"What the exact role of awards will be in 2025 is still a bit of a mystery to me"
Markus Hammer, Executive Creative Director at Equipe, answers our "13 questions".
1. the best book you've read recently?
"The Field" by Robert Seetaler. In short stories, the book describes the lives of various people who all end up in the same cemetery. Seetaler's writing is extremely clear and at the same time always incredibly moving. He is a truly wonderful author.
2. what is your private TV consumption behavior like?
At the moment I often find myself on Russian websites because I like to watch the Champions League. To be honest, linear television is practically dead at home. But of course I'm still very happy to pay for "Glanz & Gloria", "In aller Freundschaft" or Rosamunde Pilcher.
3. which print media do you privately subscribe to?
None. But I like to buy the Süddeutsche, Kicker and Die Zeit at the weekend.
Markus Hammer has been Head of Creative and a member of the management team at Equipe since October. Prior to that, he worked at various agencies in Zurich and Hamburg, where he received numerous awards for his work. Most recently, he was Executive Creative Director at Publicis Communications. He grew up in Engelburg near St. Gallen and now lives with his family in Winterthur.
4. can you tell us a little secret?
I never went to university and I didn't have a school-leaving certificate either, because after three years at grammar school I fortunately decided to do the preliminary course at the School of Arts and Crafts. I'm still glad today that it was possible to gain a foothold in the communications industry without a traditional degree.
5. what would you most like to promote?
I would love to do an awareness campaign for sensible cell phone use. And not for young people, but for parents. The way we leave our children to their cell phones and games consoles is simply appalling. Logically, the issue also affects us at home.
6. the best testimonial ever?
I think Snoop Dogg always does that quite well...
7. what do you see as the biggest challenge for advertising at the moment?
I often describe our work at the moment as "creative mechanical engineering". The challenge lies in combining ideas with intelligent and high-performance campaign architectures. Nevertheless, it is still important to create relevance. And many agencies and clients are currently finding this incredibly difficult. The whole purpose excursion in many marketing departments only helps to a limited extent.
8. a buzzword that gets on your nerves?
Performance marketing. Shouldn't marketing activities always be performant in some way? I'm deliberately leaving out the buzzword KPI framework for now.
9. what role do awards play in the advertising industry?
The role of awards changes fundamentally every five years. Originally, great, genuine advertising from day-to-day business was honored. Then the whole award business was reduced to absurdity and entries were only entered in order to land on pitch lists and inspire potential young employees for the agency. Regardless of whether the ideas were prototypes or real work. At the moment, the award business is developing in such a way that clients and their marketing departments are celebrating each other. That's why it feels like there are 25 new awards every year. What exactly the role of awards will be in 2025 is still a bit of a mystery to me. But I'm pretty convinced that the joy of great and relevant work will once again become more of a focus. Because in the end, our customers' business will also benefit from this.
10. what qualities make you a good advertiser?
I think what distinguishes me the most is my curiosity and the joy of constantly engaging with new questions in order to ultimately shape successful communication. However, the word "advertiser" is probably the wrong job title for me.
Which professional colleague would you take with you to a desert island?
Stefan Rebbe, one of my former bosses and co-founder of Kolle Rebbe. Stefan is not only a brilliant mind - i.e. many times smarter than me - and a great conversationalist, but also likes to talk shit from time to time. I think that's a very good mix.
12. what annoys you about the local advertising industry?
To be honest, nothing. The entire communications industry is currently going through one of the most exciting phases ever. That's motivating and fun.
13. does the advertising industry receive enough appreciation for its work?
I think so. Otherwise our customers wouldn't commission us with exciting and complex tasks.
