Photo illustration: Ashley Epping
Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, originally an art director who switched to copywriting early in her career, has been with Jung von Matt for almost 25 years.
She has founded a number of Jung von Matt offices—most recently, Jung von Matt/SAGA. (The SAGA stands for Spengler-Ahrens Giest Agency, incorporating her name and that of managing partner Stephan Giest).
Spengler-Ahrens, who was named Germany's Agency Woman of the Year in 2018, is serving on the Film jury for the 2019 Clio Awards.
We spent two minutes with Dörte, to learn more about her background and creative tastes.
Dörte, tell us...
The town where you were born.
Zürich.
What you wanted to be when you grew up.
Psychologist.
How you discovered you were creative.
Drawing, Lego and piano.
A person you idolized creatively growing up.
Jean-Remy von Matt.
A moment from high school or college that changed your life.
When I was allowed to play a self-composed piano piece to the class, and the teacher commended it.
The first concert you saw, and your favorite band or musician today.
First: Grauzone. Today: Boris Brejcha and Drake.
Your favorite artist.
Oliver Koletzki. The Weeknd.
Your favorite hero or heroine in fiction.
Superman.
The best book you've read lately.
Intrigo by Håkan Nesser.
Your favorite movie.
Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, The Last Boy Scout.
Your favorite Instagram follow.
Your favorite creative project you've ever worked on, and why.
The WWF's "Unprintable PDF," because it was not a campaign against paper waste but a program you could actually download for practical environmental protection.
Your favorite creative project from the past year, and why.
The Adidas and BVG Ticket Shoe.
Someone else's creative project that inspired you years ago.
"Hungerithm" from Snickers. Skittles.
Someone else's creative project that you've been envious of lately.
Burger King's "Google Home of the Whopper" and "McWhopper."
Your main strength as a creative person.
Empathy for humans, and therefore a gut feeling for popular campaigns.
Your weakness or blind spot.
Mathematics and numbers.
One thing that always makes you happy.
My husband, my son, my dog, my job.
One thing that always makes you sad.
Seeing people unhappy or suffering.
What you'd be doing if you weren't in advertising.
Doing good for humans.
Related Stories
Editor's Picks
Advertise With Us
