Anssi Kähärä, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Werklig, and former member of the ADCE Board, shares his insights on the value of the ADCE Exchange Programme, in which Werklig is actively participating during the 2024–2025 cycle.
The programme, now open for applicants, designed to foster creative collaboration and cultural exchange between leading European design agencies and studios, allows participants to temporarily join partner agencies in different countries.
Last year, Alíz Stocker from the Werklig team travelled from Helsinki to Barcelona to work at Morillas, gaining new perspectives and experiences. This year, the exchange continues in reverse: Werklig will host Miquel Pulido, a motion designer from Morillas, integrating him into their team in Finland for one month.
1. Let’s start with Werklig – what’s your creative philosophy as a studio, and how does collaboration fit into that vision?
As a studio, we strongly believe in the power of collaboration – whether it’s with clients or fellow creatives. Based on the northern outskirts of Europe, away from the hustle and bustle, we find it essential to stay connected to the pulse of both the European and global creative communities.
2. You’ve been involved with ADCE as a board member. From your perspective, why are programmes like Agency Exchange important for the European creative scene?
While there are many ways to support the creative scene – like attending events and festivals – these experiences are often brief and somewhat surface-level. In contrast, traveling to a different country and working in a new studio offers a rare opportunity for genuine, hands-on immersion. The ADCE Agency Exchange program stands out as something truly unique, offering a deeper, more meaningful experience than the typical creative shenanigans the world already has in abundance.
3. Last year, Werklig took part in the Agency Exchange by sending one of your creatives to Morillas in Barcelona. What motivated your agency to join the programme?
Actually we had build an exchange program by ourselves but it was never executed due to the pandemic in 2020. When the opportunity to take part in ADCE Agency Exchange rose, we decided to finally do the initiative. Agency Exchange is a tangible and hands-on way for creatives to experience different working environments and cultures. This benefits not only the participating agencies but also the broader design community.
4. What kind of feedback did you receive from your creative who went to Morillas? How did that experience feed back into your team or your creative process?
The experience was positive and eye-opening. Ways of working – and even practical aspects like workload and working hours – vary significantly, and simply being exposed to those differences has given us, as an agency, a broader understanding of how things are done elsewhere and what we can learn from them. We’re still expecting a designer from Morillas to join us here in Helsinki this August, so the experience isn’t quite complete yet. I’m confident we’ll gain even more insights – especially as a team – since this time the exchange will be mutual and have a direct impact on the entire studio.
5. This year, the exchange is reversing – Werklig is hosting a creative from Morillas. What are you most excited about in welcoming someone from a different culture and agency background?
We’re looking forward to welcoming fresh talent that will challenge and inspire us as a creative team. At the same time, we hope to gain insight into a different working ethos – something we can learn from and reflect on. In return, we hope the visiting creative will take away something valuable from us and our Nordic approach to creative work.
6. How do you see programmes like this shaping the future of creative leadership across Europe?
If implemented on a large scale, programs like this could have a significant impact. However, because the Agency Exchange requires real investment – both in time and resources – it’s unlikely that it can directly reach the entire European creative community. That said, the more ambassadors of shared experiences we have, the stronger the domino effect becomes—especially in countries where creative communities are smaller. Good news and inspiring experiences travel fast, often creating impact organically.
7. Is there any advice you would give to agencies or creatives who are considering applying to the Agency Exchange for the first time?
Just go for it. If the agency match is right, there’s everything to gain. It’s also essential to choose a creative who’s proactive – not only in managing the practicalities of the exchange but also in adapting to a new workplace and culture.
8. Lastly, what’s something you hope the visiting creative from Morillas will take away from their time at Werklig – and what do you hope your team gains in return?
Eye-opening experiences with work, people, culture, and of course, the sauna.