Advertiser of the Year: The Nominees

Subscribers are now invited to vote for who should represent the industry next year. Ballots will be sent by mail. The winner will be crowned and celebrated on June 5 as part of the Brand Congress at the Dolder Grand.

The Nominees:

Geri Aebi

«Please don't vote for me" for the 2014 Advertiser of the Year, if you can find one

– that only an active CEO or CD of an agency deserves this title, and not someone who, while having held both positions for many years, now heads only Switzerland’s largest owner-managed communications group
 
– that the person is ultimately more important than the agency, even though the agency has been around for 78 years

– that Wirz hasn’t just been «back in business» since last year, and that there is therefore no reason to honor the executive who shares responsibility for this—of all people—with a title right now, one that refers only to a single year and not to the many years of successful work by a well-organized and well-coordinated team

– that the position of newly elected president of bsw leading swiss agencies is already honor enough in itself

– and that Frank Bodin didn't win until his 10th nomination, not his 5th.»

Wirz

Regula Fecker

"Letter of Recommendation Advertiser of the year

I love my job as an advertising professional. There’s no other profession that brings together so many interesting tasks. As advertising professionals, we have to sense the spirit of the times by observing people and their behavior and drawing insights from them. We have to constantly monitor media usage to know how to reach target audiences today and tomorrow. We have to be able to think creatively even when we’re up to our necks in work. We have to find the right five words out of millions that solve a client’s page-long challenge. We have to be able to sell those five words in a compelling way, and protect, nurture, and care for them through working groups and committees, over weeks and months. I love my work because it seems so simple, yet it’s incredibly complex. As Advertiser of the Year, I would advocate for our industry to rediscover the courage not to constantly sell itself short. Because it’s time for all of us to shift into high gear—otherwise, we’ll be left behind.»

Rod communication

Regula Fecker is one of four partners at the Rod agency. Named Strategist and Advertiser of the Year in 2010, she is jointly responsible for the current «Love Life – Don’t Regret a Thing» campaign, as well as for many other popular campaigns, such as «Slow down. Take it easy.» In addition, she is passionate about conducting research on the Swiss advertising industry. In 2012, Fecker was elected to the Board of Directors of SRG.

Michael Hählen

«Between Busswil, Suberg, and Grossaffoltern"

Our agency’s mission is actually quite simple: it’s always about the relationship between people and brands. We’re guided by a few core beliefs:

We believe that a strategy is essential—regardless of the task, the budget, or the size of the client. We are convinced that brand management and sales go hand in hand, and that creativity, when used correctly, significantly enhances the impact of communication. And we’re thrilled that the digital age is really taking off now.

New and diverse opportunities create room for personalized communication and individual interaction between companies, brands, and people. And they give a voice to all those who engage seriously with their counterparts—whether consumers, friends, or critics.

»I am deliberately highlighting campaigns by innovative small and medium-sized enterprises here. If you cast your vote for me, you are also voting for effective communication that originates and makes an impact outside the major urban centers."

Caught in the act

Michael Hinderling

«It's time to rethink things and to look ahead. Thanks to digital possibilities, we are at a turning point in communication.

We should stop talking about a crisis and instead recognize the opportunities that digital advancements bring to advertising. Never before have we had the opportunity to make advertising so entertaining, dynamic, and relevant.

The days of pure interruptive advertising are over. Consumers are not passive recipients; they are well-informed and can publicly express their opinions. That is why we must take them seriously and give them what they are looking for.

Good advertising is not perceived as intrusive, but rather as an enrichment.

Advertising is needed to give consumers what they're looking for. Or better yet: to give them what they'll be looking for in the future.

»As Advertiser of the Year and as a 'digital ambassador,' I want to work to ensure that the digital transformation of marketing is utilized in a modern and creative way in the field of advertising as well."

Hinderling Volkart

Alexander Jaggy

«Pierre Meier told me about I was informed of the nomination by phone. It is a great honor to be nominated for »Advertiser of the Year” for the fourth time. On the one hand, it is recognition of a strong year’s performance, marked by winning the Raiffeisen account, being named the most successful agency at the ADC Switzerland, and winning two of four gold medals at the EFFIE Switzerland. On the other hand, it’s recognition for many creative highlights over an extended period, with campaigns for clients such as Graubünden, Migros, Mercedes-Benz, NZZ, Max Shoes, and Pro Infirmis. We live in exciting times. The invention of the computer, the spread of the internet, and the rise of social media have opened doors wide for us. That’s exactly what motivates me to come into the agency every day and tinker with new communication solutions alongside our teams. Ideas that move people and brands. That’s what I want to dedicate myself to. And, of course, world peace.”

Jung von Matt/Limmat

Executive Creative Director and co-owner in the advertising industry for 24 years
With Jung von Matt/Limmat since April 2001
Previous positions: BBDO Zurich, GGK Zurich, Springer & Jacoby Hamburg, Jung von Matt Hamburg
Board Member, ADC Switzerland; Member, ADC Germany

Philipp Skrabal

«So what is my message as «If I were to be named »Advertiser of the Year,«» I was asked, "my motto would be something like, 'Success requires a willingness to change.'".

Change means more self-confidence: Never has a good idea been more valuable than it is today, when the public’s favor is becoming increasingly difficult to buy. Yet we continue to sell our ideas short and prefer to make money through interchangeable implementation services. It would be more self-assured to consider fee models with performance-based components.

More Openness: Marketing and Corporate Communications—Does This Division Still Make Sense? With Facebook, Twitter, and the like, these areas are converging anyway, and besides, we come up with much better ideas when we work together.

More curiosity: Take, for example, the «Cast» program, where young people learn to create «content.» Despite their knowledge, they have a hard time finding a job because they refuse to fit into the traditional art director/copywriter mold. Just one or two interns from that field, and you’ve got a breath of fresh air for the entire agency.

Or, as Franz Kafka said: »Paths are created by walking them.”

Farner Consulting

Philipp Skrabal began his professional career in 1985 at the ZHdK in Zurich; he landed his apprenticeship as a graphic designer while working as a graffiti artist. In 2004, Skrabal joined Publicis as Creative Director; he later became Executive Creative Director and a member of the executive board at Advico Young & Rubicam, then co-owner and Creative Director at Wirz. Since August 2014, he has served as COO at Farner Consulting. As a member of the ADC’s Executive Board, he is responsible for the Training Division. His most recent work was recently honored with four Silver EFFIEs and the Crossmedia Award in Gold.