G for GEYST. G for just getting started. G for gravity. Rob Hartmann in an interview with m&k

Rob, a few months ago there was a space after your @ symbol. Now it says GEYST there. Why?

Because of the people behind the @ symbol. In the end, it’s the people who make a brand—not the other way around. After the Bell pitch, I was even more eager to sit in a room with Olivia, Lukas, and Marianne. Anyone familiar with pitches knows this isn’t a given. Usually, after a pitch, you need some space from each other first. I wanted to do the next one right away. We even won. I thought: It could be worse.

What surprised you about the team?

That we were still able to look each other in the eye even after a few pretty bad ideas. Some of them were mine, by the way.

How much of Rob was in the Bell pitch that won the competition?

A little bit of Rob’s mustard. The idea came from Olivia and Lukas. Marianne made sure our creative madness turned into a winning pitch. And me? I added my two cents. Sometimes spicy, sometimes completely unnecessary. The main thing is, it tasted good in the end.

When did «I need a job» turn into «I want to work at GEYST»?

Even while I was working on my first project, I was already thinking about the second one. Sure, I need a job. Three kids are a surefire way to keep you from becoming a man of independent means. But I didn’t just want a new employer. I wanted to find people again with whom I was absolutely determined to make something happen. And there they were.

And then there’s Stephan Clavadetscher, the CEO of Geyst. The epitome of calm. A rock in the storm. Someone who doesn’t start by explaining why something won’t work, but instead thinks about how it could work. A true enabler. And probably just the right dose of composure for someone like me.

What have you learned in the time since you were laid off?

That writing job applications is a profession in its own right. And that I’m not particularly good at it. Seriously: It was tough, man. I never would have thought my last name would end up saying it all. But I knew what I didn’t want: to bend myself out of shape just to fit in somewhere. I’d rather break conventions than break myself. Anything that bends too much will eventually snap. I learned that in physics. It was probably the only thing that stuck with me.

Have setbacks changed you as a boss?

I hope so. Otherwise, they would have been a complete waste. I know now how quickly a title can disappear. For me, it happened overnight. I thought something like that would never happen to me. I was wrong. I've fallen flat on my face often enough.

What has never mattered is falling down, but getting back up. That’s what builds backbone. Even good ideas need backbone, not an organizational chart. And no one should be afraid to come up with a bad idea. The only thing to fear is not wanting to make it better. Giving up should never be an option. In advertising, just as in life.

After the big agencies, now a smaller one. Is small the new big?

Small is small, for starters. I’ve learned a lot at big agencies, worked with great people, and wouldn’t want to miss any of those experiences. But an idea doesn’t get any better just because there are twelve more people on the distribution list. Sometimes it just becomes more cautious. And sometimes it dies from a barrage of well-meaning objections before it’s even had a chance to get off the ground.

Even jumping the gun can derail ideas. I don't believe in "small versus big." I believe in the right people for the right idea. If it takes twenty, wonderful. If five are enough, that's fine, too.

When is a bad idea a good idea?

I'm often interested in the ten percent of an idea that no one else has seen yet—even if the other 90 percent doesn't work yet. The weaknesses usually reveal themselves on their own. We're all great at talking down ideas. But it takes a lot of experience to see their potential.

And that’s exactly where creative leadership begins for me: not by first explaining why something will be difficult, but by figuring out together how that little spark can turn into something big. Sounds romantic. It’s often a hell of a lot of work.

Why does the team need an ECD right now?

Maybe because, for me, ECD isn't just Executive Creative Director means. But also Ego Comes Down. Good ideas don't need a fancy title. They need people who work together to turn them into something great. Good leadership empowers others.

I see myself as an advocate for good ideas, not their owner. If the best idea comes from an intern, I’m just as thrilled as if it came from an experienced creative. Besides, I don’t have to leave my mark on every slide. My job is to recognize potential, support people, make decisions, and defend a good idea even when things get uncomfortable. And sometimes, I just need to keep my mouth shut. I’m still working on that. My kids, by the way, still see room for improvement in that area.

«You can't prompt experience.» What do you mean by that?

AI gives you a hundred suggestions before your coffee is even brewed. Impressive. Unfortunately, 99 of them aren’t automatically better just because they come faster. Experience helps me recognize the one idea worth fighting for—even if that sometimes means getting into trouble and taking risks.

Can't experience also slow you down?

Yes. Especially when you confuse experience with being right. «We’ve already tried that» isn’t an argument to me. Maybe the idea was ahead of its time back then. Maybe we were too timid. Or maybe we just weren’t good enough yet. If you only ever listen to your own experience, eventually you’ll stop hearing anything new.

In 2023, you asked ChatGPT if it would take your job. What will you ask today?

Whether it’s learned to disagree with me. AI is often alarmingly polite. “Yes, Rob.” “Please, Rob.” “Good idea, Rob.” “Is there anything else I can do for you, Rob?” But I don’t need a digital pat on the back. I need someone who’ll say, “Rob, nice idea.” But go ahead and put that in the pile of ideas you’ll be tossing in the trash tonight. Or show me the ideas you haven’t had yet. In the end, that friction is what made me the creative person I am today. In my opinion, AI can’t do that yet.

What can customers dare to do with GEYST?

More than you might be able to imagine right now. But not just different for the sake of being different. You don’t have to throw everything that already exists out the window to make a difference. Sometimes it’s enough to take the right idea a step further. Or to give an idea a chance—even if someone is still shifting nervously in their chair during the first meeting.

We believe in powerful ideas and good design. Preferably both together. Because a good idea deserves a damn good presentation. And in the end, of course, the whole thing has to make a difference for the business. After all, courage isn’t an end in itself.

What should be on the table a year from now?

Something I haven't done in my 25 years in advertising. And something that makes me wonder why not. Ideally with people who surprise me. And a client who wonders afterward if he was out of his mind to let us do that. In the best possible way, of course.

Rob, what exactly haven't you finished yet?

Hopefully, quite a lot. I don't want to end up being the kind of person who just goes around saying how everything used to be better. I want to keep doing things where I have no idea beforehand if I'll be able to pull them off. And I want to work with people who make me look pretty old every now and then.

Any last requests?

That Kim Kardashian gets my name tattooed on her forehead. Finally, some reach that goes under the skin. And what else? That we’re doing a few things with GEYST that others think are pretty crazy. Until they work. Then, of course, everyone claims they knew it all along. But we’re far from done.

GEYST is an old spelling of "Geist." What's the story behind the name?

The word “Geist” originally comes from “excitement” and “emotion.” I think that’s pretty fitting. Because good ideas don’t just come from the mind. They have to spark something. They have to touch people, inspire them, and sometimes even stir them up. That’s exactly why I’m here.

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Rob on Rob

«Rob Hartmann appreciates bold ideas, a clear stance, and people who want to make a difference. He left his creative mark at Jung von Matt, Wirz, Young & Rubicam, Havas, and most recently as Chief Creative Officer and a member of the executive board at Publicis Zurich. His work has won numerous awards. He has been Chief Creative Officer at GEYST since November 2026. His motto: ‚Doing good stuff. With good people.’»