From a Madison Avenue Pioneer to an Integrated Agency Group

To understand the full scope of this format, it’s worth taking a look at the agency’s history. When Dr. Rudolf Farner returned to the Limmat from the U.S. in the late 1940s, he brought the mindset and working methods of New York’s Madison Avenue to Switzerland. Whether it was Coca-Cola’s market entry, hair salons, establishing the Three Kings Cake for the Bakers« Association, or the Expo »64 pavilion «Defensive Switzerland»: Farner shaped the craft of strategic communication from the ground up. Rudolf Farners’ often-quoted saying also dates from that time: “Give me a million, and I’ll turn a sack of potatoes into a Federal Councilor.”

While the traditional advertising division underwent changes through international agency networks, the core PR and consulting business remained on course. Farner built on this foundation and gradually expanded its offerings. Today, CEO Michel Grunder leads Team Farner Switzerland, an integrated consulting and communications group. Under this umbrella, Team Farner Switzerland brings together Farner Consulting—with expertise in public affairs, issue management, corporate communications, marketing communications, and advertising, as well as specialized agencies such as Rod for creative work and campaigns, BlueGlass and Semsea for SEO, GEO, and performance marketing, jim & jim for next-gen marketing, and Yoveo for video technology and moving images.

Because the job market for new graduates is under pressure—driven by efficiency gains from artificial intelligence and budget cuts on the client side—Farner opened its doors to 75 talented individuals during its anniversary year: ranging from a communications student at ZHAW to a law student at HSG to a marketing professional with several years of corporate experience.

Jessica Reza, Head of People & Culture at Farner, summed up the unique nature of the agency world right from the start:

«Agencies are career springboards. For one thing, because you take on responsibility very, very quickly and gain knowledge at an incredible pace. And for another, you gain a very broad range of insights and practical experience.»

The Four Economies and the Reality Check for the Dolder Grand

The boot camp consistently avoided tedious lecture-heavy sessions. After brief introductions, participants moved straight into practical case studies. Through four rotating modules—stakeholder economics, shareholder economics, creator economics, and media economics—the groups delved into the interplay of modern communication channels.

In the media economics module, the assignment was to create a campaign for the 125th anniversary of the Zurich luxury hotel The Dolder Grand to develop an earned media strategy to generate maximum impact without a direct media budget. The groups analyzed the existing image—one of aloofness—and got creative, turning the tables: Instead of a perceived exclusive aloofness, they proposed a temporary «Exclusive for Everyone» event—an open house that would open the museum’s world-class art collection and culinary heritage to a broad audience.

The feedback from the plenary session demonstrated just how strong the participants’ motivation was to understand language and strategy across disciplinary boundaries. As Philipp, a student at the University of St. Gallen, put it:

«I'm studying international law at the HSG, but my background is in international affairs. And what interests me most about this boot camp right now is learning how communication, language, and words bridge the gap between disciplines.»

In the area of public affairs, too, the action began right away: In a two-stage advocacy simulation, the teams took on the roles of competing associations, political actors, and media representatives to secure parliamentary majorities for complex bills.

Breaking Patterns in the Age of Generative AI

One of the highlights was the creative module led by Chief Creative Officer Philipp Skrabal. Against the backdrop of ubiquitous generative AI, Skrabal made it clear that while technological tools take over routine tasks, true differentiation arises exclusively from human creativity. AI feeds on existing data patterns; those who rely solely on it produce interchangeable, run-of-the-mill products. Skrabal articulated the core task of creatives in no uncertain terms:

«Creativity is what I like to call a »survival skill' these days. Creativity means breaking patterns, and to do that, you first have to understand them."

Using radical examples—such as the fictional «Sylt Catapult» campaign to mobilize support for the double-track expansion of the Hindenburgdamm, or the presentation of bottled water as «Liquid Death»—Skrabal demonstrated how taking a stand and deliberately breaking taboos can generate attention.

In the creative sprint that followed, six groups were tasked with developing a rental platform for rarely used everyday items. The results showed a remarkable range: «Karma@Home» focused on resource conservation and rhythmic vocal storytelling («Because sharing is awesome»). «Only Gadgets» applied the mechanics of dating apps to tools («Sex rents» with double-entendre headlines for pizza ovens and tents). «Scambi» transformed borrowing into an urban scavenger hunt with community parties. «Nowner» invented the fictional character Robert, who owns nothing but can access everything via an app («Be like Robert»). «THING-DONG.ch» challenged the impulse to consume with «Don’t buy me» posters and the tagline «Owning stuff sucks,» while «Chrims-Chrams» brought unused treasures in Swiss basements back to life with the slogan «Safe e gueti Sach.».

Heated discussions echoed from the workspaces, app prototypes were being clicked through, and props for the pitch were being prepared. One participant summed up the mood after the presentation:

«We just got this super cool assignment to create a campaign. It's really interesting to work with everyone like this and see how a creative process like this unfolds.»

Panel Discussion: The Data Foundation, the Power of Creators, and the Courage to Take a Stand

The third day focused on strategic brand management (led by Head of Branding and CMO Markus Gut), naming processes, and the transition from traditional SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). In the late afternoon, experts from the various Farner companies gathered for a panel discussion on the practice of modern communication.

Anna-Lena Wohlschlag, Managing Director at BlueGlass, highlighted the interplay between analytics and content: Data is indispensable for uncovering search intent and user behavior, but it is creative storytelling that gives a brand emotional impact. Philipp Nüssli, a guest speaker from Heads Agency, explained that creators and influencers define their relevance not through paid reach but through authentic community relationships—which is why his agency turns down about 90 percent of incoming collaboration requests so as not to compromise its credibility. Anne-Christine Lindner from Jim & Jim emphasized that young target audiences are highly attuned to contrived messages and demand genuine reliability.

Marco Imboden, Managing Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Farner and former head of communications at renowned corporations, spoke about the dynamics in boardrooms. Out of fear of making mistakes, corporate communications often tends to minimize risk, to the point where messages come across as «lukewarm.» This makes it all the more important for communications professionals to have a thorough command of their craft—from precise writing to quickly grasping complex issues—so that, as valued counterparts to CEOs and board members, they have the courage to demand clear positions.

Pure Adrenaline: When the Amusement Park Is on Fire and the AI Is Sweating

On the fourth day, participants learned in three practice-oriented full-day modules that communicating under real-time conditions requires a strong nerve.

The «Buenaventura» crisis simulation involved reenacting an emergency scenario at an amusement park: Following demonstrations and accidents, a storm of outrage erupted on social media. The participants split into two groups: A crisis response team consisting of park management, security officials, and media spokespeople had to develop a consistent information strategy amid a constant stream of situation reports. At the same time, the opposing group acted as an investigative news team, interviewing eyewitnesses, uncovering contradictions, and demanding tough answers during a live press conference.

«As a student, the insight into crisis communication was incredibly valuable to me—to get a sense of how decisions have to be made under time pressure.»

- Elena Lindner, Crisis Simulation Participant

At the same time, participants in the «AI Academy» experimented with a simulated Meta Ad Manager that Farner had set up specifically for this purpose. They entered briefings, created cross-channel image and text assets using generative AI, and received immediate feedback on simulated community reactions and performance metrics. The «Craft Session,» on the other hand, focused on visual language, color grading, and editing techniques for video formats.

«These young talents have shown just how much energy and sound judgment they possess. If the industry gives them the space they need, I have no fears about the future of communication.»

- Bernhard Schnellmann, Content Consultant and AI Expert, Instructor at BlueGlassFarner

A Wake-Up Call: Let's Put an End to the "Intern Mentality"

The high quality of the results sheds light on a structural debate within the communications industry: the pay and recognition of young professionals. For years, agencies and media companies have tended to keep motivated graduates stuck in a long chain of internships, apprenticeships, and underpaid trainee positions.

Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, this type of internship is outdated. This generation brings with it an intuitive understanding of digital platforms, algorithms, and AI tools—knowledge that many executives must still painstakingly acquire. Anyone who wants to compete for the best talent must offer entry-level positions with salaries that reflect market rates.

In Switzerland, international technology giants such as Google, Meta, Disney, and OpenAI are aggressively competing for the same top talent and offering top salaries. Client companies are also increasingly investing in their own in-house teams with attractive starting packages. Anyone who wants to compete at the highest level must—just as in elite sports—be prepared to invest substantially in up-and-coming talent, rather than fob them off with minimal compensation.

A training program that serves as a model

In the concluding m&k interview, Michel Grunder shared his personal reflections:

«It wasn't just a gift from us to the younger generation; above all, it was a gift from the younger generation to us. We were incredibly inspired by their energy and Thirst for knowledge »benefits."

With its anniversary boot camp, Farner demonstrated what effective knowledge transfer can look like: uncompromisingly practical, free of hierarchy, and using state-of-the-art methods. The format has shown just how much potential the next generation has when given the space and trust to thrive. It is to be hoped that this initiative will set a precedent in the Swiss agency landscape.

SBB is using this insight for its new recruitment campaign and presenting a career change as a train driver as the best job prospect in the world in two senses. The campaign addresses common pain points in the working environment and positions the profession of train driver as a promising solution to these problems. This is visually enhanced by the view from the driver's cab, so that the future working day can already be experienced in the advertising material. In interactive banners, you can even choose from perspectives on three different train routes.

The 360-degree campaign uses channels such as OOH, DOOH, rail posters, social ads and various interactive, digital banner formats. The measures will be targeted regionally in order to draw attention to the training classes at the various locations. As a central campaign element, the landing page offers further information about the profession and the opportunity to (digitally) accompany a train driver throughout an entire shift. Following a successful launch, the campaign will run over several flights throughout the year, with special additional measures providing particular highlights.

Responsible at SBB: Corinne Kuhn, Yves Rüegg, Nicole Pongracz, Philippe Hasler, Stefanie Widmer, Stephanie Escher. Responsible at Farner Consulting: Philipp Skrabal, Ennio Cadau, Mathias Kröbl, Roger Krage, Camille Zuber. Responsible at Shining: Tom Brunner, Chandra Marquart, Damian Derungs, Gian Niggli, Urs Schmid, Pascal Holzer, Lukas Kärcher, Jan Murer, Nicolas Küng, Dominik Nussbaumer, Jingle Jungle, Colin Schmid, Nina Cutkovic, Stefan Bircher. Responsible at schönbucher fotografen: Noë Flum, Maria Schönbucher. Responsible at Havas Schweiz Media: Agron Gjini, Sabrina Podgorny. Responsible for banner production: Capture Media, SeenThis.

The campaign will be present in public and on selected stakeholder platforms for three years. The campaign is scheduled to start in 2023.

Farner is entering the war for talent - and wants to provide even more comprehensive support in the future for customers who have to hold their own in a highly competitive labor market. That's why the company is expanding its offering and bringing employer branding expert Paul Henschel on board as Topic Lead. Because: the shortage of skilled workers now affects almost every company. "The balance of power in the labor market has just turned completely around," explains Markus Gut, Practice Head Branding & Change at Farner. "Today, it's not job seekers who are applying for a good job - rather, companies are fighting for good workers. Our ambition is to give our clients an edge in this escalating 'war for talent'."

Employer branding is playing a growing role at Farner: the agency has already supported several clients in their positioning as employers - for example, with an Campaign for SBB or the global recruitment campaign of Swissport.

Henschel comes from SV Group, where he was Head Recruiting & Employer Branding DACH. Previously, he was in charge of setting up and developing the employer branding strategy at Zurich and Generali Versicherungen.

In recent years, the needs of employees have changed dramatically. As the fourth-largest employer in Switzerland, SBB is responding to this with various measures such as the expansion of existing family- and leisure-compatible working models and opportunities for re-entry and lateral entry. Now another measure has been added: Since September 2022, SBB has been advertising its jobs from a 60-percent workload. The associated communication measures were developed with Farner Consulting.

At the heart of the campaign are three films that present the real and intense lives of three SBB employees. The three protagonists were selected from over 350 employees who responded to an internal call. Together with the directing duo Mirjam and Lukas Fröhlich, Farner accompanied the selected employees over a longer period of time and gained private insights into their everyday lives. The result is three films that impressively show why life sometimes needs more time. The music, composed appropriately for each film, comes from Great Garbo.

The communication measures kicked off with a study commissioned from the Universities of Zurich and Berne on the subject of "Part-time work in Switzerland: increasing importance, Challenges and opportunities". The SonntagsZeitung reported last weekend on the study and the measures taken by SBB. The films can be seen in various social and display ad formats. In addition there is a Landing page with all the relevant information and varied statements from part-time workers at SBB. In addition, an SBB job-sharing event will be held for the first time at Berne station from 27 - 29 October.

Responsible at SBB: Corinne Kuhn, Tijana Kojic, Stephanie Escher, Marisa Columberg, Urs Schmid, Sabine Baumgartner. Responsible at Farner Consulting: Philipp Skrabal, Camille Zuber, Jill-Nadine Reuvener, Jonas Brändli, Janine Paumann, Ennio Cadau, Roland Szabo, Laura Dröfke, Pedro Velasquez, Eva Witschi. Responsible at Shining: Stefan Bircher, Laurent Arber, Mirjam Fröhlich, Lukas Fröhlich, Gustaf Richter, Nathalie Maibach, Gökhan Saf, Sven Probst, Aaron Markus Graf, Florian Hinder, Lukas Graf, Maximilian Hochstrasser, Jero Fähndrich, Bobby Good, Great Garbo, Bardo Eicher.

Ground handling and air freight logistics provider Swissport International operates at 285 airports around the world. With the dynamic recovery of air traffic after the Corona pandemic, Swissport faces the challenge of finding tens of thousands of new employees around the world within a very short time.

Chris Rayner, Chief People Officer at Swissport International AG: "At Swissport, we are proud to be able to offer exciting jobs in aviation. We were able to convey this very effectively with our video clips on social media."

Together with Swissport's communications team, led by Christoph Meier, Farner implemented a flexible recruitment campaign that primarily uses videos on social media to address the appropriate target groups around airports. The short films are intended to provide authentic insights into the working worlds surrounding flight operations. The campaign deliberately plays on the unbroken fascination of aviation. It translates everyday situations and elements of "ordinary" working life into the world of aviation - from small talk and the company car to the morning team meetings and trouble shooting. In this way, the crucial difference between normal jobs and working at the airports of this world becomes apparent.

The videos will be played out by Farner around the globe, country by country and airport by airport, over the spring and summer of 2022. In the UK, Ireland and the US, the first target markets, the social media campaign generated more than 3,000 applications in just four weeks. In the next phase, Farner will roll out the campaign in Australia, Germany and Switzerland.

Responsible at Swissport International: Christoph Meier (Head of Communications & Brand Management), Maria Künzi (Communications Manager). Responsible at Farner Consulting: Kurt Rossi (Client Lead), Elena Fuchs (Project Management), Philipp Skrabal (Creative Direction), Mathias Kröbl (Art Direction), Lukas Günter, Alina Leiendecker, Nadine Schuler, Eva Witschi (Digital Campaign Management), Aleksandar Sofranac (Motion Design).

#Frauenarbeit is the largest Swiss platform for young women and careers. The initiative was initiated five years ago by Rod recruiter Regula Bührer Fecker. The aim is to bring together, encourage and inspire young women with professional ambitions. Meanwhile, the community counts more than 12,000 followers on Instagram and is active in introducing and networking with female Swiss Role Models. On Friday, May 13, the foundation #Frauenarbeit invited 60 women from the fields of finance, media, marketing, communication and culture to lunch at the Kronenhalle. It is the second execution of this networking lunch. There was much laughter, intensive exchange, networking and plans for the future. Hulda Zumsteg, patron of the Kronenhalle, would certainly have been proud. The #Women's Work Lunch is an annual event and attendance is by personal invitation only. If you would like to follow #Women's Work, you can do so on Instagram at @women'swork.

Here are some impressions

(all images © Djamila Grossman / University Communication ZHdK)

Judith Schuler, Swiss Solidarity.

Linda Rasumowski, Mental Well Mom (left) and Sharon Zucker, Digitec Galaxus.

Kafi Freitag (left), Kafi Freitag Coaching and Regula Bührer Fecker.