"You get better by staying a kid".
Frederick Rossmann is not only Creative Director of the Werbeanstalt agency, but also a longtime Werbewoche cartoonist. In our "13 Questions" series, he tells us, among other things, how he got rid of two bad guys at night.
1. what would you work for free?
For everything that is fun. Before I had to pay mortgage and insurances, I did all private jobs for free, because design and advertising were my passion even then. I simply didn't understand how you could charge money for something that was fun. Today, unfortunately, it's different. The one with mortgage and insurance.
2. where and how have you ever bluffed in your life?
At night in circle 5 two bad guys wanted to rob me. I told them to settle it with me in the backyard around the corner. Thereupon they left me alone and slipped away timidly. In that backyard lived colleagues of mine who would hopefully have come to my rescue after an embarrassing screeching attack.
3. what does not come to the office under any circumstances?
Finches. And I don't mean the feathered ones.
4. what would you most like to promote?
Arranged alphabetically: Aargauer Kantonalbank, Badener Zeitung, Carl F. Bucherer, Davos Klosters, Emmentaler Käse, Freitag, Geberit, Haglöfs, Ikea, Jelmoli, Kunsthaus Zürich, Land Rover, Migros Jugendförderung, Nikon Schweiz, Opernhaus Zürich, PKZ, Qualipet, Ricardo.ch, Schweizerische Post, Tierwelt, Universitätsspital Zürich, Vögele Mode, Watson.ch, Xbox, Yooji's, Zoo Zürich. Reto Dürrenberger is looking forward to your call: 043 305 00 99.
5. was there a moment in your life when you thought: Wow. This is awesome. And it's from me!
Yes. When I did a 3-day marathon live painting at Grafik13, I surprised myself because everything turned out differently than planned. You can google the movie about it: Fredinko Painting.
6. is the opinion true that you can't grow old in agencies, or is that a prejudice?
Hmm. Let's put it this way: You become better and more competent if you don't lose your curiosity, interest and passion. So child remains.
7. what do you see as the biggest challenge for advertising at the moment?
Ideas not to be given away.
8. what are you sorry for?
Stories about child soldiers bring tears to my eyes. Big time.
9. Do you fall for advertising? When?
Yes, I'm very simple in that respect. If someone is standing in front of a kiosk with an ice cream, I buy one, too. Most of the time I buy the same thing.
10. what do you never want to have to hear about yourself?
Bad father. No humor.
Have you ever thought about leaving the advertising industry?
Yes, to do something that entertains people. As long as I'm in advertising, that's my mission. And yes, dear customers: Advertising should not only entertain, of course, the brand fit must be given and the message must hit the heart.
Can you tell us a little secret?
In school, I made the smallest crib sheets because my father had the thinnest red-ring Rapidographs. I had many friends.
13. what inspired you to enter the advertising/communications industry?
My godfather Vladislav, R.I.P. He was a designer, advertiser and artist. But above all, a funny bird.
Frederick Rossmann created renowned and award-winning campaigns as Art Director and Creative Director for Swisscom, Nestlé Cailler, Heineken, Credit Suisse, Pro Juventute and Sunrise and for agencies such as JWT, Contexta and TBWA. He studied at the Zurich University of the Arts, attended the ADC/BSW creative school and participated in numerous continuing education courses. Rossmann is also a passionate painter and illustrator: His cartoons "Agency Insights" have appeared regularly in Werbewoche for years. Since February 2015, he has been Creative Director at the agency Werbeanstalt Schweiz.
The "13 Questions" appear both online and in the print edition of Werbewoche.
Implementation 13 Questions: Thomas Häusermann
