Thomas Elstner

Since April 2015 managing partner of Zoogency GmbH with offices in Cologne and Berlin. Zoogency specializes in content marketing, social media marketing, TV shows and documentaries. Clients include Beiersdorf, Unilever, Axel Springer SE, Netflix, ARTE and the major Swiss bank UBS. In addition, Zoogency acts as an event agency for selected partners and operates internationally with productions in the USA, Asia, Great Britain and Italy.

Responsible for the training of young presenters as part of the Frank Elstner Masterclass for all Axel Springer SE with a focus on web TV formats. Managing Director of the Axel Springer startup Zuio TV, which produces content by and with the graduates of the Frank Elstner Masterclass for all the group’s brands, as well as Samsung, Unilever, Beiersdorf, Tele 5 and ProsiebenSat1. In addition, development of a streaming platform for Axel Springer SE.

TV producer for ARD, RTL, RTL II, VOX, SWR, NDR, WDR and Prosieben. Among others, “Mitten im Leben” (daily docu-series, RTL), “Lebe Deinen Traum”, daily docu-series (Prosieben), “Menschen der Woche” (weekly talk show, SWR Television), “Erstes Glück” (talk show, ARD), “Was passiert, wenn” (game show, live, ARD), “Verstehen Sie Spaß” (candid camera, live, ARD, over 200 recorded films), “Einfach Millionär” (German lottery show, live, ARD). International license and rights trading for various formats.

Head of the program development department of AVEC Sàrl (Audio Visual Entertainment Company) for CLT/UFA in Luxembourg. Productions include “Mensch Ohrner” (daily talk show on ZDF, 118 episodes), “Singles 2000” on RTL II (dating show, 58 episodes), as well as “Dieter Thomas Heck Show” (ZDF), “Harald Juhnke Show” (ZDF) and pilots for RTL “Claims” (comedy show), among others.

Freelance work at the advertising agency BBDO in Düsseldorf. Director for the documentary “Die stillen Stars: Nobelpreisträger privat gesehen” (12 episodes) for the public television station ZDF. Producer at Televous Fernsehproduktion in Hamburg for the TV shows “Flieg mit AirTL”, “AberHallo” (both RTL). Editorial assistance and development for Frank Elstner Productions on a freelance basis e.g. “Jeopardy”, “April April” (both RTL).

Various internships and traineeships in the media sector. Print: Burda-Verlag (Freizeit Revue, Bunte, Glücks Revue), Funke Mediengruppe (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, NRZ). TV: RTL Productions, Tele 5, SAT1. Radio: RTL Radio Luxemburg.

Topic of the dissertation: ‘The Future of TV – The TV of the Future’ or ‘Will television re-invent itself?

Topic of the dissertation: ‘Quality as a last resort? The Future of TV Entertainment in a Convergent Media World.’