Who we are, what we believe, and the clients we work with
Founded in 1976 Advance is now one of Denmark’s largest independent creative agencies. Proudly headquartered in Copenhagen, our perspective is distinctly global thanks to a healthy mix of Danish and international clients. Today, 85 percent of our work is produced for international audiences.
Beliefs
In our work with clients, we believe less can be more. For a brand to identify its true uniqueness and commercial potential, it needs to strip away the layers that distract from its central mission. Let’s explain what we mean…
Less Supplier – More Partner
If you’re a supplier and you get a brief, you answer it. As a partner our job is to care enough to question it. We know there is always a business problem behind every communication brief. That’s why we use our creativity to first solve the business problem before creating communication.
Less Promises – More Delivery
Many brands over promise and under-deliver. When a brand doesn’t deliver, it shows it doesn’t care and when a brand doesn’t care, consumers certainly won’t bother to. We encourage our clients to promise less and deliver more by identifying the single, inherent promise that is unique to their brand and work to coherently integrate that promise into everything the brand does; from the products they sell, the services they offer, the customer experiences they provide, and of course...the communication they create.
Less Observation – More Insight
Building resonant brand platforms starts with the easy part... doing the necessary work to gather the observations, patterns and facts accumulated through quantitative studies, trends, forecasts and share data. The hard part starts – the part we take great care to spend time on – when we begin to uncover what lies behind and motivates these behaviours, allowing us to identify the deeper instincts and desires that ultimately provide the insights that prove compelling enough to connect consumers to brands.
Less Advertising – More Advocacy
We know how essential it is for brands to start seeing their consumers as ambassadors. As well as effective advertising campaigns, we create content that encourages and facilitates brand engagement and advocacy.
Less Control – More Collaboration
Our long experience as a lead agency and brand guardian has taught us that true guardianship is not about maintaining control, it’s about understanding that our clients need us to support their organisations at both the central and local levels. Having learned how to let go at the right time and to be there with the right support is not only why we create real, lasting results, it’s also the reason why we have the longest client relationships in the business.
Less Surface – More Substance
The days of brands faking it and buying fame are long gone. Transparency rules with audiences refusing to be sold to as they celebrate the good and criticize the bad, demanding to know, and ready to reveal the truth behind brands. We make sure our clients avoid making false promises or indulging in superficial wrapping by identifying and communicating the true value their brands provide.
History
Our clients
People
Mads Thorsted Hald
Executive Creative Director
Cathrine Esmann Jordansen
Head of Strategy (On Maternity leave)
Alberte Gretoft Hansen
Project Management
Alexei Patrascu
Digital Design
Anja Bjerregaard Nyvang
Client Service
Annemette Elkær
Art Direction & Graphic Design
Anne-Sofie Serup Kjærhauge
Project Management
Birgitte Ølgod
Project Management
Caroline Weinreich
Strategy
Chris Calvert
Concept Development, Copy
Chris Lee Ramsden
Creative Director
Christian Dollerup Petersen
Film
Christian Nobel
Digital & Graphic Design
Cæcilie Jespersen
Film
Elize van der Laan
Copy
Fergus Kenny
Creative Director
Henrik Seeward
Client Service
Janne Pajulahti
Concept Development, Art Direction
Jon Thomsen
Project Management
Jonas Sjöwall Haxø
Digital Design
Joy Tronier
Project Management
Kathrine Birkelund
Project Management
Kim Flügel
Concept Development, Art Direction
Lene Ørsø
Finance
Luke Cooper
Concept Development, Copy
Maja Voola
Project Management
Malene Zarp
Finance
Marie Ander Krøyer
Project Management Assistance
Martin Haagensen
Concept Development, Art Direction
Michael Sten Andersen
Creative Director
Mie Götze
Film
Mikkel Brøndum
Film
Morten Olsen
Concept Development, Art Direction
Nicolas Garcin
Film
Nina Dyreborg Bruun
Project Management
Pha Khem
Project Management
Raluca Stroe
Art Direction
Rikke Aborg Nielsen
Film
Roxana Crivat
Digital Design
Rune Seir
Strategy
Saoirse McKenna
Copy
Sebastian Zacho
Client Service
Sine Skjershede Nielsen
Graphic Design Assistance
Sune Bjørn Pedersen
Creative Director
Thomas Østerby
Graphic Design & Final Art
Trudy Follwell
Creative Director
Yingzi Ni
Graphic Design
Zdenko Oliver Santini
Concept Development, Art Direction