The industry mourns the loss of advertising pioneer Jean Etienne Aebi
Swiss advertising pioneer Jean Etienne Aebi passed away on January 27, 2026 at the age of 80. With his agencies Aebi & Partner, ASGS/BBDO, Aebi/BBDO and Aebi, Strebel and as creative director of Publicis, he shaped Swiss advertising history for decades and was «Advertiser of the Year» in 1984.
On January 27, 2026, Jean Etienne Aebi passed away at the age of 80 after a short, intense illness. According to his family, he was able to say goodbye as he had wished: weakened in the end, but without pain and in his sleep.
Formative influence on the Swiss advertising landscape
Jean Etienne Aebi, born on June 4, 1945, was one of the most influential personalities in the Swiss advertising industry. With his agencies Aebi & Partner, ASGS/BBDO, Aebi/BBDO and Aebi, Strebel, he left his mark on Swiss advertising history for decades. He later worked as creative director at Publicis, where he provided further important impetus. In 1984, Jean Etienne Aebi was named "Advertiser of the Year".
Retired artist and musician
After leaving the advertising industry, Aebi found his fortune as a conceptual artist over the last ten years. Under the name Johnny Tienne, he released various blues albums as a singer-songwriter, thus realizing a long-standing passion. His artistic works and musical creations can be found on his websites jeanetiennea.ch and johnnytiennea.ch documented.
At the deceased's request, the funeral will be held in the immediate family circle. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the children's charity Unicef (IBAN CH88 0900 0000 8000 7211 9). Jean Etienne Aebi is survived by his daughter Sara Leonie and Ebrahim Samadi-Aebi with Yasha and Shahin, François Aebi, Dorette Friess, Christine Schuppisser and his brothers Ernst Aebi and Geri Aebi.
