adam&eveBERLIN’s Jens Pfau: “Make Them Feel Something”
REKORDER, the Berlin-based film and photography creative production studio, is proud to support LBB. Over the upcoming months, as part of its sponsorship of the German Edition, we will celebrate creativity and introduce some of the most innovative and creative minds in the industry.
In this feature, the chief creative officer at adam&eveBERLIN, Jens Pfau speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani about his journey into advertising, studying graphic design and computer science, and eventually finding his way into adland, surrounded by people who share his passion for creativity and making people “feel something” special.
LBB> What was it like growing up in the Black Forest of Germany? How did your surroundings inspire you at a young age?
Jens> I grew up in a small village in the Black Forest, quite far away from the open mindsets and creativity usually found in cities. The village is home to a huge industrial company that employs almost half of the population. My mom worked there and they offered me a job as a sales rep. My parents were devastated when I turned down the offer and began looking for more creative surroundings.
LBB> Tell us about when you first realised that you wanted to work in the creative industries. When was the moment of realisation?
Jens> As a teenager I fell in love with the most creative commercials on TV and I wrote my first toothpaste commercial. But I couldn’t get my hands on a video camera back then so I never shot it. I considered the nearby Ludwigsburg film school [Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg] but then thought I want to be the person conceptualising the ideas, not executing them.
LBB> What made you decide on studying graphic design and computer science and how did you gravitate towards more conceptual work in the end?
Jens> I always knew I wanted to write ads but didn’t know how to get there. So I started more in the digital world where I combined graphic design with programming and computer science. A great background still today. But no one besides me got excited about advertising and I knew I was in the wrong place. That changed with joining Miami Ad School Hamburg. It was a priceless experience for me and set me right back on track to become an advertising creative.
LBB> You worked in London and New York before heading back to Germany. What was the experience like and what made you gravitate back towards your native country?
Jens> London and New York reinforced how much I love this industry and that I’d be happy to work wherever as long as I can be with great creative minds. In London, I met Richard (Brim) and we had a great time back then. In NY I did an internship at Saatchi & Saatchi which was a huge place, but not very creative. It was turned into an award-winning agency by Tony Granger, who started the same day I did. After that, I knew more about the international industry than the German one and I felt like I needed to know my home market. Not knowing I’d stick with it for the next 17 years.
LBB> What was the toughest lesson you learnt early on in your career?
Jens> A lot of work can get thrown at you that keeps you from really progressing as a creative mind. These jobs are great to learn the basics, but you also actively have to try to mentally walk away from it, using your time for the right things. The more time you spend creating outstanding work, the more you will put out. Simple as that.
LBB> Can you tell us about some trends you’re seeing at the moment, both globally and specifically in Germany?
Jens> During covid, we all went through some confusing and tough times, which some of us are still experiencing. If you watch the output not only of the advertising but the whole entertainment industry it seems that there’s a huge longing for lightheartedness. Fun and entertaining stuff that doesn’t take itself too seriously is key and a welcome variety in tone and style next to all the purposeful and thoughtful pieces.
We Germans are not known for having the funniest bones. One more reason for us at adam&eveBERLIN to push for fun and entertaining stuff right now.
LBB> Take us through the creative culture in Berlin, what’s it like and why does it breed creativity?
Jens> Berlin is a great city with a lot of great national and international talent interested in challenging the advertising of the last decade. It’s also a greatly diverse city which is reflected in our team and leads to a more international approach. This has been a perfect match for the British heritage of adam&eveDDB’s culture.
We’re a startup and have a lot of fun doing things for the first time, failing and making it better. Nothing is set in stone. We’re defining things on the go and have few processes, rules or anything that holds us back from coming up with anything other than exciting work. We are in a state where we are able to more or less fully focus on the creative output.
LBB> How will adam&eveBERLIN continue to evolve this year?
Jens> There’s lots of work in the pipeline for this year, on Deutsche Telekom as well as for Urban Outfitters and iShares. We’re growing steadily and continue to create a humble creative place for staff and brands alike who are interested in doing great creative stuff.
LBB> What has been the most rewarding part of the role for you?
Jens> Building a place from scratch and developing our own agency culture is an exciting endeavour. Since I changed cities, it is inspiring and rewarding to get to know many great creatives in Berlin. We have found a great bunch of like-minded people who enjoy working together. I love coming to the office, seeing people and chewing on ideas. It’s so rewarding. I also love being able to fully concentrate on the creative output. Collaborating with Rick and the team in London is a great experience and I love to think about advertising less from a German perspective.
LBB> Is there any advice you’d give people starting out in their careers?
Jens> Don’t take things too seriously. There are so many work-related topics today to get caught up in that distract you from just being silly and putting out creative ideas.
If you aim to entertain others and make them feel something you will have a brilliant career in a fantastic industry.
