Havas opens office in Basel

After Zurich and Geneva, Havas is now also represented in Basel. At Thiersteinerallee 17, there is now "a small, modest office," as Havas CEO Frank Bodin explained to Werbewoche. Since Wednesday - the official opening was on Tuesday evening - three consultants and a desktopper have been working for Havas in the city on the Rhine bend. The office also offers space for Havas employees from Zurich when they are in Basel.

For the time being, however, the office will remain. "We are not planning a full-service agency in Basel; the office is a supplement to Zurich," says Bodin. What is planned, however, is an expansion in the production area - and possibly in the expertise in the healthcare sector, in which Havas looks after globally important mandates.

Customer proximity

Proximity to important clients is the main reason why Havas has set up shop in Basel. First and foremost Coop: Havas is in charge of several mandates for the retail giant. In addition to "Taten statt Worte", the Christmas campaign and Pro Montagna, the agency is now also responsible for the appearance of Coop Bau + Hobby. Havas is now not only located in the same city as the Coop headquarters, but directly opposite its main entrance. With the generics manufacturer Mepha, Havas also has another Basel-based client in its portfolio.

Declaration of love

For Bodin, however, the move to northwestern Switzerland is also a matter of the heart. "The fact that we have opened an office in Basel is a Zurich declaration of love for Basel," he emphasizes. "We can learn a lot from the people of Basel: In football, but also in architecture and art with Art Basel, the wonderful Fondation Beyeler and many other institutions." In return, he says, the Baslers can be offered the Champions League in strategic marketing communication and creativity. (hae)