A few words from our Co-CEOs about the fiscal year
A few words from our Co-CEOs about the fiscal year
Earlier this month, Advance was featured in Dansk Markedsføring with an article covering the highlights of a successful fiscal year for the agency. Given ongoing turbulence in the industry, Co-CEOs Ann-Louise and Camilla recognize this as no small feat, and they are already hard at work to secure strong results for the year 2023/2024. Here’s the key factors that our Co-CEOs attribute to last year’s success, as well as a few insights into what they are focusing on in the year ahead.
A culture-first approach
Ann-Louise and Camilla agree that culture has been key to a successful fiscal year. “We strongly believe that our culture is what makes the difference,” says Ann-Louise, “which is why we have prioritised getting the right people on board, integrating them in their teams, and nurturing a healthy work environment.”
To structure each team for success, several strong talents were brought into leadership positions last year. “A highlight for us last year was when Mads joined management as Executive Creative Director,” says Camilla. “We were looking for someone to represent the creative department and bring fresh inspiration to the entire agency, and Mads goes above and beyond when it comes to both.”
Cathrine Esmann Jordansen, who joined as head of MarCom Strategy last December, has also hit the ground running. “We are a creative agency first and foremost, but everything we do is anchored in strategy,” shares Ann-Louise. “Cathrine has a strong background in media and strategic planning, and with her on board, we look forward to focusing even more on our strategic delivery.”
“A strong culture creates room for new perspectives, and we feel it is central to why we came through the year so well.”
The Co-CEOs are happy to note that their focus on culture has had a tangible impact at Advance. “We conducted an employee satisfaction survey last fall, and the results show that our teams feel very positively about the Advance culture and ways of working,” Ann-Louise says. “That makes us incredibly proud, and it motivates us to keep putting efforts into our culture moving forward.”
Camilla adds that investing in culture goes hand-in-hand with being ambitious and results-driven: “By fostering a collaborative and open-minded way of working, we create a trust-based environment where there is room to explore and bring new ideas to the table. For our clients, this means we can keep pushing the bar and delivering great results—both on long-standing accounts like LEGO, Coloplast, WS Audiology and when taking on new projects like Movia, Energidata and Ormco. Put simply, a strong culture creates room for new perspectives, and we feel it is central to why we came through the year so well.”
Independent, but not alone
But it’s not just investment in relations within the agency that Camilla and Ann-Louise recognize for the year’s success: “The Worldwide Partners (WPI) network is an important way for us to keep up to date with global market dynamics, and it provides an incredible knowledgebase when taking on both Danish and international projects,” says Camilla. “For example, we talked to a partner in Ireland while working on the Movia campaign last year, and their insights on public transportation were very inspiring for the team.”
Ann-Louise adds that being part of WPI goes far beyond helping to solve clients’ business challenges. “We can be fully transparent when discussing topics like sustainability and AI with our partner agencies, and as shareholders, we’re truly invested in ensuring that everyone in the network can continue to get smarter, share perspectives and stay relevant. We’re already looking forward to the next WPI summit in May, which will focus on AI and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) communication.”
“We are a creative agency first and foremost, but everything we do is anchored in strategy.”
Brand back in focus
When reflecting on trends from last year, Camilla and Ann-Louise point to an increase in brand-level projects where Advance helps determine clients’ positioning, narrative, and corporate visual identity. “We have really enjoyed working with clients like Aeven, Init and Ormco to set the direction for their communication and help develop an overall go-to market strategy,” says Camilla.
“The brand is back in focus—not just for our clients, but also for us,” Ann-Louise adds. “With the right people, culture, and processes in place, we are now revisiting our own narrative to strengthen our communication, define ourselves in the market, and really bring forth what we can deliver as an agency. We’re taking our own medicine, if you will.”
A cross-agency effort
Perhaps most importantly, the Co-CEOs recognize that all last year’s successes are a result of agency-wide efforts. “We stand strong right now across all departments, both in terms of how our teams are structured and the talent on each team,” says Camilla. “Of course, it’s not always smooth sailing, and with the volatile market and ongoing budget cuts, we continue to be dependent on each other to keep a focus on delivering high quality work.”