Patrick Ehringer – Q&A

As the president for DDP Middle East and Africa, EVP, COO and chief people officer DDB Europe, Mr. Patrick Ehringer is a man of many hats. Responsible for ensuring that local and senior managers maintain a desired business focus and achieve the network’s objectives, Ehringer is also a strong promoter of DDB Travel & Tourism and DDB Matrix — the DDB tool for measuring marketing mix investment impact on sales. In 2007, the French prime minister appointed him foreign trade counselor of France. Executive had the pleasure of sitting down with Ehringer for a candid discussion about the advertising industry and its role amidst the global financial downturn. E In your opinion, what constructive role can the advertising industry play in the financial crisis? I can start with a little example, which will help you understand what kind of role we can play. The crisis is driven by three main activities