Agency check: Jung von Matt

• Date of foundation: 1993
• Founder: Dominique von Matt
• Number of employees: 138
• Current customers: Coca-Cola, Coop, Denner, Emmi, Geberit, Helsana, Hirslanden, Jelmoli, Mobiliar, Newhome, Ovomaltine, Post, Reka, SportXX, swissmilk, SwissSkills, TCS, V-Zug, Wingo, ZKB, Zürich Tourismus, Zweifel ...

Current agency heads:

• Jung von Matt Limmat: Roman Hirsbrunner, Cyrill Hauser, Stefan Naef, Thomas Steiner, René Schwarz
• Jung von Matt play: Matthias Fasnacht, Michael Kindermann
• Jung von Matt brand identity: Thomas Deigendesch
• Jung von Matt Tech: Michelle Danilschenko, Jan Rohleder, Christian Koop, Stefan Bruggmann
• Jung von Matt Impact: Dominik Habermacher, Benjamin Herz
• Jung von Matt Services: Pepe Kägi, Fabrizio Rutishauser
• Morrow ventures: Niclas Delfs, Robert Iken

Agency address:

• Jung von Matt Limmat: Wolfbachstrasse 19, 8032 Zurich
• Jung von Matt Play: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
• Jung von Matt Brand identity: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
• Jung von Matt Tech: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
• Jung von Matt Impact: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
• Jung von Matt Services: Zeltweg 40, 8032 Zurich
• Morrow ventures: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich

Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?

To all of them, of course. But we are especially happy about the collaboration with Coop that started this year and our first work "Tatendrang" for the sustainability engagement "Taten statt Worte". Or the "Home-made damage sketch" for Mobiliar during the Corona lockdown or the youth activation "Moving Box Furniture".

The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?

We have realized many cult campaigns over the years, such as Gian & Giachen, the Migros chicken or the Grillitarians. Even more than past successes, we are interested in future work. Our guiding principle "We remain unsatisfied" also applies here.

The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?

Retreat alone is often too little for truly inspiring ideas. It also requires collision, i.e. the meeting of different skills, views and influences. That's why collaboration within the team - and with the customer - is so important to us. The most unusual place for killer ideas is a meeting room.

What do you do when you have thought blocks?

A thought block is a call to relax or change the setting. That means: change the place, change the method, change the topic. Or simply get out into the fresh air.

What is your agency philosophy?

We inspire people and brands.

Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?

We focus on the long-term development of people in a creative ecosystem and are convinced that young people can and should take on responsibility quickly. That's why we launched the Future Creative Leaders trainee program. As part of the program, young talents learn about all aspects of the creative industry and get a feel for whether they would rather pursue a professional or management career.

How long do employees stay with you on average?

On average, it is currently just under three years. We also have many returnees who are already with Jung von Matt for the second or third time.

How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?

Diversity is also very important to us in terms of age. That's why we have everything from baby boomers to Gen Z with us.

How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?

According to the LSA wage survey, the agency as a whole is slightly above the industry average.

What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?

A trainee starts with us at 2500 francs a month. Depending on the degree of co-entrepreneurship, the salary varies greatly upwards. The median salary of a full-time employee in 2019 was 7500 francs.

Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?

No. However, our experience levels are fully transparent. Because salaries are based on the levels, there is a certain implicit transparency.

How much overtime do you work on average per week?

On average, zero per week across all employees. Individuals also perform more time and again. Supervisors are called upon to ensure that this is compensated for in a meaningful way.

What benefits do you offer to compensate your employees for this overtime?

We attach great importance to the personal and professional development of all employees. In addition to individual or role-specific training, our internal further education program "School of Excellence" focuses on joint further development in the area of team building and specialist expertise.

How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?

In the case of maternity leave, Jung von Matt offers 16 weeks at 100 percent pay. As of 2021, fathers will receive four weeks' paternity leave with 100 percent pay.

Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?

Yes, "work from anywhere" applies at our company. Employees can decide where they work at any time. The home office quota varies greatly from employee to employee and depends on roles and project phases. The occupancy rate in the agency is currently around 40 percent.

What is the current quota of women?

Currently, it is 48 percent across all employees in all agency sectors. However, it is significantly lower for managerial functions. We are working on this.

Do you employ interns?

Yes, among other things as part of the "Future Creative Leaders" trainee program. The goal: to get to know all areas of a creative agency and then decide where the development should go.

Do you organize team events?

Yes, in the individual teams, but also across the agency. Ski weekends, checkup days and Christmas parties are legendary. This year, because of Corona, we have reinterpreted many events and looked for formats that are both feasible and inspiring. We believe that corporate culture must be lived even in times of increasing spatial separation, perhaps even more than ever. That's why we also invested a lot during the lockdown to create shared experiences.

Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?

We have several dogs that come in and out of the agency. But our heraldic animal is still the Trojan horse.

Where do you drink your after-work beer?

In the "Rössli", our agency's own pub, on the roof terrace on Wolfbachstrasse or in the "Kantine" on Weberstrasse. Or somewhere outside in a great pub.