The partner

Marcus Gretener was hired by Matter &
Daniel Matter as an equal partner and feels that the
"Get big, get small or get out" is the motto of the turnaround.
principle, according to which Daniel Matter and Marcus Gretener
advertising agency can be successful. Matter & Gretener currently works
with seven heads and is expected to grow to between ten and fifteen in the medium term.
people. "With more employees, only large agencies can
financially successful, where then forty and
more people will be available," believes Marcus Gretener.

The former consultant and new partner of a top ten agency has
He has seen all kinds of advertising companies in the course of his career.
His interest in the industry was already recognized during his time at business school.
advertising during a few taster days at the Wirz agency.
Before that, he created posters and flyers for discos. After the
Gretener has already found around forty agencies for an internship.
written to.
 
It worked for Fuhrer & Partner in Kilchberg. However
Gretener no longer wanted to be a graphic designer, but a consultant. "That
I didn't like drawing in my little room back then. I
wanted to be more in the business world." A trait that Gretener
is innate. His grandfather and father were already entrepreneurs with
the Stäheli bookshop in Zurich.

However, the talented draughtsman believes: "I can use my expertise to
I can judge creative work very well." He also learned this because
he has worked with many highly decorated creatives in the course of his career.
was allowed to work together. Gretener's flair is "as a consultant with the
to find a good basis for the more artistically minded creatives".
He was able to realize this character trait at Ruf Lanz, where
Gretener was a member of the Supervisory Board for three years until 2005.
management for the development of the consultancy.

Gretener gained his theoretical background during his time at the
from 1992 at Fuhrer & Partner, where he not only worked with much
Own responsibility for all advertising material from the competition to the film for
the budget apple juice was "thrown into the water", but
also trained as an advertising assistant while working. After the diploma
In 1995, he moved to Quadri in Wollishofen. Here he looked after PKZ and
Blue Dog, then after half a year the beautiful office directly on the
lake had to be cleared. With two other victims of the bankruptcy, the
Gretener left Baer Communications in Schlieren. "It was a
interesting experience, but the development opportunities were
restricted."

So in 1997, an offer from Advico Young & Rubicam came at just the right time.
"I was able to learn a lot there," Gretener recalls. The
agency had an inspiring aura, was one of the leaders and
still functioned "like a family".  
In a "good and very intensive time", he worked for AY&R in
almost four years the development from advertising assistant to
advisory group leader and also found the "entry into the really
creative advertising" with many of the industry's top shots. Gretener supervised
Helvetic Tours, among others, with the campaign "Book now no
Vacations". The latter dramatized the fact that Helvetic's catalog was only published later.
be delivered with current prices. The cheeky idea has reached
the "Tagesschau" television news program found its resonance. It has helped shape
he, together with the creative minds Helene Forster and Peter Brönnimann,
also the "Black People" campaign, with people who, thanks to favorable
prices have been on vacation for much longer.
 
Based on these successes, Gretener Pneu Egger and UBS
as well as Axpo in the initial phase - "an exciting and
interesting work, which also had to contend with political hurdles".
Gretener was able to benefit a lot from this because he was also able to attend the
to become Head of Marketing Communication. "I was in the
Practice two months ahead of theory. We realized a
idea and then have the theoretical confirmation in the course
found."

Shortly before the "Big Bang" in Gockhausen, he accepted an offer from the then
Lowe joined GGK and was involved in the turnaround there, before joining forces with
Danielle Lanz and Markus Ruf discuss a possible collaboration in more detail
has entertained. Gretener was supposed to be there from the consultant's angle "the
Helping to shape the development from creative hot store to advertising agency". To
three formed the management team, and in three years Ruf
Lanz made it to the top of the ranking. Gretener looks "with good
feeling back to this exciting time". He was able to share many of his own thoughts
implement and try out and more than in his previous jobs
set its structures. "They are clear now," he says and sees
therefore be more meaningfully challenged in a new agency.

When Daniel Matter appointed a new partner and Managing Director Consulting
Gretener was "in a difficult phase" eleven months ago.
but saw "a great opportunity" and is now ready for the
successful turnaround with the appointment as a partner.
Matter and Gretener each control 50 percent. "An extreme
Daniel Matter's vote of confidence, who for the first time lost his majority
has handed over. We see this as an exciting situation and a good
prerequisite for success" - because you have to do everything up to the common
conviction must be discussed. This requires "a healthy
A "culture of debate" - just as it is in any good private partnership.
 
Gretener himself has been enjoying having a son privately for two years. Since
Daniel Matter is also the father of two sons.
In their work, both have "an understanding of an ideal
Work-life balance" and also draw important strength from it.  
 
 

Andreas Panzeri