"Algorithmization gives the appearance that everything is predictable"

1. what inspired you to enter the advertising industry?

Much more important than the inspiration was the moment when Martin Suter - still an advertiser at the time - picked up the phone, called GGK Basel and got me an interview that led to my first job. Thank you, Martin.

2. if you had not become an advertiser - what then?

I put everything on plan A. It worked.

3. what qualities make you a good advertiser?

Passion, curiosity, creativity, humor and a dash of pragmatism.

4. which professional colleague would you take to a desert island?

The one who has the return ticket in his pocket.

5. what do you see as the biggest challenge for advertising at the moment?

Algorithmization gives the impression that everything is predictable. With all the tracking, controlling and retargeting, we forget that people want to be surprised. The campaigns that are remembered are those that are not predictable but refreshingly different. The biggest challenge is therefore to draw attention to the idea and convey that it is worth investing in.

6 Does the classic agency model have a long-term future?

Today, good concepts are interdisciplinary, cross-channel and garnished with special ideas. A collaborative agency model like TBD's is ideal for such complex and changing requirements: it is flexible, scalable and can be put together precisely for every task. Agencies with a workforce in stand-by mode, waiting until "something" comes up again, will have to struggle more and more.

7. what do you think about owned media?

I think that's great. Because owned media requires spectacular ideas. Otherwise there's a risk that nobody will voluntarily stop by.

8. where do you see the biggest challenge for the advertising industry at the moment?

Ideas are not valued enough. And the change from a client relationship to project work. TBD is ideally positioned for this.

9. what role do awards play in the advertising industry?

Awards are a nice recognition for successful work. Unfortunately, some agencies are so fixated on this that they develop and give away ideas as soon as they smell an award. This destroys the value of an idea and also devalues the award.

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

Do people like the idea and does the message get through?

11. if you could create a campaign with an unlimited budget that would reach large parts of the world - what would your message be?

I would use an unlimited budget for completely different problems in the world than for advertising.

12. a buzzword that gets on your nerves?

In fact, every word that puffs itself up as if it were much more than it actually is.

13. the best book you've read recently?

There are even two best books. "Andersen" by Charles Lewinsky, a parable of evil with an amazing idea. And "Panikherz" by Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre, a fantastically written, breakneck rollercoaster ride through his life.

Tom Seinige is Creative Director and Partner at TBD The agency impresses with its independent model, which adapts flexibly to tasks and clients. Before that, Seinige was Creative Director at Jung von Matt, where he was responsible for Swisscom, Julius Bär and Manor, among others. His best-known campaign is "Ohne Dings, kein Bums" for Stop Aids. With TBD, Tom Seinige and his partners look after clients such as ZVV, the Swiss Insurance Association, Cashgate and EcoDrive/Energie Schweiz.

The "13 Questions" appear both online and in the print edition of Werbewoche. Realization: Thomas Häusermann.