Mr. Direct
Jürg Koller prefers to keep things straightforward: Although he knows advertising and marketing like the back of his hand, he has shaped the Swiss direct marketing industry for over 20 years like no one else. Now, Koller is back in business for himself with Koller Direct.
Jürg Koller (60) loves dialog. This applies to teamwork with his five employees just as much as it does to collaboration with his clients. But Koller is especially happy when his customers start talking to their customers - because then his work has achieved its goal.
Koller founded his first direct marketing agency in 1985, which is why he is considered a pioneer of Swiss direct marketing. Whether mailings, TV or radio spots, coupon ads or posters, Koller has mastered the entire repertoire of response instruments. "What fascinates me about direct marketing is that the success of my ideas can be measured immediately," says Koller, explaining his passion for his work. "I get immediate feedback after each campaign as to whether my feel for target groups and my assessment of consumer needs is working well. That's because my client can immediately relate the costs of a marketing measure to its benefits, for example, to the value of the subscriptions gained. And so he and I can see immediately whether the action is worthwhile or not." This is an effect that does not exist in this form with classic advertising.
"Traditional advertising and direct marketing are two worlds," Koller says. "Traditional and direct advertisers think, speak and act very differently." But his extensive experience makes it easy for Koller to switch glasses from time to time and adopt the perspective demanded by the customer in each case. Although Koller's heart is set on dialog marketing and direct consumer feedback, he also enjoys classic advertising. That's why Koller Direct offers general advertising consulting in addition to direct marketing. "The ratio is about 80 to 20," Koller says. "My national clients know me as a direct marketer and come to me because they are looking for dialogue with their consumers. But for companies and institutions here in Baden and the surrounding area, I also develop traditional advertising campaigns." Koller Direct serves an illustrious client base: the Baden agency's direct expertise is currently relied on, for example, by Valiant-Bank Bern, Aargauer Zeitung, Tele magazine, Nivea, Allianz, Blick-Verlag and Ringier magazines. Koller has also implemented direct marketing measures for ZKB, Canon, Galactina, Grand Casino Baden, Hotelplan, TCS and Betti Bossi.
Customers are Koller's kings
"Whether it's traditional advertising or direct marketing, I have a very personal, trusting and almost friendly relationship with my customers," says Koller. "They are my capital. I can talk to them openly and honestly about anything, and that's very important to me." Within Grey Group, he says, his direct marketing consulting has been a specialized part of an integrated service, supported by many shoulders. But most clients don't want a colorful bouquet of options at all. "They'd rather always have the same contact person who's there for all the conversations and works with them to plan their advertising efforts. That's what I can now offer my customers again with Koller Direct."
When Jürg Koller plans a dialog marketing measure, he moves within clearly defined boundaries. This is because his clients usually have a sophisticated CI/CD, a limited budget, and usually already know what kind of dialog they want. Valiant Bank, for example, approached Koller with an order for a mailing. The mailing was intended to generate initial awareness among potential customers so that they would remember the offers when a Valiant advisor subsequently called them. The marketing measure is therefore two-stage. Betti Bossi's approach is different: the "offers at super prices" should generate as much response as possible. "In the briefing, I'm usually given a response rate, i.e. a target for the amount of desired feedback," Koller explains. "'3× free SonntagsBlick,' for example, is simply a door opener so that as many people as possible get in first. And then follow up via telemarketing." Of course, a free offer brings more response right away. However, a final evaluation of success is only possible once it has been established how many subscriptions have actually been taken out.
The fact that Koller is familiar with both classic advertising and dialog marketing is of great importance for the success of his work: because when Koller is commissioned with a direct marketing campaign, there is usually already a classic campaign running that needs to be followed up. His knowledge of both professions then helps Koller to embed the dialog measure optimally in the ongoing advertising. "In the future, online-offline interlinking will have an even greater impact, especially in the B2B sector," Koller is certain. That's why Koller Direct now works closely with the web design specialists at Blue Mouse, who have taken up residence in the Baden agency offices.
Advertising with soul
Born in Berikon, Koller started his career with an apprenticeship as a lithographer. "I realized very quickly that the graphic arts industry was not my world," Koller recalls. "That's why I still went to business school." Koller completed his diploma and degrees as an advertising assistant and marketing planner at a traditional advertising agency in Kilchberg on Lake Zurich. After a stay in London, he joined Sauter & Vogel in Oerlikon as an advertising consultant. Four years later, Koller was asked by Readers Digest if he would like to take over direct marketing for the illustrated books. "It was a challenge for me," Koller recalls, "because this path led away from traditional advertising toward direct marketing." Koller jumped at the chance to learn how direct marketing works from the ground up at Readers Digest, the inventor of direct marketing. That time shaped the rest of his career. "You have to be animated by direct marketing, otherwise you might as well not do it," Koller says. "Direct marketing is a written sales pitch, a clear request to the recipient: 'Please respond.' So as a direct mailer, you need a salesman's mentality and a very keen sense of target groups. Often my customers are surprised which consumers actually buy their products instead of the expected target group. And that, of course, influences the design and wording of a mailing."
In 1980, Koller applied for a job as advertising manager at Ringier and took over responsibility for the publisher's subscription marketing until 1984. "My metier was written subscription advertising for all the magazines that appeared in Switzerland and to some extent in Germany," Koller recalls. "That was a great job; Ringier opened all doors for me." Koller's work at Ringier also brought Otto Birkenmeier to his attention. In the mid-1980s, the advertiser with a small agency on the Zürichberg was looking for a partner who knew direct marketing. The idea: classical advertising and dialog marketing from a single source. The result: Direct Concept. Founded in 1985, the agency is the first in Zurich to offer both classic advertising and direct marketing. Birkenmeier looks after the clients with advertising and marketing orders, Koller the direct clients. "The agency was manageable with ten people, and we all worked very closely together," Koller says. "I acquired exclusively for direct marketing and was able to benefit from my Ringier contacts. It was a very nice time."
From Zurich to Baden
After eight years at Direct Concept and 30 years in Zurich, Koller returned to Baden in 1994, where he lived and felt at home. He rents 500 square meters of office space from Buchdruckerei AG Baden, renovates and redesigns the premises. Koller moved into the agency together with six other creative people: copywriters, graphic designers and Internet specialists. He christened his studio community Creativecenter Baden - and remained true to his hobby of direct marketing. In 2000, the Grey Group Switzerland came on the scene: The agency is well versed in PR and classic advertising, but direct marketing was still missing from its portfolio. Grey selects the experienced direct marketer Koller from among several agencies as a suitable cooperation partner. Koller merges with Grey Switzerland. "The idea was that classical advertising, PR and Internet would be done in Zurich Rüschlikon, exclusively classical advertising in Geneva and direct marketing in Baden," Koller recounts. "Together we were Grey Group Switzerland with about 60 employees."
Two years ago, the Zurich location of the Grey Group was closed, and the Zurich advertisers relocated to Baden. "Even then, it was clear to me that the advertising market was going to change," says Jürg Koller. "It was just as clear to me that I would continue. Because I believe that direct marketing works, and I enjoy this work." Then, at the end of 2008, Grey announced its final withdrawal from German-speaking Switzerland. Since then, Koller has been working independently again at the Baden location as a direct marketer and general advertising consultant. His agency operates under the name Koller Direct - which means that Jürg Koller is once again exactly what he always wanted to be: simply Koller and simply direct.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Koller founded his first direct marketing agency in 1985, which is why he is considered a pioneer of Swiss direct marketing. Whether mailings, TV or radio spots, coupon ads or posters, Koller has mastered the entire repertoire of response instruments. "What fascinates me about direct marketing is that the success of my ideas can be measured immediately," says Koller, explaining his passion for his work. "I get immediate feedback after each campaign as to whether my feel for target groups and my assessment of consumer needs is working well. That's because my client can immediately relate the costs of a marketing measure to its benefits, for example, to the value of the subscriptions gained. And so he and I can see immediately whether the action is worthwhile or not." This is an effect that does not exist in this form with classic advertising.
"Traditional advertising and direct marketing are two worlds," Koller says. "Traditional and direct advertisers think, speak and act very differently." But his extensive experience makes it easy for Koller to switch glasses from time to time and adopt the perspective demanded by the customer in each case. Although Koller's heart is set on dialog marketing and direct consumer feedback, he also enjoys classic advertising. That's why Koller Direct offers general advertising consulting in addition to direct marketing. "The ratio is about 80 to 20," Koller says. "My national clients know me as a direct marketer and come to me because they are looking for dialogue with their consumers. But for companies and institutions here in Baden and the surrounding area, I also develop traditional advertising campaigns." Koller Direct serves an illustrious client base: the Baden agency's direct expertise is currently relied on, for example, by Valiant-Bank Bern, Aargauer Zeitung, Tele magazine, Nivea, Allianz, Blick-Verlag and Ringier magazines. Koller has also implemented direct marketing measures for ZKB, Canon, Galactina, Grand Casino Baden, Hotelplan, TCS and Betti Bossi.
Customers are Koller's kings
"Whether it's traditional advertising or direct marketing, I have a very personal, trusting and almost friendly relationship with my customers," says Koller. "They are my capital. I can talk to them openly and honestly about anything, and that's very important to me." Within Grey Group, he says, his direct marketing consulting has been a specialized part of an integrated service, supported by many shoulders. But most clients don't want a colorful bouquet of options at all. "They'd rather always have the same contact person who's there for all the conversations and works with them to plan their advertising efforts. That's what I can now offer my customers again with Koller Direct."
When Jürg Koller plans a dialog marketing measure, he moves within clearly defined boundaries. This is because his clients usually have a sophisticated CI/CD, a limited budget, and usually already know what kind of dialog they want. Valiant Bank, for example, approached Koller with an order for a mailing. The mailing was intended to generate initial awareness among potential customers so that they would remember the offers when a Valiant advisor subsequently called them. The marketing measure is therefore two-stage. Betti Bossi's approach is different: the "offers at super prices" should generate as much response as possible. "In the briefing, I'm usually given a response rate, i.e. a target for the amount of desired feedback," Koller explains. "'3× free SonntagsBlick,' for example, is simply a door opener so that as many people as possible get in first. And then follow up via telemarketing." Of course, a free offer brings more response right away. However, a final evaluation of success is only possible once it has been established how many subscriptions have actually been taken out.
The fact that Koller is familiar with both classic advertising and dialog marketing is of great importance for the success of his work: because when Koller is commissioned with a direct marketing campaign, there is usually already a classic campaign running that needs to be followed up. His knowledge of both professions then helps Koller to embed the dialog measure optimally in the ongoing advertising. "In the future, online-offline interlinking will have an even greater impact, especially in the B2B sector," Koller is certain. That's why Koller Direct now works closely with the web design specialists at Blue Mouse, who have taken up residence in the Baden agency offices.
Advertising with soul
Born in Berikon, Koller started his career with an apprenticeship as a lithographer. "I realized very quickly that the graphic arts industry was not my world," Koller recalls. "That's why I still went to business school." Koller completed his diploma and degrees as an advertising assistant and marketing planner at a traditional advertising agency in Kilchberg on Lake Zurich. After a stay in London, he joined Sauter & Vogel in Oerlikon as an advertising consultant. Four years later, Koller was asked by Readers Digest if he would like to take over direct marketing for the illustrated books. "It was a challenge for me," Koller recalls, "because this path led away from traditional advertising toward direct marketing." Koller jumped at the chance to learn how direct marketing works from the ground up at Readers Digest, the inventor of direct marketing. That time shaped the rest of his career. "You have to be animated by direct marketing, otherwise you might as well not do it," Koller says. "Direct marketing is a written sales pitch, a clear request to the recipient: 'Please respond.' So as a direct mailer, you need a salesman's mentality and a very keen sense of target groups. Often my customers are surprised which consumers actually buy their products instead of the expected target group. And that, of course, influences the design and wording of a mailing."
In 1980, Koller applied for a job as advertising manager at Ringier and took over responsibility for the publisher's subscription marketing until 1984. "My metier was written subscription advertising for all the magazines that appeared in Switzerland and to some extent in Germany," Koller recalls. "That was a great job; Ringier opened all doors for me." Koller's work at Ringier also brought Otto Birkenmeier to his attention. In the mid-1980s, the advertiser with a small agency on the Zürichberg was looking for a partner who knew direct marketing. The idea: classical advertising and dialog marketing from a single source. The result: Direct Concept. Founded in 1985, the agency is the first in Zurich to offer both classic advertising and direct marketing. Birkenmeier looks after the clients with advertising and marketing orders, Koller the direct clients. "The agency was manageable with ten people, and we all worked very closely together," Koller says. "I acquired exclusively for direct marketing and was able to benefit from my Ringier contacts. It was a very nice time."
From Zurich to Baden
After eight years at Direct Concept and 30 years in Zurich, Koller returned to Baden in 1994, where he lived and felt at home. He rents 500 square meters of office space from Buchdruckerei AG Baden, renovates and redesigns the premises. Koller moved into the agency together with six other creative people: copywriters, graphic designers and Internet specialists. He christened his studio community Creativecenter Baden - and remained true to his hobby of direct marketing. In 2000, the Grey Group Switzerland came on the scene: The agency is well versed in PR and classic advertising, but direct marketing was still missing from its portfolio. Grey selects the experienced direct marketer Koller from among several agencies as a suitable cooperation partner. Koller merges with Grey Switzerland. "The idea was that classical advertising, PR and Internet would be done in Zurich Rüschlikon, exclusively classical advertising in Geneva and direct marketing in Baden," Koller recounts. "Together we were Grey Group Switzerland with about 60 employees."
Two years ago, the Zurich location of the Grey Group was closed, and the Zurich advertisers relocated to Baden. "Even then, it was clear to me that the advertising market was going to change," says Jürg Koller. "It was just as clear to me that I would continue. Because I believe that direct marketing works, and I enjoy this work." Then, at the end of 2008, Grey announced its final withdrawal from German-speaking Switzerland. Since then, Koller has been working independently again at the Baden location as a direct marketer and general advertising consultant. His agency operates under the name Koller Direct - which means that Jürg Koller is once again exactly what he always wanted to be: simply Koller and simply direct.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
