10 Years of Thjnk Zurich: From Startup to the Big Leagues
What began in 2016 with two people and two laptops is now one of Switzerland’s most renowned creative agencies. Thjnk Zurich looks back on a decade of groundbreaking campaigns—and is planning its next move.
10 Years of Thjnk Zurich: A Decade of Doing
What began in 2016 with two people, two smartphones, and two laptops is now an agency with 48 employees, 18 clients, and four top rankings in the most important industry rankings—including the Art Directors Club Switzerland, Effie Switzerland, Edi.25, and the creative ranking by the trade publication m&k. Thjnk Zurich’s 10-year history is proof that ambition, experience, and continuity pay off.
The Mature Startup
The agency was founded by creative director Alexander Jaggy and consultant Andrea Bison. Jaggy had previously worked for 15 years as creative lead and partner at Jung von Matt/Limmat and was named Advertiser of the Year in 2014. Bison came from Thjnk Hamburg, formerly kempertrautmann, where she served as a senior consultant on the Audi account and, most recently, as CCO. In 2024, she, too, was named Advertiser of the Year. Together, the two founders brought more than 40 years of experience to the table when they launched the agency.
Their vision was clear from the very beginning: no traditional startup romanticism, no trial-and-error approach. «The grown-up startup» was, by their own account, not just an agency motto, but a reality they lived by. In addition to the founders, today’s leadership team includes Chief Strategy Officer Gordon Nemitz, Executive Creative Director Pablo Schencke, Group Account Director Claudia Ziltener, and Creative Director Lukas Amgwerd.
The first location on Werdstrasse—a former coach house where horses used to be shoed—was more than just an office. «Every startup needs that little bit of luck: the right moment, the right market, the right economic climate. We had all of that, and we still don’t take it for granted,» says Alexander Jaggy. Today, the team works on Weberstrasse, in a former paper goods factory in the heart of Zurich—and in a company without doors, as the agency emphasizes. «We don’t have executive offices. Like all our employees, we sit in an open-plan office. The only rooms with doors here are the meeting rooms and the restrooms,» says Jaggy.
A Decade of Impactful Campaigns
Early clients included Bio Suisse with its «Everything Is Connected in Some Way» campaign, Edelweiss with «Been there. Done that,» and Ochsner Sport with the communication platform «Switzerland Is Our Playground,» which was honored by the Art Directors Club Switzerland with the Evergreen Award for strategic and creative continuity.
After the initial phase, additional accounts were added: Sunrise with the slogan «Dream big. Do big» and commercials featuring Roger Federer and Marco Odermatt; Swiss with the global communications platform «Swiss all the way»; Helsana with the «And now?» campaign; Migros with Rowan Atkinson for Chocolat Frey, as well as the town sign campaign that went viral across Switzerland; and Swiss Post with its new brand narrative «Swiss Post makes it possible,» as well as an emotional Christmas commercial in which a grandfather transforms a postal kiosk into an Advent calendar for his granddaughter.
Andrea Bison sums up the agency’s philosophy: «Good work requires trust. And trust takes time. We’re at our best when we can support and shape a brand over the long term. That’s the only way to create platforms that stand the test of time. And in today’s world of intense media fragmentation, that’s more important than ever.»
Next Step: Expanding Our Brand Design
To mark its tenth anniversary, Thjnk Zurich says it is treating itself to a strategic expansion of its brand design offerings. Details are to follow shortly.
More information: www.thjnk.ch
