"People care about how difficult it was to craft a message"

1. what inspired you to enter the advertising industry? 

Advertising. I noticed this during my studies. Back then, Super Bowl commercials excited me more than the teaching materials. In view of my professional career, I now see this time as a study of contemporary advertising.

2. how has advertising changed since you started?

We are currently experiencing the best time ever for advertising. The possibilities have increased a hundredfold in recent years. A small keyboard has become an organ. At the same time, it has also become more complex. But if you take an inquisitive look at the constantly growing toolbox, it becomes more fun every day. What has remained the same is that there is no way around a good idea.

3. which print media do you privately subscribe to?

Only The Economist. For two reasons: As a summarizing weekly magazine, it is a good remedy against the daily flood of information. And it is suitable for the "leave lying around randomly" category when visitors arrive. It makes you look extremely smart.

4. which campaign has annoyed you recently?

I'm generally annoyed by unimaginative and poorly implemented campaigns. But you can always use them as training by thinking about how you could have done it better.

5. name a campaign that has recently caught your attention in a positive way - but was not created by you.

"Guinness Clear" by AMV BBDO. A "new product" that simplifies the responsible use of alcohol for the toughest rugby fans in a humorous way.

6 What is currently overestimated?

That messages alone do the job. For example, banners put together by programs. The effect is often lost in the process. People care about how difficult it was to create a message. An example from Rory Sutherland illustrates this very well: Let's say you receive two wedding invitations for the same weekend. One of the invitations comes in a beautifully designed letter and is handwritten. The other comes by e-mail. Which wedding will you choose? We don't just take communication literally. We look at what effort has been made - through a certain value or through creativity. We humans love inefficiency.

7. which advertising medium do you find disgusting?

All those who patronize me obtrusively. Banners that spread across the entire screen or unskippable prerolls. Such tedious measures often compensate for the lack of ideas.

8. do you have a role model?

No. I prefer to try to pick out individual characteristics that impress me.

9. for whom or for whom would you work for free?

For family and friends. But even there, I'm happy to receive fees such as cake or Landjäger.

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

When euphoria breaks out. When your stomach is tingling and your head is ticking off all the briefing requirements. But you always find out for sure when the campaign is launched.

11. what goes through your mind when you see a campaign on the street that you wrote?

I always think about how the idea came about, the hurdles we overcame and the experiences we had during development. And although this is in the nature of our work, I sometimes also think about how crazy it is that our daily work is constantly being publicized throughout Switzerland.

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

In the 90s, I liked the terribly cheesy Dallmayr Prodomo commercials because of the music. I always turned the volume up for this commercial. Luckily, I don't have to turn up such schmaltz today.

13. ever thought about leaving the advertising industry?

Never. It's a dream job for me and if it wasn't a job, I would do it in my spare time. Briefings are puzzles that you have to crack. And then you can shoot films, work on CGI worlds, develop products, organize ambient campaigns or even write a children's book. I look forward to Monday on Sunday evening and I really appreciate that.