The ranking has spoken
The Y&R Group has taken the top spot in the creative rankings. There have been some interesting shifts further down the list. Some of them require further explanation.
For some agencies, the annual ranking by Werbewoche is essential for survival. They want to acquire with it. And many clients can't evaluate creativity themselves. They want to rely on many medals. For other agencies, the ranking is more a matter of prestige. At the top of the podium, it is perhaps a bit more glamorous to work in everyday life. And you play a more important role in industry gossip.
This year, the fact that the Y&R Group has moved up from 4th to 1st place will certainly be a talking point. It should not be forgotten that much of the work was done before CCO Markus Gut joined the company exactly one year ago. The Leica campaign, which also scored international points, was created under CD Urs Schrepfer. Conversely, Markus Gut is still responsible for many points at Publicis. This agency has now slipped from second to fourth place. Jung von Matt/Limmat has risen from 5 to 3. But that would be different if the Mercedes films from Germany had not counted, Markus Ruf reckons. His agency has moved up one place and is now in second place, and the submission of these films would have explicitly led to a new regulation at ADC, Ruf hopes for the coming times of a fairer world.
> Creative Ranking 2008 - Top 10
Well, in pageants, it's often the case that the runner-up earns more money than the actual winner. How this development will play out in the advertising industry will certainly make for many exciting discussions in the coming year. Who will shine with metal and who will also shine in the market?
The large agencies are building up noticeably more. At the same time, a fragmentation can be observed. More and more small specialists are working in grateful niches. Publicis has lost customers, but has also found new and interesting employees to attract new customers. In the "smallest advertising agency", things are getting tight. It is true that Pius Walker has slipped from first place to sixth - exactly the opposite of how things went last year. But a growing team of "young guns" is working at Walker at full speed on newly won budgets.
Advico Young & Rubicam has moved and, at its new location on Hardturmstrasse with four agencies under one roof, is showing unbridled energy for a defense of its newly won top spot. And Markus Gut can report that his crew has already won over a dozen pitches and lost almost none.
Ranking stimulates discussion
Some agencies have decided against the ranking and want to keep the prize money for themselves. "It's nice to have tens of thousands still in the account at the end of the year instead of being invested in worthless tin," says Daniel Matter, who no longer wanted to bid in the scramble for the hard-fought tenth place and didn't co-finance a single competition last year. Newcomer Rod also does not (yet) participate in competitions. Others have threatened the move but have returned to a corrected sporting view that "taking part is more important than winning." It is against this backdrop that the discussion must be viewed as to whether consideration of points is intended to promote a creative elite or more qualitative breadth. Do only the metal awards won by the top count? But aren't the honorary places on the shortlist a sign of quality on an everyday level, when creative compromises are found for "difficult customers".
And actually, the number of employees should also be included in the list, says Markus Ruf. After all, he says, it makes a difference whether an agency with 100 people makes a few hundred points or an agency with a good 20 people makes only a little less.
Epica is no longer counted in the ranking. Although this competition is the only one in which the entrants cannot evaluate themselves, but must present their ideas to a jury of experts consisting of editors-in-chief of the industry magazines. Many film awards such as Edi, Die Klappe and Spotlight should no longer count for the ranking, according to the wishes of a panel of experts made up of top creatives. The quality of these films is already taken into account by the judging in ADC, the leaders believe. Exactly the same could be argued for all other competitions. But if Clio and Cannes remain in, even if these lions - mostly at least - have already won ADC gold, then that again amounts to strengthening the top. And rankings were already meant to award the best in the days of the gladiators. Even if the matter must now be seen more and more in sporting terms.
Andreas Panzeri
This year, the fact that the Y&R Group has moved up from 4th to 1st place will certainly be a talking point. It should not be forgotten that much of the work was done before CCO Markus Gut joined the company exactly one year ago. The Leica campaign, which also scored international points, was created under CD Urs Schrepfer. Conversely, Markus Gut is still responsible for many points at Publicis. This agency has now slipped from second to fourth place. Jung von Matt/Limmat has risen from 5 to 3. But that would be different if the Mercedes films from Germany had not counted, Markus Ruf reckons. His agency has moved up one place and is now in second place, and the submission of these films would have explicitly led to a new regulation at ADC, Ruf hopes for the coming times of a fairer world.
> Creative Ranking 2008 - Top 10
Well, in pageants, it's often the case that the runner-up earns more money than the actual winner. How this development will play out in the advertising industry will certainly make for many exciting discussions in the coming year. Who will shine with metal and who will also shine in the market?
The large agencies are building up noticeably more. At the same time, a fragmentation can be observed. More and more small specialists are working in grateful niches. Publicis has lost customers, but has also found new and interesting employees to attract new customers. In the "smallest advertising agency", things are getting tight. It is true that Pius Walker has slipped from first place to sixth - exactly the opposite of how things went last year. But a growing team of "young guns" is working at Walker at full speed on newly won budgets.
Advico Young & Rubicam has moved and, at its new location on Hardturmstrasse with four agencies under one roof, is showing unbridled energy for a defense of its newly won top spot. And Markus Gut can report that his crew has already won over a dozen pitches and lost almost none.
Ranking stimulates discussion
Some agencies have decided against the ranking and want to keep the prize money for themselves. "It's nice to have tens of thousands still in the account at the end of the year instead of being invested in worthless tin," says Daniel Matter, who no longer wanted to bid in the scramble for the hard-fought tenth place and didn't co-finance a single competition last year. Newcomer Rod also does not (yet) participate in competitions. Others have threatened the move but have returned to a corrected sporting view that "taking part is more important than winning." It is against this backdrop that the discussion must be viewed as to whether consideration of points is intended to promote a creative elite or more qualitative breadth. Do only the metal awards won by the top count? But aren't the honorary places on the shortlist a sign of quality on an everyday level, when creative compromises are found for "difficult customers".
And actually, the number of employees should also be included in the list, says Markus Ruf. After all, he says, it makes a difference whether an agency with 100 people makes a few hundred points or an agency with a good 20 people makes only a little less.
Epica is no longer counted in the ranking. Although this competition is the only one in which the entrants cannot evaluate themselves, but must present their ideas to a jury of experts consisting of editors-in-chief of the industry magazines. Many film awards such as Edi, Die Klappe and Spotlight should no longer count for the ranking, according to the wishes of a panel of experts made up of top creatives. The quality of these films is already taken into account by the judging in ADC, the leaders believe. Exactly the same could be argued for all other competitions. But if Clio and Cannes remain in, even if these lions - mostly at least - have already won ADC gold, then that again amounts to strengthening the top. And rankings were already meant to award the best in the days of the gladiators. Even if the matter must now be seen more and more in sporting terms.
Andreas Panzeri
