Head of the week: The all-rounder
Ingrid Notter has been Unit Director at TBWA since September and is building up the newly launched PR department together with CEO Andy Hostettler.
"I am an extreme networker. An optimistic person with strong self-confidence and a high degree of initiative," Ingrid Notter is convinced. "I don't avoid decisions and risks. I can define and achieve goals for myself, accomplish a lot, experience stress positively, plan and organize well, and commit myself fully," is also still in the profile of the new head of the PR unit at TBWA.
With all her successes and qualifications, a few friends would therefore have been "quite astonished" that after five years of self-employment with IN Communication, she is moving back to an agency as an employee. However, by bringing her talents and relationships under the umbrella of a "leading agency with ambitions," Ingrid Notter sees her independent nature and work as far from tamed. "When Andy Hostettler offered me the job as Unit Director, he knew exactly what he was getting into. I'll be working just as I did before. But now with the power of an optimally organized agency behind me," explains Notter.
As part of TBWA's strategy with Disruption and Media Arts, staging brands in non-classical ways is becoming increasingly important. And in this context in particular, it is becoming increasingly important that PR and events also come from a single source. TBWA thus completes its communications offering. Ingrid Notter, with her multi-layered experience, sees the opportunity to act as an ideal partner in a large team for all these implementations. "I want to take on tasks that challenge my knowledge, that offer room for maneuver and opportunities for development."
Ingrid Notter entered the media industry via her profession as a druggist. "Consulting in the store means countless contacts and communication with customers every day," she says. But the decisive impulse toward PR came about through the locations of her various jobs. During a seasonal position in Arosa, the druggist got to know a few Canadians better. During a later assignment in the pharmacy at Zurich Airport, she had to "serve the departing passengers every day. In 1985, Notter was also bitten by the travel bug. Why not surprise her friends in Canada with a visit? And as luck would have it, she heard in Vancouver that the World's Fair was taking place there the next year. Notter sensed her opportunity and applied for a job as a hostess. She got the job immediately, after she was able to organize an apartment for the head of the Swiss pavilion on the spot and within two days in close proximity to the exhibition. At the world exhibition, she also discovered her other talent for a career in events and communications. However, things did not continue as quickly as they had started after her return to Switzerland.
Notter worked on various temporary projects, traveled to Sweden for a longer period of time in between, and obtained her innkeeper's license "on the side" after gaining the necessary experience in this industry in Wohlen. "I was a good hostess and could have imagined a path in that direction as well." But an even more ideal combination then opened up for her at Unisys. There, they were looking for a supervisor for the customer center. "I didn't know much about computers yet. But my combination of gastronomy and exhibition was in demand," recalls Notter. The customer center had a lot to do with image cultivation and building up contacts. For three years, Notter "acted as hostess" and organized various events, seminars and external trade shows. The Customer Center was attached to the Marketing Department. In order to be able to have a real say there, Notter also trained as a marketing planner on the side. Later, she also earned a diploma as a PR assistant.
"I realized more and more that the various facets of public relations fascinated me even more than pure marketing," explains Notter. She moved to Public Image as a PR assistant, where she looked after client mandates such as Rhäzünser, for example. In her other positions as a PR assistant, Notter always approached her tasks much more broadly than just classic PR. This versatility finally opened the door to Interact Consulting for her in 1998. In this computer company, Notter worked as a PR, advertising and marketing manager in the extended management team. An important project was the supervision of the 2000 census, for which Interact Consulting not only supplied the technology. Notter was also allowed to design a traveling exhibition on the subject. "It was realized that you can no longer communicate a census only politically. You also have to motivate, and for that you need emotions and stories."
Since the managing director of Interact Consulting also became her life partner, Notter wanted to reorient herself when it came to the separation later. That was
not an ideal time for a change, however. "In the crisis of 2001, 300 or more people applied for a job opening in PR." But that, too, turns out to be a stroke of luck in retrospect. "Why not go into business for herself?" said Andy Hostettler, offering her "office asylum" in the offices of JWT+H+F. She founded IN Communication - and that was the beginning of a collaboration that continues to this day. "Andy became a mentor to me. He beat me to success," reveals Notter.
The first long-term customer at IN Communication became Giusep Fry with his Uto Kulm. Because Notter had successfully co-organized an "Autumn Ball" on the Üetliberg earlier, Fry wanted to make the event a regular offering. Then the "Kino am Berg" was added. IN Communication smoothed the political waters for this project in the first year. In the second season, the sponsorship search, advertising and programming also followed. "The mandate for Uto Kulm was always more than just classic PR. I was able to contribute ideas and pull strings," says Ingrid Notter, describing the broad scope of her corporate communications.
Finally, Ingrid Notter can still bring the experience she gained from her self-employment into her work for the Fachstelle für Selbstständigkeit. Here she offers one-on-one consulting for young entrepreneurs. Notter also contributed to the "marriage" with TBWA the secretariat for the Foundation for Education for Tolerance, the organization and media work for the sculpture art, the 0815-Bars as well as the media office for the Zurich Tango Week. Finally, the passion for Argentine tango is also the most important hobby, where Ingrid Notter finds her favorite relaxation "actively and regularly".
Andreas Panzeri
With all her successes and qualifications, a few friends would therefore have been "quite astonished" that after five years of self-employment with IN Communication, she is moving back to an agency as an employee. However, by bringing her talents and relationships under the umbrella of a "leading agency with ambitions," Ingrid Notter sees her independent nature and work as far from tamed. "When Andy Hostettler offered me the job as Unit Director, he knew exactly what he was getting into. I'll be working just as I did before. But now with the power of an optimally organized agency behind me," explains Notter.
As part of TBWA's strategy with Disruption and Media Arts, staging brands in non-classical ways is becoming increasingly important. And in this context in particular, it is becoming increasingly important that PR and events also come from a single source. TBWA thus completes its communications offering. Ingrid Notter, with her multi-layered experience, sees the opportunity to act as an ideal partner in a large team for all these implementations. "I want to take on tasks that challenge my knowledge, that offer room for maneuver and opportunities for development."
Ingrid Notter entered the media industry via her profession as a druggist. "Consulting in the store means countless contacts and communication with customers every day," she says. But the decisive impulse toward PR came about through the locations of her various jobs. During a seasonal position in Arosa, the druggist got to know a few Canadians better. During a later assignment in the pharmacy at Zurich Airport, she had to "serve the departing passengers every day. In 1985, Notter was also bitten by the travel bug. Why not surprise her friends in Canada with a visit? And as luck would have it, she heard in Vancouver that the World's Fair was taking place there the next year. Notter sensed her opportunity and applied for a job as a hostess. She got the job immediately, after she was able to organize an apartment for the head of the Swiss pavilion on the spot and within two days in close proximity to the exhibition. At the world exhibition, she also discovered her other talent for a career in events and communications. However, things did not continue as quickly as they had started after her return to Switzerland.
Notter worked on various temporary projects, traveled to Sweden for a longer period of time in between, and obtained her innkeeper's license "on the side" after gaining the necessary experience in this industry in Wohlen. "I was a good hostess and could have imagined a path in that direction as well." But an even more ideal combination then opened up for her at Unisys. There, they were looking for a supervisor for the customer center. "I didn't know much about computers yet. But my combination of gastronomy and exhibition was in demand," recalls Notter. The customer center had a lot to do with image cultivation and building up contacts. For three years, Notter "acted as hostess" and organized various events, seminars and external trade shows. The Customer Center was attached to the Marketing Department. In order to be able to have a real say there, Notter also trained as a marketing planner on the side. Later, she also earned a diploma as a PR assistant.
"I realized more and more that the various facets of public relations fascinated me even more than pure marketing," explains Notter. She moved to Public Image as a PR assistant, where she looked after client mandates such as Rhäzünser, for example. In her other positions as a PR assistant, Notter always approached her tasks much more broadly than just classic PR. This versatility finally opened the door to Interact Consulting for her in 1998. In this computer company, Notter worked as a PR, advertising and marketing manager in the extended management team. An important project was the supervision of the 2000 census, for which Interact Consulting not only supplied the technology. Notter was also allowed to design a traveling exhibition on the subject. "It was realized that you can no longer communicate a census only politically. You also have to motivate, and for that you need emotions and stories."
Since the managing director of Interact Consulting also became her life partner, Notter wanted to reorient herself when it came to the separation later. That was
not an ideal time for a change, however. "In the crisis of 2001, 300 or more people applied for a job opening in PR." But that, too, turns out to be a stroke of luck in retrospect. "Why not go into business for herself?" said Andy Hostettler, offering her "office asylum" in the offices of JWT+H+F. She founded IN Communication - and that was the beginning of a collaboration that continues to this day. "Andy became a mentor to me. He beat me to success," reveals Notter.
The first long-term customer at IN Communication became Giusep Fry with his Uto Kulm. Because Notter had successfully co-organized an "Autumn Ball" on the Üetliberg earlier, Fry wanted to make the event a regular offering. Then the "Kino am Berg" was added. IN Communication smoothed the political waters for this project in the first year. In the second season, the sponsorship search, advertising and programming also followed. "The mandate for Uto Kulm was always more than just classic PR. I was able to contribute ideas and pull strings," says Ingrid Notter, describing the broad scope of her corporate communications.
Finally, Ingrid Notter can still bring the experience she gained from her self-employment into her work for the Fachstelle für Selbstständigkeit. Here she offers one-on-one consulting for young entrepreneurs. Notter also contributed to the "marriage" with TBWA the secretariat for the Foundation for Education for Tolerance, the organization and media work for the sculpture art, the 0815-Bars as well as the media office for the Zurich Tango Week. Finally, the passion for Argentine tango is also the most important hobby, where Ingrid Notter finds her favorite relaxation "actively and regularly".
Andreas Panzeri
Attractive references are Notter's customer events for Interoil E&P Switzerland or the "Art & Architecture" for SPG Intercity in Zurich. Regular customers were also Unilever or various organizations from the field of art and gastronomy.
