Christoph Bürge launches Smple Creative Strategy

In England, specialized agencies for creative strategy have been part of the advertising cosmos there since the 1990s, and Germany also has such agencies today. "In Switzerland, on the other hand, there have only been a few strategists who cultivate this discipline," says Christoph Bürge. After around ten years as CEO at MRB, almost ten years at KSB and a total of 35 years of agency experience in Switzerland and abroad, he is now going solo. Why? And why now? Werbewoche.ch asked him.

Werbewoche.ch: Christoph Bürge, after more than 30 years of agency experience as a founder, CEO and partner, you are once again setting out on the road to self-employment. Why does this have to happen now?

Christoph Bürge: Leaning back has never been my strength. In my many years in the industry, I have always been driven to solve clients' business problems with a creative strategy. That's why I will be devoting myself to my
Favorite discipline and paradediscipline Creative Strategy.

"Smple Creative Strategy, the name and promise of the new company, sees itself as bridging the gap between business and creativity. Can you explain this in a little more detail?

Smple Creative Strategy understands the ever-increasing challenges of business, marketing and communication tasks, reduces them to
simple guiding principles and thus creates inspiring platforms. This makes communication ideas and marketing measures more precise, creative and
more effective.

Many creatives say that a brilliant campaign simply has to be authentic and tell a good story. Nevertheless, this often doesn't seem to work. How can Smple help?

Before a brilliant campaign can authentically convey a good story, it must be written simply and precisely. And not always the way you've never heard it before, but the way you want to hear it again and again. That's what Smple Creative Strategy does. Smple observes how people interact with brands from an unexpected angle and creates surprisingly relevant messages. They inspire ideas and ultimately lead to a brilliant campaign.

You will offer your services to advertising clients and advertising agencies. How exactly?

Smple Creativ Strategy provides strategic communication planning wherever precise and inspiring ideas are required. For advertising clients who want to simplify complex tasks and sharpen them with creative differentiation. And for agencies that want to stimulate the development of campaigns with amazingly simple messages. So Smple Creative Strategy is neither a creative agency nor a management consultancy, but everything in between. Smple can be used by advertisers and/or agencies in the dense and challenging process between marketing and communication.

Why is it just so difficult?

The process of simplification is always difficult because you have to separate the important from the unimportant. It is sometimes painful to separate the unimportant from the important.
because you somehow like it too. But the more you reduce a message, the more new perspectives on this one message open up. This ultimately creates inspiring platforms.

Where do you see your greatest strengths, what makes you unique and therefore also your new company?

I claim that I can make complicated things simple. That's why Smple Creative Strategy is also committed to "Simplifying Complexity". Smple Creative Strategy can simplify complex tasks and inspire precise ideas from an unexpected perspective.

Metzger Rottmann Bürge has lost its CEO, your colleague Silvan Metzger is taking over. Was it a difficult farewell?

Metzger/Blatter/Partner was founded in 1982 by Ted and Kathryn Metzger in Zurich's Seefeld district and has been a solid player in the Swiss agency landscape for over 40 years. It's great that Silvan Metzger is continuing the family tradition as CEO and, together with Frederick Rossmann as CD, forms the new agency management. With Smple, I am ensuring continuity in MRB's strategic planning in a new form. MRB is one of Smple's first clients. So the feelings of farewell quickly gave way to anticipation of a reunion.

You are a sole proprietorship, but you certainly have access to a network. How do you position yourself?

Smple wants to be open to all forms of creative strategy right from the start. That's why, in addition to my experience and know-how, I also like to use the
Expertise from a network of thinkers from various disciplines: creativity, communication, consulting, marketing, market research, research, journalism, etc.

How would you describe your state of mind at the moment?

Stage fright probably sums it up best. I am positively nervous and am looking forward to working with agencies and advertising clients in the future, doing what I love to do and making a profitable contribution.

How is the industry reacting?

I am also looking forward to the reactions from the industry after this interview. After all, there are Smple Creative Strategy only since January 2024
- since about now. Seriously, I have already spoken to exponents from agencies and advertising clients in recent weeks and have received nothing but positive feedback. Everyone recognizes the need for strategic planning.

One last question. How do you personally view the hype surrounding artificial intelligence? Will it enrich or undermine the industry?

If AI is used correctly, it enriches the strategy process, idea generation and the realization of all types of communication. AI can show us new ways that we haven't even thought of yet. We must not limit our own thinking, but rather use AI as a turbo for our own brains.