media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Markus Maczey, CCO of Munich-based Plan.Net Group and a Jury President at the 2017 Loeries®, about his expectations of this year’s event, his views on African creativity, and the importance of creatives having interests outside of work.   

You are on your way to South Africa as a Jury President at the Loeries®. How did the invitation come about and have you been to South Africa before? What are your expectations?

First of all, I feel honoured to be selected as a Jury President at the Loeries® festival and I am very much looking forward to it. It will be my first longer stay in South Africa and it is such a privilege to have the chance to get a better understanding of the African creative industry.

Beside the exceptional work, I mostly hope for many deep discussions about the industry and the country. I hope that through my international perspective on the entries, I'll be able to give my opinion about the high potential they have over their own borders. I believe the level will be very high and an inspiration for the industry in the rest of the world.

What are your expectations of the advertising you will be seeing at the Loeries®? What are your thoughts on the advertising coming out of Africa and the Middle East?

Africa and Middle East are the "younger" creative areas, the younger impact of the scene. And ‘young’ means mainly ‘not yet boring’! What I like most about the creativity coming out of these countries is that cultural background meets creative talent on a high international level. It is very fresh, not mainstreamed, very colourful and also just beautiful from an art directors’ point of view. I’m a big fan.

What is currently top of mind for you from a creative perspective, given the current state of digital media and social media? What opportunities and dangers exist from a creative perspective?

The opportunities are fascinating and, sometimes, overwhelming. It feels like being a student again. If something new is coming up, you can pick it up and work with it. It is our choice to make something creative out of it – or not.

From one day to the other it's state of the art or dead again. Great times. I hope every young creative appreciates the privilege to work in these times. I see more opportunities than actual dangers.

You’ve been in advertising since 1999 when you joined Jung von Matt, and you worked as a freelance creative between 2006 and 2008. How important is it for creatives to have interests outside of work, as a creative director overseeing creative talent? How do you strike a balance?

Creatives should have as many different interests as possible. It is the best thing they can do. More than that, it is mandatory. Inspiration comes nowadays from everywhere and gets triggered in the unknown. Another fact is that the mindsets of creatives are very different to how they were 20 years ago.

Creatives want to try things and create and prefer working more like start-ups than office guys. They need room to realise their dreams more than they want to have their focus on money or a safe job. So, actually, it’s more particularly the agencies and agency-bosses that have to change their minds and habits.

Europe is undergoing tremendous political ructions, from Brexit to contested elections in France, the Netherlands, and Germany within this backdrop. How has this affected the creative content produced by Plan.Net Group if at all? Is it the role of advertisers to rise above the milieu, be a part of it, or somewhere in between?

Well, the political situation, not just in Europe but all over the world these days, affects the creative work on a large scale. We, as creatives, have the huge privilege to be able to bring content to life and make it visible to the public.

I believe, whichever form you chose, that it is our responsibility to bring our opinion to public. A very good example is the big European refugee discussion. The creative work, and I mean not just of our agency, but in general, showed how the industry can comment, react and sometimes actually even help. I think creatives don't necessarily have a certain/specific/special role, but they have a voice and the tools that it can be heard.

For more information, visit www.loeries.com.

2016 was the first year of the Loeries Creative Voice and Donovan Goliath is back this year. Read more in our article, Loeries® 2017: Donovan Goliath returns to educate young creatives