Veronica Plăcintescu, Oxygen: Our industry is about engaging in meaningful dialogues that have a lasting impact
AdHugger continues the series about the Romanian PR industry that started last week, with Veronica Plăcintescu, Head of PR at Oxygen, and had a lovely talk about recent years, the impact of the new technologies, the agency’s imput and how they see the industry.
PR and the new technologies, including VR, AI, etc. What are your favorites for the future and why?
AI is revolutionizing PR by streamlining time-consuming tasks like media monitoring and [some] content drafting, allowing professionals to focus on strategy and creativity. It enhances data-driven decision-making, trend prediction, and personalized communication. VR/AR, on the other hand, pushes the boundaries of immersive storytelling, enabling brands to engage audiences in more interactive, impactful ways. The real challenge lies in balancing AI’s efficiencies with the experiential depth VR brings, ensuring that technology complements the essential human touch in communication.
What has changed for the better in recent years in PR in Romania?
In recent years, communication has shifted towards greater ethical responsibility, inclusivity, and value-driven communication. Brands are no longer just selling products or services; they are aligning themselves with values that resonate with their audiences. This shift has empowered communication to play a pivotal role in driving societal change. International and European sustainability standards have played a significant role in this transformation, particularly over the last decade, pushing companies and brands to be more responsible and forward-thinking in their messaging. Our industry is no longer just about promotion, but about engaging in meaningful dialogues that have a lasting impact.
What about for the worst?
The shrinking attention span of today’s audiences presents a major challenge. We are living in an age where the average consumer’s attention is more fragmented than ever, making it harder to cut through the noise. While short, snappy content is in demand – such as what we see on platforms like TikTok –, not all meaningful communication can be condensed into bite-sized formats. In fact, some of the most impactful communication still requires time and space to be properly understood and appreciated. Striking a balance between brevity and depth is crucial – engaging audiences without sacrificing substance has become more difficult, yet more essential than ever.
What is your approach and differentiating point at Oxygen?
At Oxygen, adaptability is key to human progress. We constantly refine what we do to make space for what we can achieve. We see people as the true creators of the future, and our role is to empower them to reach their potential. Rather than fitting people into predefined roles, we build around their strengths, fostering creativity and growth. This forward-thinking mindset has enabled us to create a diverse, high-performing team and become a respected employer brand in the industry.
How is your headline translating in your work?
Our headline, “With a Heart for Business”, reflects the balance we strike between valuing people and achieving results. It’s about fostering an environment where personal and professional growth drive both individual success and business outcomes.
We focus on enabling our team and clients to think strategically and creatively, while acting with purpose, combining innovation with clear business goals. This mindset ensures that we’re not just solving today’s challenges, but also setting the stage for what’s next in communication and business, keeping us at the forefront of progress, creating the future, not just being a part of it.
What are clients looking for?
Clients today are looking for more than just traditional communication strategies; they want creativity and meaningfulness that allow them to stand out, become thought leaders, and ultimately, make a real impact on the world. At the heart of this is the concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV). It’s not just about commercial success anymore – it’s about aligning their business strategies with societal needs and generating value for both.
Our clients want to lead with purpose, using their brand to drive positive change while remaining competitive. They seek to engage in meaningful conversations that resonate with their audiences and reflect their values. By embedding CSV into their approach, we help them not only meet their business goals but also contribute to a broader societal benefit. This balance between business objectives and social impact is what truly sets our clients apart.
OXYGEN embraces a future-looking mindset
Managing growth, identifying and attracting the right talent, and remaining agile in a highly unpredictable environment were the main challenges OXYGEN faced last year. Business Review spoke to Tereza Tranakas, Founder & CEO of OXYGEN, who highlighted the company’s key achievements last year and revealed the recipe for its success.
What is your leadership style and how does it support your company’s performance?
I empower people and I do my best to lead by example, setting forth a vision and series of core values that act as our North Star. I acknowledge the fact that the company’s performance is the team’s merit, under the guidance of its top management. I work side by side with my team, with continued passion and dedication for what we do, aiming to evolve and develop ourselves and our company. Last but not least, I believe Romania is a good place to do business—it offers many possibilities for growth and development. I am also happy to see that there are many women-led businesses that are thriving here, as we are an open and inclusive society.
What were your main professional achievements in 2023?
I am grateful for the fact that Oxygen has become a positive reference on the highly competitive market of advertising & communication. Fifteen years since our establishment, it is truly rewarding to see that our hard work, dedication, and strong strategic and creative forces are yielding results and bringing us to a leading position on the market as an independent, forward-thinking communications agency. In terms of numbers, we are the only agency with two offices—in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca—and a Sustainability department, a super team of 70 passionate and creative communication professionals, a diverse client portfolio made up primarily of dozens of large multinationals from various industries as well as several local clients, and a turnover of EUR 7.5 million for 2022, which positions us among the leading integrated agencies on the market.
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Artificial intelligence driving innovation in creative industries
In charge of Oxygen, one of the top integrated communications agencies on the market with offices in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca and a team of 80 professionals, Tereza Tranakas has more than 20 years of experience working in brand and corporate communications. She sat down with Business Review and shared her outlook for 2024.
How do you see the market faring this year?
We must keep in mind the bigger picture when we consider this year’s outlook. In fact, in terms of economic growth, Romania has been a bright spot on a rather dismal European landscape. According to analysts, real GDP growth is set to rebound in 2024 and remain strong by EU standards in 2025-28. The solid private sector has been and will continue to be the key driver to Romania’s steady growth.
To all the sceptics I say that Romania has been lucky to have experienced steady economic and social development over all these years, despite the geopolitical turbulence at our doorstep.
Within this context, we also expect the marcomm industry to fare better than last year, as we’ve seen a general improvement in numbers and output after the pandemic.
Tereza Tranakas (Oxygen): Creativity is the superpower of the future
Oxygen is one of the leading communications agencies on the market, with offices in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. BR sat down with Tereza Tranakas, CEO Oxygen, and found out more about how the agency’s first 15 years unfolded.
How would Oxygen’s first 15 years look in numbers?
Fifteen years from our establishment, I am grateful and happy to see our hard work and determination bringing us to a leading position in the market, as an independent forward-thinking communications agency with offices in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca.
In terms of numbers: we are the only agency with two offices – Bucharest & Cluj-Napoca and a Sustainability department, a super team of 70 passionate and creative communication professionals, a diverse client portfolio comprised primarily of tens of large multinationals from various industries as well as local clients, and turnovers of EUR 7.5 million for 2022, placing us among the leading integrated agencies on the market.
Irina Manole (Oxygen): „Consumers, partners and employees are increasingly asking for information about the companies’ sustainable practices”
Oxygen is the first integrated communications agency in Romania to offset its carbon footprint and become carbon-neutral. The agency also launches a new department providing companies strategic consulting and communication services on sustainability. These initiatives are part of Oxygen’s commitment to contribute to the fight against climate change and support companies on their business sustainability journey. AdHugger talked more details with Irina Manole, Head of Sustainability & CSR at Oxygen.
At Oxygen you consider that the brand reputation is built through authentic dialogue and great content. What happens in sustainability from this point of view?
Businesses have a substantial role to play in collective climate action and we see more and more how they use their influence to engage communities and build public appetite for sustainability. There is still a need for a lot of education on this subject, and effective marketing and communication campaigns can contribute to sustainability learning on many levels, by framing or shaping new perceptions or by building empathetic discourses that can change ways of thinking and behaving. Above all, it’s important not just to talk about being a sustainable business, but to practice what we preach and make sustainability part of the business-as-usual approach.
Moreover, at Oxygen, you decided to consider sustainability and the environment a true priority by becoming the first communication agency in Romania to be carbon neutral. What convinced you to take that decision and what is next for 2022-2023?…
BR Interview | Tereza Tranakas: We chose to adopt a future-ready mindset
The last two years have been one of the most challenging ones in recent history, with companies having to adapt and be very resilient and strong in order to survive a never-before-seen situation. With no means to compare it to anything else. Still, 2021 proved to be good for the Romanian marcomm industry, especially for those companies that knew how to drive the trends and be flexible.
BR talked with Tereza Tranakas, CEO at OXYGEN , about the year that just unfolded, pandemics, the agency’s growth, innovation, as well as what she expects and wishes for 2022.
How would you describe the year 2021 for Oxygen?
We’ve had a very active 2021, and I can refer to it as a recovery year after the pandemic stroke in 2020, when the entire advertising industry was hit hard. Last year we saw some positive signs of recovery giving us hope for what’s to come. Our agency’s achievements in 2021 were many: from innovative and award-winning projects for existing clients, to many new client wins for both our Bucharest and Cluj offices. At Oxygen, we have a fantastic client portfolio across many industries from telecoms, technology, appliances, energy, banking & finance, FMCGs, entertainment, gaming, real estate, heavy industry, fashion and more…
[Noul context] Tereza Tranakas: Brandurile încearcă să mențină un echilibru
Tereza Tranakas
Managing Partner. Oxygen
Dupa ce trece perioada de varf a pandemiei in Romania, vom ajunge cu totii la o zona de acceptare si vom avea nevoie de o noua normalitate, spune Tereza Tranakas, Managing Partner OXYGEN.
Va fi nevoie de asta pentru noi toti. Viata va merge mai departe si comunicarea de asemenea. Pana atunci, insa, e nevoie de adaptare, reinventare si echilibru. O parte din clienti au inghetat proiectele, altii au aplicat masuri de siguranta si continua sa fie activi. Va urma o perioada cu campanii facute de la distanta.
Cu siguranta, vor fi “raw” asa cum este totul in aceasta perioada, spune Tereza: mai autentic, fara multe retusuri, natural
Impactul în business
Odata cu decretul de urgenta, lucrurile au inceput sa se schimbe, proiecte amanate sau puse on hold.
Primele măsuri pe care le-am luat:
- Work from home & siguranta angajatilor
- Asigurarea unei platforme digitale de comunicare pentru echipa pentru business continuity
- Statusuri si noi moduri de lucru interne, grija pentru motivarea echipei
- Evaluare financiara, restrangerea costurilor operationale si in general, a cheltuielilor pentru a asigura continuitate
- Contact zilnic cu toti clientii pentru a-i sprijini in mod proactiv in toata aceasta perioada
- In general, multa proactivitate catre clienti
- Readaptarea unor proiecte pentru mediul digital
- Intensificarea eforturilor de new business
- Set de reguli in comunicare pentru branduri pentru perioada Covid
- Setarea unui content hub
- Angrenarea companiilor intr-un task force de sustinere a demersurilor anti-Covid, alaturi de autoritati
Reguli de pitch — Pitch-ul este un reset pentru echipă, mai ales pentru creație și strategie
Andreea Filip
New Business Director Oxygen
Andreea observa deadline-uri tot mai stranse in organizarea pitchurilor din Romania. Timpul nu mai are rabdare in industrie din doua motive, crede Andreea: fie exista o “sete” de proiecte, fie o deficienta la nivel de planificare, de partea clientului.
Din dorinta de a castiga, de a mai adauga inca un brand in portofoliu sau de a multumi un client existent, mai acceptam uneori si deadlines “de azi pe maine”.
Nu este, insa, o practica benefică. Acceptand, cream o serie recurenta de precedente si, implicit, apar asteptari tot mai mari dar nu si neaparat realiste la client.
Ieșirea din convenţional — În online este "locul de joacă" al brandurilor
Sînziana Focșa
Communications Strategist Oxygen
Neconvenţionalul diferă nu doar în funcţie de ce crede clientul sau agenţia, dar și în funcţie de categoriile sociale cărora se adresează, spune Sînziana.
Sânziana dă și un exemplu: o colaborare cu un cântăreţ de manele pentru un brand de băuturi alcoolice din zona economy părea ceva total neconvenţional pentru echipa de comunicare, în timp ce asocierea ar fi părut mult mai naturală pentru oamenii din target.
Până la urmă, campaniile neconvenţionale înseamnă asumarea unui risc, spune Sânziana, iar aceste riscuri blochează de cele mai multe ori ideile care rămân la stadiu de “ce ar fi fost dacă”.
După 10 ani — Acum 10-12 ani, PR-ul era încă o rudă mai săracă a marketingului
Ruxandra Marin
Senior Partner Oxygen
PR-ul s-a schimbat aproape radical în ultimii 10 ani, datorită digitalizarii, a noilor canale și a schimbărilor din presă, spune Ruxandra.
Acum, omul de PR trebuie să fie un bun strateg, un fel de creator de hărți, iar skill-urile specialiștilor din domeniu sunt mult mai vaste decât în urmă cu 10 ani. În 2009, Ruxandra trecea din corporaţie în agenţie și intra în echipa Oxygen.
Veneam dintr-o mare corporaţie, cu reguli și proceduri stricte și, când am ajuns în agenţie, eram atât de dornică să învăţ, să experimentez și să mă exprim, încât nici o provocare nu îmi părea prea grea.