Head of the week: The International
Urs Schrepfer is the new Executive Creative Director at TBWA Zurich and wants to make the agency a diversified hub for communication.
Urs Schrepfer is the new Executive Creative Director at TBWA Zurich and wants to make the agency a diversified hub for communication.
The international TBWA has "always fascinated" Urs Schrepfer. For him, the agency group is "one of the truly innovative networks" in the world. Urs Schrepfer felt that more of this needed to be visible in Switzerland as well. And it was precisely this task that attracted him to TBWA in Zurich as the new Executive Creative Director. His start at his new employer has already fully confirmed his assessment. Four weeks ago, Schrepfer was allowed to participate in a workshop in Istanbul. At the international meeting, John Hunt, TBWA's international CD, was joined by Jean-Marie Dru, Erik Vervroegen and all the key networkers from Europe. "It was simply a blast. In my 13 years at Advico, I've never experienced such a high level at a seminar," enthuses Schrepfer. For him, it was clear: "Here are indeed the best people at the top." In some networks, he had previously had the feeling that "the worst people were promoted to the top and thus deliberately removed from the operational business.
And what showed up differently in Istanbul and thus at TBWA?
One of the very crucial points for Schrepfer is that TBWA has set itself the goal of becoming one of the ten most creative companies in the world.
"Company - not advertising agency," John Hunt had specified. And in doing so, he referred to role models such as Google or Ebay, where basically anything is possible that creative people can invent. "These are the companies we have to measure ourselves against," Schrepfer has learned. And he is fascinated by this philosophy.
Just like Andy Hostettler, who pursues the same ideals as CEO at TBWA Zurich. "We are no longer just an advertising agency; we want to become a communications hub."
To be able to achieve this, TBWA also wants to build up a pool of talent in Zurich. Architects, artists, thinkers and technicians who seek out and develop new ideas as well as new channels for their dissemination. At TBWA, these communication channels are called "Media Arts.
Schrepfer smiles a bit at these statements about agencies that are now "proudly" reporting their expanded competencies in online. "It's all sweetness and light when digital is now built in. But it's been an absolute necessity for a long time now and certainly not an innovation that needs to be propagated."
And the concrete implementation? In Belgium, for example, TBWA had to communicate that you can now fly faster from Brussels to London. The idea that was developed for this: London is just around the corner. And so it was implemented as "media art": with the help of an architect, TBWA converted a corner pub into a symbolic bar. One part is furnished like a Belgian bistro. The other half was also restyled as an English pub from the outside. The response in the media was very positive. More discreet "media art" for Schrepfer, however, is also an idea from Virgin to run targeted ads for managers on the adult channel of good hotels. Because they found out that managers like to watch the sex channel in the hotel.
Even "in his old age", the first-time Executive CD enjoys looking for and treading new paths every day. Schrepfer has set himself fresh goals once again. "At Advico, I said, 'We have to become one of the four agencies again that are taken very seriously creatively.' That's what we've become. At TBWA, I would take it further and evolve it: We need to become one of the five agencies that breaks new ground. An agency that thinks in new ways."
It is clear to Schrepfer that such an attitude will automatically result in creative prizes. After all, he has already won more than 350 national and international prizes in his career.
Urs Schrepfer got into advertising via his profession as a teacher. At first, he wanted to do something else "just briefly." "Then you saw it in advertising," the curious educator believed. It then took a little longer. In return, Schrepfer has since not only seen it, but gained a comprehensive perspective. His stations were Seiler, Aebi & Partner, GGK - until the copywriter could finally crown his career as CD and Managing Partner at Advico. He worked in Gockhausen for a total of 13 years. In between, he took a detour as managing CD at Jung von Matt.
Urs Schrepfer is also involved in ADC as a board member. There he works for the newly created Young Creatives department. For the upcoming competition in the fall, he is still looking for a sponsor with an exciting brief.
The new ECD at TBWA prefers to inspire and relax while enjoying himself. That can be over fat cigars. But he also enjoys a regular course on "how to prune vines. He doesn't have his own vineyard yet. But Schrepfer is already involved in a friend's wine business.
A hobby that also keeps him going intellectually is his passion for travel. He has already been to Uzbekistan, Libya, Armenia, Syria and Iran. The impressions there "put extremely much of what we do here as advertisers into perspective." Or how can you explain to a Tuareg in the evening in a desert tent what an integrated campaign is? On his next trip, however, the problem does not arise. Schrepfer had to promise his wife that conventional recreation would once again be the order of the day in Greece during the coming vacations.
Andreas Panzeri
The international TBWA has "always fascinated" Urs Schrepfer. For him, the agency group is "one of the truly innovative networks" in the world. Urs Schrepfer felt that more of this needed to be visible in Switzerland as well. And it was precisely this task that attracted him to TBWA in Zurich as the new Executive Creative Director. His start at his new employer has already fully confirmed his assessment. Four weeks ago, Schrepfer was allowed to participate in a workshop in Istanbul. At the international meeting, John Hunt, TBWA's international CD, was joined by Jean-Marie Dru, Erik Vervroegen and all the key networkers from Europe. "It was simply a blast. In my 13 years at Advico, I've never experienced such a high level at a seminar," enthuses Schrepfer. For him, it was clear: "Here are indeed the best people at the top." In some networks, he had previously had the feeling that "the worst people were promoted to the top and thus deliberately removed from the operational business.
And what showed up differently in Istanbul and thus at TBWA?
One of the very crucial points for Schrepfer is that TBWA has set itself the goal of becoming one of the ten most creative companies in the world.
"Company - not advertising agency," John Hunt had specified. And in doing so, he referred to role models such as Google or Ebay, where basically anything is possible that creative people can invent. "These are the companies we have to measure ourselves against," Schrepfer has learned. And he is fascinated by this philosophy.
Just like Andy Hostettler, who pursues the same ideals as CEO at TBWA Zurich. "We are no longer just an advertising agency; we want to become a communications hub."
To be able to achieve this, TBWA also wants to build up a pool of talent in Zurich. Architects, artists, thinkers and technicians who seek out and develop new ideas as well as new channels for their dissemination. At TBWA, these communication channels are called "Media Arts.
Schrepfer smiles a bit at these statements about agencies that are now "proudly" reporting their expanded competencies in online. "It's all sweetness and light when digital is now built in. But it's been an absolute necessity for a long time now and certainly not an innovation that needs to be propagated."
And the concrete implementation? In Belgium, for example, TBWA had to communicate that you can now fly faster from Brussels to London. The idea that was developed for this: London is just around the corner. And so it was implemented as "media art": with the help of an architect, TBWA converted a corner pub into a symbolic bar. One part is furnished like a Belgian bistro. The other half was also restyled as an English pub from the outside. The response in the media was very positive. More discreet "media art" for Schrepfer, however, is also an idea from Virgin to run targeted ads for managers on the adult channel of good hotels. Because they found out that managers like to watch the sex channel in the hotel.
Even "in his old age", the first-time Executive CD enjoys looking for and treading new paths every day. Schrepfer has set himself fresh goals once again. "At Advico, I said, 'We have to become one of the four agencies again that are taken very seriously creatively.' That's what we've become. At TBWA, I would take it further and evolve it: We need to become one of the five agencies that breaks new ground. An agency that thinks in new ways."
It is clear to Schrepfer that such an attitude will automatically result in creative prizes. After all, he has already won more than 350 national and international prizes in his career.
Urs Schrepfer got into advertising via his profession as a teacher. At first, he wanted to do something else "just briefly." "Then you saw it in advertising," the curious educator believed. It then took a little longer. In return, Schrepfer has since not only seen it, but gained a comprehensive perspective. His stations were Seiler, Aebi & Partner, GGK - until the copywriter could finally crown his career as CD and Managing Partner at Advico. He worked in Gockhausen for a total of 13 years. In between, he took a detour as managing CD at Jung von Matt.
Urs Schrepfer is also involved in ADC as a board member. There he works for the newly created Young Creatives department. For the upcoming competition in the fall, he is still looking for a sponsor with an exciting brief.
The new ECD at TBWA prefers to inspire and relax while enjoying himself. That can be over fat cigars. But he also enjoys a regular course on "how to prune vines. He doesn't have his own vineyard yet. But Schrepfer is already involved in a friend's wine business.
A hobby that also keeps him going intellectually is his passion for travel. He has already been to Uzbekistan, Libya, Armenia, Syria and Iran. The impressions there "put extremely much of what we do here as advertisers into perspective." Or how can you explain to a Tuareg in the evening in a desert tent what an integrated campaign is? On his next trip, however, the problem does not arise. Schrepfer had to promise his wife that conventional recreation would once again be the order of the day in Greece during the coming vacations.
Andreas Panzeri
