Have a good trip, Luigi!
Obituary Thomas Hermann bids farewell to Luigi Grendene in an obituary.
Obituary Thomas Hermann bids farewell to Luigi Grendene in an obituary. I'll make it short, I'm leaving." With these words, Luigi Grendene, Chairman and Creative Head of Grendene, Ogilvy & Mather, informed his employees at the end of 2006 that he planned to leave the agency at the end of April 2007. He had no intention of retiring. The busy advertising man still had many plans, not least a sailing trip around the world with his lovely Alma. With his ocean-going license in his pocket, he had already mastered many a storm on the treacherous Lake Lucerne with his sailing yacht. Luigi attended the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts (now HGKZ) and attracted attention early on as the best graduate of his year. He met Alma, the woman of his life, at the "Kunsti". They both celebrated their birthdays on the same day. Alma remained his great support throughout his life, gave him affection and security and bore him two sons.
As early as 1969, he teamed up with Martin Lanz, who would later become his partner. The two won many a pitch as freelancers for René Hürlimann (damas HMK). Their early success led to the founding of Grendene & Lanz in 1972. For Martin Lanz, the sudden death of Luigi Grendene "extinguished a volcano".
His campaigns for Rank Xerox, Ikea and Lancia were legendary. He won the latter mandate in 1984 for Fiat Auto (Suisse), whose client I was at the time. Cars were his great passion. His campaigns for Ford and Jaguar were also groundbreaking for car advertising.
From 1996 until today, he was the patron of Grendene, Ogilvy & Mather. He was the creative overfather, strict, consistent, but full of recognition for brilliant achievements. Many ADC-decorated advertisers went through his school of life. He not only taught them the craft, but also human values such as restraint, generosity and modesty. For him, the dice were more of a stumbling block.
Luigi was a fun-loving bon vivant. I was able to accompany him for 23 years and see how he enjoyed the Italian grandeur in Turin, but also pursued individual projects with total dedication, such as the book about the Fan Tree Company (DKSH), for which he will probably win a prize posthumously after all. An atypical advertiser leaves the stage of seduction and desire. He did not advertise for himself, but for his customers. He will be remembered not by a gravestone, but by his work, and his ashes will travel the world's oceans. Bon voyage, Luigi!
Thomas Hermann, Managing Director, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.
As early as 1969, he teamed up with Martin Lanz, who would later become his partner. The two won many a pitch as freelancers for René Hürlimann (damas HMK). Their early success led to the founding of Grendene & Lanz in 1972. For Martin Lanz, the sudden death of Luigi Grendene "extinguished a volcano".
His campaigns for Rank Xerox, Ikea and Lancia were legendary. He won the latter mandate in 1984 for Fiat Auto (Suisse), whose client I was at the time. Cars were his great passion. His campaigns for Ford and Jaguar were also groundbreaking for car advertising.
From 1996 until today, he was the patron of Grendene, Ogilvy & Mather. He was the creative overfather, strict, consistent, but full of recognition for brilliant achievements. Many ADC-decorated advertisers went through his school of life. He not only taught them the craft, but also human values such as restraint, generosity and modesty. For him, the dice were more of a stumbling block.
Luigi was a fun-loving bon vivant. I was able to accompany him for 23 years and see how he enjoyed the Italian grandeur in Turin, but also pursued individual projects with total dedication, such as the book about the Fan Tree Company (DKSH), for which he will probably win a prize posthumously after all. An atypical advertiser leaves the stage of seduction and desire. He did not advertise for himself, but for his customers. He will be remembered not by a gravestone, but by his work, and his ashes will travel the world's oceans. Bon voyage, Luigi!
Thomas Hermann, Managing Director, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.
