FORWARD MAGAZINE
You’re originally from Namibia, but studied in Berlin and lived in LA and Amsterdam before settling in London in 2017—how have these places shaped your work and you as a person?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
I think it mainly influenced the kinds of food I like to eat, which is one of the most important things in life.

FORWARD MAGAZINE
Before you became a creative you were a professional swimmer and competed at the World Championships. Why did you give up sports to become a creative?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
I used to train around 6 hours a day which unfortunately wasn’t an option anymore during my university years. Swimming is still a big part of my life though just not on a competitive level anymore.

FORWARD MAGAZINE
How does your time as a professional athlete influence you and your work?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
The lifestyle was pretty intense. From age 12 I had to wake up each morning at 4.15 am for a 2 hour training session, then straight to school followed by another 4 hours of training. I think that base really helped to lead a fairly productive life. 

FORWARD MAGAZINE
How do you come up with ideas? Can you give us any insight into your creative, brainstorming process?

→

MAX SIEDENTOPF
The answer to this is unfortunately very boring - they just pop up. I’m a strong believer of going with your gut feeling and the first thing that comes to your mind. Brainstorming is done by committees.

FORWARD MAGAZINE
When looking at your projects, one can see a fascination with the normal, the mundane, the ordinary. Where does this fascination come from?

MAX SIEDENTOPF 
It’s something everybody can relate to. I don’t like work that’s only made for a certain group of people. Everyone understands the mundane. 

FORWARD MAGAZINE
Advertising is aiming for perfection. You as well as your agency KesselsKramer are known for a different approach. Why do you think that creative perfection is a dead end?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
Creative perfection is an unattainable state, an oxymoron. Creativity is a constantly changing and evolving thing, there is no end point to it and it can go in any direction. So trying to make something that looks “perfect” often just results in something boring. 

FORWARD MAGAZINE
What would you consider good advertising?

MAX SIEDENTOPF 
Advertising that doesn’t feel like advertising.

→

FORWARD MAGAZINE 
Besides to working at KesselsKramer you’re also a publisher. Which publication do you first remember? 

MAX SIEDENTOPF
Mickey Mouse Magazine.

FORWARD MAGAZINE
Which magazine matters the most to you today?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
Mickey Mouse Magazine. 

FORWARD MAGAZINE
You did a video series called “Instructions for world peace”, where you gave people instructions on how to achieve world peace. Among the instructions included, people are encouraged to forward chain mails for good luck, as well as to sleep all day. Do you live by these suggestions?

MAX SIEDENTOPF 
Clearly not, otherwise we would have world peace I guess.

FORWARD MAGAZINE 
You have accomplished a lot in a very short time. If you had one advice for an aspiring artist seeking to live a creative life, what would that be?

MAX SIEDENTOPF
Just go and do. I’ve met a lot of young creatives that have lots of great ideas but because of self-doubt they don’t execute those ideas. I think the best thing that you can do is not to overthink things too much and just go and do it no matter how it will end up or what others might think. ■