Over 18,000 followers on Facebook, 16,000 on Instagram and 220,000 on Pinterest: Norbert «Bru» Ambros is one of the most successful – and probably oldest – German-language lifestyle bloggers. We met the 60-year-old in Munich. Tanned, in good spirits and wearing a timeless cashmere suit by Eduard Dressler, he answered our questions.
MEN: You were an investment banker for decades. A few years ago you started your own men’s blog alongside your job. Why?
Norbert Ambros: Originally my wife wanted to do a fashion and lifestyle blog for women, but there were already an awful lot of those. Since I’ve always been interested in fashion, cars and travel, it ended up becoming a men’s blog. Writing has been a lovely change from a rather numbers-driven banking job.
Who is your target audience?
I’m no spring chicken myself, so men aged 40 and up. Funnily enough, though, almost half my readership is female – women looking for something for their man. It matters to me to cover a wide range of topics; people want to read a bit of everything. I don’t want to do a niche blog, but to talk about my personal passions.
How did you build your credibility?
At the start I only wrote about things I own and have lived with for years. Because for me, style has nothing to do with money, but with attitude and consistency. That’s exactly what readers sense.
You’d like to spend your later years in Italy. Are you afraid of growing old?
No, no fear. Sometimes I struggle with the fact that my reactions are slowing – and that in sports like downhill mountain biking I now think too much. I used to do the tricks and jumps; today I’m glad to get to the bottom in one piece. In return, I enjoy things far more: I ski like a madman for two hours and then settle down cosily in the hut.
How do you keep fit?
I go to the gym regularly. But even though I feel in top shape, I notice I no longer have the fitness I used to. My son has been beating me by ten metres in the 100-metre dash for years.
What’s worth striving for, what makes you happy?
You often fool yourself when you claim to be happy. I’m happy when I feel harmony all around me – I’m almost addicted to it. And though you might not think it reading my blog: I don’t need a great car to be content. Material things are a nice-to-have; what matters far more to me are experiences and adventures. My appetite for adventure is as untamed as ever.
What are you especially proud of?
I once got to drive several Aston Martins on their racetrack at Silverstone – it was insane! Something like that stays with you forever; no one can take it from me.
Is there a childhood dream you’ve fulfilled?
Yes, there really is one. A friend’s father had a Porsche that I thought was incredible as a child. I was never allowed to ride in it, so I swore to myself I’d buy one later. At 45 I did: a Porsche 911, F-model, from 1973. I’d dreamed of it for decades.
This article appeared in MEN issue 1/23 (June 2023).
