Creativity is the indispensable ingredient of all success

Seaway is the world’s leading boat development company, based on the J&J design studio created by brothers Jernej and Japec Jakopin in 1983. Japec is one of the most successful businessmen in Slovenia, who aren’t aware of how Seaway contributes to the recognition of Slovenia all over the world. We rarely see their ads, but we all know that they rock in the world of business.

What is the most important part of your business – boat design and development? How important is advertising for your business?

We are in the industrial design world. This means we start and end at the marketplace. The secret is, of course, to understand the (hidden) future needs and expectations of the users, which are already written in invisible ink. Advertising is a communication tool for us: we have to explain in a clear, intelligent and easily understandable way the concept of a product and what of convenience, fun or advantage it will bring to the user.

Your product makes the most impact on the potential consumer with its technological perfectness and design. How do you see the role of advertising in today’s world?

Modern man and his perception of beauty, interest, taste etc. is widely influenced by the world around him. This world contains a big share of commercial communication streams which makes people much more critical and resistant to less-than the best. This puts a lot of strains, and challenges, on everything we do: it is increasing the competition. We like that – it is a great stimulus.

What distinguishes good business ideas, which are successfully realized in practice, from those which are not?

You have to create a great idea, do everything absolutely right, be on the right spot at the right moment – and have a lot of luck. This is the recipe for success.

Creativity is one of the most important parts in advertising, especially on advertising festivals as the Golden Drum. How important is creativity in your work? How big is the role it plays in your business success?

Creativity is the catalyst, the indispensable ingredient of all success. When it is perfectly blended with a wide array of deep insight into technologies, know how, tradition, experience and coupled to massive amounts of hard work, it normally works…

What is for you as a customer a good advertising campaign?

When we feel that we are successfully getting the message across the table to the right people and with efficiency.

Published in Daily News, Golden Drum daily newspaper (October, 2010)