Roots and wings: Doris Bühler in portrait
Doris Bühler, Chief Creative Officer and partner at the agency Bühler&Bühler, is bursting with energy, vitality, and positivity. She has been running the agency with her (now ex-)husband for eight years. Intuition and a flat organizational structure are just two of her key traits.
I met Doris Bühler for the first time at the SDV Award Night. We hit it off right away and talked about much more than just the usual networking topics until we were invited into the hall.
Bühler&Bühler takes home three SDV Awards. Dialog marketing is one of the agency’s core areas. Comment from Doris Bühler: «I’m delighted that our employees are being recognized for their work.» After all, the last thing the creative director wants is to burn out her team. «Our most important asset is the people we work with; they should be able to reach their full potential and develop to the best of their ability.» That’s why Bühler isn’t afraid to say no when it comes to a project.
«Is that economically viable?» She laughs out loud, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve never been driven by money, even though I think very entrepreneurially.” Entrepreneurship is about more than just money. Attitude, fairness, loyalty, and enjoying her work are more important to her and Raphael Bühler than rushing from pitch to pitch and burning through resources.
«Our most important asset is the people we work with.»
And the concept seems to be working. Twenty employees spread across two floors in the trendy 5th district live and work together like one big family. “Live”—because work-life balance is important to the Bühlers, which is why the lab is sometimes transformed into a “clab.”.
C for Club … the furniture in the industrial building on Heinrichstrasse is quickly cleared away to make room for dancing and drinking. The agency’s motto comes from partner Raphael Bühler and hangs in large letters above the entrance door. «An agency without beer is just an office.» In keeping with this, the agency’s fridge is stocked with plenty of bottles of Bühlerbräu. «Our house brand,» Bühler comments with a smile.
Roots and Wings
Doris Bühler grew up in Brig, in the canton of Valais, in a loving and protective home with her brother, who is two years older than she is. Her mother’s Bosnian roots and her father’s Swiss roots combine to create a vibrant blend of curiosity, courage, daring, and a love for people. «Our home wasn’t just for us—it was also a place where friends, distant relatives, or people in need would stay for extended periods of time.» A healthy blend of respect, empathy, and hospitality that continues to shape Bühler’s life to this day. She is also passing these values on to her son, who is now 13 years old.
Even back in school, Doris Bühler sensed that she was a doer. Results matter, and her entrepreneurial streak became apparent early on. She’s not one for endless loops. But what do these personality traits mean? She heard from a friend about the journalism program in Fribourg. Two years of hands-on learning, lots of practical experience—even while still a student—that sounds just like Doris. In fact, she’d been dreaming of Zurich for a long time, but okay, she’ll take the detour through Fribourg.
After graduating, Bühler worked for various agencies. She realized that creative communication—in other words, advertising—suited her preference for a streamlined process: idea, concept, execution. When her son was born, she started her own business. «Bühler Werbung» was doing well, and the volume of work grew to such an extent that Doris decided to sit down with her then-husband—and her son’s father—to have a frank conversation. «We worked so well together that we came up with the idea of teaming up in business as well. That’s how Bühler&Bühler came to be.»
«Respect, empathy, and hospitality are values I learned from my parents.»
A Rooftop Garden Idyll
She lives and works in the same building. Her commute consists of just one hallway and three flights of stairs. Bühler laughs. Her rooftop garden is the bit of greenery she treats herself to. Otherwise, people are more important to her than material possessions. It’s been more than a year since her separation from Raphael Bühler. After a 20-year romantic relationship, they decided together to end that part of their bond. But their relationship remains intact. They care for their son together.
«We’re still a family. Just because we’ve gone our separate ways in our personal lives doesn’t mean we don’t value each other anymore,» says Bühler, looking out the window at Heinrichstrasse, where yellow and red leaves are being blown onto the street by the wind. Their two children—their son and the agency—are growing and thriving. Doris and Raphael Bühler work together to ensure this.
