Koperativa is not a single story. It encompasses many stories that we have carefully crafted throughout our 18-year journey as a full-service creative and marketing agency in the Balkan region. However, our existence predates the formalization of our identity with a logo and company name.
VHS, OUR FIRST LOVE
Our love for video began in 1997, when we delved into amateur projects using VHS technology. Back then, we would painstakingly edit our video works with analog tools and jog shuttles, not imaginable in today’s fast paced world of everything-automated.
IN 1997, WE WISHED YOU A HAPPY 2010
Coming of age amidst the prevailing mainstream VHS cassette-culture, the isolation and political repression in Kosovo during the 90s, understandably we were extremely bored, but never to that extent that we would just sit around and do nothing. We felt a deep yearning to reshape the way mainstream cassette shows portrayed our cultural context. We sought to create a public platform that would go beyond mere decoration and truly showcase the creative talents and potential of our community of artists, musicians and creative thinkers. In response to the dominating VHS cassette-culture, we, a group of ambitious twenty-year-olds, embarked on our first VHS project in October 1997, otherwise the month that marked a pivotal moment in transforming Kosovo’s political landscape. This production, titled "Happy 2010” was a full-length parody of the New Year cassette culture that were very popular at the time, and it set the course for our creative lives in the decades to come.
A NEW WAVE IN POST-WAR KOSOVO (2000-2004)
After the war, everything was different. Kosovo changed and so did we.
Though bright and joyful, the post-war era exposed vast gaps in the country’s cultural pillars that needed to be built from scratch. We were up to the task. The post-war euphoria matched with our passion for the arts, gave us access to avenues that were inaccessible before. It was a meaningful time to experience personally and a unique opportunity to grow creatively.
While anchoring to a creative space from which we would thrive, we also left our mark in Kosovo’s newly shaping visual culture. We explored endlessly, challenged ourselves, learned the drill, and never stopped loving art and creativity. Today, home to a dynamic team of creatives from diverse backgrounds, Koperativa is shaping and leading branding and communication campaigns for both local and international clients.
Looking 27 years back at that first VHS video project we so passionately created, we can’t hide the pride that we feel for the journey we’ve gone through. The tremendous work we’ve accomplished, the respect we’ve earned from the community, the collaborations with some of Kosovo's most prominent artists, and the trust we've built with our clients serve as a true catalyst for the journey ahead.
Koperativa is not a single story. It encompasses many stories that we have carefully crafted throughout our 18-year journey as a full-service creative and marketing agency in the Balkan region. However, our existence predates the formalization of our identity with a logo and company name.
VHS, OUR FIRST LOVE
Our love for video began in 1997, when we delved into amateur projects using VHS technology. Back then, we would painstakingly edit our video works with analog tools and jog shuttles, not imaginable in today’s fast paced world of everything-automated.
IN 1997, WE WISHED YOU A HAPPY 2010
Coming of age amidst the prevailing mainstream VHS cassette-culture, the isolation and political repression in Kosovo during the 90s, understandably we were extremely bored, but never to that extent that we would just sit around and do nothing. We felt a deep yearning to reshape the way mainstream cassette shows portrayed our cultural context. We sought to create a public platform that would go beyond mere decoration and truly showcase the creative talents and potential of our community of artists, musicians and creative thinkers. In response to the dominating VHS cassette-culture, we, a group of ambitious twenty-year-olds, embarked on our first VHS project in October 1997, otherwise the month that marked a pivotal moment in transforming Kosovo’s political landscape. This production, titled "Happy 2010” was a full-length parody of the New Year cassette culture that were very popular at the time, and it set the course for our creative lives in the decades to come.
A NEW WAVE IN POST-WAR KOSOVO (2000-2004)
After the war, everything was different. Kosovo changed and so did we.
Though bright and joyful, the post-war era exposed vast gaps in the country’s cultural pillars that needed to be built from scratch. We were up to the task. The post-war euphoria matched with our passion for the arts, gave us access to avenues that were inaccessible before. It was a meaningful time to experience personally and a unique opportunity to grow creatively.
While anchoring to a creative space from which we would thrive, we also left our mark in Kosovo’s newly shaping visual culture. We explored endlessly, challenged ourselves, learned the drill, and never stopped loving art and creativity. Today, home to a dynamic team of creatives from diverse backgrounds, Koperativa is shaping and leading branding and communication campaigns for both local and international clients.
Looking 27 years back at that first VHS video project we so passionately created, we can’t hide the pride that we feel for the journey we’ve gone through. The tremendous work we’ve accomplished, the respect we’ve earned from the community, the collaborations with some of Kosovo's most prominent artists, and the trust we've built with our clients serve as a true catalyst for the journey ahead.
