Nominated for "Advertiser of the Year" 2018: Livio Dainese
2017 was his year. As the "father" of the Migros gnomes, he enchanted audiences far beyond the country's borders. Reason enough for the jury to nominate Livio Dainese for the "Advertiser of the Year" for the third time in a row.
For Wirz, the Migros Christmas campaign featuring Finn the elf was a more than crowning achievement. The art of transforming the less emotional environment of supermarket checkouts into a heartwarming, touching fairytale world triggered a veritable Secret Santa fever in Switzerland. And not only that: Finn literally conquered the world. The viral spot was viewed over 20 million times around the globe.
The brains behind the idea: Livio Dainese. Or as the Swiss magazine called him: "Papa Wichtel". For the past two and a half years, he has not "only" been CCO at Wirz, but has also been consistently developing the agency as Co-CEO together with Petra Dreyfus.
For him and Wirz, 2017 was much more than Finn, explains Dainese: "We succeeded again and again in setting highlights for large, complex and paying clients and their most important projects." For Ikea, for example, the "sleep concert" was a completely new approach to a topic such as sleeping. Have completely merged off- and online for Melectronics - or redefined a category with the M-Budget mobile campaign. "I may have written Finn, but at its core I see my achievement as Wirz making effective and, above all, popular communications. And doing it across disciplines."
The Aargauer in the service of the Zurich agency Wirz was already nominated for "Advertiser of the Year" in the past two years. This year's jury was nevertheless unanimous: Dainese for the third time! After this year, the nomination was more obvious than ever, they said.
Dainese is bursting with creativity - and yet practices modesty. Dry and direct: "I never wanted to make art. I don't feel the need to expose my innermost feelings to the world - I'm not that exciting after all." And yet he could one day be lost to advertising: "I'd still like to write screenplays, too," he reveals. And he adds, "I just don't know if I could."
But he actually feels he's in the best place in advertising: "There are a lot of funny people in our industry, and not just in creation. Advertising is a gathering place for people who 'biz en Flick weg händ' - but in a very good way." (hae)
Migros gnome Finn - the star of last year's Christmas campaign, which Wirz created for the major retailer under the creative direction of Livio Dainese.
Max Richter composed a "sleep concert" for Ikea. For eight hours, an ensemble provided background music for the dreams and thoughts of the audience, who listened while slumbering in beds. Wirz came up with the idea.
Time to philosophize thanks to Mobiliar's pension plan. For example, about whether fish are also thirsty.
M-Budget-Mobile's campaign motivates the Swiss to rethink their smartphone usage - and rewards thrifty users: Cumulus points are awarded for unused data volume.
Advertising Week: Livio Dainese, what was your first thought when you heard about the nomination for "Advertiser of the Year"?
Shit, I should get a tattoo.
In general: What does advertising mean to you?
To stay spiritually young, even if that may sound crude.
Looking back on 2017: What was your personal highlight of the advertising year?
There were at least four of them: our M-Budget Mobile campaign motivating people to abstain from cell phones, the mega-hype around the Migros gnome Finn, the minimalist pension campaign for Mobiliar, and the epic sleep concert with Max Richter for Ikea. Cool jobs for clients who want to make a difference.
Name a "key campaign" that has had a significant impact on your personal career.
Gian and Giachen for Graubünden Tourism. It has earned me a promotion.
Who has influenced you the most professionally?
Probably my father.
What has been the most difficult decision of your career so far?
To stay in Switzerland, despite offer from Berlin.
Where would you work if not in the advertising industry?
I think a small excavator would be ideal for me. I have a roof over my head, dig a bit, can't break anything, and in the evening I can see very clearly what I've done.
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
Better ask Fernando.
You are given a day off tomorrow: how do you organize it?
I'd ride my road bike around the Alps for a bit.
Which superpower would you choose if you had the choice?
Patience.
