- Name: Brinkertlück Creatives
- Establishment date: 01.01.2021
- Founder: Dennis Lück + Raphael Brinkert
- Agency Heads: Dennis Lück + Raphael Brinkert
- Employees: 60
- Current customers (Switzerland): Zurich Insurance, Graubündner Kantonalbank, Feldschlösschen (Pepsi & Valaisanne), Swisscom, Ex Libris, JobRad incl. SC Freiburg, Dr. Oetker, World Vision, Swiss Post, Volksbund, Graubünden Ferien, Switzerland Tourism, Greenfield, Frauenzentrale Zürich, Arosa Lenzerheide, Aargau Tourism
- Locations: Zurich/Chur
m&k: Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
Dennis Lück: Wow, that question is almost as bad as "Which child is your favorite?". We promote women's football with Pepsi, we awaken the joy of reading with Ex Libris, we ensure the best future with GKB. There are quite a few. But my current highlight is a campaign for Graubünden Ferien in cooperation with ÖKK. Because the air in Graubünden is so healthy, you can submit an overnight stay in a hotel to your health insurance company, i.e. ÖKK, and get the costs easily reimbursed. Whether you are a customer or not. This is, of course, a creative stroke of genius.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
I have to mention two campaigns. Firstly, the campaign that accompanied Olaf Scholz's candidacy for chancellor four years ago. That immediately put us on the radar and ended with us being voted "Agency of the Year". And secondly, the strategic repositioning of GKB here in Switzerland. Just two hours after the company was founded, GKB became a client of ours and still is today. That's a wonderful and very unifying story.
The most unusual place where your creatives retreat to be creative?
Everyone works differently. Here at the agency, the couch corner is particularly popular. As soon as it gets warmer, people go out into our garden in front of the door. For me, it's quite unspectacular: desk, coffee and off we go. Only the time is unusual for me as a creative. I start at five o'clock every day.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Apply pressure, crack the whip, shout. No, joking aside. Honestly: I have never, never, never experienced a mental block. Really never. That doesn't work at all in a functioning team. There are so many tools, such as creativity techniques, that this never happens.
What is your agency philosophy?
Value agency instead of just advertising agency. We don't do advertising for dried powder tomato soups. But if you want to create a small, subtle or large social value, please come to us.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
The topic of values also plays a major role here. We are not just pretty on the outside, but also on the inside. Talented people are encouraged and coached here and have immediate responsibility. Everyone here receives a management solution for the pension fund. Everyone here is entitled to a bonus. If we work well together, we also benefit together. That makes us absolutely unique on the market.
"We are not only pretty on the outside, but also on the inside."
How long do employees stay with you on average?
Our staff turnover is ultra-low. Half of all people have been with us since the company was founded in 2021.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Our youngest team member is 19 and the oldest 61. Our team structure is genuine and naturally diverse. In other words, we have talented players from England, Portugal, Germany, Austria and even Aargau (laughs). Joking aside. It's nice to see that a culture of performance knows no age, origin or anything else here.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
As a still young agency, we pay good and fair basic wages. And as I said: if the cash register is ringing overall, then it will also ring for each individual. That depends on us. What's more, we also pay "invisible money", i.e. our top pension solutions for everyone.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
You already sensed it in the previous question: I have to be transparent internally, not externally. We don't have mandated pay transparency, but of course there is talk here and there, and that's totally okay.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
Half of our team has children - from toddlers to teenagers. In general, we adhere to all legal requirements. However, we have a sensationally understanding approach to family issues. Family first is always the motto. For myself and for everyone else.
What are your home office regulations?
We have two fixed office days, Mondays and Wednesdays, otherwise you can choose whether you want to come to the agency. But half of the team is almost always there. This is probably due to the charm of our brick building - a former ETH library, by the way.
Do you employ interns?
Yes, of course. We are currently looking for support in project management and, from August, again for the graphics department.
What is the current quota of women?
Exactly 50 percent across all levels, i.e. from management to interns. And that has naturally grown without a self-imposed quota. That's how it should be.
Do you organize team events?
There are lots of small and spontaneous events. From concerts to ice hockey matches or just a beer and pizza to large and planned team events, everything is included. For example, we celebrated our last Christmas party with our colleagues from Hamburg in Gerold's garden. In March, we're going back to Graubünden. The air is so good there (see first answer).
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
In our beautiful garden. From this year onwards, we will be making schnapps and jam from our fruit. Homemade, of course.
Which mandates are currently keeping you most busy?
This is Zurich Insurance with its new strategic orientation. A lot is happening there and it's a real pleasure to see where and how the brand is developing. Closely followed by JobRad, which we also support from Switzerland. The annual campaign and sponsorship campaign for and with SC Freiburg are on the agenda. And of course the election campaign in Germany. This is also keeping us on our toes and giving us a great start to the year.
When did you realize that you would have to start the advertising campaign for the SPD and chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz much earlier than expected? Did you find out about it at the same time as us normal citizens or were you informed in advance that the traffic light was going to burst?
No, we didn't find out earlier.
How did you strategically organize the election campaign?
Our campaign is called "More for you. Better for Germany". The campaign therefore focuses entirely on the content of the election program. We want to get as many people as possible to engage with the content. Because that is where the SPD's strength lies. The program is well thought out, promotes the common good, strengthens the economy, takes care of pensions - and all this with a carefully calculated plan. There are others who like to miscalculate by almost 100 billion euros.
How did you manage the timing?
We have set up a highly efficient, highly creative team that focuses solely on this. And we are used to high-speed operations, not just from election campaigns.
The films have been shot, how do you react to the last few weeks, do you have to adapt?
Now is the time to always be ready to react. It sounds like little time, but so much can still happen. One wrong sentence from a candidate and the situation is completely different. The reactive part is therefore extremely important now and, depending on the situation, may even be "match-decisive". The high-speed mode is therefore valid until February 23, 2025.
This article first appeared in print issue 1-2/2025. The interview was conducted before the 2025 federal election.
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- Agency Name: TMI Trade Marketing Intelligence
- Establishment date: 2018
- Founder: Markus Wanner
- Current agency heads: Markus Wanner, Nicolas Schibler, Patrick Glauser, Marcial Constant, Michael Gassler
- Number of employees: 20
- Current customers: Lidl, Coca-Cola, Swisscom, Zweifel, Migros Fachmarkt, Hotelplan, Lactalis/Baer, Migros, Vision Group, Feldschlösschen, Localfish, Café Royal, Bigler Fleischwaren, Misenso, FFF Fresh & Frozen Food, Herba-Collection, ...
- Agency address: Josefstrasse 216, 8005 Zurich
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
On the "Swisscom Summer Hunt" - our first NFT campaign. With its attractive game mechanism, the hunt for virtual ice creams had a remarkable impact during the summer: 70,000 players, over 33,000 digital ice creams caught, greatly increased traffic in Swisscom stores and 30 lucky winners of the main prizes.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
The 100th anniversary campaign for the traditional Swiss brand Baer, because it brought our three areas of expertise "Shopper Activation", "Transforming Retail" and "Inspiring Brands" to bear in an integrated way. Under the motto "Happy BAERsday", "100 Years of Swiss Indulgence" was celebrated throughout Switzerland (Werbewoche.ch reported)Live and hands-on with the Baer Food Truck at many street food festivals and public festivals, and for all retail customers with a big Onpack anniversary competition.
The most unusual place where your creatives retreat to be creative?
If it doesn't have to be an individually chosen location, we have a 200-square-meter, well-developed lab space that is available to employees for creative sessions at any time.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often. We work in an interdisciplinary way, with agile methods and have various techniques that help us come up with good ideas. But when your brain needs a fresh impulse, you can take a walk on the nearby Josefwiese to clear your head. Or you can get new, exciting input while chatting with colleagues in our beautiful kitchen.
What is your agency philosophy?
We see ourselves as the "No Bullshit Agency". No complicated, opaque fee models and no "hidden fees". Absolute cost transparency. And above all, an inspiring, permeable "togetherness culture". This means that we very often work co-creatively with our clients in short, agile sprints. With the attitude: The better idea wins. No matter who has it.
In addition, we have formulated eight TMI principles that manifest our attitude and philosophy internally and externally quite well:
- It's all about the people.
- Life is short, we do stuff that matters.
- If it's not right, we don't do it. If it's not true, we don't say it.
- No games. No bullshit.
- Passion never fails.
- We celebrate success.
- We are better together.
- Get shit done.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
We live a modern agency culture. Many years of experience and fresh university knowledge complement each other perfectly. With our positioning as a retail agency, we are unique and combine client needs with customer experience. We promote and live flexible working. It is important to us that our employees have the choice to decide for themselves when it makes sense to work in the office. We also handle vacations in the same way. Employees have the option of extending their vacation planning beyond the five weeks with unpaid leave. And they can adjust their personal workload. We feel very comfortable in Kreis 5. Our office is easily accessible by public transport, and we also have a large bicycle parking lot.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
We are a young company and therefore have no long-term experience. But we have some employees who are motivated since the foundation.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Our youngest employee is 9 years old and her name is Lia. She is the daughter of a managing partner, and she trains our other employees in Roblox and Co. She is paid in chewing gum. The youngest wage earner is called Luke. He is 17 years old and is just getting his first work experience after graduating from high school. At the other end of the age scale, we have two very experienced employees who are 59 years old.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
We are a small but fine agency undergoing an exciting transformation. We don't pay fantasy salaries. But if you join us, you can make a difference and play a key role in shaping the future development of the agency. We offer an attractive overall package. What it says on the outside is what it says on the inside. We want to be an attractive employer, offer a motivating culture of togetherness and a modern working model with home office, flat hierarchies and a lot of personal responsibility.
What is the ratio between the best and the lowest paid employee?
There's the natural wage gap that exists everywhere. The salary of an intern is lower than that of a managing partner. We apply the "no-bullshit rule": equal pay for equal work and responsibility. Regardless of gender.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
No, we are not (yet) living this transparency. But we also act in accordance with our values in this area. We pay fair wages according to tasks and responsibilities. When employees talk to each other about their salaries - which they do - there are no big surprises.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
Even with us, overtime is sometimes necessary when there are tight deadlines to meet. But the employees have flexitime and the possibility to compensate for the more hours worked.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
As mentioned, our employees have the opportunity to compensate for these hours. Thanks to the "flexible working" model, it is also possible to spontaneously take a few hours off to go to the lake, play sports or have a long lunch. This is fully accepted and practiced here.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
We have 16 weeks of one hundred percent maternity leave, which is fully paid. Fathers get four weeks of paternity leave with us. Of this, two weeks are paid and two weeks are flexible and unpaid.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Always! We have no rules.
What is the current quota of women?
Office: 50 percent (20 total, of which 10 women)
Promotor:in: 80 percent (236 employees in the pool, 190 of them women)
Office quota including promoters: 78 percent (256 total, 200 of them women)
Do you employ interns?
Yes, we promote career entry for young people and are always pleased to see the breath of fresh air that the interns bring in. We are always happy to employ school leavers who would like to do an intermediate year before going on to study, and our experience has been positive. Normally, we offer three interns per year such a career entry.
Do you organize team events?
Yes, and we'd rather have more than less. The classic is our legendary summer party in the garden of our Managing Director Markus Wanner. We even held it during the pandemic. And then there's the big Christmas event, which is organized by the divisions in turn. And soon we will be holding our second Casino Night. So when it comes to celebrating, we're way out in front.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
We have two Chief Cuddle Officers (CCO 1 and 2): Simba and Sky, two golden retrievers. They move freely around the office, know their do's and don'ts, and like to be actively involved when we have creative sessions.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Somewhere in district 5. The most popular places are "Frau Gerolds Garten", the "Josefwiese" or our office. We have a big fridge, filled to the brim with beer that needs to be drunk.
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- Agency Name: Tincan
- Legal form: Public limited company
- Establishment date: February 12, 2013
- Founder: Peter Niederberger, Raphael Willi
- Current partners: Baris Erdal, Marc Odermatt, Raphael Willi, Peter Niederberger
- Number of employees: 22
- Current clientele: over 200 Swiss brands
- Agency address: Field park 17, 6300 Zug
(as of September 12, 2023)
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
We pursue the goal of inspiring with every mission and are therefore proud of all our campaigns. In recent months, we have certainly been particularly challenged by the Zug Trade Fair 2022 - with marketing concept, planning and implementation, media relations, trade fair newspaper, website maintenance and the entire social media support. And this year, the Zug Fair is once again an absolute highlight in the calendar.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
Our own "never ending story". From our creative ideas and cheeky implementations, we also always draw many inspiring approaches for the campaigns of our clientele.
The most unusual place where your creatives retreat to be creative?
To keep our ideas flowing, we make almost anything possible for our employees. Some work from the mountains or on the beach in Mexico, others have the best ideas at the Töggelkasten in our Creative Cube, and still others are inspired by a three-month creative break on a trip around the world. And we also explore new places together where ideas bubble up: On the occasion of our Workation this summer in northern Italy, we were able to cool our creative heads in the lake and pool.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
To solve creative problems, we rely on our swarm knowledge and efficient ideation. One of our favorite brainstorming variants is the Crazy 8. What also provides good food for thought is a look at other industries and countries: How do comparable companies there deal with this challenge, what works well and what not so well? Marketeers can benefit incredibly much from the knowledge of others, be inspired and learn from mistakes that have already been made. This is one of the reasons why our podcast Brand table was created: Every month, we sit down with two companies from a particular industry to talk about their marketing - and hope to reach many of our colleagues who will be inspired by this and be able to release their mental blocks.
What is your agency philosophy?
We never think and work one-dimensionally. With a lot of passion and combined forces, we stand for cross-media missions that inspire. It is important to us to be close to our customers and to advise them honestly and transparently.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
With our locations in the heart of Central Switzerland and in the center of Zurich, we act as a flexible, dynamic and modern agency for clients from various industries, of different sizes and with a broad regional distribution. We don't rest on projects we've already won, we always want to stay on the ball and see challenges as opportunities. At our company, employees can help shape the agency, the business areas and the range of services - and thus have a great deal of room for maneuver not only in their projects, but also in our organization.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
There is also a certain fluctuation among us: Some leave us to complete their studies, others are looking for a new challenge or take time off to travel the world. However, we are very pleased that we can already count on many veterans in relation to our young company history.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
As long as you're curious, age can't hurt you. And for those who want to know exactly: 21 & 44.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
As an up-and-coming young company, we are not quite at the industry average yet, which we want to reach in the next one to two years. All our profits flow directly into the salaries and growth of our agency.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
2:3.
Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
No. We do not disclose the exact individual salary information, but we rely on a transparent salary model with various fringe benefits.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
Overtime is also part of our everyday working life. However, all employees record their working hours and can compensate the difference to the target value.
What benefits do you offer to compensate your employees for this overtime?
With us, work is not simply done so that one has worked. Instead, the focus is on personal interest and the pursuit of successful, creative and inspiring results. We therefore offer Tincanaut:innen a lot of room to bring in their own passion and the opportunity to work out a suitable offer. Thanks to the flat hierarchies, everyone can help shape the agency and organize themselves according to their needs thanks to Flexwork.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
14 weeks for the mothers and two weeks for the fathers.
How does the agency handle home offices?
Our employees are free to decide where they want to work. However, we recommend 50 percent office presence to strengthen team spirit.
What is the current quota of women?
50 percent.
Do you employ interns?
Yes. We offer various internships and respond spontaneously to blind applications. Our goal is always to employ people permanently after the internship.
Do you organize team events?
Yes - and pick up every preference in the process: be it workouts, action excursions to theme and escape parks, office parties or educational brown-bag lunches over lunch.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Tincy - who we also launched as NFT! But also dogs of customers and employees are welcome and provide the woof effect in between.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
With us in the Creative Cube, with customers after successful project completion and, since June 2023, also in our Creative Station right in the Zurich Enge.
(updated: September 12, 2023)
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Agency Name: FS Parker AG
Establishment date: 2009
Founder: Hannes Sigrist-Thompson, FS Communication AG
Current agency heads: Christoph Schmidt, Noelia Blanco, Hannes Sigrist-Thompson
Number of employees: 15
Current customers: Adecco, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Bosch Siemens Household Group, Diwisa, Goldbach Media, Hager, Julius Bär, Infront, Die Mobiliar, Movement Sciences, Raiffeisen, Ringier, Schweiz Tourismus, STUcard, Vifor Pharma and many more
Agency address: Binzmühlestrasse 170c, 8050 Zurich
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
Of course, we are proud of all our work. What we really loved last year was the national image campaign "Whatever your goal is" for Raiffeisen Switzerland. We were able to show our full range of expertise with it. Since the multi-stage tender process was populated with very big names, we are admittedly very proud of winning the budget.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
That was in March 2020, when Covid-19 surprised the world. There was just a lot of chaos; no one knew how to act. During this time, we designed one of the very first Corona campaigns for the Swiss Media Association from the home office. On the weekend of March 20, almost all newspapers, news portals appeared with our visual on "Stay at home" on full front pages. It was a very serious call, but showed how important good, clear visual communication is in crisis situations.
The most unusual place where your creatives retreat to be creative?
We had a colleague who regularly completed 120km ultramarathons in the Alps. We think she had the weirdest ideas between kilometers 90 and 120. The results were in any case indicative of this. Basically, creative people have their oasis here to retreat and recharge their batteries. Whatever it takes.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Only those who allow themselves time off and air their heads are able to perform at the highest level. In the sun, out in the rain, doing sports, yoga session, a foot massage, taking our agency dog Misto for a spin (if he feels like it; mostly not). We also try to use Mario Kart, but that hasn't done much so far, except have fun in 4-player mode.
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
Of course, we are proud of all our work. What we really loved last year was the national image campaign "Whatever your goal is" for Raiffeisen Switzerland. We were able to show our full range of expertise with it. Since the multi-stage tender process was populated with very big names, we are admittedly very proud of winning the budget.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
That was in March 2020 when Covid-19 surprised the world. There was just a lot of chaos; nobody knew how to act. During this time, we designed one of the very first Corona campaigns for the Swiss Media Association from our home office. On the weekend of March 20, almost all newspapers, news portals appeared with our visual on "Stay at home" on full front pages. It was a very serious call, but showed how important good, clear visual communication is in crisis situations.
The most unusual place where your creatives retreat to be creative?
We had a colleague who regularly completed 120km ultramarathons in the Alps. We think she had the weirdest ideas between kilometers 90 and 120. The results were in any case indicative of this. Basically, creative people have their oasis here to retreat and recharge their batteries. Whatever it takes.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Only those who allow themselves time off and air their heads are able to perform at the highest level. In the sun, out in the rain, doing sports, yoga session, a foot massage, taking our agency dog Misto for a spin (if he feels like it; mostly not). We also try to use Mario Kart, but that hasn't done much so far, except have fun in 4-player mode.
What is your agency philosophy?
Basically, we want to implement stories with our customers that make a difference. In other words, our mission is to create an impact for society and our customers with all our actions and knowledge. Diversity, origin, backgrounds, different education and career paths as well as internationality are important to us when developing or hiring our employees. The origin of our employees from eight nations reflects this very well. As a management team, our philosophy is not only to measure employee performance, but also to address the needs and personalities of individual team members. This is the only way we can grow together and achieve our ambitious goals.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
As a boutique agency with less than 20 employees, you are not a cog in a big wheel, but an essential part of the output. You are quickly given a lot of responsibility and can therefore develop and evolve quickly. Our working atmosphere is relaxed and our interactions are humorous and human. According to the credo #DareToChallenge, we always spur each other on to become better. This is also how we see the development of our employees through internal and external training programs, creative morning sessions, deep dives and other things that we are unfortunately not allowed to reveal here.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
The current average is around 3,524 years.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
We are big fans of diversity - also in terms of age. Our current apprentice (yes, we train) is 19 years old and our oldest employee is in her late 40s.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
With our entrepreneurial wage system, we are certainly above the industry average in normal fiscal years.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
Depending on the co-entrepreneurship, length of service, performance and business year of the company, the salary can move strongly upwards. The ratio between the lowest and the highest salary is a maximum of 1:3.5.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
We have salary bands that are based on areas of responsibility and the requirements profile of the respective position. The salary calculator of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office serves as a basis. Because the wages are thus based on the levels, there is a certain transparency.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
Work-life balance is really important to us. That means that over the course of the year, we hardly ever work overtime. That doesn't mean that there aren't phases when it's more intense. The management team is exempt from overtime...;-)
With which benefits do you compensate your employees for said overtime?
Less from a compensation perspective, but rather out of conviction, we support our employees in further training on a personal as well as professional level. Through our "Stay Healthy - Stay Smart" initiative, each employee receives CHF 500 annually for an activity that promotes health and/or quenches the thirst for knowledge. For example, a subscription to spinning classes or an online course. In addition, we support our employees with a pension fund solution that is optimized in an industry comparison.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
In the case of maternity, it is 14 weeks. Fathers receive two weeks of paternity leave.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Home office is 'a dream come true' for the marketing & communications industry and especially for creatives. Despite this, for many of us, working exclusively at home doesn't seem to be the best of both worlds. For us, a good mix brings out the best of both worlds: 3 days at the agency, 2 days at home - and everyone decides how he/she wants to spend the week.
What is the current quota of women?
We are happy to be at 50%. This is the most fun way for us to work.
Do you employ interns?
Yes. We like to train.
Do you organize team events?
Of course! Good togetherness is very close to our hearts. In 2021, we spent three days in the Upper Engadine. This excursion took us to dizzying heights. The Via Ferrata "la Resigia" in Pontresina was quite an overcoming and challenge for many. In contrast, the yoga session was a child's birthday party. At the palate feast in a Michelin restaurant and at the golf taster course we had a great time together. The Christmas parties or summer parties with all our friends and families are also notorious. Our monthly Creative Monday sessions are also great for team spirit. At our 'Wellbeing@Work' workshops, we exchange ideas about topics away from work - that strengthens our cohesion. In the last two years in particular, we have seen how important it is to show understanding for one another.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Yes! Misto is a Romanian super-mongrel-something dog. He is in the office one or two days a week, otherwise he does home-office. Basically a very friendly, loving animal. He just has to get rid of the barking a little bit, then it will work better with the customers.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Oerlikon is not exactly the epitome of a hotspot for many city dwellers in Zurich. But what the 8004- and 5s don't know is that we have the Noerd Canteen & Terrace out here, a beautiful oasis in our inner courtyard, and the after-work beer there in summer is guaranteed to be better than in many other places. Visitors are always welcome.
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- Address: Altenbergstrasse 8A, 3013 Bern
- Founding date: Summer 2010
- Founder: Christoph "Balsi" Balsiger
- Current agency heads: Balsi, Fabia Dellsperger
- Number of employees: 14
- Current clients: Alzheimer Switzerland, BAG,
- Gurtenfestival, Canton of Bern, PostFinance, Pro Velo Schweiz, Burgdorf Castle, SRK, Stiftung Denk an mich, Swiss Cheese, SRG SSR, TEDx Bern, Züri West, ...
- Kargo.ch
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
The campaign for Alzheimer Switzerland launched on the occasion of the annual World Alzheimer's Day. On the one hand, because we were able to prevail against well-known competitors from Zurich and draw attention to the devastating disease that can affect each and every one of us with our online spots and accompanying social advertising activities, without frills and without compromise. The simplicity of the idea and its implementation are exemplary for our creative work.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
Historically, the campaign and CD for the Bern venue of Euro 08. Although this was created just before Kargo was founded, it was a stepping stone for all the Goals we kicked afterwards. As part of this assignment, we had the privilege of helping to conceptualize and design the unique Swiss Beach at the Herrmann beach bar in Vienna during the tournament. The international attention that this project attracted catapulted us as a young graphic design studio into a significantly higher league.
Since its inception, it is partly our involvement with the Gurtenfestival. In addition to the new CD, we are also responsible for the campaign and look after the festival year-round on all social media channels. This mandate is the perfect playground for us to try out new things and test trends.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
We often hold our brainstorming sessions - season and weather permitting - in the Aare. Our studio is located directly on the banks of the Aare at Altenberg and many a pitch or logo idea has been developed in the cool Bernese wet. This was even documented by ZDF in "Planet e" and broadcast last summer.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Äbe, swim in the Aare!
What is your agency philosophy?
"All you need is a great idea." It sounds so simple, but, as every creative mind knows, it's the hardest part
at all. Especially when you have to deliver under time pressure!
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because as a creative agency, we are always on the lookout for unique assignments and have a very wide range of clients and projects to offer where creative talents can let off steam - and on every conceivable channel!
How long do employees stay with you on average?
Between two and five years. Creatives usually stay longer than marketers.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
24-year-old and 50 years young.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
On a good average, but to be honest, the industry average is not easy to determine. Do you have an infographic on this? In addition to a salary and a good six weeks' vacation, we offer our employees Adriano's coffee à discrétion, provide an agency mobile and count swimming on the Aar as working time.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
About 1:3.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
If they want to, they'll find out. But, as with the hierarchy, we don't have too big a discrepancy when it comes to wages.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
As a rule, we don't work overtime. Exceptions are pitch situations or the four days during the Gurtenfestival.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
With Gurtenfestival VIP passes and they can compensate the reported overtime by arrangement.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
Maternity and paternity leave is granted to both husband and wife in accordance with the law.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
We have such a nice studio that hardly anyone is clamoring for a home office, but we are very open about it. At the moment, we are testing the extreme case for the second time, and relatively successfully!
What is the current quota of women?
Percentage wise, at 70% women's share.
Do you employ interns?
Yes, in graphic design and online marketing. Mostly on a six-month basis, and some were hired on a permanent basis right after that.
Do you organize team events?
We usually make a city trip. We have already traveled to Copenhagen, Berlin and Milan. In addition, we always feast at one of our many gastronomic clients around Christmas time. This year, on the occasion of our 10th anniversary, we would have traveled to our client in the romantic castle of Sibra near Toulouse.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
We have a papier-mâché rhinoceros on the wall, a gift from a client in the fashion industry.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Mostly at our place on the forecourt on the banks of the Aare or at our dear neighbors, the Hotel Landhaus, at Albert & Frida. Our former Friday aperitifs called "Beer o'clock" were legendary and attracted many clients or partners to our agency bar after work and just before the weekend. Unfortunately, this is tempi passati.
- Date of foundation: 1993
- Founder: Dominique von Matt
- Number of employees: 138
- Current customers: Coca-Cola, Coop, Denner, Emmi, Geberit, Helsana, Hirslanden, Jelmoli, Mobiliar, Newhome, Ovomaltine, Post, Reka, SportXX, swissmilk, SwissSkills, TCS, V-Zug, Wingo, ZKB, Zürich Tourismus, Zweifel ...
Current agency heads:
- Jung von Matt Limmat: Roman Hirsbrunner, Cyrill Hauser, Stefan Naef, Thomas Steiner, René Schwarz
- Jung von Matt play: Matthias Fasnacht, Michael Kindermann
- Jung von Matt brand identity: Thomas Deigendesch
- Jung von Matt Tech: Michelle Danilschenko, Jan Rohleder, Christian Koop, Stefan Bruggmann
- Jung von Matt Impact: Dominik Habermacher, Benjamin Herz
- Jung von Matt Services: Pepe Kägi, Fabrizio Rutishauser
- Morrow ventures: Niclas Delfs, Robert Iken
Agency address:
- Jung von Matt Limmat: Wolfbachstrasse 19, 8032 Zurich
- Jung von Matt Play: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
- Jung von Matt Brand identity: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
- Jung von Matt Tech: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
- Jung von Matt Impact: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
- Jung von Matt Services: Zeltweg 40, 8032 Zurich
- Morrow ventures: Weberstrasse 7, 8004 Zurich
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
To all of them, of course. But we are especially happy about the collaboration with Coop that started this year and our first work "Tatendrang" for the sustainability engagement "Taten statt Worte". Or the "Home-made damage sketch" for Mobiliar during the Corona lockdown or the youth activation "Moving Box Furniture".
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
We have realized many cult campaigns over the years, such as Gian & Giachen, the Migros chicken or the Grillitarians. Even more than past successes, we are interested in future work. Our guiding principle "We remain unsatisfied" also applies here.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
Retreat alone is often too little for truly inspiring ideas. It also requires collision, i.e. the meeting of different skills, views and influences. That's why collaboration within the team - and with the customer - is so important to us. The most unusual place for killer ideas is a meeting room.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
A thought block is a call to relax or change the setting. That means: change the place, change the method, change the topic. Or simply get out into the fresh air.
What is your agency philosophy?
We inspire people and brands.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
We focus on the long-term development of people in a creative ecosystem and are convinced that young people can and should take on responsibility quickly. That's why we launched the Future Creative Leaders trainee program. As part of the program, young talents learn about all aspects of the creative industry and get a feel for whether they would rather pursue a professional or management career.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
On average, it is currently just under three years. We also have many returnees who are already with Jung von Matt for the second or third time.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Diversity is also very important to us in terms of age. That's why we have everything from baby boomers to Gen Z with us.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
According to the LSA wage survey, the agency as a whole is slightly above the industry average.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
A trainee starts with us at 2500 francs a month. Depending on the degree of co-entrepreneurship, the salary varies greatly upwards. The median salary of a full-time employee in 2019 was 7500 francs.
Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
No. However, our experience levels are fully transparent. Because salaries are based on the levels, there is a certain implicit transparency.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
On average, zero per week across all employees. Individuals also perform more time and again. Supervisors are called upon to ensure that this is compensated for in a meaningful way.
What benefits do you offer to compensate your employees for this overtime?
We attach great importance to the personal and professional development of all employees. In addition to individual or role-specific training, our internal further education program "School of Excellence" focuses on joint further development in the area of team building and specialist expertise.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
In the case of maternity leave, Jung von Matt offers 16 weeks at 100 percent pay. As of 2021, fathers will receive four weeks' paternity leave with 100 percent pay.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Yes, "work from anywhere" applies at our company. Employees can decide where they work at any time. The home office quota varies greatly from employee to employee and depends on roles and project phases. The occupancy rate in the agency is currently around 40 percent.
What is the current quota of women?
Currently, it is 48 percent across all employees in all agency sectors. However, it is significantly lower for managerial functions. We are working on this.
Do you employ interns?
Yes, among other things as part of the "Future Creative Leaders" trainee program. The goal: to get to know all areas of a creative agency and then decide where the development should go.
Do you organize team events?
Yes, in the individual teams, but also across the agency. Ski weekends, checkup days and Christmas parties are legendary. This year, because of Corona, we have reinterpreted many events and looked for formats that are both feasible and inspiring. We believe that corporate culture must be lived even in times of increasing spatial separation, perhaps even more than ever. That's why we also invested a lot during the lockdown to create shared experiences.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
We have several dogs that come in and out of the agency. But our heraldic animal is still the Trojan horse.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
In the "Rössli", our agency's own pub, on the roof terrace on Wolfbachstrasse or in the "Kantine" on Weberstrasse. Or somewhere outside in a great pub.
- Address: Steinentorstrasse 19, 4051 Basel
- Date of foundation: 1999
- Founders: Michael Gerber, Andreas Mesmer, Marco Rosenberg
- Current agency heads: Remo Brunner, Simone Fluri, Michael Gerber, Frédérique Mathys, Marco Rosenberg, Tommy Schilling
- Number of employees: 90
- Current clients: Coop, Feldschlösschen, University Hospital Basel, Swissmem, Basler Kantonalbank, TNW, BLT, Caritas, Economie Suisse, Psychiatrie Baselland, Baloise Session and many more.
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
To the integrated campaign for the environmental protection subscription of the tariff association of Northwestern Switzerland. A budget that we have newly won. And to our campaign for Coop's Sea Happy promotion, including the digital advertising materials produced in-house.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
There are two: On the one hand, the campaign with Roger Federer for Nationale Suisse. We had the courage to ask Roger Federer's management directly without consultation, even though there was no budget or other leeway. But we were then able to convince the client that this could be a very worthwhile investment. And so it was. On the other hand, the Hello Family pitch win from Coop was immensely important. We were able to help manage one of the most successful launches of a customer loyalty program.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
The location is rarely decisive for us. Much more important is the exchange among each other and the right composition of the team. That is the basis for ideas to flourish.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Fan again and try to look at the whole thing from a new angle.
What is your agency philosophy?
Pasión y paciencia. This means that we want to work out good solutions for our customers with passion and patience. What may sound like a contradiction at first is the basis for success when the two values are properly balanced.
Mission Anniversary 2019: Tommy Schilling and Frédérique Mathys at the 20th anniversary of Valencia.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because the Valencia family has a super team spirit and we look after the best client budgets. And last but not least, some of our team mates have become real couples. There are even Valencia babies.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
7 years.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Our apprentice Inès is 18, our senior copywriter Guillermo just turned youthful 58.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
We are in line with the industry average.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
3 to 1.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
No.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
We try very hard to organize ourselves so that we can do our work in the scheduled hours per week. These are not the same for all three companies - Valencia, Cab and Nueva - for historical reasons.
The office of the youngest Valencia subsidiary Nueva.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
Overtime is of course remunerated in accordance with the law.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
There we go by law.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
No, only in exceptional cases. We want to be easily accessible for our customers. To this end, we believe that personal presence is immensely important in cooperation.
The Valencia Cantina with memory wall.
What is the current quota of women?
At Valencia, it's about 70 percent women. At Cab it is 5 percent and at Nueva 10 percent. That makes an average of around 50 percent women across the group.
Do you employ interns?
Yes, but only in consulting and with the web developers. In creation and realization we currently have four apprentices.
Do you organize team events?
Lots: ski trip, annual three-day trip to Valencia (or so), B2Run, fencing tournament, plus various aperitifs and meals.
Dressed up in Dresden: The last agency outing was to the Semper Opera House.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
No. Because of allergies and the standard of hygiene.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
In the in-house cantina or on the ramp in the backyard. And of course only Feldschlösschen!
- Address: Dorngasse 12, 3007 Bern
- Foundation: February 2010
- Founders: Valérie Pecalvel, Luciano Gerber
- Current agency heads: see above
- Number of employees: 12
- Current clients: Federal Office of Energy, Groupe Mutuel, Federal Office for the Environment, Geneva Tourism, Decathlon, Swiss National Library, Valais/Wallis Promotion, Benu Pharmacy, Lung League, Cancer League, Manotel, TPF, Securitas-Direct, HES-SO
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
STOPGETHER. Quitting smoking in a group via Facebook community is a new concept in tobacco prevention. Our campaign is 100 percent collaborative - from name to implementation. Always with a positive spirit. Packaging the serious topic of smoking in a positive way was the biggest challenge. The campaign is so popular with us that we ourselves were convinced to put down the cigarette in November. For now.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
We can't name them all, so we'd rather name one customer: EnergieSchweiz. It occupies a special place because it was one of the first to put its trust in our agency. And that has been the case for ten years. We are proud to be able to contribute to raising awareness in Switzerland with our work.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
A place without wifi or 4G, although that is quite difficult to find.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
We tell ourselves that everything will be all right. If we never had thinking blocks, it would mean we chose too easy a path.
What is your agency philosophy?
The creative acumen.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
To immerse ourselves in a sea of three cultures and languages and because our daily work consists of many exciting projects that follow each other but are never the same.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
Above average.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
(24+25+30+31+31+33+36+38+39+39+43+48) : 12
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Average.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
1:2
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
It is not openly communicated.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
Almost none - in pitch-free weeks.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
With flexibility on both sides. Full days are compensated.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
Because we are committed to gender equality, we also offer paternity leave, even though it does not yet exist by law.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Yes, partly, but lively exchanges and discussions are irreplaceable.
What is the current quota of women?
The founder and head of the agency gives answer: about one third.
Although not the right agency dog, but still also very quiet and clean.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Everywhere. But since we quit smoking, not on the terrace.
The agency check with Franz&René is available in the Advertising week 11-12/2019 to read.
Do you employ interns?
One in creation and one in consulting: only these. If we don't have any projects for them or their profiles don't suit us, we'd rather leave the spot vacant than fill it unnecessarily.
Do you organize team events?
Too few!
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
A very calm and very clean dog.
- Address: St. Jakobs-Strasse 185, 4052 Basel
- Date of foundation: 1968
- Founders: Jürg Schaub, Horst Kepka
- Current agency heads: : Peter Frey, Jan Tanner, Gabriel Heuberger, Thomas Fux, Monika Wüthrich, Daniel Bürgi
- Number of employees: 17
- Current clients: Henkel, Cornercard, BFU, BLT, Seco - Berufsbildungsplus, Zoo Basel
- Crbasel.ch
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
Berufsbildungplus.ch for the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI. The catchy and versatile guiding principle "Learn ..., become ..." shows the endless possibilities offered by the permeability of the Swiss education system and vocational education as a springboard for a successful career.
The most important campaign in agency history to date - and why?
"Stop Aids" for the Federal Office of Public Health: a literally vital awareness and prevention campaign that caused a worldwide sensation, met with the highest level of acceptance and attention from the general public, and won international awards.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
Little fancy, but all the more exciting: in the office with the door closed.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Overcome the despair and back to start.
What is your agency philosophy?
Talk less, say more.
Selfie with part of the team from creation and consulting.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because the mix of old hands and young talent offers the best prospects.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
Ten years plus.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
21 and 58 years.
Impressive: The entrance area at cR Werbeagentur.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Above average in Basel, average nationally.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
We have a ratio of 1:3.
Pay transparency: Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
No.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
We work efficiently.
With which benefits do you compensate your employees for said overtime?
Additional vacation days.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
By law, with tolerance.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Yes, depending on the task.
In the studio of the Basel agency.
What is the current quota of women?
Seven female employees currently correspond to a ratio of 41 percent.
Do you employ interns?
Yes, we have very good experiences with interns - both in creation and in consulting.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Every now and then one barks on the second floor.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Often at networking events, occasionally at the Blauer Kater, our agency pub in the basement.
Campaign by cR Werbeagentur for Zoo Basel.
The agency check with cR Werbeagentur is available in the Advertising week 10/2019 to read.
- Address: Stauffacherstrasse 101, Zurich
- Date of foundation: April 1, 2016
- Founders: Nico Ammann, Simon Rehsche, Matthias von Bechtolsheim
- Chefs: Simon Rehsche, Nico Ammann, Lukas von Wartburg, Leander Schmalfuss
- Number of employees: 16
- Current clients: Bank Cler, Gazenergie (Swiss Gas Industry Association), FDP. Die Liberalen, Jungfreisinnige, Wingo, Zur Rose
- Home-zuerich.com
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
On the Kieser Training campaign "Read Upright", because it simply combines brand attitude and technology and also addresses a real problem of our time. We are no less proud of the Gazenergie (formerly Natural Gas) brand launch because it is an enormously comprehensive campaign and our involvement ranges from brand strategy to corporate identity design to content creation.
The most important campaign in agency history to date?
"Time to talk about money" for Bank Cler. We created a disruptive and relevant brand platform for Bank Cler and positioned it conspicuously in the market with a nationwide campaign. Furthermore, the daily, close collaboration with Bank Cler to this day is characterized by enormous energy, constructiveness and tremendous courage.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
Your own office desk. If you have good ideas at your office desk, you're sure to have even better ones in the shower or while reverse stand-up paddling.
What is your agency philosophy?
People need a home. We turn brands into home. In addition, we always keep the Heimat Group's credo in mind: Good advertising is clever, unexpected and touching.
The entrance door at home Zurich
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because our agency is young enough to be open to anything new. And it's experienced enough to turn a good idea into reality.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Our youngest is 21, our oldest 52.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
Think differently.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Our wages are above the industry average.
Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
We do not openly communicate wages; we leave that decision to each employee.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
The industry is changing. The days when the lights stayed on longer in advertising agencies than in whorehouses are over. On average, we don't work overtime. Some days we work significantly longer than eight hours, and others significantly less. Good communication is valuable and has its price - an agency should function in a businesslike manner - without overtime - and thus strive for the de facto reduction of hourly wages.
What benefits do you provide to compensate your employees for said overtime?
Overtime is, of course, fully compensated. We have also rewarded employees who have worked on particularly demanding campaigns with spa vouchers, paid wellness weekends or high-proof alcohol.
How long do you give maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
We found the one day of paternity leave by law too little, so we have increased paternity leave to one week. We give maternity leave according to the current legal situation.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Yes, but it always depends on the function and the circumstances, so we assess this together with each employee and for each job individually. One of our employees lives in Badi Enge - we are always a bit skeptical about him wanting to work from home.
What is the current quota of women?
Our gender ratio is 50/50.
Do you employ interns?
Yes. We think it's important that we not only give interns the chance to get a taste of "advertising air," but that if they prove to be very talented and motivated, we can also offer them a place at the agency after their internship.
Do you organize team events?
Regular. This year, among other things, we had the pleasure of combining our summer party with the 20th anniversary of "Heimat in Berlin".
The summer festival of Heimat Zürich and Heimat Berlin at the Badeschiff in Berlin.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Where the beer is. In the agency, in the "Xenix", in the bank and sometimes also in the cult kiosk Treffpoint directly opposite.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Our "charming" hanging plant named Kevin.
- Address: Badenerstrasse 415, 8003 Zurich
- Date of foundation: February 17, 2007
- Founders: Michael Volkart, Michael Hinderling and Michael Bischof, Iwan Negro and David Lüscher, Gérald Marolf and Till Ramstein
- Number of employees: 59
- Current clients: United Nations, Public Eye, Eurowings, Edelweiss, Monocle, Hiltl, VZ ,Swiss, UBS, Postfinance, Switzerland Tourism, Swiss Re and many more.
- Hinderlingvolkart.com
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
To the relaunch of Switzerland Tourism - a long, very intensive collaboration in which half the team was involved, which demanded a lot of sweat and heart and soul, and of which we are proud of the result.
The most important campaign in agency history to date?
We received the nicest compliment for "Lost in Val Sinestra" for Swisscom TV - the performance was praised as "Double Rainbow Awesome" by Tech Crunch. The most important award ("Site of the year" at Awwwards) was won by 360langstrasse.srf.ch for Swiss TV.
Hinderling Volkart successful at Best of Swiss Web
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
The roof tent of Till's Range Rover - at least rumored.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
A short bike ride to the Letten or a walk to the Rheinsprung or to the Nydeggbrücke and a swim in the cool water helps with almost everything.
What is your agency philosophy?
We do it right or we don't do it at all.
The partners of HV Italic - immortalized in an oil painting.
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
Because they can develop optimally in the best team with the most exciting and varied customers and projects.
How long do employees stay with you on average?
Long enough for a familiar team spirit to develop, and short enough for there to be a good mix. In our young teams in Basel and Bern, we have had practically no departures. What's exciting is that most of those who leave go on to start their own business, take a trip or start further training. Employees who change agencies are very rare.
How old is your youngest employee, and how old is your oldest?
Ruedi, our copywriter and concept developer, has long since retired, but still works passionately for us three days a week. Lior, who is currently doing a frontend internship with us, is 18.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Our employees should be valued and fairly compensated for their work, have exciting work, be able to develop themselves further and find a great and stable working environment. We think we're doing a pretty good job of that. Probably no one comes to work for us because of the money alone.
What is the ratio between the best and the worst paid employee?
About 1:9 if you take our apprentice into the equation.
Do employees know among themselves who earns how much?
Our team in Bern recently introduced a transparent salary system. That is actually our goal in Zurich as well. But who knows who's salary should be left up to the employees.
How much overtime do you work on average per week?
We very much appreciate the willingness of employees to go the extra mile and work beyond the agreed hours. The idea is that this can then be compensated again naturally in quieter phases. Overall, overtime is kept very much within bounds.
What benefits do you offer to compensate your employees for this overtime?
Assignments on days off can be compensated, and if weekly overtime becomes the rule due to the system, we try to find a fair solution. One of our guiding principles is: We give a lot and demand a lot - in addition to many benefits and team activities, we offer, among other things, five weeks of vacation, and on your birthday you have a day off with us.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
Mothers receive sixteen paid weeks, fathers two. This is then often supplemented with unpaid leave.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
Our HV-Italic team only meets every Wednesday in the Basel office, for the rest of the week the working location can basically be chosen freely - this recently led to the Italic staff from St. Gallen joining forces and now often working from the container in Lattich.
In Zurich and Bern, home office is possible according to need and individual arrangement.
What is the current quota of women?
Our team in Bern is now 50 percent female. In Zurich and at Italic, it's even lower. It is still difficult to achieve a good mix, especially among the developers.
Do you employ interns?
Anytime! [email protected]
Do you organize team events?
Our four-day ski weekend has cult status, each area has a nice budget for trips of several days (mostly as a city trip), in Sihlsports we regularly battle it out in racket sports, and this summer we're going down the Aare in rubber boats, including food, drinks and an overnight stay in the Jugi.
The best activities are always those that are spontaneously organized from within the team.
Beach fun with the Zurich frontend team
Team outing at Hinderling Volkart Bern
Summer party of Hinderling Volkart in Zurich
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Our agency unicorn.
The Agency Unicorn by Hinderling Volkart
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
You are most likely to meet us at "Volver" near the Rathausplatz, in a Buvette on the Rhine, gaming at the Playstation and playing Ping Pong at the headquarters in Zurich.
The team of the Basel offshoot HV Italic while gaming.
- Address: Weststrasse 86, 8003 Zurich
- Date of Incorporation: July 4, 2011
- Founder: Tom Seinige
- Current Agency Heads: Susan d’Erlanger, Sandro Nicotera, Alexandra Niggeler, Tom Seinige
- Number of employees: between 0 and 42
- Current clients: Denner, ZVV, SVA Zurich, Cashgate, EcoDrive, SVV, Jensen, and others
- Tbd.ch
Which campaign from the past twelve months are you particularly proud of?
It's hard to say, because every campaign has something we're proud of, and at the same time, each of us is proud of different things. That's why we've put together a compilation of our favorites in this video.
The most important campaign in the agency's history so far?
At the risk of sounding like a soccer coach: The most important campaign is always the next one. While we’re proud of our history, we don’t let it go to our heads.
The most offbeat place your creatives retreat to be creative?
Unusual places tend to distract us rather than help us focus. That’s why we prefer to work in places where we feel completely at ease and can let our thoughts run free. So, usually, that means on the sofa at our agency.
What do you do when you have thought blocks?
The «Valley of Tears,» the «Wall of Failure,» or whatever you want to call this phase, is part of the creative process. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you should stick with it. By sticking with it, you’ll get through it. Or take two steps back and take the other path.
What is your agency philosophy?
We are both creative minds and doers. But we’re not philosophers, nor are we buzzword spinners who pass ourselves off as philosophers.
Tom Seinige, Susan d’Erlanger, Sandro Nicotera, and Alexandra Niggeler (from left).
Why should talented people definitely come to work for you?
At tbd., talented individuals can do what they love most and do best. That’s because we work as part of a network with freelancers from all disciplines and fields. We draw from this talent pool to put together teams that are perfectly suited to each task. No one has to do anything they’re not good at. That’s probably one reason why so many talented people join us without us having to convince them.
How long do employees stay on average?
It may come as a surprise, but it’s true: We don’t have a permanent staff, and yet we have virtually no turnover—much less than we’ve experienced at traditional agencies. All the freelance teams we put together for clients are very happy to stay with us for as long as possible.
How high are the wages you pay compared to the industry average?
Not only do we pay our freelancers a fair wage, but we also pay them on time—which, it seems, is rather unusual. We don’t pay ourselves nearly enough.
How long do you get maternity leave and how long paternity leave?
Taking care of your mother or father is only natural. Everyone gets as much time off as they need for that. The same goes for the kids.
Is home office allowed - and if so, how often?
At our company, we allow not only working from home but also working from anywhere. Basically, anything that makes work more enjoyable and boosts productivity.
What is the current quota of women?
50 percent, of course.
Do you employ interns?
In principle, yes; at the moment, no. Anyone who would like to change that is welcome to get in touch.
Do you organize team events?
At the end of March, we hold our agency’s first summer party of the year. Freelancers of all kinds are invited. And to our great delight, we get to spend more money each year on the growing number of food and drink orders.
Do you have an agency dog or other mascot?
Isla really wows us. She's both at once.
Where do you drink your after-work beer?
Fortunately, our agency is located on the sunny corner of Weststraße and Zweierstraße. That’s why, at the end of the workday, we like to set up the folding table in front of the entrance and marvel at how quickly a crowd gathers at tbd. It can take a little longer with people we haven’t met before.