"Awards play far too big a role"

1. name a campaign that has recently caught your eye in a positive way - but did not originate with you.
The campaign for the Italian online newspaper "Fanpage," which is currently revolutionizing Italy's media world. Independent, social and participative, it quickly generates 20 million clicks in ten days with a clip like "slap her.

2. what advertising should be banned?
Full-screen banners, because they are simply annoying.

3. what would you most like to promote?
For Huawei. Supporting the Chinese cell phone manufacturer to be a bit more creative in the fight against Apple and Samsung would be appealing.

4. the best testimonial ever?
Don't know it, but my current favorite is from "Boy's Life Magazine" from 1938 and recently reloaded by venture capitalist Peter Thiel in an interview: "You're not driving too fast, you're flying too low."

5. the best self-promotion?
If, thanks to our work, our customers sell more of what they produce, perform or offer on the market.

6. Do you fall for advertising? When?
Yes, all the time.

7. when is there a bad mood in your agency?
When the food does not get to the table on time.

8. has your media behavior changed in the last three years?
And how: I read more newspapers and magazines than ever (online and in print), hardly watch TV anymore, but YouTube all the more. I also waste more time reading useless information on various channels via my Flipboard.

9. what inspired you to enter the advertising/communications industry?
My poor grades in STEM subjects and my talent for storytelling.

10. what is impossible for you to do without?
To my mobile and my laptop. They are my office.

11. what would you not promote under any circumstances?
Cat or dog food, because I do not like pets and as a result do not understand anything about them.

What role do awards play in the advertising industry?
One far too big and for me personally none at all.

13. what do you personally think about the effect of advertising?
Advertising is eroticism at best, but rarely love.

Benno Maggi is one of the co-founders of Partner & Partner. After his first years in advertising at the beginning of the golden 80s, he switched to the film business and worked there for almost ten years as a freelance director and film producer. Since his additional training in Silicon Valley in 99/01, he has been working as a senior consultant in his agency and as Creative Director at NZZ Folio. In addition, he is co-owner of a software company for service companies, lectures at the Media Training Center (MAZ) in the areas of image competence and visual storytelling, and in 2013 co-authored a reference book on the topic of "Integrated Communication Consulting".

The "13 Questions" appear both online and in the print edition of Werbewoche.

Implementation 13 Questions: Thomann's Häusermann