A Bernese gets serious
Jürg Brechbühl believes in Bern as a business location. He moved from Zurich to join Contexta as CD.
Jürg Brechbühl believes in Bern as a location. He moved from Zurich to Contexta as a CD, and even as a boy he told the careers advisor that he wanted to become a copywriter. But he was told: "You can't learn that!" Brechbühl should look for something else for his education. "That was just the way it was in the sixties," recalls the new Creative Director at Contexta. Jürg Brechbühl returned to the city of his youth when he joined the management of this agency in Bern. After studying history and geography, he worked here as a secondary school teacher for over twenty years. He taught "everything except singing". And he really enjoyed it. But there comes a point in every profession when you think: "What am I going to do for the next twenty years? Will I reach the point where I can get out before everyone else says it's time to go?"
Teacher Brechbühl not only got out in time, he also caught the right moment to embark on his old childhood dream. "I was very lucky to be able to start as a junior copywriter at Advico Young & Rubicam at an advanced age," he jokes.
During his four years in Gockhausen, the newcomer was able to work on major campaigns for Médecins sans Frontières, Swisscom, the city of Zurich's integration campaign and the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. The concept developer later moved into Spillmann und Felser's new agency on Aemtlerstrasse. "I was lucky enough to work with very good people," he says, looking back on this important time.
However, his quality of life suffered during these years. The daily commute between Bern and Zurich cost Brechbühl many hours of free time. However, something else was even more important for a return to his old home: "The constellation in Bern has slowly become exciting." The Contexta agency is in the interesting final phase of a creative change. And when she was looking for a CD, "it was a moment to consider making the move back to Bern". Even in his Zurich years, Brechbühl continued to feel Bernese. And not without pride: "If all the Bernese who work in advertising in Zurich came together here in Bern, it would make a really hot agency," Brechbühl is convinced.
At Contexta, the late career changer is now working at the top of the creative hierarchy for the first time. The CD enjoys the constant change of tasks: "Within a day, I am given tasks for a wide variety of areas, from banks to newspapers, from consumer goods to political organizations." All of these problems require a different analysis. Then comes the exciting creative process. How can I shape a story out of it, how can I dramatize something?
Stylistically, Brechbühl prefers the more serious topics. He does enjoy watching funny commercials himself. But the CD is convinced that advertising doesn't always have to be about making people laugh. The ones from
He considers the campaign for Médecins sans Frontières, which he previously co-directed, to be "highly creative". The current subjects for the weekly newspaper WOZ are also "different". Intelligent advertising does not have to be elitist. With this approach to advertising, Brechbühl is convinced that he fits in very well with the Contexta team. "There are already people here who can be very funny. That makes for a good mix," he says happily.
Brechbühl is convinced that Contexta has great creative potential. However, it is not yet fully exploited. "Still few Bernese agencies win prizes at the ADC. We need to change that." Contexta is making steady progress, but now clearly wants to take another step forward. To put it bluntly: "It's not enough for us to be able to say that we are the best agency in Bern. We want to compete with Zurich and internationally."
In private, Jürg Brechbühl reveals that he loves political cabaret and once did a lot of theater at school. However, he has no plans to write his own play. In his free time, the "homely family man" prefers to swim in the Aare or go on long hikes. For example, from Pontresina to Lake Como in 16 days. The man from Bern likes to walk at a pace that "allows his soul to follow him". It's "almost meditative and extremely relaxing", he enthuses.
Jürg Brechbühl sees "great creative potential" at Contexta.
Andreas Panzeri
Teacher Brechbühl not only got out in time, he also caught the right moment to embark on his old childhood dream. "I was very lucky to be able to start as a junior copywriter at Advico Young & Rubicam at an advanced age," he jokes.
During his four years in Gockhausen, the newcomer was able to work on major campaigns for Médecins sans Frontières, Swisscom, the city of Zurich's integration campaign and the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. The concept developer later moved into Spillmann und Felser's new agency on Aemtlerstrasse. "I was lucky enough to work with very good people," he says, looking back on this important time.
However, his quality of life suffered during these years. The daily commute between Bern and Zurich cost Brechbühl many hours of free time. However, something else was even more important for a return to his old home: "The constellation in Bern has slowly become exciting." The Contexta agency is in the interesting final phase of a creative change. And when she was looking for a CD, "it was a moment to consider making the move back to Bern". Even in his Zurich years, Brechbühl continued to feel Bernese. And not without pride: "If all the Bernese who work in advertising in Zurich came together here in Bern, it would make a really hot agency," Brechbühl is convinced.
At Contexta, the late career changer is now working at the top of the creative hierarchy for the first time. The CD enjoys the constant change of tasks: "Within a day, I am given tasks for a wide variety of areas, from banks to newspapers, from consumer goods to political organizations." All of these problems require a different analysis. Then comes the exciting creative process. How can I shape a story out of it, how can I dramatize something?
Stylistically, Brechbühl prefers the more serious topics. He does enjoy watching funny commercials himself. But the CD is convinced that advertising doesn't always have to be about making people laugh. The ones from
He considers the campaign for Médecins sans Frontières, which he previously co-directed, to be "highly creative". The current subjects for the weekly newspaper WOZ are also "different". Intelligent advertising does not have to be elitist. With this approach to advertising, Brechbühl is convinced that he fits in very well with the Contexta team. "There are already people here who can be very funny. That makes for a good mix," he says happily.
Brechbühl is convinced that Contexta has great creative potential. However, it is not yet fully exploited. "Still few Bernese agencies win prizes at the ADC. We need to change that." Contexta is making steady progress, but now clearly wants to take another step forward. To put it bluntly: "It's not enough for us to be able to say that we are the best agency in Bern. We want to compete with Zurich and internationally."
In private, Jürg Brechbühl reveals that he loves political cabaret and once did a lot of theater at school. However, he has no plans to write his own play. In his free time, the "homely family man" prefers to swim in the Aare or go on long hikes. For example, from Pontresina to Lake Como in 16 days. The man from Bern likes to walk at a pace that "allows his soul to follow him". It's "almost meditative and extremely relaxing", he enthuses.
Jürg Brechbühl sees "great creative potential" at Contexta.
Andreas Panzeri
