Kunst meets Phillip Böndel
“Shoot for the Stars!”
A truly creative mind buzzing with energy and hip hop in his veins. This sums up Phillip Böndel, the Co-Founder & CEO of “The Ambition” and Managing Director of Digital Consulting at the agency BUTTER pretty well. It was no surprise then that he and VIVID editor Rainer Kunst had lots to talk about. How hip-hop can define your philosophy of life, for example, why agencies should be more courageous and Düsseldorf‘s need for more subculture.
Your motto is: “Make something out of nothing”. You‘ve done a pretty good job of that, when I look at your titles, companies, projects, memberships and honours. How do you do it all?
I tell myself it has a lot to do with hip-hop. For 25 years this music was my “therapy”, telling me: Anything is possible! That‘s a narrative, a mindset I find very attractive. I am a very positive person and hate negativity or when things are always seen in a negative way. I also like the down to earth approach in hip-hop culture. It was founded 50 years ago by people who basically had nothing, neither music lessons nor proper instruments. So they sampled soul, funk & jazz. Hip-hoppers have always tried to gain visibility and social recognition with very few resources. I guess I have internalised these principles as well.
“I also like the down to earth approach in hip-hop culture.”
Obviously, you also benefit from this with “The Ambition”. You founded the company at the beginning of 2021 with Tobias Kargoll, who developed the most successful German digital platform for hip hop culture with hiphop.de. What exactly is “The Ambition” – an agency, community or medium?
Basically, we are a consulting company, that roots companies in hip-hop culture to help them succeed. To do this, we use a specially developed model to analyse where the relevant interfaces between a company‘s own brand DNA and hip-hop culture and artists exist. Based on this, we then implement individual measures.
And quite successfully at that. At the beginning of September you were awarded “best new agency” - congratulations! What does that feel like?
That was a really great moment. With this award from some influential and experienced CMOs, we were given the thumbs up, so to speak, for our business model, our brand and our products. This is also special for us because at the beginning we were somewhat ridiculed for the idea of The Ambition.
What other great moment do you particularly like to remember since founding the company? Are there any business cases that make you particularly proud?
We set up an award for young fashion labels together with the magazine Textilwirtschaft. The thing that made us very proud was the feedback from these young people who said: “You are the first to put us on a stage, you are the first to bring us together with Textilwirtschaft!” This gratitude was great, we really felt that we were making a difference. There are several business cases that make us proud. Just recently, we sat down with Tina Müller, CEO of Douglas, and her top management and developed a 2-year marketing plan together. The fact that we get to work directly with the top decision-makers is very rewarding - and also a lot of fun!
“I‘ve stopped setting myself specific milestones.”
Where do you see The Ambition‘s journey going?
I‘ve stopped setting myself specific milestones, because when I founded The Ambition a good year and a half ago, I learned that it doesn‘t really help. I think you should dream big. In my imagination, at some point we‘ll be operating globally in ten countries with 250 people, advising Louis Vuitton on which designer they should make head designer. If you do honest work, don‘t scorch the earth, are hardworking and mix that with a bit of intelligence, it can only be successful - that‘s what I believe and trust in. Every day.
You‘ve also been a board member at GWA for three years, which gives you a good insight into the agency landscape. What characterises a successful agency today?
I think the decisive factor for the success of an agency - regardless of what it does exactly - is: it needs a superpower, a spearhead, then the rest can be quiet commodity. Because often the agency product is interchangeable and then it depends on the people who work in that agency. It‘s not about the best presentation, it‘s about who you want to work with. In my opinion, the combination of chemistry and superpower brings an agency forward.
What do you miss in the current agency scene, what could be better?
I wish for more courage, more volume, more rough edges. That‘s what I try to live myself when I‘m in business. After all, it‘s about inspiring people, giving energy, having fun - and radiating competence at the same time. A client must look forward to contact with the agency! The agency scene has become a bit boring in the last few years, our creative superpower should be let loose again!
“I wish for more courage, more volume, more rough edges.”
Since the beginning of the year, you have also been a member of the Art Directors Club (ADC). Now your business card doesn‘t say art director, copywriter or creative director, but consultant. Does the ADC no longer find classic creatives? (laughs)
Yes, but ADC has understood that creativity no longer takes place only in Photoshop and text documents, but also in other disciplines of our industry. For example, in the field of business intelligence, when it comes to finding concrete solutions to problems. That‘s why I think the term ADC is no longer so appropriate. If you gather the best creative people in the country, someone who is not an art director should also be included.
There is a dramatic shortage of skilled workers everywhere and that won‘t get any better in the next few years. How do companies have to position themselves today if they want to inspire the young talent of tomorrow?
Business leaders need the ability to curate good teams by bringing good people together. Because ultimately, that‘s what keeps people in a company. By that I don‘t just mean the likeability level, but also the qualifications. The infrastructure in which work is done is important, but for many it is a basic requirement that is taken for granted - but the differentiator is the team around it. The spirit and the goals in a team must be the same, then ambition and work ethic emerge accordingly. These are things that cannot be imposed from the outside, but rather arise intrinsically. That‘s why it‘s enormously important to understand what goals and spirit potential junior staff have and whether those fit your company.
Why is Düsseldorf the most beautiful city on the Rhine?
We have an incredibly high quality of life here, so many events and cultural highlights - something is always going on. Also, distances in the city are particularly short, which makes mobility easy and pleasant.
What else would you like to see in the city?
I would like to see more visibility for subcultures like hip-hop. They do exist, but compared to cities like Cologne, let alone Hamburg or Berlin, it’s rather limited. There is definitely room for improvement. •
About Phillip Böndel
Born 1986 in Dormagen
Qualified as a media designer
2009 to 2014: PR consultant for Germany’s best-known rappers (including Kool Savas,
Eko Fresh, AZAD)2014: Switched from music to advertising - set up the digital department at the Düsseldorf-based creative agency BUTTER
Since 2018: Managing Director Consulting Digital BUTTER
Since 2019: Member of the board of
Gesamtverband Werbeagenturen (GWA)Since 2021: Co-Founder & CEO
The Ambition GmbHIndustry magazine W&V selects him as one of the “Top 100 Heads of the Year 2021”
Since 2022: Member of the Art Directors Club (ADC)
Interview: Rainer Kunst
Words: Tom Corrinth
Pictures Frank Beer