"Native Advertising - a plot of unfairness".

In our «13 Questions» series, Dominik Imseng, copywriter and concept developer at Matter Gretener Lesch, reveals not only why he finds native advertising abhorrent, but also why the Graubünden vacation region needs good advertising.

Editorial - July 16, 2015

1. if you had not become an advertiser, what then?
Journalist. Fortunately, I didn't have to choose. I became an advertiser and stayed a journalist.

2. what inspired you to enter the advertising industry?
That was the book that Weber Hodel Schmid did for the launch of the Smart in 1997. My first task then was to text a coupon. I still came back the next day.

3. name a campaign that has recently caught your eye in a positive way, but is not yours.
"The Great Escape" by Jung von Matt/Limmat for Graubünden Ferien (Link). On an ePanel, a native of Graubünden invited passers-by live to visit the mountain village of Vrin. As someone from the Valais, I have to say that a vacation region with just one four-thousand-meter peak really needs good advertising.

4. which form of advertising do you find abhorrent?
Native Advertising. The idea behind it: People should no longer be able to ignore advertising because they no longer even perceive it as advertising. One could speak of a conspiracy of unfairness - forged by the clients of native ads and the media that allow them. Native advertising is unworthy of a creative advertiser.

5. do you think you deserve the salary you earn?
In relation to my colleagues in advertising: Yes. In relation to 90 percent of humanity: No. I earn too much.

6. was there a moment in your life when you thought: Wow. This is awesome. And it's from me!
Yes. That was when I first held my book in my hands about the famous VW ad, "Think small." Now that's immodest and shameless marketing. But an advertiser is allowed to do that.

What role do awards play in the advertising industry?
One too big. The British advertising god Dave Trott, with whom I recently had the pleasure of talking, said: "Advertising festivals prevent creativity. You don't advertise for six million people on the street anymore. It's for ten people on the jury."

8. what would you most like to promote?
For vacations in Iran. No joke. I toured the country with my family a year ago. Our last vacation in Italy was more dangerous.

9. can you tell us a little secret?
I'm writing a second book about VW advertising in the 1960s. The foreword will be contributed by Amir Kassaei, DDB's global creative director, and the introduction will come from former Volkswagen CEO Carl H. Hahn, who commissioned the campaign as a young man. I hope to prove myself worthy of this double honor.

10. which professional colleague would you take with you to a desert island?
A copywriter needs an art director. So that's why my friend Bruce Roberts. That reminds me: My wife used to be a consultant. So for the sake of the household, I'd better take her with me.

11. what annoys you about the local advertising industry?
Almost everything and almost everyone. But that is surely just the misanthrope in me.

Have you ever thought about leaving the advertising industry?
Hopefully! Otherwise I would have to doubt my mental health. In which direction would it go then? Most likely in the direction of a small, fine book publisher. In other words, from one serendipitous industry to the next.

13. what do you never want to have to hear about yourself?
"He can't write."

Dominik Imseng has been working for the Zurich agency Matter Gretener Lesch for almost ten years. There he writes copy for clients such as Motorex, Rega, Zurich Zoo and Saas-Fee/Saastal Tourism. The father of two sons is an examination expert for the Federal Certificate of Proficiency in Copywriting and writes regularly for the NZZ am Sonntag. In 2011, he published the advertising history book "Think small. The story of the world's greatest ad". His latest project is the video blog "Dominik Imseng envies". For this, he recently interviewed the well-known journalist Constantin Seibt. Dominikimseng.com

The "13 Questions" appear both online and in the print edition of Werbewoche and have so far been aimed at:

Simone Fluri
Serge Riedener
Frederick Rossmann
Thomas Bolliger
Fréderic Renzen
Benno Maggi
Florian Beck
Moritz eagle
Christoph Balsiger
Chris Morgan
John Raggio
Peter van der Touw
Timo Wäschle
Diana Wick Rossi
Michael Hählen