Who will be Advertiser of the Year 2015?

On June 18, the "Advertiser of the Year 2015" will be chosen. We present the three nominees.

Editorial - May 6, 2015

"If I don't become Advertiser of the Year, I'll open a Dueling Piano Bar in Zurich," you announced in 2012 on the occasion of your first "Advertiser of the Year" nomination. What became of it?
Unfortunately, it remained with the plan. But obviously I get a second chance now.

At the time, you were still working at Maxomedia, the agency you co-founded as a student and online pioneer. And you said of yourself that you were "not a typical advertiser" and perhaps that's why you were nominated. How does it look today as CEO of Jung von Matt/Limmat?
Apparently, there are fewer and fewer typical advertisers... Seriously: Today, everyone in advertising has to do pioneering work. The constant search for new solutions, the permanent learning and experimenting, suits me very well. In that sense, I might even be a typical advertiser today - in a new sense of the word.

What were your highlights at Jung von Matt/Limmat in the last twelve months?
My new environment constantly creates highlights: Outstanding work in projects, exciting conversations with clients, and inspiring collaboration with employees. If I had to single out something, it would perhaps be the founding of Jung von Matt/Impact. The speed with which we launched the agency for data-driven online marketing and brought it to market gives me pioneering feelings.

Jvm.ch

Studies in Business Administration and Communication at the University of Fribourg
1996 Co-founder Maxomedia
since 2014 Co-owner and CEO of Jung von Matt

You're currently making quite a name for yourself with Orange's new brand identity. Is that one of the reasons why the former "Advertiser of the Year" nominees put you forward for election?
I guess the suggestions were made before the Orange rebranding was announced and the campaign unveiled. I don't think the alumni are suggesting me as the advertiser of the year. It's much more likely that Publicis will have put forward the Advertiser of the Year - we've spent the last few years successfully delivering large, integrated campaigns in a difficult environment, scoring creatively nationally and internationally, and achieving our goals with our clients. I could imagine that the nomination honors this agency achievement.

The "Advertiser of the Year" is a creative competition. As CEO of Publicis, what do you see as your contribution to the success of the advertising campaigns?
The main task is not to prevent good campaigns. Maybe you can compare it with a football coach: You try to find the right team, the best conditions, try to motivate and paint the right strategy on the blackboard. Whereas in this example, I've always been more of a player-coach - I function better as part of the team than from the sidelines. In any case, the right team constellation is the biggest contribution I can make.

This is your first nomination as "Advertiser of the Year. Why should you win the first time around?
Maybe it's just all coming together this year - the fruits of our labor over the last three years, the overall campaign for Swiss winning everywhere, and then the launch of Salt - a very good vintage.

Publicis.ch

Joined advertising in 1990, after KV and first further training in advertising.
2000 Managing Director at McCann Erickson in Geneva
2003 COO, 2005 CEO McCann Erickson Switzerland
2008 Entry into Publicis
since 2010 CEO of Publicis Switzerland

In 2014, your partner and co-founder of Hinderling Volkart, Michael Hinderling, was nominated for the election. Why did the agency deserve an "Advertiser of the Year" award this year in particular?
We are very honored to be nominated for this title two years in a row. And for good reason: In 2015, we took the lead in the digital agency rankings, won the Master at the Best of Swiss Web Awards and nine other awards - and finally received one of the four gold cubes awarded this year by ADC.

What makes your web agency so successful?
We are in the fortunate position of always attracting the best talent: People who provide new impetus for projects that inspire customers and users. That, in turn, helps attract more good employees and bold customers. This cycle is an important success factor for our agency.

What would a win mean for you?
For Hinderling Volkart it would be a huge recognition of our passionate and hard work. For me personally it would be a great birthday present on the day of the award ceremony.

Hinderlingvolkart.com