Returning youth making the difference – profile of an Albanian marketing industry pioneer

At the onset of the 2000s leaving the country was considered a very legitimate option by youth across the country. The reasons for this attitude are well known. For some migration was vital, because Western countries provided a standard of living that could not be found in Albania. In the meantime, many other youngsters saw in migration the only way to grow professionally or get educated. The only rare and almost impossible phenomenon was the return of youngsters back to Albania.

Gerton’s story is one of those rare cases of someone openly going against the current with the intuition and conviction they have made the “choice of their lives”. After completing his studies for design and communication in the United Kingdom, to the surprise of many of his friends, Gerton Bejo decided to return to Albania. He did not just decide to return, but in the midst of the Albanian transition he returned with the clear idea of establishing one of the first design and marketing agencies in the country. At the time, for many of Gerton’s friends and peers, the initiative seemed impossible and inconceivable. The area where he focused his efforts was almost untouched and unknown. Today, after nearly 17 years of challenging work in the field, his vision has fully materialized. Now we can exclaim that we have a pioneer of the communication industry amongst us in Albania.

The name of Gerton Bejo is known to just about everyone that belongs to the creative and marketing community in Tirana. When his name is uttered, everyone thinks about his creation, the Vatra Agency, the home of hundreds of projects in the fields of design, marketing and communication. His creative contribution is unique, also because of his work with many industries and companies in various fields and because of his contribution to the visual identity of brands that have not only had longevity, but also continued success in the market. Furthermore, these brands are not just active in the local market, with some of them being also international brands.

The Vatra Agency is located in the Tirana city center, amongst blocks and block of institutions where the urban life of this city thrives. Vatra is the “nest” where Gerton has gathered a talented team of designers, creative professionals and managers. This is where he is active not just as the leader of the agency, but also as an entrepreneur and activist in the industry at large. In addition to establishing and managing a model agency, Gerton has become one of the most recognizable figures in the Albanian marketing and communication sector. He is a very active voice in many publications raising and discussing issues vital to the industry. His ideas contribute and propose alternatives of potential solutions to the challenges of the industry, or new practices that the times and global markets impose on the creative industry at large.

Gerton is not just present with the analyses on the creative industry, consumer behavior, customer access, and technology and management novelties he publishes in various online media or his blog, but he also has a continued influence in the market. Embracing developments at the right moment in these dynamic times requires intuition, and time has shown that Gerton has plenty of it. Lastly, he has also become a renowned person in the region, thanks to his engagement as a trusted voice in prestigious communication and business events, conferences and platforms.