Rovinj, Croatia, September 21st, 2024 – At this year's Weekend Media Festival in Rovinj, BOSQAR d.d. founder and majority shareholder Stjepan Orešković took part in a panel discussion on corporate rebranding.
Stjepan Orešković, Founder and Majority Shareholder, BOSQAR at the Weekend Media Festival
Photo: Daniel Gjurček
The panel, titled "Would a rose smell as sweet by any other name? The secrets to effective rebranding," was moderated by Božo Skoko, founder and partner of Millenium promocija (MPR), and featured other industry leaders such as Davor Bruketa, Creative Director and Co-owner of Bruketa&Žinić&Grey; Predrag Grubić, Director of Corporate Communications at Adris Group; Mario Petrović, Co-founder of Millennium Promocija and owner of Edward Bernays University of Applied Sciences; and Karlo König, Head of Marketing at kompare.hr.
A panel discussion: "Would a rose smell as sweet by any other name? The secrets to effective rebranding”
Photo: Daniel Gjurček
Together, they shared insights on how companies can successfully manage rebranding efforts.
Orešković spoke about the evolution of BOSQAR d.d. (formerly Meritus ulaganja) and BOSQAR INVEST (formerly branded as Mplus Group), explaining that the rebranding reflected the company's growth and shift from its origins.
"At one point, we felt our old name no longer suited who we had become. We started as a call center business and grew into a BPTO company. Today, we operate in four different sectors – e-commerce, HR solutions, and the food industry, in addition to our original business. As a company listed on the stock exchange, we are now an investment group. We realized it was time for a change," Orešković explained.
Understanding Your Target Audience
Photo: Daniel Gjurček
He also stressed the importance of understanding the company's audience and aligning the brand accordingly: "We're an example of how important it is to understand who you're talking to—through your identity, name, symbols, and associations. We have a variety of clients across the group, but the core organization has one specific type of client: investment funds. Our goal right now is simple - we want to convince as many investors as possible to trust us with their capital so we can generate the highest possible returns for them. Since listing on the stock exchange, we've grown 638%. It doesn't matter if a lot of people know about BOSQAR, but the people who understand capital markets and can invest in us must know who we are. The brand is exactly what we need for the market we want to target and the clients we want to engage with."
The rebranding wasn't just about picking a new name; it was about reflecting a broader vision for the company's future.
Stjepan Orešković, BOSQAR, and Davor Bruketa, Creative Director and Co-owner of Bruketa&Žinić&Grey
Orešković credited the creative process, developed in partnership with Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, for successfully bringing professionalism and creativity together. "The name BOSQAR INVEST came from that process and perfectly captures who we are now and where we're headed," he added.
"One of the three laws of logic is the law of identity. I believe that’s the basic law of branding - knowing who you are. With this name, we’ve found the answer to both who we are and what we want to become. Your name is your identity, and your identity is your strength, your self-respect, and your success. Call yourself what you feel you are," Orešković stated.
He likened the company to an Istrian boškarin—a sturdy breed of cattle that can grow to over 1,000 kg. "Right now, we're at 800 kg, but when we reach 1,000, I expect our boškarin to stand alongside the bull on Wall Street."
Photo: Daniel Gjurček
About BOSQAR INVEST:
BOSQAR INVEST (BOSQAR d.d. together with its subsidiaries) is a European leader that operates in the industries of contact center, information technology, employment services (HR), eCommerce, and, in the first half of 2024, it made a significant step forward through the establishment of a new food vertical (Future Food Solutions).
With an innovative business model, BOSQAR INVEST accelerated its expansion on the market with intensive organic growth and an M&A platform based on a buy-and-build strategy. Since 2016, 57 companies have been acquired and secured both a diversified portfolio of international clients within BPTO and HR business, as well as a growing number of customers when it comes to eCommerce and Food segments.
BOSQAR INVEST brings together four business verticals: the BPTO vertical (brand: Mplus), which consists of the company M Plus Croatia d.o.o. and its subsidiaries, the HR vertical and companies that operate as part of the Workplace Group and are holders of Manpower licenses for six countries in the region, the eCommerce business vertical which under the brand name Eplus Ventures consists of companies that operate according to a common eCommerce business model and the newest, food vertical (Future Food Solutions).
In its ownership structure, BOSQAR INVEST brings together pension funds, institutional investors, international private equity funds, development institutions, and private investors. The BOSQAR INVEST business community consists of over 13,800 employees, and the group provides its services to clients who, in addition to Croatia, do business in 57 countries around the world.
