Oana Mică, Communication Project Manager at AQUA Carpatica: Behind the scenes of communicating a brand built around purity

Interview with Oana Mică, Communication Project Manager at AQUA Carpatica, on her career journey, FMCG communication strategies, leadership, and the role of authenticity in a brand built around purity.

C&B: If we were to trace a narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Oana Mică: Despite my academic background in philology, my first professional experiences were not directly related to the field of communication. I chose to begin my journey in the corporate environment, in well-known companies which, looking back, I realize helped me build a solid work structure as well as a well-trained team spirit. At the time, I didn’t feel aligned with those fields, but the discipline and operating style specific to large corporations shaped me in a positive way that I didn’t fully recognize then.

A first defining moment was when a simple volunteering role in an NGO turned into a part-time position. It was a confirmation that the involvement and passion I was investing during that period, driven by my desire to professionally transition into communication and marketing, were starting to pay off. That moment marked the beginning of an intense period of rapid changes, in which I felt I was gaining real momentum in terms of opportunities and experiences.

The second decisive moment in my professional journey was meeting Valentina Vesler. I believe I am among the few fortunate people who can honestly say that life has brought them a mentor. To have someone with the wisdom to truly “see” you — in that deeper sense that distinguishes a leader from a mentor — has been and remains an extraordinary privilege. Our collaboration became a constant learning space, where I was encouraged to develop my strategic thinking, autonomy, and confidence in my own decisions, which is why I owe a large part of my growth over the past two years at AQUA Carpatica to her.

At present, I feel that my entire journey has created a natural convergence, where my experiences and inner resources have found a professional space in which I truly belong.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far and how did you overcome it?

Oana Mică: It wasn’t a single moment, but rather a period in which multiple demands and challenges overlapped over a longer time. It happened right when I was promoted to the role of Project Manager, and coincidentally, during those months, we were managing three campaigns simultaneously — two already in the amplification phase and a new one that required full team mobilization.

It was an intense context in which I had to quickly develop my prioritization skills, make decisions at an accelerated pace, and maintain an overview of all projects. Looking back, it was one of those moments that, although difficult, significantly accelerate the learning process and help you build confidence in your own decisions. I can say it was a true “baptism” in resource and time management.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Oana Mică: I wouldn’t say I’ve been guided by a specific dream. Rather, it’s about a very strong inner drive for self-improvement and a dose — now more balanced — of perfectionism. Regardless of the environment or context I’ve been in, I’ve consistently had this inner drive to do things as well as possible and to deliver something beyond expectations. I’m the type of person who always finds room for improvement, even when things are already working well.

Naturally, this ambition filtered out for me the contexts where I couldn’t find myself, while also bringing me closer to people who resonated with and appreciated this trait — a journey that ultimately led me to AQUA Carpatica.

I can say that one of the great advantages AQUA Carpatica offers me daily is this environment where I collaborate with top professionals, passionate people who inevitably train you into a constant desire to do things better, more beautifully. It is one of the satisfactions I take home at the end of each day and that gives me the energy needed during more challenging periods.

C&B: How did your journey in communication begin and what attracted you to project management in this field?

Oana Mică: As I mentioned, my journey was not linear. I would rather describe it as circular. I started as a Literature graduate in the corporate environment and completely different fields, only to later return to the same academic space in a process of rediscovery that opened new opportunities and gradually guided me to where I am today.

In communication, there are different types of professionals — some highly creative, who thrive in contexts where they can express themselves freely, and others with a more analytical structure. I lean more toward the latter category, and project management in communication became a natural step, where my analytical side and orientation toward structure met the creative dimension of the field.

What recommended me was not only my analytical nature, but also my abstract thinking, which comes with a strong sense of discernment. When ten ideas seem equally attractive or when multiple projects are all “urgent,” you need a level of rationality that helps you prioritize and structure your direction effectively.

It is a continuously evolving journey, and even now I feel I am constantly developing. No partnership and no project is the same, which means the challenges are always new and each brief is different.

C&B: If we spoke to your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Oana Mică: I believe they would say that I show a lot of involvement in day-to-day tasks and that, regardless of how small a task is, I find the resources to offer guidance or support in bringing it to the highest possible level, both in terms of efficiency and quality.

I am still trying to find a balance between the principle “don’t fix it if it’s not broken” and my natural tendency to always look for improvement. One possible criticism would be that sometimes I may insist too much on details or optimization, even when things are already working well. However, this is something I constantly work on, trying to better calibrate when intervention is necessary and when it is more efficient to let things follow their natural course.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Oana Mică: To leave those contexts where I knew, at a deep level, that I wouldn’t be able to grow, despite any fears or uncertainties. It was not an easy decision, especially at the beginning of my transition process, but looking back, it confirms that having the courage to end a context that doesn’t suit you at the right time actually means saving time and resources — both for yourself and for others involved.

I have never resonated with the idea of staying in a role just to “look good” on a CV or to tick a certain length of experience. There are contexts and contexts, and the real difference lies not in years, but in the type of experiences lived and the pace of learning. For me, a few years of exposure to diverse, dynamic, and challenging projects have mattered more than longer periods in which the work would have been predominantly repetitive.

C&B: How would you describe your current role within the AQUA Carpatica team and the impact you have on the communication strategy?

Oana Mică: My role translates into direct involvement in coordinating and implementing communication activities, with a focus on message coherence and alignment with the already defined brand strategy. Essentially, I ensure that the agreed communication ideas and directions from our collaborations are translated into clear, consistent, and relevant executions for both our audience and the brand’s objectives, so that all amplifications logically and coherently derive from the key message.

My impact is felt both at a macro level, through contributing to coherent, well-guided communication — the result of the entire team’s effort — and at a more granular level within specific projects that allow for a higher degree of involvement and development, where I can contribute to raising execution standards and exploring more complex directions.

C&B: What are the main pillars of a communication strategy for an FMCG brand like AQUA Carpatica?

Oana Mică: Beyond the communication pillars, which are evident in all our activity, I would rather talk about principles. AQUA Carpatica is a relevant case study for any marketing and branding professional. We are talking about an FMCG brand positioned at the base of the consumption pyramid, yet placed in the premium segment within a market of long-established players. It has had strong growth built on differentiation and the courage to break patterns.

A first principle is message consistency — in a brand built around the idea of purity, every touchpoint must reflect this value without deviations or compromises. Purity leaves no room for error; it is a non-negotiable core value. Careful selection of partnerships and association contexts is also important, so they support the brand’s values and contribute to strengthening its premium positioning.

The second is authentic differentiation. In a crowded category, it is essential to clearly communicate what makes you distinct, not only at the product level but also in terms of perception and positioning. AQUA started with a clear differentiator — its extremely low, undetectable nitrate levels. Today, this direction has matured, and our campaigns increasingly include socially relevant messages reflecting consumers’ real needs, concerns, and frustrations. “Mislabeling” or “Choose Informed!” are expressions of this belief.

A third important principle is consistency in execution and channel adaptability. Communication must be unified yet flexible enough to adapt to different contexts and audiences without losing its core identity.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now and which moments bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Oana Mică: My days vary depending on the priorities of the period. There are days when I attend various partner events, others when my focus is on organizing and coordinating campaign amplification, and also days when most of my work revolves around implementing routine, day-to-day partnerships.

The greatest satisfactions, perhaps unexpectedly, come from small, everyday acknowledgments — moments when things work exactly as planned or when I receive positive feedback, whether from the team or partners. These are the confirmations that show you are on the right path and give meaning to the effort you put in every day.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do and how do you apply them daily?

Oana Mică: First of all, I would mention that spirit of perfectionism — or rather ambition for more — which I also referred to earlier. I believe this is one of my main internal drivers, motivating me to push my limits and consistently maintain a high standard of quality in what I do.

Difficult projects excite me for this very reason, and I often perceive busy periods as a challenge and as a race in which I am, in fact, competing with myself. Over time, I have learned not to rely predominantly on external validation, as much of the satisfaction from work comes from the internal process and the progress I observe over time.

In addition, I would say I have a set of ethical principles I do not compromise on, along with an internal discernment that I have also found in the ethos of the AQUA Carpatica brand. When you talk about “purity,” it is essential to maintain coherence between the messages conveyed and the decisions made. In daily activity, especially in the context of a premium brand with such a core value, this principle helps me signal and avoid potential discrepancies between proposed directions and specific executions. There is a certain red line up to which the brand can transform and adapt in collaborations or associations without diluting its identity and values.

Another aspect I would mention is my belief in a holistic vision of the entire activity. I like to understand not just the execution of a task or a campaign, but the entire context in which it is integrated — from aesthetics, creation, and strategy, to how messages are adapted and delivered.

Often, for example, I sit with colleagues from the design department out of curiosity to understand their perspective and how they visually translate a message. I strongly believe that a liaison-type role such as Project Management, positioned between strategy and implementation, requires a diverse set of knowledge and understanding in order to make well-grounded decisions and maintain coherence between idea, execution, and impact.

C&B: What has been one of the most challenging campaigns you’ve worked on and what did you learn from that experience?

Oana Mică: I believe one of the most challenging campaigns was “Choose Informed!”, carried out last spring, as it was a blitz campaign with an extremely tight timeline. The strategic directions were already outlined at the management and agency level, but the decision to implement came unexpectedly, which required rapid mobilization of all internal resources.

There were multiple brainstorming sessions with many promising ideas, but the limited time forced us to be extremely selective. Some directions were very ambitious, others less realistic given the context, so it became an exercise in clarity and prioritization for all of us.

We had to filter quickly, make clear decisions, and focus on directions that could be efficiently implemented without compromising the message or execution quality. From this experience, I learned how important it is to find the balance between creativity and feasibility.

C&B: What projects or initiatives are you looking to develop in the near future?

Oana Mică: Recently, I mentored a group of students doing their internship within the company for about three weeks. It was a very valuable experience for me, especially because I had the freedom to structure a mini learning program through which I could offer them a practical perspective on the various facets of communication work.

I tried to provide them with as diverse an exposure as possible — from strategy and the logic behind our decisions to the day-to-day implementation of messages — so they could better understand the real dynamics of a role in this field. At the same time, I connected them with various partners so they could also see the external perspective on projects, as well as with different internal departments — from design and legal to our colleagues in the lab.

Going forward, I would like to continue such initiatives and develop them in a more structured direction. In today’s AI-driven landscape, which puts pressure on tomorrow’s juniors and future seniors alike, I believe it is extremely important to support their first steps in their development. Young people should not feel redundant just because they are young and lack experience.

Oana Mică’s story highlights how discipline, adaptability, and strategic thinking can shape a strong career in communication. In a competitive FMCG landscape, consistency, authentic differentiation, and the courage to make bold decisions are essential for building a relevant and sustainable brand.