101 Questions for Frank Bodin
Since the end of May, he has not only been CEO of Havas Worldwide Switzerland, but also the country’s «top creative.» *Werbewoche* spoke with the new ADC president about cars, music, and money—and about advertising.
Frank Bodin, you are often referred to in the media as a "star advertiser. What percentage of the time does this label bother you, and what percentage of the time does it flatter you?
Exactly 40:60. I can do without the four letters of "Star" coined by the Yellow press. The six letters of "Werber" are enough.
2. how do you introduce yourself to people you don't know?
I say, "Frank Bodin. I work at the advertising and communications agency Havas Worldwide."
3. can you do this in Turkish? After all, your partner has Turkish roots.
Hayır, which means no in Turkish. My knowledge of Turkish is limited to a "children's Turkish ". Since our daughter grows up bilingual, I know such unnecessary words like stork (leylek) or bee (arı).
4. you were in Hawaii a few months ago: what were you looking for there?
Above all, time for Emel, our daughter Ayleen and myself. And the greatest possible distance at Christmas from Switzerland. We took a month's vacation and traveled around L.A., Maui and Oahu.
5. can you surf now?
No, I didn't do that to myself right from the start. I didn't want to learn anything, I didn't want to do anything extraordinary, I just wanted to spend some good time with my family and enjoy nature.
6. what qualities make you a good advertiser?
Curiosity, interest in people and in different industries, versatility, analytical thinking. And I have a basic need to move things and - with the means of creativity - to change things for the better.
7. which cliché about advertisers can you not stand?
That of the party-partying, big-earning, drug-using advertiser.
8. what brings you on the palm of your hand?
Disrespect and silence. And I can't stand it when employees of ours are treated unfairly.
9. what brings you back down from there?
That I address the grievance directly.
10. when is there a bad mood in your agency?
If we lose a customer or are unsuccessful in a new business deal.
11. what are you doing about it as an agency head?
In such moments, it is my job to motivate again and provide orientation. Despite all the short-term ups and downs, it is important to keep an eye on the longer-term goals.
12. what do you like about the swiss advertising scene?
Some extraordinary personalities. I came into this industry as a career changer because there were quite a few exciting personalities in advertising: Jean-Etienne Aeby, Reinhold Weber, Martin Denecke and others.
13: What annoys you about the local advertising industry?
When communication is seen only as a cost factor and not as an investment. And when creativity thus degenerates into a commodity and the people who put their brains and heart and soul into it are treated unfairly and disrespectfully.
14. what makes you laugh?
A good joke.
15. do you have one in stock right now?
Why don't you make me laugh with a new joke?
16. a new joke? I'm afraid I can't help you there. Let's turn it around: What makes you cry?
If my children have a serious problem.
17. an advertising idea that you would have liked to come up with yourself?
There are many. But just this: I have great respect for good competition, it raises the overall level.
18. a campaign that you have noticed negatively lately?
There are some there, too. But I'd rather talk about good advertising than bad.
What is the difference between good and bad advertising?
Good advertising pleases more people than bad advertising. And is therefore more effective.
20. what would you never advertise?
Havas Worldwide Switzerland does not advertise things that degrade or hurt people or sell them for stupid. Otherwise, we are open to most services and products. I am against advertising bans. Everything that is legally available must also be able to be legally advertised. Although Havas does not advertise tobacco: as long as the sale of cigarettes is not against the law, advertising for them must also be allowed. A ban would lead to distortions of competition.
21. what interests you about advertising?
The chance to use ideas to move a company forward is absolutely fascinating. It's also an incredible privilege to have different stages and to be able to reach people. That's why I approach every task with awe.
22. which professional colleague would you take with you to a desert island?
None at all, I would first take my partner and my children with me. Apart from the romantic and emotional aspects, there is also a practical reason for this: there will probably be no advertising on the desert island. And I can handle the bit of direct advertising in the form of a message in a bottle all by myself.
23. your favorite agency - besides your own?
BBH. Because it consistently produces intelligent campaigns of the highest standard over a long period of time.
What is the most appropriate word to describe your life?
Not with a word, but perhaps with a musical sequence of notes.
25. major or minor?
Serial.
26. your first meeting with the Internet?
I remember my first computer very well: It was an IBM PC 2 with a 9-pin printer. I used it to print out my law seminar papers overnight - and of course I couldn't sleep over the noise. But my first surfing experiences on the Internet? For the life of me, I can't remember.
27. what can you cook best?
Spaghetti Bodin, by the way, there's in the restaurant Napoli.
28. how do you feel when you walk down a red carpet?
Even though they might not give it to me: I feel insecure on the red carpet. I feel more confident on the industrial floor at our agency.
29. which subject would you most like to teach?
I have many requests for presentations, also from colleges and universities, especially on advertising, creativity, social media. At the moment, however, I often question the content that is being taught. There is a lot of parroting, and some of the marketing could turn out to be a mistake.
30. what would you study, would you be 19 again?
Exactly the same: Music and law. That was true at that time.
31: What would have become of the law student Bodin? Defense lawyer, prosecutor or judge?
Defense attorney. Instead of "star" recruiter, to come back to your first question, a real "star" lawyer, as known from U.S. movies.
32. good advice you will never give your children?
If I ever have good advice - and there isn't much of that - I pass it on.
33. what did you learn from your father?
My father gave me an interest in the world and other cultures. He was a fugitive from the Nazis, ended up in Cuba and had to leave that country again when Castro came to power. He found his way to Switzerland via the USA. His story has certainly left its mark on me.
34. what do you read first thing in the morning?
I have switched back to daily newspapers from the iPad versions and read the corresponding papers, mostly the NZZ and the Tages-Anzeiger.
35: Why the switch back to print?
I consume most content digitally as an iPad version - magazines and specialist media, for example. For me, however, daily news is better suited to the print version. A panorama page filled with news has a different value in print than in online. When I only read online, I realized at some point that I no longer read with the same frequency or depth.
36. a book you wish you had written?
Many. "Elephants in Space" by Ben Moore, for example, a book in which an astrophysicist explains the universe to laymen. I'm reading it a second time right now.
37. which as yet unwritten book would you like to read someday?
If I knew, I would write it!
38. what do you sing when you are alone in the car?
I don't sing in the car or in the shower. However, I have the tic that I sometimes hum along softly when playing the piano.
How many keys does a Steinway concert grand have? 88.
40. a song that makes you switch when it comes on the radio?
I don't know, because I switch over. For example, when Xavier Naidoo is played.
41. Are you sometimes sad that you are now an advertiser and not a pianist?
Not at all. Many people have a romanticized idea of being a musician. It's a tough profession like any other.
42. what song should play at your funeral?
A difficult decision. Nessun dorma from Mozart's Requiem could be it. Or "3'14''" by John Cage, a piece for piano solo that consists only of pauses. Absolute silence, that is. Or a piece that I will still write myself.
43. What song should have been played when you were born?
The Creation by Joseph Haydn?
44. what can you not do without?
To love.
45. what can you spend an unreasonable amount of money on without a guilty conscience?
For my children, for example, their education.
46. how many pairs of shoes may a woman own?
Unlimited. Fortunately, I have a partner to whom this does not matter. Quite the contrary. Rather, I have to encourage her to buy an extra pair.
47. why drive You Porsche?
Especially because of the design. Even children respond to the shape of a Porsche. Maybe it's something childlike in me? But I also like driving my Peugeot 4007 or the train just as much.
48. Have you briefly considered growing a beard? It's in fashion now.
No, short-term fashions never interested me. I remain true to myself and therefore have a constant style. This includes that I do not shave every day and like to wear 3,4,5-day beards.
49. what would you never wear?
Something I don't feel comfortable with. What exactly, I can't say right now....
50. What were you afraid of as a child? From dogs.
51. no longer today?
No.
52. what are you afraid of as an advertiser?
Of the great advertising personalities of the past, only a few have managed to remain consistently among the best over a long period of time. Aging gracefully as an advertiser is difficult. I'm afraid of that.
53. An advertising promise that you can no longer hear?
"We are different."
54. is there a good pickup line?
Tell me! I have neither a stamp collection nor standard sayings in stock. Both privately and professionally, I want to be new and authentic according to the situation.
55. your favorite adjectives?
I try to use adjectives as sparingly as possible. That's what makes a good text.
56. a buzzword that gets on your nerves?
For example, the word "integration", which is used and abused at every opportunity.
57. your favorite swear word?
Shit.
58. your favorite feeling?
"Happiness" would be too simple, because too general. I say: intimate familiarity.
59. how many hours do you sleep on average?
I need six hours and make sure I have them.
60. how many coffees do you drink a day?
One, maximum.
61. Would you let your children be photographed for advertising?
No. Unless the wish came from them.
62. do you miss the euro star in the Havas logo?
Yes, the star was a good symbol and has grown on not only us but also our customers. I would have continued the star in combination with the new name Havas to have some continuity in the branding.
63: When you took over the operational business of Havas Worldwide Vienna, you laid off a lot of people. What was going on inside you?
One of the best things about being in charge of an agency is creating good jobs. I'm particularly proud of that. Having to cut jobs, on the other hand, is the worst thing. That puts a lot of strain on me, and I have sleepless nights.
64 Wienerschnitzel or Züri-Gschnetzeltes?
Dear 6 oysters, Fines de Claire No. 3.
65. What do your children say about their father raising awareness about STDs for the Love Life campaign?
As far as I can tell, my kids are proud of what I do and find this a particularly meaningful campaign.
66. The claim of the new campaign is: "Say it however you want, but say it..." What do you find difficult to talk about?
In certain situations, I find it difficult to talk about feelings.
Your life partner says you are an "alpha dog. When can you hand over the reins?
I like to have something in my hand, even more than the scepter a conductor's baton. I don't want to and can't bend. I am me, an alpha and not a beta.
68 You say you have two souls in your chest: a creative and a rational or entrepreneurial one. How should we imagine living together: a peaceful coexistence or a struggle?
It's like vinegar and oil. Mixed correctly, they make a good salad dressing. It gets difficult when you have to make particularly rational, entrepreneurial decisions, as in Vienna.
69. In 2009, you were named Advertiser of the Year. Does that seem like just yesterday or an eternity since then?
That seems like it was pretty much four years ago.
70. Every morning you look for a creative leitmotif (Creative Imperatives). What if you can't think of anything?
For this case, I have worked ahead. On creative days I come up with a whole series, on others nothing comes to mind for the life of me. The important thing is to keep at it in a disciplined, continuous way. I learned that from practicing the piano every day.
71. I will read you five imperatives and ask you one question each: "In order to overcome your limits, you have to know them first." What are your limits and how have you overcome them?
I certainly won't expound my limitations here. But here is an anecdote: When I was still a professional pianist, a friend asked me this very question. It was one of the reasons why I questioned my musical career. I certainly played the piano above average. But I recognized my limits in this discipline and decided: I cannot be happy as a soloist.
72. "No chaos, no creation." How much chaos is there in your home?
Quite a lot. However, I am not solely responsible for that.
73 "Make rules. Then break them." Which rules have you broken?
Once you're gone, I'll come up with some good ideas.
74. "Surprise yourself." When was the last time you succeeded in doing this?
When I accepted the mandate in Vienna. The decision was against reason. It was all about the challenge, although I already had more than enough of that otherwise.
75. "If you really want to succeed: Have no plan B." How do you yourself feel about this rule?
I communicated this rule again just now: For budget planning, our network wanted an alternative plan. I said, "I don't do a plan B, I believe in our plan A."
76. business only or private?
I don't make a difference - and I've never done badly with it.
77. Do you sometimes doubt the meaningfulness of your profession?
At most, I have doubts about the meaningfulness of processes. I don't doubt for a moment the profession itself and the activity of creating good communication.
What do advertising and art have in common?
That they sometimes use the same means. Otherwise, there is a big difference: In art, the artist writes the briefing himself. He is his own client.
79. what do you tell people who think advertising is stupid?
That this is their right. Only I would like to do everything so that people do not find advertising stupid.
80. what must advertising never do?
Boring, harassing, deceiving, hurting feelings, taking people for fools.
81. Does advertising have to be majority-driven?
Not in general. Only with the people it wants to reach.
82. where does advertising have no place?
When it comes to things that are harmful to people and society.
Does your mailbox pile up with advertising or do you also have a please-don't-advertise sticker on it?
I don't have a sticker on it. I had a sticker for a while "Only good advertising please".
84. Have you ever been happy about not winning a pitch?
If you don't ask me which one, then yes. There have also been pitches where it later turned out that the general conditions were not right. But in general, when we pitch, we want to win. Saying afterwards, "Luckily we didn't win," doesn't count.
85. the silliest job you have ever held?
Road marker as a student. For example, painting the median strip on the highway. That wasn't particularly demanding. I was then summarily dismissed because I threw a bucket of paint at a work colleague.
86. why?
He had made Nazi statements. My nerves got the better of me. Something I am still proud of today.
87. your most surreal experience in the advertising world?
Unfortunately, there are a few. Maybe I will write down the surreal - just like the very real and beautiful - stories.
88. a book?
Maybe. Or a blog.
89. Can men do advertising for women just as well as for men?
I think a good advertiser should. Thinking ourselves into others is part of our work.
90. did you get enough prizes?
Never.
91. When you have an idea, how do you know it's a good one?
A good strategy is a good springboard for creation. On the other hand, I've seen a thing or two over the years and gained experience. And then there's the gut feeling. This has proven me right more than I would like to assume rationally.
92. what can you do better at over 50 than at 25?
Motivating people and dealing with people.
93. what do you think when you see old work of yours?
Works that I thought were good then, I still think are good today. I still don't like the ones I thought were bad.
94. When was the last time you felt like an idiot?
I try to avoid getting into such situations. Nevertheless, it happens now and then, of course. For example, this morning when I was preparing a presentation. Everything went wrong. The PowerPoint data was too heavy, the specialist I tried to reach was on vacation, and the second person I wanted to call was also on vacation. I felt a bit stupid then.
95. what would you be incredibly embarrassed about?
Oh dear, I would be too embarrassed to say that now.
96: What do you think of branded entertainment?
If it's good entertainment, I don't mind.
97. what would you like to know about profound knowledge?
About science. The gap between the current state of science and what is taught in school has been steadily widening in recent years. I like to study mathematics and astronomy. These are fascinating sciences.
98. what do you know that others do not yet know?
I don't know.
99. do you have a pointless talent?
Ui, the questions of meaning. Do not believe.
100. what are you really bad at?
I'm pretty bad at swimming.
101. three things more important than sex?
Love, trust, respect.
Interview: Isabel Imper
in a nutshell
Frank Bodin, Chairman and CEO of Havas Worldwide Switzerland with agencies in Zurich and Geneva. President of the Art Director Club ADC. Jury member Cannes Festival, Clio Awards etc., Jury President Golden Drum 2004 and AdPrint Festival 2007. Studies at the Zurich Conservatory and at the Law Faculty of the University of Zurich. Pianist and composer. 1992 entry into advertising as copywriter. Jury Chairman ADC Switzerland, Board Member SW (Swiss Advertising) and BSW Leading Swiss Agencies. Advisory board at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (HWZ). Member of the Swiss Chapter of the Club of Rome. Frank Bodin's books "Bilder fürs Ohr - Besser im Radio werben" (2003) and "Katz und aus - Essenzialismen" (2004) have been published.
