Greetings from the Home Office - Episode 28: Nico Ammann, Home Zurich

Nico Ammann is creative director and partner of Heimat Zürich, worked and lived for over ten years in Los Angeles and Frankfurt. He is a member of the Art Directors Club Switzerland and Germany.

Werbewoche.ch: How long have you been in the home office?

Nico Ammann: Since March 16.

Is your entire agency located in a home office?

Yes. The management meets occasionally for meetings in the office at Helvetiaplatz. The meetings are a bit louder than before, as we more than meet the safety distance.

Did you face any technical problems when setting up your workstation back then?

No. We anticipated the situation well and made all the hardware and tools for our employees ready for the home office early on.

Where have you set up?

As an advertiser, of course, I also use this post to advertise:

I have settled in the beautiful "Alpenrösli" in Klosters. My brother Marco has been running the hotel and restaurant Alpenrösli together with his partner Niggi since December last year. Due to the corona crisis, the business is still closed at the moment. However, my incomparable home office, the Maiensäss right next door, can be booked. Of course not only to work, but also for vacations within the country.

A call to colleagues: You can take away my dream home office: Booking.com/Share-E1DTyM

What all do you need to be able to do your job?

Head, laptop and coffee.

Do you have home office experience or is this a first?

I have worked as a freelancer for several years, so I am used to working from home.

Which processes are difficult compared to the normal everyday life of an agency?

Surprisingly few. The professional aspect of the work hardly suffers. We work in a well-organized manner and exchange information on a daily basis.

Is there work that works easier or more productively in the home office?

It depends on the person. Some work better and more efficiently in front of the mirror with themselves as a sparring partner, others work better in a team.

What do they do about the ceiling falling on your head?

Going outside where there is no ceiling.

What do you miss most about the physical day-to-day life at the agency?

The human. The interactions that cannot be planned.

Are you confident that your agency will come through the crisis unscathed?

We have good reasons to be confident. The team is stronger than ever. And the cooperation with our customers has also been close and productive over the last few weeks. Nevertheless, no one knows how the next few months will develop. We have great ambitions this year as well and are happy when clients have the courage to pitch and seek creative solutions even in difficult times.

As we all know, everything has its positive sides. What is it in your current home office situation?

Fortunately, my home office is not my home, but the beautiful Maiensäss right next to the Hotel Alpenrösli in Klosters. The pictures of my numerous workplaces probably speak for themselves.

When and why did you last laugh in connection with the home office?

In the home office, every day is "future day". You finally get to know the employees' children better.

Even if you don't have a crystal ball: Do you expect the current situation to continue for a long time?

The world has changed permanently. Like any crisis, this one brings opportunities for positive and creative change.

What would you like to give your colleagues in the industry to take with them through the crisis?

Creativity is more important than ever. Not only in advertising.