21. July 2026.
Five Years of Aleph and SoMo Borac Partnership Mark the Strongest Edition of the Region’s Leading Digital Awards Yet
The five-year partnership comes in a year when SoMo Borac introduces an AI category, the SoMo Grand Prix, and brings together leading digital industry experts from across the region and around the world.
The 14th edition of SoMo Borac powered by Aleph introduces a range of new features that reflect the rapid evolution of the digital industry. This year’s edition is also particularly significant as Aleph and SoMo Borac celebrate five years of partnership. Throughout a period marked by the most profound transformation of digital marketing to date – from the pandemic-driven acceleration of digitalization to the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence – the partnership has grown alongside a competition that has long brought together the region’s best digital projects, campaigns, agencies, and professionals.
Over the past five years, SoMo Borac has continuously reflected the evolution of the regional digital landscape, which has consistently pushed the boundaries of industry standards. Through its partnership with SoMo Borac, Aleph has contributed a global market perspective, expertise from the world’s leading digital platforms, and insights into the trends shaping the future of marketing and communications. Categories such as SoMo Growth, SoMo Global, and Special Mention by Aleph have further recognized projects that combine creative excellence with measurable business impact.
“Five years is an exceptionally long and dynamic period in the digital industry. During that time, we have witnessed major technological shifts while also learning how important it is to distinguish between passing trends and innovations that create genuine value for people and businesses. At one point, the metaverse and NFTs seemed to represent the future of marketing, whereas today artificial intelligence is having the greatest impact. What has remained unchanged is that the best projects always begin with a strong idea, a clear purpose, and a genuine user need,” said Ružica Vrdoljak Ličina, Executive Director of SoMo Borac.
Over the years, the partnership has significantly strengthened the connection between the regional creative community and the global digital marketplace. Through SoMo Borac, representatives of some of the world’s most influential platforms—including Meta, Snapchat, Microsoft, TikTok, and Pinterest—have participated in the event, while this year’s edition will also welcome Reddit.
“The industry is evolving faster than ever before, making the ability to learn and adapt one of the most valuable professional skills. Through our partnership with SoMo Borac, we have brought global trends, technologies, and expertise from the world’s leading digital platforms closer to the regional community, while at the same time gaining deeper insights into the creativity and unique characteristics of the Croatian and regional markets. It is precisely this combination of global perspective and local creativity that represents the greatest value of our partnership, and the ideas and campaigns emerging from SoMo Borac can compete anywhere in the world,” said Ivanka Mabić Gagić, Managing Director of Aleph Croatia.
The industry’s evolution is particularly evident in the projects submitted to SoMo Borac. A few years ago, campaigns that successfully leveraged an emerging platform or digital format attracted the most attention. Today, however, the strongest entries are those that seamlessly integrate content, social media, customer experience, performance marketing, and business objectives. Digital is no longer a standalone component of a campaign—it has become an integral part of every successful communications strategy.
According to the organizers, today’s award-winning projects are recognized not because they incorporate the latest technology, but because they use technology to solve real business and user challenges, create meaningful customer experiences, and deliver measurable results for brands. At the same time, artificial intelligence, personalization, the continued rise of retail media, the growth of the creator economy, and the dominance of video content are defining the next stage of digital marketing across Croatia and the wider region.
This year’s edition of SoMo Borac introduces, for the first time, a dedicated category for projects created with the support of artificial intelligence, recognizing work that demonstrates how emerging technologies are transforming creative and communications processes. The competition also launches the SoMo Grand Prix, a special distinction awarded to the best overall entry within the SoMo Advertising competition, while the SoMo Content Engagement award will be presented within the SoMo Media segment to recognize outstanding organic content that successfully attracts, engages, and retains audiences.
