“THROUGH MY FRIENDS, I EXPERIENCE AN ALTERNATIVE REALITY”
– Interview with Bence Bodnár
Who is Bence Bodnár?: Bodnár Bence is a Berlin-based freelance creative director and strategist with over 15 years of experience working with brands like Netflix, Nike, Porsche, and Spotify. Known for his culturally driven approach—"create culture, not commercials"—he’s earned 30+ international awards, including Cannes Lions and Effies. Formerly at DDB and Zalando, Bence now leads purpose-driven projects with hand-picked teams, blending strategy, storytelling, and bold creative execution.
What are the three words that first come to mind when you think of your work?
I’d probably start by describing what I actually do and the qualities that define my work. I believe that as creatives – if we effectively reach our target audience – we have the power to change perceptions. So from this perspective, the first words would be problem solving. I always try to come up with solutions that, in some ways, have a positive impact on people’s lives. The second word would be platform-independence, which I’ve always considered crucial in my work. Since the problems we face are rarely one-dimensional, our solutions also need to work on multiple levels. The third word would be authenticity. It’s always been important to me that I can stand proudly behind everything I touch – and that there's an essence in it only I can add.
Since we’re on the subject, have you been consciously building your personal brand?
Not entirely – at least not in the very beginning of my career. But I have tried to be relatively deliberate in choosing who and which brands I collaborate with, because each project builds my own portfolio as well. I've always felt it’s important to work with partners whose core values align with mine – that’s the only way I can truly identify with a project. Salehe Bembury taught me the importance of an authentic portfolio. He literally leaves his fingerprint on every collection he touches – I want to do the same in my own work.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Probably the fact that I’ve reached a point where most new work comes through referrals. I think that’s one of the highest compliments a freelance creative director can get from clients. Also, I’m proud that I mostly work with friends. For each project, I bulid a super team of experts best suited to the brief – people who have worked with me on countless international, often global, projects over the past 15 years. And over time, coworkers became friends. This framework also allowed me to be friends with people I have worked with. They inspire me not only professionally but personally, too. I always think in teams. So when we finally launch a project, it feels like winning the NBA Finals. It’s important to fight hard – but at the end of the day, creativity is still just play.
Speaking of international projects, where and how did your global journey begin?
In 2015, I landed at job at DDB Berlin, where I first worked on Deutsche Telekom (parent company of Magyar Telekom), then on Sony's global projects. After that, I spent two years at Zalando, then a year and a half as Lead Creative at Granny – an agency managing social media campaigns for Netflix, Nike, and Spotify.
The biggest lesson in moving to Berlin was realizing that not only is the language different, but so is the size of the market and its purchasing power. The Bundesliga has a much faster pace compared to the Hungarian league. I started freelancing five years ago and immediately understood that it would be the hardest, but most inspiring part of my career. Since I don’t work in German, my role is quite unique in the local market. As a result, I mostly work with Berlin-based international brands on regional or global projects.
We often see not speaking the native language as a limitation, but my case shows it can sometimes be an advantage – depending on the situation.
What were you most afraid of in your career?
There’s no one specific thing, but as a junior, I struggled a lot with anxiety. I realized I needed to take it seriously when I completely burned out in 2019. Thanks to Germany’s stable social system, I was able to work with Janina Mallow, my business coach (and now close friend). We spent five days a week, six hours a day for a month rebuilding my entire professional approach from the ground up. Nina broke me down and helped reconstruct my mindset, guiding me to find solutions aligned with my core values – both professionally and personally. Although I still work on this consciously, the tingling excitement never fully goes away.
Another ongoing issue – which I think many creatives can relate to – is impostor syndrome. Especially when I’m face-to-face with people much more senior than I am. The best advice I ever received about this came from the brilliant Uli Lützenkirchen. He told me: “Just remember – the person sitting across from you is also human. Even if that person is the global CCO of DDB.” That thought really helped me see client presentations in a new light.
“And a few years ago, I had kind of an epiphany: I realized that through my close friends, I get to experience and live alternative realities. This changed the dynamic of how I value time spent with loved ones.”
Since we’re talking about burnout – if you could recommend one place for someone in the creative industry to find inspiration, where would it be?
It may sound cliché, but for me the greatest inspiration comes from meditation. I feel like I can give the most when I’ve taken time to turn inward. Forty minutes of silence each day helps quiet the waves and clears up the horizon.
But if I had to name a physical place, it would be Tokyo. That city totally changed the way I see culture. My visit in 2016 made me realize that the world doesn’t only function the way I experienced it during my 36 years in the West.
You had a LinkedIn post that received over 6,000 reactions, where you shared two creative concepts for Lacoste and BALENCIAGA. Why did you share it? Weren’t you afraid someone might steal your ideas?
The post was based on a very long application process where I had to go through several interview rounds. The final stage involved presenting two large-scale campaign ideas to the team I would potentially join. Since I knew some people at the company, I was aware that these were active briefs – so I didn’t want my concepts to get stolen after the presentation. I had two options: keep quiet, fearing that speaking up would hurt my chances – or share it on LinkedIn and try to help others avoid similar situations. Supporting my peers has always been important to me, and I want to give back to my community. That’s also why I agreed to be on the jury for this year’s Hipnózis and Arany Penge festivals – I believe that as a professional with international experience and Hungarian roots, I can bring a unique perspective.
Do you have role models, either professionally or personally?
My parents, my sister, and my close friends. I was lucky to grow up in a very supportive family environment where I was allowed – even encouraged – to dream big. I feel that’s the biggest advantage I got in this life.
Linkedln newsletter subscription
What exactly does that mean?
It means that when I’m with them, through their stories, I also get to live alternate lives. I seek out people who have qualities that I lack – or that I want to develop. Unlike many Berliners, I didn’t “inherit” my university or high school friends – so I had to build new relationships differently. This gave me the chance to surround myself with people who inspire me not just personally, but luckily I also get to call them friends.
How do you keep up with cultural trends?
For a long time, I spent hours on social media, thinking the more input I had, the better I’d perform in my field. But during COVID I realized that’s not true. I don’t need to constantly chase every new trend because, at the core, culture is cyclical. Humanity has seen it all before, and every trend is just a repetition in some form. What’s more interesting is understanding how people experience the bigger picture. What are the trends that span 50 or 100 years? Because in my opinion, that’s the scale we should be thinking in. It may sound banal to ask: “What can I do today that might have an impact in a hundred years?” – but if you think long-term, the challenges become much more exciting.
What would you tell your 26-year-old self?
“Slide into the DMs.” – meaning: dare to write and send that message that’s been keeping you up at night. You’ve got nothing to lose. Worst case, they don’t reply and life goes on as before. But what if they do see the message?
What are you most looking forward to in the near future?
Right now, I was looking forward to this conversation. Tomorrow, I’m off to Sardinia for a hike with my homie Ádám, then to fly straight to Belgrade for a shoot. A lot is happening right now – it’s one of those periods. However, what I’m really looking forward to is fully experiencing it all, to stay present in the moment.