Creative ranking 2018: Jung von Matt/Limmat leaves no stone unturned

Jung von Matt scores 757 points - no agency has been able to record so many points for ten years. And at that time, all the competitions listed could still be counted: In 2008, the Y&R Group achieved 756 points in the last year of the old mode - and defended the title the following year with just 271 points.

Jung von Matt/Limmat cracks the 700-point barrier in the latest edition of the creative rankings and thus increases significantly compared to the previous year (2017: 303 points). Of course, the agency also benefited from the rule adjustments that were decided in 2017 by the "Elephant Round" - consisting of representatives of the top 10 agencies and ADC Switzerland - and were applied for the first time in the current evaluation. The weightings of various competitions and the awards were raised slightly, the distance from bronze to the shortlist, for example, was increased. In addition, three instead of only two competitions can now be freely selected and credited. Despite all this, Jung von Matt/Limmat simply performed strongly in the past award year. The agency excelled nationally and internationally with the work it submitted. CCO Dennis Lück and his team were particularly successful this year with work for Samsung and Graubünden-Ferien.

>> Read the big interview with Dennis Lück on the topic of awards here.

TBWA\ Zurich, on the other hand, achieved the exploit of the year. The agency was in the top 10 of the ranking for the first time in 2016 (10th place) and made an impressive comeback this year with second place. The campaigns for McDonald's, the (ge)most important client, catapulted TBWA into the top group in its 20th anniversary year. The joy in Zurich is correspondingly great: "Number two in the creative rankings in Switzerland is something we would never have dreamed of a year ago," says CEO Matthias Kiess. At the same time, he says, it was also a concrete objective to develop strongly creatively and to prove to the Swiss market that they could be right at the top. "After our first foray into the rankings in 2016, we are now confident that the path we have chosen will bear fruit in the long term," says Kiess.

Ruf Lanz remains undeterred in the top group. Since its founding in 2001, the agency has always occupied a top 10 position and, with one exception (2014, when the agency took an award break), has always been ranked in the top 5. In the 17th year, Ruf Lanz was ranked third for the third time in a row, following 2016 and 2017. This long-term consistency is unique in the ranking history. "A hammer result for our slim speedboat - especially when you consider that we only participated in half of the counting awards in 2018 due to time constraints," says Creative Director and co-owner Markus Ruf. And adds with a laugh, "Should actually get an Effie."

Thjnk Zurich is anything but an "old hand" in the ranking. The agency is ranked in the top 10 for the first time ever and, with 5th place, is off to a great start. Founded in 2016, the Swiss offshoot of the Hamburg-based parent agency impressed top-class international juries with its work for Pro Infirmis ("Everyone is equal. No one is more equal."), among others, and diligently collected points. In contrast to his agency, co-founder and creative director Alexander Jaggy is an old acquaintance in the rankings. Jaggy was creative director and partner of Jung von Matt/Limmat for 15 years and has always been at the top in the past. Nevertheless, Jaggy is particularly pleased with this year's success with Thjnk. "The fact that we made it into the creative rankings after such a short time exceeds all expectations. And it reinforces our belief that good quality is rewarded in day-to-day business," he comments on the result.

The 2018 edition of the rankings also has several other special features in store. Walker makes it into the top ten for the first time since 2011. The double-page ad in the FAZ, which visualizes Donald Trump's world of thought and was commissioned by the publisher Kein & Aber, won several awards and was even named "Ad of the Year" in Germany.

MediaCom Switzerland is also the first media agency to appear in the top 10. The company, which describes itself as "the Content + Connections Agency," earned its place among the most successful ten agencies of the past year by participating in projects that won awards at the Best of Swiss Web and Swiss Effie.

After 2017, the agencies of the Publicis Group took a second ranking break. The globally imposed award freeze lasted until the middle of last year and ensured that the ambitious ranking competitors Publicis, Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi were once again "tied back" in 2018. However, they will be back in the mix for the next ranking, as CEO Thomas Wildberger assured Werbewoche. The competition will have to dress warmly. Whether Jung von Matt/ Limmat will be able to defend its title next year remains to be seen - it will be interesting to see.

This year's Top 5 agencies in a five-year comparison: Jung von Matt dominates, TBWA makes the leap to the top and Ruf Lanz shines with consistency at a high level. Wirz approaches the top again and Thjnk shows ambition at its successful premiere.