Agency check: Home Zurich
Agency dog? Maternity leave? Overtime? Working from home? In our «Agency Check» section, we put Swiss agencies through their paces. This time, the focus is on our home base, Zurich.
- Address: Stauffacherstrasse 101, Zurich
- Date of foundation: April 1, 2016
- Founders: Nico Ammann, Simon Rehsche, Matthias von Bechtolsheim
- Chefs: Simon Rehsche, Nico Ammann, Lukas von Wartburg, Leander Schmalfuss
- Number of employees: 16
- Current clients: Bank Cler, Gazenergie (Swiss Gas Industry Association), FDP. Die Liberalen, Jungfreisinnige, Wingo, Zur Rose
- Home-zuerich.com
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
On the Kieser Training campaign "Read Upright", because it simply combines brand attitude and technology and also addresses a real problem of our time. We are no less proud of the Gazenergie (formerly Natural Gas) brand launch because it is an enormously comprehensive campaign and our involvement ranges from brand strategy to corporate identity design to content creation.
The most important campaign in agency history to date?
"Time to talk about money" for Bank Cler. We created a disruptive and relevant brand platform for Bank Cler and positioned it conspicuously in the market with a nationwide campaign. Furthermore, the daily, close collaboration with Bank Cler to this day is characterized by enormous energy, constructiveness and tremendous courage.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
Your own office desk. If you have good ideas at your office desk, you're sure to have even better ones in the shower or while reverse stand-up paddling.
What is your agency philosophy?
People need a home. We turn brands into home. In addition, we always keep the Heimat Group's credo in mind: Good advertising is clever, unexpected and touching.
The entrance door at home Zurich
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because our agency is young enough to be open to anything new. And it's experienced enough to turn a good idea into reality.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Our youngest is 21, our oldest 52.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Think differently.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Our wages are above the industry average.
Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
We do not openly communicate wages; we leave that decision to each employee.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
The industry is changing. The days when the lights stayed on longer in advertising agencies than in whorehouses are over. On average, we don't work overtime. Some days we work significantly longer than eight hours, and others significantly less. Good communication is valuable and has its price - an agency should function in a businesslike manner - without overtime - and thus strive for the de facto reduction of hourly wages.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
Overtime is, of course, fully compensated. We have also rewarded employees who have worked on particularly demanding campaigns with spa vouchers, paid wellness weekends or high-proof alcohol.
How long do you give maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
We found the one day of paternity leave by law too little, so we have increased paternity leave to one week. We give maternity leave according to the current legal situation.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Yes, but it always depends on the function and the circumstances, so we assess this together with each employee and for each job individually. One of our employees lives in Badi Enge - we are always a bit skeptical about him wanting to work from home.
What is the current quota of women?
Our gender ratio is 50/50.
Do you employ interns?
Yes. We think it's important that we not only give interns the chance to get a taste of "advertising air," but that if they prove to be very talented and motivated, we can also offer them a place at the agency after their internship.
Do you organize team events?
Regular. This year, among other things, we had the pleasure of combining our summer party with the 20th anniversary of "Heimat in Berlin".
The summer festival of Heimat Zürich and Heimat Berlin at the Badeschiff in Berlin.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Where the beer is. In the agency, in the "Xenix", in the bank and sometimes also in the cult kiosk Treffpoint directly opposite.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Our "charming" hanging plant named Kevin.
