Global Food Advertising Specialist Chuck Studios Opens in Germany

Chuck Studios, the first and only global food-advertising specialist, is starting operations in Berlin. This will be Chuck Studios fifth location after Amsterdam, Moscow, London and Los Angeles. Creative industry veteran Sebastian Nicke, who was previously with Fallon (part of Publicis Groupe), KicherBurkhard and Condé Nast, will be running the Berlin branch. Chuck Studios originally started out as a production company, but has added strategic capabilities to its offering in recent years. It creates Culinary Identities for food brands, helping them turn food into a distinctive brand asset. Chuck Studios works globally for brands and companies as McDonald’s, KFC, Unilever, Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo. 

Chuck Studios was founded in Amsterdam in 2011 by Ellen Gaedtgens and Olaf van Gerwen. Their investment in Germany, ten years into Chuck Studios existence, is another indication of their ever growing ambition. While business took a COVID hit in early 2021, Chuck Studios ended the year strong making groundbreaking global work for brands like 7UP and Miller Genuine Draft. It will kick off its Berlin operations with a tier-one anchor client: Chuck Studios will create a new Culinary Identity for Rama, a well known margarine brand. Rama is part of Upfield, the leading producer of plant-based spreads and cheeses with more than 100 brands, including Flora, Blue Band, ProActiv, Becel, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Country Crock and Violife. 

Olaf van Gerwen, Chuck Studios Global Creative Director: ‘The combination of craft and strategic support is a highly specific proposition. It makes sense for food brands around the world to be excited about what we do. We’ve been creating a machine that will eventually provide us with global reach and are over the moon to bring this to Germany. Finding Sebastian to run the German show and Rama as an anchor client created the perfect storm. Jetz geht’s los.’

Sebastiaan Nicke, MD Chuck Studios Berlin, adds: ‘I’m in perfect sync with Olaf and Ellen. They came to Berlin with a plan, a strategy and clearly articulated ambition. This will be the most interesting year of my career by quite a stretch, and I’m thrilled to turn German food advertising on its head.’

Guido Hagenaars, Marketing Director Germany for Upfield, said: ‘Rama is a strong brand in its category in Germany, and my team and I are working to make it even stronger. And we need the best partners to help us with this. When it comes to food, Chuck Studios are right up there. They convinced us with a great concept, so we are happy to partner with them now in the German market to support our upcoming great new products.’

The plan is for Chuck Studios Berlin to develop into a full fledged studio to serve the local market in due time.