ADC Creative Festival 2026 Officially Opened by the President

The ADC Creative Festival 2026 in Zurich kicked off with a star-studded lineup. ADC President Thomas Wildberger, Mayor Raphael Golta, and 20 Minuten CEO Bernhard Brechbühl set the tone for the industry for a week filled with awards, workshops, inspiration, and discussions.

Beat Hürlimann - June 9, 2026

50 Years of ADC Switzerland. An anniversary that isn’t celebrated with a single awards night, but with an entire week filled with judging sessions, workshops, presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities. The event kicked off on Monday evening at the TX Group’s offices, where 20 Minuten hosted the industry.

You can find all the information about Creative Days here.

The fact that several presidents took the floor at the event gave it a special touch. In addition to ADC President Thomas Wildberger, Zurich’s newly elected mayor, Raphael Golta, also welcomed the guests. Rounding out the trio was Bernhard Brechbühl, CEO of the 20-Minuten Group and representative of the country’s media brand with the widest reach.

20 Minutes: A Stage for Creativity

In his opening remarks, Bernhard Brechbühl explained why 20 Minuten is committed to the festival as a partner. He noted that creativity and journalism are closely linked. Good advertising requires visibility, while strong media, in turn, depend on strong content and strong communication.

Anna Kohler, Editor-in-Chief of m&k, with Victoria Rispy, Head of Marketing at 20 Minuten (Photo: Beat Hürlimann)

He also took the opportunity to make a tongue-in-cheek appeal to agencies and advertisers. Good ideas deserve the biggest stage possible and shouldn’t be fragmented into countless individual placements. At the same time, Brechbühl reminded the audience that advertising investments in Swiss media also help finance fact-based journalism.

Supporters of Creativity: Zurich Mayor Raphael Golta (left) with 20 CEO Bernhard Brechbühl (Photo: Beat Hürlimann)

Kraftwerk Becomes Craftwerk

For Thomas Wildberger, the evening marked the official kickoff of the anniversary week. He told the guests that to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the ADC was treating itself not just to one event, but to six full days of festival activities.

The focus is on the Kraftwerk Zürich, which will symbolically become the «Craftwerk» for the duration of this week. There, juries, creatives, agencies, clients, and up-and-coming talent will gather for workshops, presentations, and discussions on creativity in all its facets.

Wildberger made special mention of the special award created in collaboration with 20 Minuten to mark the 50th anniversary. Readers were able to vote on influential ADC works from the past five decades. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.

«The idea is the main focus»

In an interview with m&k, Wildberger also looked ahead to the 2026 creative class.

The discussion about artificial intelligence should not distract from what is essential, he said. The idea remains what matters most. Whether a work was created by hand, digitally, or with the help of AI is ultimately of secondary importance.

Sherin Kneifl, a journalist and author, with Thomas Wildberger, ADC President (Photo: Beat Hürlimann)

What's more important is that technology reinforces an idea rather than replacing it. Moreover, good ideas rarely emerge under time pressure. Creativity needs space to mature. Often, it takes days or weeks to see whether an idea is actually viable.

Golta is committed to Zurich as a hub for creativity

For Raphael Golta, the event was also one of his first public appearances as the new mayor.

In his speech, he described Zurich as the creative capital of Switzerland and emphasized the importance of the creative industries for the city’s development. He said that creative people are part of the dynamic that keeps Zurich attractive, innovative, and vibrant.

Raphael Golta, Mayor of Zurich, during his speech at the opening of the Kreativ Festival 2026 (Photo: Beat Hürlimann)

In an exclusive interview with m&k, Golta spoke of creativity as an important part of a city’s «fertile ground.» He said that it takes people who are willing to try new things, take ideas further, and drive developments forward.

He addressed a special message to the advertising industry. The city council would continue to oppose a blanket ban on advertising in public spaces. Advertising is part of a vibrant city, and some posters even become part of its cultural identity over time.

A Founding Member and a Top Talent

Amid discussions of future challenges and industry policy, the evening also made room for history. Hans Ulrich Schweizer, one of the founding members of ADC Switzerland in 1976, was in attendance, thus bridging the gap between the club’s early days and the present.

Everyone at Wirz: Hans Ulrich Schweizer (ADC founding member), Beat Hürlimann (m&k editor), Hanspeter Schweizer (Creative Director)

SRF 3's "Best Talent" winner, Noemi Beza, provided the musical entertainment. The singer performed songs from her latest EP and brought the opening night to a lively close.

A Week Dedicated to Creativity

The Creative Week has officially kicked off with the reception at TX Group. Through Saturday, the Kraftwerk Zürich will host judging sessions, workshops, lectures, the awards ceremony, and the big closing party.

Or as Thomas Wildberger said: If there’s one year when you should make time for creativity, it’s this one.

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