5 Minutes with… Christian Rätsch
Joining BBDO Germany from the Publicis Groupe, the agency’s new chief executive officer Christian Rätsch comes with over 20 years of experience on both the brand and agency side of the business. Having moved over to BBDO in the spring of 2023, he returns to the agency after having worked for them as a consultant many years ago.
“I am very good at building bridges and helping people cross them,” Christian explains, referring to his approach to clients. The focal point of his effort is trust, empowering people to engage with the experts on the task at hand and create something special. He also mentions the need to tap into the emotional power behind a brand and how this creates lasting customers, especially at a time when the market is competitive and the cost of living continues to rise.
Across his career, there have been several campaigns which inspired him, from brands including Audi, Stabilo and Deutsche Telekom, to name a few. Sharing more about these, as well as the trends he believes will push brands to success, Christian speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> Having worked across agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and Publicis, as well as on the brand side at Deutsche Telekom, you’ve seen the industry from both sides. How does this impact your approach?
Christian> Great ideas need great trust – I can build that with all my experience from the past. When I talk to our agency clients today, I hear questions that the client hasn't even asked yet. As consultants, creatives and idea generators, we all know the ‘BUTs’. Because I know them from my experience and even before meeting clients, I am very good at building bridges and helping people cross them. Having been a chief marketing officer [CMO] myself for many years, I can encourage and empower people.
LBB> What was a piece of work or interaction that stuck with you in the early days and how did that shape how you act?
Christian> When Deutsche Telekom introduced its new brand promise ‘Life is for sharing’, the agency came up with the idea of advertising with flash mobs. I was impressed then, as I am now, that brands can become a real part of pop culture and have the power to shape our society. Since then, as a client, I have written the following sentence in my briefings: "Advertising has to be so good that people actively decide for it and, even more important, want to see it again.”
LBB> Can you talk us through some pieces of work which proved formative for your career and what you learnt from those experiences?
Christian> For me, ‘Sea Hero Quest’ is one of the works that had a big impact on me. That's because of three things: the client had a brief for advertising and the agency came back with a game - a bold move at the time. Instead of claiming in the ad that Telekom was a master of data and IT, they used the game to prove that they were a real master – a torture test. The ad became a proof of concept. But the best thing about the game is that it has revolutionised dementia research. Using advertising and its own IT expertise, Deutsche Telekom has successfully fought a widespread disease while demonstrating its outstanding digital expertise.
I also admire the work of my former creative partner who, with the Stabilo campaign: ‘Highlight The Remarkable’, perfectly staged the product benefits and generated great stories and enormous PR value. Great ideas are often simple and therefore popular.
One of the best commercials of my teenage years is the Audi Quattro Advertising (1986) Ski Jump from BBDO. It is also a torture test and a brilliant idea to make the product performance of Audi four-wheel drive everlasting.
LBB> A belated congratulations on the new role as CEO at BBDO Group Germany! It’s been just under six months since you joined, what’s been your favourite part of day-to-day work so far?
Christian> In the BBDO Group with all its agencies, we have very different skills: creativity, digital, design, experience, content, etc. In the last few months, we have pitched to a client for the first time, offering them all our joint competencies as ‘TeamBBDO’ from a single source. The best moment was when I was able to tell the team of very different talents that we had won the client. I love the strong emotion of winning a client. Such moments are addictive and should definitely become part of everyday job life. So I am happy to announce: more to come.
LBB> And what is the biggest challenge?
Christian> The group is so big and diverse that it’s not easy to get to know everyone. It is a big task to give clear direction and identity to a whole group with many different agency brands. A mentor once told me: “Leadership is like the wind.” Everyone feels it, but no one has to see it. That's what I'm working on.
Tell us a little about BBDO Group Germany's culture and why you were keen to return to the agency in this role.
I want the Group to be the seismograph of our industry again. The BBDO Group Germany has always proved a great love of strategy and quality in its work. Both are qualities that I value very highly. So it's no surprise that ‘The Work, The Work, The Work’ is deep in our DNA. I also started my first job at BBDO. Coming back as CEO is a great experience and also a very commitment. I want to get the brand back in the conversation. Solidity is an advantage in all industries, but it is quickly becoming old-fashioned in our advertising world.
LBB> What does the future of the agency look like and what are some of the key approaches you’re taking to futureproof it?
Christian> Brands need to play a strong role in people's lives. In recent years, I have seen a lot of communication that is not relevant enough. Now you add AI to the mix and communication becomes more and more interchangeable and irrelevant. That's what we want to change. Brands need to be more relevant again and also become an anchor of trust, orientation and emotional boldness. They should leave footprints. That's why we're developing tools and strategies to find and orchestrate the moments that really make a difference.
LBB> In terms of your leadership style, how do you get the most out of your team? Are there any people who inspired the way in which you lead?
Christian> Trust is the foundation of performance. If people act out of fear, performance is not sustainable. That's why I believe in closeness and transparency. I publish my thoughts every week on LinkedIn. I also send out a four minute video each week about my insights and opportunities for improvement. This is my way of stimulating discussion. People today are looking for the opportunity to participate, they want to be involved. That is my understanding of leadership. I also believe in empathy - if you want to move people, you have to touch them.
LBB> What are some current trends that you feel will continue to impact the industry into 2024 and beyond?
Christian> We need to rediscover the emotional power of brands. Many brands are becoming more and more irrelevant. In Germany, in particular, we are seeing how inflation is making beloved brands that have been around for years suddenly irrelevant. The willingness to change to new brands has never been greater. In this country, private labels are experiencing an enormous upswing. "Loyalty beyond reason" has broken down. Brands are increasingly losing their leading role. We will counter this trend. We need more empathy in our communications. But this will only come back if we understand people better and touch them in the right context.
LBB> Are there any trends that you’re particularly excited about and want to see more work that includes them?
Christian> Communication becomes a service - as if advertising was an added value in itself. Help me or entertain me is the rule of thumb. This is where digital and AI skills play a key role, because they can contextualise our work. When brands and communications are in the right place at the right time, they become indispensable. With technology, data and AI, there are no excuses. Communication has arrived - now it just needs to reach hearts. The symbiosis of technology and creativity is the holy grail.
LBB> Away from your desk, how do you spend your time? Are there any hobbies or interests which you’re keen to make time for?
Christian> I have a big family - my four boys challenge me in all aspects of life. The boys are bringing home their first girlfriends. There's something going on with us. I am also a gardener. I love planting trees and picking fruit. It's a very banal sensual experience. A lot of work, a lot of pleasure.
