Two agency founders (Robert Peňažka & Zdenek Kašpar) decide that the market (dominated thus far by large network agencies) is ripe for an independent agency that can compete with the best. KASPEN is conceived with three simple principles in mind: creativity rooted in great strategic thinking, focus on challenger brands, and performance-based remuneration.

KASPEN opens its doors on January 2, 2002. Maxxium Czech becomes the first client with their brands Metaxa, and later Jagermeister and Killbegan. Other small clients follow.

This is the breakthrough year. In January, we win the Kofola account, our first big new business win. In April, we score big again with Budweiser Budvar. During fall, we come out victorious in the pitch of the year, snatching the Oskar mobile operator ATL business. And in December, our Kofola “Golden Piglet” Xmas TVC debuts to become one of the most iconic pieces of Czech advertising.

Agency doubles in size to absorb growing new business workload. Our relaunch campaign for Oskar garners publicity and buzz. KASPEN is named Rookie of the Year in the annual Agency of the Year awards.

Slavo Marušinec joins the agency. Our reputation as the creative hot shop is confirmed - we are now officially the most creative agency on the market, as voted by clients in the annual Strategie industry magazine poll. The popular Bob&Dave campaign for Budweiser Budvar is in full swing.

Lester Tullett joins the agency, but otherwise 2006 is a tough year. The Oskar/Vodafone account represents a very unhealthy 54% of our business, and it is eating us alive. Ultimately, we resign the account and downsize dramatically, ending the year with zero profit.

We start rebuilding the agency, winning the Kooperativa account. We pitch everything that moves. Robert decides to leave the agency.

After tumultuous couple of years, we are back on the ball. We create the popular Kofolasci summer campaign for Kofola, and help relaunch Eta, the traditional Czech domestic appliance brand. In October, we receive a Grand Prix at the Golden Drum Festival with our film for Matusalem Rum. Guys from Jung von Matt see us as the best independent agency on the market and approach us to discuss possible cooperation.

Big year for us. We go international, opening an office in Bratislava to better support our clients’ activities in the Slovak market and quickly pick up some local business as well. We also discover that the Jung von Matt guys are really nice people and we feel they would make a great partner for us in taking the agency to another level. In the summer, Jung von Matt becomes a minority shareholder in Kaspen/Jung von Matt. The agency grows steadily, with CSOB bank and Hyundai joining our client list.

We move into our new offices in Truhlarska, Praha 1. For the first time, we break into the top 3 in the Agency of the Year rankings. We establish a digital unit and make digital competence the highest priority in the agency in order to adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape.

We celebrate our tenth anniversary feeling better than ever. People and clients have come and gone, but the agency spirit and values have stayed the same. We still passionately believe in advertising and its ability to change brand’s fortunes. We also believe that advertising matters, in the same way that design or architecture matters. Advertising today is a ubiquitous part of our world and culture, powerful enough to shape opinions, create movements, provoke and inspire. The media landscape might be changing but the power of communication will always remain.