"When I travel, I realize that we are 'just advertising' and not saving people, trees or animals"

Karin Estermann, Executive Creative Director and owner of Inhalt und Form, answers our «13 Questions.».

Editorial - February 14, 2019

1. what does not come to your office under any circumstances?

Everyone and everything is welcome here - except the burglars who were here recently. They broke into our house even though we had just launched an anti-burglary campaign for the Zurich city police (laughs).

2. which print media do you privately subscribe to?

The Handelszeitung. I read these on Saturday mornings: spread out offline on the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

3. what advertising should be banned?

There is still too little gender-neutral advertising. Women running their hands over freshly washed laundry and car commercials in which men drive to freedom to feel the absolute driving experience are totally annoying to me. Women only ever drive the small cars or the family carriages. Then there's the self-marketing on LinkedIn. Today, a single job title sounds like this: Serial Entrepreneur, Blockchain Pro, Cryptocurrency Evangelist, Life Coach, Marketing Pro, Influencer, Keynote Speaker, Chief ... blah, blah ...

4. the best book you've read recently?

"Growth Hacking" by Thomas Herzberger & Sandro Jenny. Goes down like honey. The book takes a smart approach to achieving lean growth with lots of testing. Many concepts and creative advertising methods are successfully combined in the book.

5. which three electronic devices could you do without recently?

I can't do without my juicer (for healthy juices at the weekend), then I urgently need all the remote controls I can get my hands on - to beam presentations and to control everything from the sofa in my private life. And I need my cell phone - I could use it to manage the rest.

6 If you hadn't become an advertiser - what then?

I would almost certainly have become a pharmacist. Better: Apothe-KARIN. Because I have a suitable medication in my office drawer for every little complaint.

7. do you fall for advertising? When?

Constantly. Especially in the cosmetics sector. I love these adjective boosters: I actually buy these "Hyper-Extending-Length-Darker-Than-Black-Mascaras" and also these "Cellular- Hyaluron-Youth-Regeneration-Laser-Undereye-Creams" and think they work. Even though the left side of my brain knows that they only contain glycerine and water.

8. ever thought about leaving the advertising industry?

There are those crazy chaotic days that every advertiser knows. On those days, I think: "Get me out of here." But then it quickly turns into: "I love my job." Because the constant new tasks, having to think so deeply about so many different industries, companies and subjects and constantly gaining new knowledge as a result - that really appeals to me.

9. why do you not conform to the usual clichés of an advertiser?

For me, clichés for advertisers no longer exist. The industry will remain in a constant state of flux in the coming years and will have to reinvent itself. Clichés will not have time to emerge due to the ongoing changes.

10. when you have an idea, how do you know it is good?

I know quickly whether the idea has potential or not. I only know whether it really works once it has been implemented. Because there's still a long way to go from the first spark to the right medium and design.

11. which person would you like to see in one of your campaigns?

Adam Driver. By the way, I discovered him long before Breitling, but unfortunately I didn't have the right campaign for him at the time (laughs).

12. what was the best thing you have done in the last five years?

Taking a commercial break every now and then to travel into the big world. It clears my head for new ideas and inspires me a lot. It also makes me realize again that we are "just advertising" and not saving people, trees or animals.

13. which advertising campaign from your childhood left a lasting impression on you?

An 80s TV commercial: "Drei Wetter Taft" - the hairspray from Schwarzkopf. I know the advertising text by heart: "Hamburg, 8.30 a.m., rain again. Perfect hold for your hair - Drei Wetter Taft. Stopover in Munich, it's quite windy. Perfect fit - Drei Wetter Taft. Onward flight to Rome, the sun is blazing. Perfect protection - Drei Wetter Taft." In addition, we saw a smartly dressed businesswoman flying around the world in a private jet with her perfectly styled 80s hairstyle. I really wanted to be that woman.

Karin Estermann has been working in the advertising industry for twelve years and has worked for various well-known agencies. After completing her business baccalaureate and studying at the Academy of Art and Design, Estermann first worked for large agencies in London, then for renowned agencies such as Leo Burnett, TBWA and as a freelancer for many other creative agencies. Since 2017, Estermann has run the advertising agency Inhalt und Form together with Dominik Stibal as owner and Executive Creative Director. She also founded the company "Get Long Legs", which successfully sells shoe insoles.