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Hi, I'm effie. How can I help you today?

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Ziran Xie
Art Director
effective Mannheim

How did you come to be effective?
The homepage caught my interest because effective is an international agency with a branch in China.

What is your background (studies, previous jobs)?
I completed a bachelor's degree in advertising and marketing in China, then I deepened my knowledge in communication design with a master's degree at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences.
I worked in two advertising agencies as a graphic designer before joining effective.

You applied twice for a job at effective, what was the deciding factor for you to apply again or to want to work at effective?
The first time was an initiative application from me, and effective wrote me a very polite rejection letter with good reasons to thank me for my interest. This left me with a very good impression.
The second time, during the interview, the tasks that awaited me were described in detail, my skills and work experience were asked in detail, and the office and colleagues were briefly introduced. It was a pleasant and successful interview.

List three things you like about Mannheim? What 3 things do you like about Germany?
I like the geographical position of Mannheim. The city is located on the border of 3 federal states, which offers many opportunities. Mannheim itself is a very good size, not extremely crowded and stressful like some metropolises, yet you have very good access to shopping, cultural events, recreational activities, medical facilities, etc.
In general, what I like about Germany is the order and cleanliness, the climate is also very good.

How often do you travel to China?
Varies. About once a year.

How has the visual language of effective evolved over time?
The development can be seen from quantity and quality two sides. We use more and more images, both on the homepage and for the presentations, newsletters and social media. Over time, we have defined a few things, what kind of images we use and what we are not allowed to use. The visual language at effective is more and more coherent.

How does the visual language here in Germany differ from the visual language in China?
Generally speaking, bright colors are more popular in China than in Germany. In Germany, the visual language is often more reduced.

Why is it that certain types of media are received differently or better in China than in Germany?
I think it's because of the culture. The style that has slowly developed over time is part of the culture. The colors one prefers on a country, the design elements one often uses are different.