KULTURA KOMUNICIRANJA Krešimir Macan

Guest Krešimir MacanHosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026

Krešimir Macan

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Krešimir Macan observes that when traditional media faced a crisis, public relations found its moment. The digital revolution, with its shrinking newsrooms and fragmented attention, has reshaped the PR landscape from merely mediating messages to actively creating most of the content that now flows through media channels. He argues that this shift demands a new kind of agency — one that acts as an integrated content powerhouse, capable of producing everything from compelling text to engaging video. As a PR expert specializing in crisis communication, strategic political communication, and new social media, and the founder of Mangura, one of Croatia's first PR agencies, Macan has witnessed these transformations firsthand. His perspective offers a clear view of how agencies must adapt, not just to new technologies, but to a fundamental change in how stories are told and consumed. Readers will walk away with a sharper understanding of PR's expanded role and the unexpected opportunities hidden within media disruption.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Macan states that "most of the content that goes into media is produced by agencies" today, filling the void left by shrinking newsrooms. Public relations has shifted from mediating messages to becoming primary content creators, a core function now that traditional media can no longer sustain their previous output.

Social media demands a different approach than traditional advertising; "you can't just blow an ad at them, you have to start a conversation," Macan explains. Digital platforms necessitate narrative engagement, making PR's storytelling expertise more critical than ever, even for campaigns that once relied solely on direct advertising.

Mangura, Macan's agency, now produces "the entire campaign" from text to video, becoming an "all-in-one" shop rather than specializing. The lines between PR, digital, and content creation are blurring, pushing agencies towards integrated, full-service offerings that can manage diverse media formats internally.

Unlike in neighboring countries where PR agencies were often tied to media buying, Croatian agencies thrived as a "small, independent industry." Local market dynamics can create unexpected opportunities for specialized industries to flourish independently, even when regional trends suggest reliance on larger media structures.

The shift to energy-saving light bulbs, for example, created "an entire science" for consumers who needed to learn new rules and expectations. Any major societal or technological change, even seemingly simple ones, creates a massive communication and education burden that public relations must actively address.

Croatia "missed the opportunity for total digitalization" during the pandemic, despite the rapid success of e-passes. Crisis can be a powerful catalyst for rapid system-wide change, but seizing that moment requires sustained political will beyond initial emergency solutions.

Macan views influencers as a "specialized PR option," but criticizes the drop in quality due to everyone believing they can be one. While influencers offer a direct communication channel, their effectiveness relies on maintaining high-quality content and narrative, a challenge when the barrier to entry is low.

With "unlimited access to numerous communication channels," every company is now "its own daily news." The democratization of media means organizations must think and act like media outlets, constantly producing and managing their own content across diverse platforms.

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