Why we went to Madrid to found an agency of the future
- fiery+glint
- Jan 5
- 3 min read
A story about boundaries, change and new perspectives in 21st century branding
A new beginning does not start with a step, but with a decision
Two people, two paths and a shared compass: The vision of an agency that thinks not in terms of conventions, but in terms of possibilities. Mandy brings in-depth expertise in strategic brand management, international marketing, global corporate strategy, digital innovation and sustainable brand management from her Executive MBA programme in International Management. Marcel is a trained sound engineer, graphic designer and multimedia producer with a holistic understanding of sound, image, space and impact. He brings comprehensive expertise in audiovisual brand staging, 3D design, immersive content production and cross-media storytelling.
Together, we decided to leave Germany behind on 1 January 2026 and move to Madrid.
Why Madrid
If you want to work for international brands, you have to have crossed borders yourself. Madrid forces us to shift our perspective. Not only geographically, but also culturally, economically and personally. Here, Europe is more southern, warmer, more diverse and therefore more open to new narratives.
Madrid is not just Spain's capital. It is a vibrant economic centre strategically located between Europe, North Africa and Latin America. A hub for global ideas and cultural exchange. It quickly became clear to us that if we wanted to rethink brand management, we needed a new location that would challenge us and not just support us.
What drives us
Madrid is not just Spain's capital. It is a vibrant economic centre strategically located between Europe, North Africa and Latin America. A hub for global ideas and cultural exchange. It quickly became clear to us that if we wanted to rethink brand management, we needed a new location that would challenge us and not just support us.
Our agency sees itself as an integrated consulting and creative studio at the interface of strategic brand management, transformative communications consulting and innovative multimedia production. Our work begins with the question of why and only ends when it has become a how and a what that resonates.
A conscious decision to move from Kiel to Madrid
Kiel shaped us with clarity, structure and North German straightforwardness. But the wind that drove us came from the south. We weren't just looking for a new environment, but a new way of thinking, friction, inspiration and diversity. Madrid challenges us every day, and that's exactly why we're here.
For us, crossing borders, both geographical and mental, is not a one-off act, but an ongoing process. We believe that if you want to manage brands internationally, you have to live and breathe international thinking yourself. If you want to shape change, you have to be willing to change yourself.
An agency of the future
Our vision is clear: We have not founded an ordinary agency, but one that combines strategy with design. An agency that understands marketing not as advertising, but as cultural practice. An agency that sees sustainability not as a trend, but as corporate responsibility.
We work with brands that want to be more than just products and are aware of their role in society. Brands that not only gain market share, but also create meaning. Brands that actively shape their future with us as their partner.
Madrid is our starting point. Europe is our playing field. The future is our direction.