HUB AHEAD: TANDEM FLIGHTS IN THE STORMY SKIES OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

In the 2000s, advertising was the coolest place for a young person who wanted to do "cool stuff." The mantra was: you either think out of the box or find another job.

It was then that Iva and Milena met at the TBWA Sofia office. Iva already had solid experience with international brands and a burnout to remember. Milena had just stepped onto the advertising rollercoaster as a copywriter – training her out‑of‑the‑box thinking between campaigns for several global giants.

One night, Milena was still in the office, stuck on yet another "out‑of‑the‑box" concept. Iva was also there. They went through the concept together. "This won't do," Iva said. "This idea needs a bigger vision and a strategy. Let's rebuild it properly."

A few years later, Milena and Iva decided to build something of their own.

For ten years now, HUB AHEAD has kept challenging the status quo and communication conventions, with more than 100 successful projects. The core formula has stayed the same: "Creative needs STRATEGY. Strategy needs CREATIVE. Execution needs both." Milena Pavlova and Iva Ivanova share more.

You both are experienced specialists. How do you still manage to bring a fresh perspective to every brand you work with?

The communication industry never stands still. In Bulgaria, it is transitioning from the old model to the new reality. For established companies, it is hard to break the model and adapt fast, while many newer players lack the "old school" backbone and often lean towards replicating trends.

This creates a real need for a meaningful, distinctive brand approach that does not treat trends as a goal, but builds on a strategy that holds all elements together around a clear business objective.

Besides, we are flexible – a small decision‑making hands-on team that scans for real trends, stays close to the clients' challenges and builds solutions on 20+ years of experience from each team member.

Around this core, we have built a strong network of partners we team up with on execution. This gives us flexibility and full‑service capabilities, constantly pulling us out of our comfort zone "of one type projects" and pushing us to upgrade ourselves into better versions of who we are as a team.

Holistic approach is a rule for successful marketing today. What does it look like in practice at HUB AHEAD?

On paper, holistic is a must. In reality, we often see the opposite – fragmented work and one‑off campaigns with no bigger picture.

At HUB AHEAD, our goal is to put that bigger picture together.

Iva always first looks at the brief about the real business problem, and only then for the brief of the specific project. She asks the right questions and believes that truly effective marketing is driven not by isolated campaigns, but by a long‑term vision. She connects all the dots to turn them into a coherent marketing story.

Milena adds the next layer – the image and the narrative. She first looks for the right deep insights, then turns them into ideas that can come in many different forms – from a classic TV spot to transforming school libraries.

But an approach is not "holistic" unless the client is truly part of the picture. This shapes our broader vision: to act as a well‑tuned, multidisciplinary team that stays close to our clients and their real challenges.

Is there such a thing as a truly "boring" brand or business – and how can you help a company move away from that perception?

There are two possible approaches. You can stay on the brief's surface and choose a safe, predictable one‑off creative solution. Or you go in‑depth, ask questions, analyze, reach the core of the issue and find a way to redirect the brand from the field of convention, where everyone looks dull and similar, to its own vision and outstanding character.

In one case, a client wanted a new website to showcase their products in a more attractive way. We turned this initial brief into a project for a completely new brand with a clear image and its own territory to grow in. A website alone cannot solve a fundamental positioning problem.

Many clients initially ask only for digital ads, sponsored content or creative for a single new channel. We often end up developing a broader creative concept for the brand's presence and a campaign strategy with phases and priorities – so there is structure, analysis and consistent behavior.

Our clients appreciate how deeply we step into their situation, with analysis and conceptual thinking.

When we make a proposal, it is a concept that works long‑term against their business challenge.

This December, HUB AHEAD became a finalist at Effie Bulgaria 2025 awards. How do you bridge the gap between the creative that impresses and one that genuinely works?

Becoming an Effie Bulgaria 2025 finalist with Ibuprom Sinus Max is special for HUB AHEAD because pharma is a heavily regulated segment that relies on very conservative communication. The result is a lot of similar messages blending into one another.

Our Ibuprom Sinus Max campaign was built differently – on a clearly defined problem, strong insights and a well‑structured strategy. Our idea was a formula tied to behavior change and brand preference. The results were convincing and recognized by Effie – for us this is not just a one-time success, but a confirmation of our approach.

What has been the most challenging project you have worked on?

Every project is challenging when you refuse to settle for "marketing as usual".

Having a distinctive, meaningful brand vision today is extremely hard.

In a world flooded with information and communication, there is no time and space for conventional solutions.

The brands and companies that understand this are the ones that progress.

The most challenging times are still ahead of us – which also means that the most challenging project has not happened yet. But we are looking forward to it.

About HUB AHEAD company and founders

HUB AHEAD is a Sofia-based brand communication agency that brings together strategy, creative and execution in one senior team, working from the business challenge outwards in cooperation with its clients. Over the past 10 years the team has delivered 100+ projects for consumer, pharma, IT, financial, service and employer brands - from positioning and visual/verbal identity to integrated campaigns and digital ecosystems. HUB AHEAD has been recognised with diverse industry awards, including IPRA (UN Sustainable Development Goals Award), BAPRA Bright Awards, IAB MIXX Awards, a PHNX Adforum shortlist and a 2025 Effie Bulgaria finalist spot in the highly competitive Goods category.

Iva Ivanova is co‑founder, strategy and business lead at HUB AHEAD, with over 20 years of experience in brand and marketing projects for international and local companies. She focuses on uncovering the real business brief behind every request and turning it into clear positioning, long‑term brand platforms and communication architectures that keep campaigns connected, not one‑off.

Milena Pavlova is co‑founder and creative lead at HUB AHEAD, a creative mind with a researcher’s instinct and two decades of experience across multiple segments. She looks for deep insights first and then turns them into ideas and storytelling that can live across formats - from classic TV and digital to experiential and social projects that challenge category conventions.

Sofia, 23 Hristo Belchev St
+359 885 665 911
hi@hubahead.com
www.hubahead.com