Slovenian Marketing Association

The Slovenian Marketing Association (SMA), known in Slovene as Društvo za marketing Slovenije (DMS), is the leading professional body for marketing practitioners in Slovenia. It describes itself as the largest marketing community in the country and as a voluntary, independent and non-profit organisation of individuals working in marketing. Its membership of about 600 members is, according to the association, constantly on the rise, and its members are typically heads of marketing departments in Slovenian companies. The SMA was established in 1975, at a time when, in its own words, today's marketing legends were only beginning to pave the way for the different branches of the Slovenian economy. Over the decades it has grown into the trusted go-to resource for knowledge, case studies and innovation in Slovenian marketing. Its stated vision is to help shape the field and keep abreast of the changing Slovenian and global marketplace, helping members excel in their careers and contributing to the innovative development of society, sustainability and the preservation of values. The association is best known for its annual Slovenian Marketing Conference, co-organised with the Slovenian financial daily Finance, which hosted more than 600 participants in 2018 and features speakers from Slovenia and abroad. Since 2015 the SMA has rewarded the best companies with the title of marketing excellence. Beyond the flagship conference, the SMA runs a busy calendar of events: since 2014 it has organised the regular afternoon education series Marketing TOPX, aimed at examining a specific marketing issue in depth, and it holds monthly member meetings designed to discuss marketing topics and exchange knowledge. Its event portfolio also includes B2B conferences, student marketing conferences, member meetups, DMS picnics and the DMS 50 let (50 years) anniversary programme. The association is organised into sections, including a Sports Centre (Športno središče), a B2B Centre (B2B središče), a Student Section (Študentska sekcija) and a Club of Directors (Klub direktorjev). It publishes the magazine Akademija MM. It is governed by a management board (upravni odbor), chaired by Petra Čadež, with a supervisory board led by Toni Balažič and an executive director, Tanja Kavran. The management board convenes the regular general assembly of members. In 2021 the association adopted a new logo. As a non-profit professional association rather than a commercial enterprise, the SMA occupies a distinctive position in the Slovenian marketing ecosystem: it functions as a hub for networking, education, recognition and the exchange of best practice among marketers, agencies, media and advertisers across the country.

The Slovenian Marketing Association (SMA), in Slovene Društvo za marketing Slovenije (DMS), was established in 1975, according to its own account, at a time when today's marketing legends were only beginning to pave the way for the different branches of the Slovenian economy. A Slovene Wikipedia entry dates the founding to 1976, so the exact year is reported inconsistently across sources; the association's own website states 1975. Either way, the SMA is one of the oldest professional marketing bodies in the region. From its beginnings the association was conceived as a voluntary, independent and non-profit organisation of individuals working in marketing. Over the decades it built a membership base that today numbers about 600 members, drawn largely from the ranks of marketing department heads in Slovenian companies. Its stated mission is to lead and promote marketing as a profession and a research field in Slovenia, and to serve as the trusted go-to resource for knowledge, case studies and innovation in marketing. A major milestone came in 2014, when the SMA began organising the regular afternoon education events known as Marketing TOPX, aimed at examining a specific marketing issue in depth. In 2015 the association introduced the marketing excellence title, awarded to the best companies at its annual Slovenian Marketing Conference. That conference, co-organised with the Slovenian financial daily Finance, has become the highlight of the SMA year, featuring speakers from Slovenia and abroad and drawing more than 600 participants in 2018. In 2021 the association adopted a new logo, refreshing its visual identity. By the mid-2020s the SMA was running a broad event portfolio, including B2B conferences, student marketing conferences, member meetups, the DMS picnic and a DMS 50 let (50 years) anniversary programme, alongside its monthly member meetings and the Marketing TOPX series. It also publishes the magazine Akademija MM. The association is structured into sections: a Sports Centre (Športno središče), a B2B Centre (B2B središče), a Student Section (Študentska sekcija) and a Club of Directors (Klub direktorjev). It is governed by a management board, chaired by Petra Čadež, with a supervisory board led by Toni Balažič and an executive director, Tanja Kavran. The management board convenes the regular general assembly of members. Darko Dujić served as chairman of the SMA from 2014 to 2017. The Student Section has its own leadership; in 2020 it was led by a management board whose president was Ninna Adelyn Kapplar.

• 2021

  SMA adopts a new logo.

• 2018

  Slovenian Marketing Conference hosts more than 600 participants.

• 2015

  SMA introduces the marketing excellence title awarded to best companies.

• 2014

  SMA begins organising the Marketing TOPX afternoon education events.

• 1976

  Alternative founding year given by Slovene Wikipedia.

• 1975

  Slovenian Marketing Association established (per association's own account).

Slovenia's largest and only all-encompassing professional marketing community, a non-profit association providing knowledge, events, awards and networking for marketing professionals.

• Slovenian Marketing Conference

  Annual flagship conference co-organised with the financial daily Finance.

• Marketing TOPX

  Regular afternoon education events examining a specific marketing issue in depth, run since 2014.

• Akademija MM

  Magazine published by the association.

• Marketing excellence award

  Title awarded to best companies since 2015.

1. 1DMS - Društvo za marketing Slovenijedmslo.si
2. 2About DMSdmslo.si
3. 3Slovenian Marketing Associationwikidata.org
4. 4Društvo za marketing Slovenijesl.wikipedia.org