"The victory strengthens our presence in the market"

m&k: Philipp Skrabal, congratulations on your first place in the 2024 creative ranking. Over the last few years, Team Farner has climbed the rankings step by step and is now in first place with a considerable lead over the other agencies. What has led to this success? Are you pursuing a "new" award strategy?

Philipp Skrabal: We do not have an award strategy. We focus on our clients' challenges and use all of our skills to meet them. This results in good work with relevance. Some are ideal for awards, others less so. The awards are therefore more a result than a goal. Nevertheless, the ranking is important to us. From 10, to 8, to 4, to 3, to 1 - that looks good as a chart. I think that we are getting better and better is mainly due to the fact that we don't usually develop our ideas in traditional AD copywriting teams, but in a much more interdisciplinary way. Our technology and PR professionals have always been involved in our most successful work. AI plays a central role in two of the three most award-winning pieces of work. Technology inspires us and creates new space. Earned media has also become increasingly important in recent years. What CMO doesn't enjoy editorial reach that doesn't have to be bought? This is precisely why we consider this lever from the outset.

AI plays a central role in two of the three most awarded works. Technology inspires us and creates new space.

Give us an insight into the creative cuisine of Team Farner: What is the recipe for success behind the big winning campaigns such as for Greenpeace, Islam Alijaj and Arosa Tourism?

Our recipe for success could go something like this: "Stay curious - think simply but big - have the courage to try new things." For Islam Alijaj's election campaign, we have developed an avatar that sounds exactly like Islam but speaks without a speech impediment. Voters should vote for him for his views and ideas. For Greenpeace, the aim was to generate donations for the creation of international nature reserves in the oceans. The idea of the campaign is based on the insight that the oxygen for every second breath comes from the oceans. The film, which won a Cannes Lion among others, plays with an acoustic idea: the rhythmic breathing of people strung together results in the rhythmic sound of the sea at the end of the film. And for Arosa Tourism, Yoveo has realized the first crowd-generated AI campaign in Switzerland. The target group created almost 50,000 vacation dream images.

How does Farner want to use the momentum of the creative ranking victory?

Of course, we will celebrate and enjoy the result. But it is also an important confirmation of the path we have taken - a course that we will continue to pursue consistently. And of course, first place also gives us more visibility as a creative agency and strengthens our presence in the market. This in turn attracts talent and new clients.

For you personally, this is already your 5th time in first place. What is special about this time?

That's right, once with Team Farner, three times with Advico Young & Rubicam and once with Publicis. What is special for me is the fact that we worked intensively on Team Farner for ten years. The seventy-strong PR agency has become a creative agency group that is at home in all disciplines of communication.

What touched you most in 2024 in relation to your work?

Certainly the encounter with Islam Alijaj, one of the most humorous people I know. His story is impressive and shows how much there is still to do for real inclusion. Incidentally, he was delighted with all the awards and even attended the ADC and Effie award ceremonies. With his charm, he had the audience in his pocket in no time.

Team Farner is not only successful in terms of creative rankings at the moment - as Head of Creative, you have also been nominated for the title of "Advertiser of the Year" 2025. A lucky coincidence or a logical consequence?

I don't know to what extent our performance in the creative ranking played a role for the jury. But it certainly didn't hurt. I could imagine that our dealings with AI were also a factor. Or perhaps the fact that, as an ADC board member and vice president, I have been committed to promoting young talent in the industry for 15 years. In any case, I am very grateful for the recognition.

The interview first appeared in the m&k print edition 1-2/2025.