"Our industry and our creative product deserve more respect"

m&k: Philipp Skrabal, congratulations on your Title "Advertiser of the Year" 2025. How did you experience the award night and the handover of the baton?

Philipp Skrabal: Thank you very much, it was a great evening! Last year I very happy for Andrea Bison. What she does with Alex, Gordon and the rest of the team [from Thjnk Zurich, editor's note]. deserves the utmost respect and is good for the entire industry. Even the supposed competition. Because at the end of the day, it's about proving with as many campaigns as possible that intelligent strategy and creative excellence make the difference. I am doubly honored to have taken over the "Egon" from her. I didn't know it would be me until her laudation and was therefore quite relaxed until shortly beforehand. Then my nervousness increased with every sentence.

Do you find the term "advertiser" of the year at all appropriate for yourself?

Even though I use my creative skills not only in advertising, but also in all other areas of communication, I can live with the term very well. Advertising is culture and zeitgeist and has also inspired art - we should be proud.

Team Farner has continuously worked its way up the creative rankings in recent years. From 10th place in 2020 to 1st place in 2024.

That was hard work and a bit of luck, because it is important for us to shine with relevant and paid work and not work specifically for the "shop window". With campaigns such as "Islam Alijaj in the National Council", various campaigns for SBB, Arosa Tourism and our film for Greenpeace, we have succeeded in producing several works that have also won international awards. Added to this is Yoveo's extensive AI expertise, which creates exciting new creative spaces for us.

You now have a "double pole position". How do you intend to use the momentum?

For me, these are two things: First place in the creative ranking hopefully makes it clear to everyone and every CMO that it is worth looking at Team Farner. Our expertise is unique in the Swiss market and our joint success with our clients is demonstrable. On the other hand, I don't see the title "Advertiser of the Year" as an opportunity for self-promotion. I truly believe that our industry and our creative product deserve more respect. That's why I want to stand up for the industry, especially for all those who focus on quality.

The advertising industry needs more self-confidence - you have already emphasized this several times. What's wrong with it and how can this be changed?

The fact is, and there are now a number of studies on this from various consulting firms, creativity makes companies more successful. So if creativity makes us more effective, why should it always cost less? The existential pressure, also caused by Big Tech, is driving us in the wrong direction. It's a trap, because in the medium and long term, it's not the tools that make the difference, but what you create for the brand in the long term. What's more, communication has never had more influence than it does today. Take post-factual politics, for example, in which emotions and narratives are more important than objective facts. As a society, we are therefore called upon to pay more attention to the topic of communication.

In what direction has the advertising, marketing and communications industry changed since you embarked on this path?

In the past, there was marketing communication and corporate communication. The former occupied paid space, the latter took place in the editorial section of the media. Even if these silos still exist, they no longer correspond to the reality we experience today, as both share the same channels and profiles and are hardly differentiated in people's perception. To be successful in the long term, companies and brands need a consistent language, they need an attitude, a personality, a soul. It makes no difference whether it is the company or the product that speaks. In addition, successful brand management is becoming more demanding, not easier, due to the increasing automation of communication.

Ban advertising from the cityscape that Debate is currently raging in politics. What is your view on this?

I find that simply absurd. As I just mentioned, advertising is part of our culture and a central pillar of our economy. It is one of the values of our democracy that we trust ourselves to form our own opinions. This also requires advertising. In addition, outdoor advertising creates publicity, which is important for initiating social discussions.

They are strongly committed to young talent. At the same time, the industry - like others - is struggling with many challenges. One indication of this is the current job market. Is the industry still attractive enough for young talent or does it need a rethink?

The industry needs to evolve, it needs to learn and understand how to deal with all the changes and where the opportunities lie. This requires ideas and courageous decisions. The old stability and predictability is unlikely to return, so we need to become more agile - without losing our profile. Communication is and remains attractive for young talent and creativity is a multiplier for effective communication.

Which campaigns from your career have burned themselves into your brain and heart? What are you particularly proud of?

Our road safety campaign spontaneously comes to mind. "Made Visible" come to mind. Instead of following the original message "Dress brightly so as not to be overlooked." we founded the streetwear label "Made Visible". The campaign has been measurably successful for seven years, we cooperate with over 40 fashion and lifestyle brands and the textile industry, have created our own fashion collection, employ a number of influencers and continuously produce our own branded content formats. Together with the TCS, we have created the most successful prevention campaign in Switzerland, which was even awarded the "Road Safety Innovation Award" by the FIA. However, the Mobiliar campaign, in particular the "Liebe Mobiliar" film with Didier Cuche, or more precisely the viral for it, has burned itself into my heart the most.

The recipe was perfect: Didier as a celebrity, his legendary ski flip as the cause of the damage and the historic duel between Switzerland and Austria in alpine skiing. Within a week, we had a million organic views and media coverage in Blick, SRF and also in numerous Austrian tabloid newspapers and on ORF. Only then did we launch the actual TV commercial. To date, the film has over 20 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes and comments - also thanks to TikTok and Instagram. The shoot in Sölden with Didier Cuche, director Tobi Fueter and cameraman Filip Zumbrunn is unforgettable.

Hand on heart: What was your biggest creative mistake - and what did you learn from it?

An event on Waisenhausplatz in Bern comes to mind. We organized it as part of a campaign for a diverse Switzerland. Cool acts, but unfortunately little budget for the actual campaign and therefore few guests on site. A likeable older woman who danced passionately and experimentally and a horde of alcoholized teenagers dominated the scene. Thanks to my photography lessons during my training, I did manage to take a few photos of what looked like a decent crowd - enough for the media release. What I learned from this: Even a good cause needs money.