The debut of THE TRUE STORY OF REVIEW already put a smile on our faces. The story: Salvatore Reviu inherited his fashion empire to the only one he trusted to continue his life's work: his dog. He transformed the dusty haute couture label into a modern fashion brand for young people. The inventor of "WOW" quickly became the star of the fashion world. With 'The History of Posing', REVIEW POSING by Director Kay Kienzler not only won our hearts, it also won awards at the Berlin Fashion Film Festival (Best Production Design, Best Casting, Best Direction and Best Idea - GoSee reported). But there is more, further episodes of the REVIEW story have made us smile even more over the past few months. Who is behind it all, we asked ourselves and ended up with the independent KITTEL Creative Studio in Berlin and the Creative Director Michael Kittel. We had a few questions.
As Creative Director at JWT New York, Jung von Matt and DDB, you've worked for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, IWC, Macy's, Nestlé, Nokia, or PUMA. With KITTEL you have established the agency in 2014, in which you always wanted to work. What does KITTEL stand for? “At Kittel, I can realize everything I have learned in my career at the large and small agencies. For me there are three special strengths:
Strategy – in my time in New York, I was particularly able to learn a lot about this. Our team has a lot of fun positioning brands cleverly and coming up with campaign strategies. That is the foundation of our work.
Creativity - my stations at Jung von Matt and DDB were especially formative. At Kittel, we develop ideas that create emotional or rational added value, challenge reactions and get stuck in the minds and hearts of people.
Production - I am very emotional and a perfectionist. I expect that from my partners too. Because an idea can only develop to its full potential if it is realized with passion and at the highest level of quality.”
What does 'A New Breed of agency' stand for then? “'A New Breed of Agency' stands for these three very simple pillars and the way we work in the team: We do without the usual agency structures and work almost only with freelancers. That way we can form teams with the exactly right talents. We take our time to talk at length with the talents and find out who is the perfect fit for a given project. The passion of each individual is essential for our work.”
Is it more difficult to get customers excited about fresh ideas without an agency network in the background or is it easier? “Kittel is a new brand on the agency market and still has to establish its profile. But I believe that being persuasive is more a question of the personal relationship with the customer. A large agency name can be a good door opener. Once you're inside though, what counts is the quality of work and the trustful relationship you have to build personally.”
For REVIEW you have produced wonderfully crazy spots. Where are the REVIEW films ever shown? “The films have been specifically designed and developed for the Web. The True View ads on YouTube are between 60 and 90 seconds long. We also show pre-rolls of 20 seconds length. Since this month, we also advertise on Instagram with special 15-second clips. It´s an ideal channel for REVIEW and the fashion-savvy target audience.”
We were already impressed by the debut and its sequel, the one with the moves... “The first two films laid the foundation. Not only for the successful campaign, but also for a very fruitful customer-agency relationship.”
Meanwhile, six episodes have been created. Was it planned that way from the start, or did you get more and more into it creatively episode by episode? “The campaign had it in its genes to be a series from the very start. The stories are fun – for us as an agency writing and producing them –and for the target audience watching them. You do not want to stop!”
“Everyone should produce a Bollywood film once in their career” you said after the shoot. What was so special about your Bollywood spectacle? And do you dance Bollywood style now? “India is a great country. We have spent impressive days in Jaipur. The energy that is released there on the street on a normal day is simply breathtaking. When you then flood these same streets with dozens of dancers and start to film, suddenly spectators gather on the rooftops and start to dance along. This is something I was previously unable to imagine. An amazing experience.”
Just in time for Halloween, you have now released the 'Haunted House'. Can you tell something about the production? “We always try to find relevant and appropriate topics. In winter, the cold, dark Middle Ages, then Bollywood, which is more and more frequently quoted in fashion, then Cuba and the increasing political focus on it. Fashion and Halloween was the next logical connection for us, and we wanted to use it.
The Czech director duo Wolfsberg, which is made up of Jan Kalvoda and Premek Ponahly, has again created a little masterpiece that captivates the user from the very first second. The film was shot in the heat of summer 2015 in Hamburg. With the sensational costumes of Zuzana Machalova and the wonderfully creepy set of Juliane Hoffrecht, Plexus Productions, Hamburg once again did a great job.”
What is the briefing like? You either have total creative freedom or the customer has a lot of humor. “It´s fair to say both are the case. We initially approached REVIEW with the idea for the campaign and they were immediately interested. A partnership has arisen since, in which we continue to spark new ideas in each other and raise the bar higher and higher.”
Has the same team always been behind the camera? “In all films Plexus Productions from Hamburg was in charge of production. Directors of the last four films were Jan Kalvoda and Premek Ponahly and, in the first two films, Kay Kienzler. I would like to particularly mention the young camera talent Dusan Husar. Anyone who has the honor of working with him is really lucky. The agency team always consisted of our creatives from Berlin, Hamburg and New York.
Does the campaign slogan #NEVERESTABLISHED go for you as well? “As an agency you automatically start every briefing more or less from scratch. That's what makes it so exciting. You continue to develop a brand, but also have to reinvent it to some extent in the process. We took that very literally in the campaign for REVIEW and took it to the extreme.”
When are you going to pick up the first Lion in Cannes and for what work? “I know how extraordinary and fantastic it feels to win Lions with a team. It would make me very happy if our agency got one, especially for the great talents that put their every effort into our projects. So I hope that we the will soon have the honor and then, of course, with work for one of our clients.”
What can customers expect from you? “When we take on a project or a budget, we do so with total conviction. Then our customers can expect nothing less than limitless passion and complete dedication. A team player that seeks dialogue and believes that you can achieve anything in genuine cooperation. A partner who sometimes asks uncomfortable questions, which can optimize the result. That and of course a lot of fun.”
Here on GoSee, we present you all six episodes. Information on the label is available at REVIEW, and further work by the creative studio can be seen at KITTEL CREATIVE STUDIO.
