"We wanted to work with the best"

Livio Dainese (left) and Tobias Zehnder (right) tell Werbewoche.ch how "BoB" came about. came.

Advertisingweek.ch: Congratulations on the "virtual big agency". Tell us: How did you get the idea to start the Synergy Project "BoB" to start? 

Livio Dainese: Merci, gäll! There are various ways to expand one's own competencies. We too were faced with the decision of buying an agency or building our own unit. In our opinion, neither is an ideal way. I knew Tobias from various jury meetings, where we realized that we like the same cases - ones with substance, smart thinking and excellently done. So first we had a coffee at the HB and then many coffees, teas and soft drinks. With the management of both companies and the whole team. And so it finally came to "BoB". Cute little guy - isn't he? (laughs)

What can Webrepublic do that Wirz can't - and vice versa?

Dainese: Webrepublic is, in our opinion, the best digital marketing agency in Switzerland. It has constantly developed and evolved, and is just as constantly where the ball is about to go rather than where it is at the moment.

Tobias Zehnder: Wirz's creative expertise is legendary; their campaigns have shaped the Swiss advertising industry for decades. This experience, the quality of craftsmanship and the agency's creative network are unmatched. In addition to the differences, however, what unites us as partners is also important: the conviction that communication must deliver tangible added value for our clients. Reach and awards are great, but what really counts are sales and market share.

How can one imagine the concrete cooperation? Will only customers who explicitly book "BoB" receive the combined offer - or will both agencies proactively offer each other's services in the future?

Zehnder: There are roughly three dimensions to how our clients will benefit. First, we can offer complex mandates together and thus complement each other in the specific project. In this way, we can reduce the complexity of the entire coordination of creation and media and relieve our customers. Secondly, we can provide each other with the necessary competencies in individual mandates without major overhead - like substitutes who already know the new team well. And third, this cooperation brings the two agencies and their teams closer together. We train each other's employees and thus help all our disciplines become more compatible. Even without a specific mandate, our clients will benefit from this mindset and mutual inspiration. We believe that the best communication of the future will not take place in the current silos, but in the spaces in between. In addition, we naturally remain open to continuing to work very constructively in other constellations according to the needs of our clients.

Publicis works with "The Power of One", Farner buys new competencies, Serviceplan unites sub-agencies under one umbrella brand. Is "BoB" simply the logical consequence of the strategic actions of other major Swiss agencies?

Dainese: As already indicated at the beginning, there are many ways to reach the goal. We have observed worldwide that the more or less voluntary integration of other agencies can be difficult. And that building non-core services often ends up in units that neither attract the best talent nor are big enough to build momentum. So came our decision to work directly with the best.

At the end of the article in the Sonntagszeitung, it says that a formal merger of Wirz and Webrepublic is not currently an issue. But you have already thought about it, haven't you?

Dainese: Of course, you think through many scenarios. But it feels right, just as it is now.