Less ranking, more creativity
Thomas Wildberger, CEO of Publicis and the current “Advertiser of the Year” as named by *WerbeWoche*, comments on the Swiss creative rankings.
First of all, respect is due to all the agencies that managed to score a respectable number of points. Last year, I was already happy for our colleagues from Saatchi & Saatchi in Geneva, who made it to the top with only one work. This year, however, there was nothing at all to be seen from these colleagues. What a pity. Are they no longer creative? Or are they? Or were they never?
I'm not a fan of creative rankings. After all, how creative an agency actually is is relative - and that's why the reading of the ranking is of far greater importance. With our ranking, you have a lot of opportunities to win points. There is a plethora of competitions to choose from, some of them extremely questionable, such as The Cup, a kind of supreme competition of the ADC of Europe. If The Cup takes place for a change, you can collect masses of points there. For a nomination there are significantly more points than for a bronze lion in Cannes. Weird.
Nominations and shortlist placements in general: These are also awarded at ADC Switzerland not too short and are included in our ranking at the end of the year. In other words, points for not having won anything. Unique worldwide.
Then, of course, the parade discipline of obstacle course without obstacles, also called social campaigns. Or, in general, work for clients who won't say no to anything or anyone because they pay little or no fee. In principle, there is nothing wrong with agencies polishing up their karma account. But I'm sure that none of these agencies would ever develop a social campaign again if there were no more awards for it. It would also be a horror scenario for the money-printing machine that is the Cannes Festival, which would have to write off an immense part of its turnover.
As a member of the board at ADC Switzerland, I care a lot about creativity. One that takes place in public and promotes the Swiss economy. Not one that is created in a tinkering room and quickly fizzles out in a parallel world. At least 90 percent of all visible advertising is still junk. Nothing will change if we make it easy for ourselves and only make an effort where no one but us is looking.
I therefore advocate that we dedicate ourselves to true creativity and give it free rein: for our paying customers.
Thomas Wildberger, CEO Publicis Communications Switzerland
