5 Minutes with… Martin Biela
With over 25 years of industry experience, MRM Germany’s chief creative officer Martin Biela is accustomed to discerning between passing fads and game-changing moments. Starting out as an art director and working his way up, there have been many formative campaigns and valuable lessons to learn, which have shaped his career throughout the years.
To share his journey up until this point, and the campaigns which have shaped them, he sits down with LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> Starting out, how did you hear about advertising and was it always the industry you wanted to get into?
Martin> From my early years, I was drawn to the allure of our ‘family’ brands such as Braun, Sony, adidas, Fiat (our family car), Atari, Seiko, and Coca-Cola.
The pivotal moment came when I experienced the Cannes Rolle at our local cinema, where a curated selection of the year's most creative and impactful ads was screened. It was a two-hour journey through the pinnacle of storytelling that advertising could offer. Each commercial was a fairytale, a mini blockbuster that could make you laugh, cry, or rush out to buy a product you never knew you needed.
As the '90s unfolded and the internet began to shape a new creative landscape, I was captivated. I knew then that my future lay in harnessing this medium to weave stories and build brands in the digital world. The possibility of crafting digital experiences that could reach millions was intoxicating.
LBB> Tell us a little bit about how creativity played a part in your life when you were younger and how that transpired through the years.
Martin> On one side was my father, a man whose passion for design echoed the principles of Dieter Rams and the Braun aesthetic. I learned that simplicity isn't just the absence of clutter - it's the essence of beauty, the heartbeat of functionality. This philosophy bled into my thinking, teaching me that in advertising, like in design, the simplest ideas often resonate the loudest.
On the other side of the creativity was my guitar teacher, Tom Woll, the unsung hero of my imaginative endeavours. He was less about the notes on the page and more about the ones you find when you're lost in a jam session. After just a few lessons, he encouraged me to compose my own songs. Those early tunes might not have been chart-toppers, but they were my raw, unfiltered attempts at storytelling. He instilled in me the rhythm of creative thinking: improvise, iterate, and never fear the blank sheet of paper - or the silent guitar.
These two influences taught me to be swift with my creativity, to value the bones of an idea without being paralysed by perfectionism. In the world of advertising, that's crucial. It's about getting to the core of an idea, stripping it down to its most impactful form, and then playing it out with the confidence of a rockstar - even if your first few 'songs' feel more garage band than Queen. That blend of design sensibility and improvisational bravery has been the chord progression underlying my creative journey.
LBB> Initially starting out, do you remember the pieces of work and people who were particularly inspirational to you? How has that changed over the years?
Martin> The glorious days of 2004-2009, when Flash sites were the digital equivalent of rock band album covers. Those sites weren't just web pages; they were interactive stories, combining animations, videos, and sound to make you feel like you were not just visiting a site but entering a new world or game. My favourite inspirational agencies were agencies like Fantasy Interactive, AKQA, Razorfish, Forsman & Bodenfors, North Kingdom, and Unit9.
I was particularly mesmerised by the local legends at Neue Digitale/Razorfish, where Elke Klinkhammer, who later became my CCO, worked magic on adidas campaigns. And internationally, Nick Law’s groundbreaking work on Nike+ for R/GA was nothing short of a digital revolution.
Back then, the digital frontier sparked my creativity - the first-mover innovations, the user experience (UX) that put customers first. These pioneers taught me to value not just the idea but the execution, not just to tell a story but to make the audience part of it.
As the digital landscape evolved, so did my inspirations. These days, I find myself drawn to the narratives unfolding in culture, the problems waiting to be solved. The canvas has expanded beyond websites and apps to the very fabric of society. Yet, some things never change. I still love innovation, gaming, and emerging tech. The playground may have grown, but I’m still that kid who wants to play with the newest tech, not just for the thrill of it but to find novel ways to solve old problems.
The intersection of creativity and technology remains the sweet spot. Whether AI, AR, or something not yet acronym-ed into existence, the excitement for me is in harnessing these tools to craft experiences that matter, resonate, and ultimately leave the world a tad more interesting than I found it.
LBB> What initially attracted you to MRM Germany (McCann Erickson Interactive Group at the time) when you started out in 1998?
Martin> In the late '90s, when the internet was still a wild digital frontier, MRM Germany (back then McCann Erickson Interactive Group) stood out. It wasn't just one of the pioneering digital agencies in Germany but one of the few with a global perspective. For a creative soul thirsting for a digital odyssey, it was like finding the right spot to be.
The chance to work on the world’s first car configurator was irresistible. It wasn't merely a project; it was a piece of history in the making that would set the standard for the entire online automotive category. It was an opportunity to witness and contribute to a transformative moment in how consumers would interact with cars online for decades to come.
But what’s an exciting project without a dream team? I had the opportunity to work with incredible people in the beginning: Roger Knöhr, Philip Missler, Marian Zincke, Jeff Gilliard, Carolin Probst-Iyer, Frank Ladner, and Sean Condon just to name a few.
LBB> And what about the company culture, the environment and the people has kept you there for the past 25 years?
Martin> At MRM Germany, it's always been about the people and the potential. My loyalty runs deep, and I've always felt right at home in a place that lets me stretch my creative legs and grow. Working on groundbreaking projects has been exhilarating — it's like we're always at the edge of innovation, making history in our own way.
Connecting daily with creative minds around the world is an absolute privilege. Such interactions have broadened my perspective and infused my work with vitality. Take, for instance, the founding of Makers Lab by MRM with Mark Hollering, Dominik Heinrich, and myself— a venture that blossomed into a global beacon for innovative projects. Collaborating with these inspiring individuals on pioneering initiatives is a prime example of the joy and excitement that MRM brings to my professional life.
And, of course, my current creative team is the cornerstone of my experience here. They're more than just coworkers; they're my creative confidants.
MRM Germany has provided a fertile playground for my creativity to thrive, surrounded by a global network of inspiration and a team that's always had my back. That's what's kept me here, growing and creating, for the past 25 years.
LBB> In terms of the creative landscape of Germany and Frankfurt in particular, can you give us some insight into what the city is like?
Martin> Frankfurt is one of Germany's most international hubs, rivalled perhaps only by Berlin. With its bustling airport, this global crossroads draws a vibrant tapestry of creatives from all corners of the world. The energy here is unique, fueled by a diversity that feeds into the city's creative pulse.
Despite its reputation as the financial heart of Germany, home to towering banks and the hum of commerce, Frankfurt is surprisingly multifaceted. It's a place where the calculative precision of finance seems to blend with the creative spirit, creating an interesting dynamic where number crunching coexists with narrative crafting.
And then there's the local pride for product design, epitomised by the legendary Dieter Rams, a stone's throw from my own neighbourhood. Rams' ‘less, but better’ ethos resonates through the city's design philosophy and stands as a testament to the kind of world-class creative influence that calls Frankfurt home.
So, while Frankfurt may be synonymous with finance, it's also a city with a rich creative undercurrent, making it a fascinating place for anyone looking to dip their toes into a pool of diverse and high-calibre creative opportunities.
LBB> Over the years, what are some of the trends that you’ve seen work time and time again? How do you incorporate that into your work?
Martin> Over the years, I've observed that the essence of creative excellence is timeless. It's rooted in deep cultural and human insights. My mantra to the team is simple: with a sharp creative and strategic insight, the only place we can go wrong is in the execution. Our solutions should address local problems with the potential to scale globally. The craft is in weaving a narrative in the simplest, most compelling manner possible.
With technology, my experience has taught me to discern between what's a passing fad within our marketing bubble and what truly has the potential to be a game-changer for people and society. I view technology as a lever that can amplify our ideas and scale their impact, rather than as an end. Incorporating this understanding into our work means we're always looking for ways tech can enable us to deliver our message more effectively and create more meaningful experiences.
LBB> In general, what are some of the trends you’re seeing now that you believe we’ll be talking about in the future?
Martin> The trend that's lighting up the creative world right now is generative AI. It's like a turbo boost for our creative potential, pushing boundaries that seemed unmovable just a few years ago. Take Midjourney's evolution in visual quality, for example—what it achieved from version 1 to 5.2 in a single year is mind-boggling. And it's not just about visuals; text-to-speech technology, like what elevenLabs.io offers, and text-to-video capabilities from platforms like Runway, are transforming the landscape.
For a creative who thrives on the cutting edge of tech, there's never been a more thrilling time. We're at a frontier where AI isn't just a tool; it's a collaborative partner, expanding the horizons of what we can dream up and bring to life.
Everything becomes AI-generated and increasingly hyper-personalised, the core idea will be even more critical for establishing brand differentiation through creativity.
This isn't just a fleeting fad; it's a seismic shift in how we conceive, create and communicate. In the future, we'll look back at this era as a turning point when creativity was redefined by the power of AI.
LBB> Creatives tend to have quite a long list of hobbies, what are some that take up your time when you aren’t at your desk?
Martin> First, cooking - there's nothing quite like the ritual of chopping, sautéing, and simmering to craft a meal that unwinds the day's tension. It's my daily dose of meditation.
Then there's the call of trail running. It started as a casual jog a few years back and has since grown into a four to five-times weekly pilgrimage. The trails are where I find my stride and clarity, and I'm gearing up for a 50k run through the Alps next year. The dream? To conquer a 100k.
Music, however, is the ever-present soundtrack of my life. Recently, I've gone full vinyl, with two Technics 1210 turntables anchoring my personal sound station. I’m collecting records more than I probably should, and DJing has become a private concert where I'm both the audience and the performer.
LBB> What was one piece of advice you received that you encourage others to listen to?
Martin> One piece of advice that has been a guiding star in my career is this: ‘Embrace the power of simplicity, human first and cultural insight’.
The most enduring ideas are those that connect with people on a fundamental level. Whether through design, music or emerging tech like generative AI, keeping it simple and culturally relevant is the key to creating work that resonates and endures.
