Nominated for "Advertiser of the Year" 2018: Pascal Deville

The two creative directors Deville and Textor only founded the agency in 2014. Freundliche Grüsse Zürich is run by them together with the partner Patrick Biner, who joined in 2015. The Berlin branch is run by the fourth partner, Res Matthys.

The young agency quickly attracted attention: In 2016, for example, it was named Newcomer Agency of the Year in the German-speaking world by the "Jahr der Werbung" (Year of Advertising) in Berlin - for the SP campaign "Mit Links gegen Rechts" (With Left Against Right). The URL shortener provided links with a message against the enforcement initiative.

The creative idea is always at the center of the campaigns. For example, the agency had the FCZ women enter the Champions League match with men instead of children, and the campaign caused a sensation and enthusiasm outside Switzerland as well.

In January 2018, two more milestones in the young but fast-paced agency history: On the one hand, Freundliche Grüsse was accepted into the Leading Swiss Agencies (LSA) association, making it one of Switzerland's leading agencies on paper as well. On the other hand, the Zurich-based creative agency entered the top five of the creative rankings for the first time - one year after it first appeared in the list of the top ten. This was made possible by awards at some of the most prestigious awards in the international advertising world.

Just the beginning of a long journey, that's for sure for Pascal Deville: "We've just become visible now. Now we are starting to think about what we want to and can do with this visibility." The thrust of this is clear. "In all industries, there are the 90 percent who just do their job. And then there are the other 10 percent who simply want more," says Deville - and leaves no doubt as to which group he and his agency partners count themselves among.

Leaning back in the circle of the established is not up for discussion: "If we now start repeating what we've learned instead of starting every morning with the resolution 'We want to achieve something with our advertising,' then the effort of founding an agency was not worth it!" (hae)

Real chefs cook with steel: Freundliche Grüsse launched two new product lines for Franke and staged the megatrend as an analog, archaic time-out in an increasingly digital everyday life.

For UBS, the Zurich agency developed various communication measures around the Spengler Cup app.

The "Return-to-Sender" campaign for Public Eye not only brought Freundliche Grüsse various highly endowed international awards, but also provoked border value changes and European bans in Africa.

A milestone in the young agency's history: the campaign, in which men could apply to be "run-in kids" for the FCZ women's team, also drew the agency's attention outside the advertising industry on a grand scale.

What was your first thought when you heard about the nomination for Advertiser of the Year?

Permanent grin in shock probably sums it up best. However, I interpret the nomination less as a compliment to my performance alone than as recognition of the creative direction of Freundliche Grüsse.

In general: What does advertising mean to you?

Advertising can do everything: sell spaghetti and help presidents get elected. That's what I believe in, and that's also what we're pursuing as an agency, by constantly testing the boundaries anew: whether that results in social engagement, an art project or a journalistic project.

Looking back on 2017: What was your personal highlight of the advertising year?

"Fearless Girl" by McCann New York. The campaign came at the right time and in the right formal implementation. An idea I would have liked to have had as well.

Name a "key campaign" that has had a significant impact on your personal career.

The FCZ women's escort campaign, in which we let men instead of children enter the stadium with the players. The campaign signaled the start of Freundliche Grüsse and received a lot of recognition nationally and internationally - but my two daughters Emilie (10) and Lilette (7) still like it most of all.

Who has influenced you the most professionally?

Certainly my two creative directors at the time, Christian Erni and Roger Rüegger, at Futurecom and Wunderman. They mainly let me do what I wanted to do, but also encouraged me where they could - and ultimately put me in a shared office with agency co-founder Samuel Textor. Thanks for that!

What has been the most difficult decision of your career so far?

I decided to become self-employed without a net or a double bottom. I haven't regretted it to this day, but I wouldn't want to have to do it a second time.

Where would you work if not in the advertising industry?

I would probably be an architect. My second passion and first education.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?

Self-taught. Head man. Much interested.

You are given a day off tomorrow: how do you organize it?

Out early in the morning and up with the whole family to the Seelisberg Lake, the most beautiful mountain lake in Central Switzerland. The evening atmosphere there is magical.

Which superpower would you choose if you had the choice?

Playing soccer. I'm incredibly bad at that.

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