Who will be advertiser:in of the year 2023?
Soon there will be exciting discussions in the jury again, there will be advertising, arguments, wrestling, as there always has been, until the Egon is handed over at the beginning of April 2023. Before we, as the organizer of the tradition-steeped award, step into the ring again, we talked to the current Advertiser of the Year David Schärer about his tenure.
Time flies. It was almost a year ago, November 30, 2021 to be exact, when David Schärer, co-founder of the Rod agency, finally held the Egon, the prestigious Werber:in des Jahres statue, in his hands. He had already been nominated four times, and liked to refer to himself as the "Leonardo the Caprio" of the advertising industry. But just like Leo, David also very deservedly received the Oscar, no, the Egon.
What impact did David and his team make in the advertising industry in 2022, how did the year as Advertiser of the Year shape him, and what does he give his successor next April. We asked.
Werbewoche.ch: David, time is flying by, soon it will be a year since you were invited to the Advertiser of the year 2021/22 were chosen. On a brilliant and quite wavy and stormy ride on Lake Zurich we presented you with the award, the Egon. We from Advertisingweek.ch often and fondly remember this special evening at Raclette, wine and storm. What do you think about when you look back to November 30, 2021?
David Schärer: I think above all of the great encouragement I received from colleagues from all over the industry. When I got home late at night and sat down to rest, I had around 300 messages on my display. That's very pleasing, of course.
On the one hand, time passes so quickly, on the other hand, I feel as if this evening was eternally ago, as if in another time bubble. So much has happened in the world since then, war in Europe, energy crisis, Iranians rebelling against the regime, and even the corona numbers are rising sharply again. Tell us a little bit about your year 2022. What are the most striking pillars that you were able to hit with the Rod agency this year and how did the current events flow into the work at Rod ?
In my observation, current events have reinforced trends that have manifested themselves in recent years. ESG are reputation drivers, environmental sustainability is becoming a hygiene factor for brands, and the emphasis is increasingly on social commitments. Civil society has become the most important stakeholder and demands clear commitments from companies. The focus of our work is also increasingly shifting in this direction. At Rod, we have subsumed this development as "branded opinion.
The FOPH's mandate for corona communications has been re-advertised. Is Rod back in the running for this mandate? What would be the first thoughts you and your team would have if you were to receive the mandate again?
Working for the FOPH was one of the most formative experiences for me and I think I can speak for the whole team here. That is why, of course, we are running again. The Covid 19 campaign is always geared to current information needs, so I can't comment on that yet.
Rod has the claim "A bigger Bang fort he Bug". Is "a bigger bang" the answer to all questions or are the times when thin-skinnedness prevails predestined for quieter communication?
The claim describes a performance promise to our clients. Particularly in times like these, a clear stance is needed, and communicating this is genuinely a question of communication. I'm thinking here of agenda-setting effects; recently, together with Migros Engagement, we succeeded in bringing the topic of "neighborhood" into the public discussion. This is a topic that is gaining in importance, especially in times of insecurity and seclusion. Incidentally, many NGOs are also looking for the "bigger bang" at the moment, because their work is once again becoming significantly more relevant in this crisis environment. We have been able to do a lot of work here this year, for humanitarian missions, for development cooperation, for mental health.
After being nominated four times, you received, highly deserved, the Egon. What were your first thoughts when your name came up?
Above all, I was very pleased to receive this great honor. It is an honor above all because the Egon is awarded by colleagues.
At the beginning of April 2023, you will give the eulogy for the Advertiser of the Year 2023, just as Martin Walthert, the WdJ 2020, did for you. How would you describe your term of office in a nutshell, what experiences have you had, what would you give your successor to take with you?
I will advise my successor to use the shop window to push through his or her own concerns in the interest of the entire industry. My experience is that you can always do more, of course.
