable Innovation Revolution 

The collaboration between Piksel and Startup Macedonia is more than just a partnership. It’s a visionary effort towards a sustainable innovation revolution. From the impactful “ECO-TON – Hackathon” to Piksel’s active role in the Global Entrepreneurship Week in North Macedonia, our journey is shaping not only the business landscape but also creating a culture where sustainability and innovation thrive. 

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting collaboration. Together, we’re not just creating plans, but we’re building a balanced and sustainable future, showcasing our joint commitment to a brighter, more innovative world.