"TBWA\'s DNA and philosophy have been in the power of disruption since 1990."

Werbewoche.ch: Matthias Kiess, 2022 is barely three months old and your agency network TBWA\ has already won three awards. AdAge "Network of the Year," "World's Most Innovative Company" in the advertising sector from Fast Company, and finally Adweek "Global Agency of the Year. As TBWA's Swiss CEO, which award are you most excited about?

Matthias Kiess: A difficult question. On the one hand, it's about honoring the exceptional performance of our Creative Collective in terms of creative quality and the associated success. On the other hand, Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Company" award in the advertising sector shows that we are capable of more than "just" advertising. This is the fourth time we have been honored by Fast Company, and this year we even took first place in our category. And Fast Company specifically honors innovation by companies that are making the biggest impact on industry and culture, and thriving in today's ever-changing world. But what's really cool is that this is a first-time triple award.

Which prize was the most difficult for TBWA\ to win - where was the competition the strongest? 

We have already received several awards from Adweek and Fast Company in recent years. TBWA\'s nomination as number 1 by Ad Age was made for the first time. Here, the measurement will be different again from the other two publications. According to Judann Pollack of Ad Age, TBWA\ was named Network of the Year because, among other things, the agency has proven to be resilient and has demonstrated the ability to challenge conventions. Ad Age is certainly making a strong reference to our core - the extraordinary creativity that has been our hallmark for years.

Companies such as SpaceX, Canva, Roblox and Farfetch have also made it into the Fast Company ranking. What do you have in common with Elon Musk's rocket company? 

DNA and philosophy of TBWA\ have been based on the power of disruption since 1990. In recent years, the original strategic approach has been strongly developed and has found its expression in numerous initiatives, which are reflected in the innovative power of TBWA\. In our structured process we always try to break through the existing market conventions, to set impulses and thus help brands/companies to achieve new growth. And this process is also constantly applied to ourselves, so that we are exposed to continuous change and the search for new solutions. And this challenger mode probably unites us with SpaceX and Co. in spirit.

What is the significance of the international awards for TBWA\Zurich - is the appeal enough to generate new customers? 

These awards are a recognition of the power that our collective develops worldwide. And we also participate in this to a certain extent. First and foremost, we benefit from the global ambition, which is also transferred to us and gives us the incentive to constantly question ourselves and to set new impulses in the local market. At the end of the day, however, we have to prove ourselves to our customers here and can only count to a limited extent on the global appeal of such awards.

What are you particularly proud of as the boss of your men and women? 

If I could award a prize, I would give the "Most Passionate Award" to my team. It is always impressive to see the passion, dedication and joy with which our people devote themselves to the tasks and achieve extraordinary results. Despite all the prophecies of doom that the younger generations are no longer willing to perform, I have to say: the opposite is true! When the team is given exciting tasks and can tackle them in a largely self-organized manner with a great deal of personal responsibility, this triggers a motivation that feels very good and is a real pleasure.

What are you planning for the rest of 2022? What will be important? 

After being blessed with very strong growth in 2021, some things have come to a standstill in our own agency development to which we would like to devote a little more attention again. Our focus is very much on society, which means, for example, also on the issues that affect us as people. "Cultural Intelligence", as a keyword, is the topic we will increasingly deal with this year and launch one or the other innovation in the context of Zeitgeist-Spotting on the market. In addition, it is also a matter of expanding our service catalog and covering the daily needs of our customers as far as possible to the highest satisfaction. At the same time, however, we must never forget our core competencies of "Strategic Planning" and "Creative Excellence", and must continue to push these with the careful selection and promotion of appropriate talent.