On My Radar: Peter Dietrich

German director Peter Dietrich reveals his favourite ad campaigns from the recent past; explains why artrock from the 70s helps him choose one of his favourite films and highlights what he thinks is currently wrong with the industry at large...

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

I love the Nimble  Unexpected Happens campaign.

Heineken The Odyssey is  timeless, cool and entertaining. All Heineken work is right up my street. Double A Commando, a french spot [below] for a copy paper brand hit me as well.

And the Southern Comfort spots deserved gold in Cannes

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

Bored Panda; the site features an amazing collection of inspiring stuff.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought and why?

An electric outboard motor for my rubber dinghy.

Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook; I just have more contacts there, though I feel Twitter is less dodgy.

What’s your favourite app on your phone?

It’s still WhatsApp.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

Louie, on FX, because he is the man [below].

What film do you think everyone should have seen and why?

Buffalo 66 [below] just because of the showdown which blew my socks off. I like it most because of it it’s totally unexpected and absurd music. YES – Heart of the Sunrise, a weird piece of artrock from the early 70s.

Little Miss Sunshine, The Wrestler, Children of Men, A Life Aquatic are other films worth watching.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

On the rooftop terrace of my flat in Barcelona with a San Miguel in my hand.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

I guess I’m not the only one who complains about how everything is going faster and has to be cheaper. Most of the time this doesn’t contribute to the quality of the projects.

Directors and producers have to spend more efforts to get a job awarded.

The industry talks about content instead of films or commercials these days.  

Luckily most of the successful work is still related to storytelling and strong concepts. Despite recent prophecies, humour is still alive, which is kind of motivating.  

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

Making our business a sellers market, not a buyers market.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

The photographic work of Jürgen Teller, the films of Coen Brothers, Polanski,

Wes Anderson, Fellini and Alfonso Cuarón.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know.

I can perfectly imitate the voice of Donald Duck and impress kids with it.