about us
the experience of a big agency.
Passionrebel is a studio of one, by design. Stephanie Gschwandtner runs every engagement from first call to quarterly review — with a trusted bench of freelance specialists brought in where the work demands it.
STUDIO LEAD
Stephanie Gschwandtner – Valencia, Spain
OUR SERVICES
* Digital Marketing Strategy
* Paid Media
* Messaging & Positioning
* SEO & GEO
* Reporting & Optimisation
* Creative Direction
founder story
a decade in digital marketing. one studio.
Before founding Passionrebel in 2017, Stephanie Gschwandtner spent nearly a decade working in digital marketing for some of the world’s most recognised brands — H&M, IKEA, Nikon, Lindt, DeLonghi, and UNICEF. Big budgets. Big teams. Global campaigns.
But it was when she moved to South Africa and started working with smaller, design-driven businesses that something shifted. The same strategic thinking that took months to move the needle at a global corporation was transforming SME brands in weeks. The impact was real, direct, and visible.
That’s why she founded Passionrebel — to bring big-agency expertise to businesses that actually feel the difference. Not any businesses. Brands she truly believes in. Brands with strong aesthetics, clear vision, and the ambition to grow.
Nearly 20 years later, most of her clients have been with her for 6–7 years. Not because they have to be. Because it works.
how work gets done
foundation-first isn't a slogan. it's an order of operations.
We don't open an ads account in week one. We open a Discovery Brief. Positioning, voice, audience, tracking — the boring, non-glamorous groundwork that determines whether any campaign has a chance. Only when the base is solid does paid media go live. It's slower on day one and substantially faster by month three.
WHO WE WORK WITH
Design-native by choice.
Architecture, interiors, craft, lighting, furniture, regulated design categories. These aren’t random niches — they’re where precision, restraint, and long time horizons matter more than clever tactics. We speak the language because it’s the work we’ve always done.
WE WORK FOR THE BEST BRANDS
some of our amazing clients.
An overview of some of the amazing brands we have & had the pleasure to work for.
what we believe in
Four values. In practice, not on a slide.
i.
Foundation-First
We build the base before we build the campaigns. It sounds obvious. It's extremely rare.
ii.
Senior-led
Direct access to Stephanie at every stage. If you ask a question, the person answering it is also the person running your account.
iii.
Design-native
We speak the language of architecture, interiors, and craft. Your work isn't foreign to us — it's the work we've always done.
iiii.
Long-term
Average client tenure: 6–7 years ongoing. Retention is the only proof that matters.
The bench
A studio of one. Never working alone.
Stephanie leads every engagement personally. When a project calls for specialist hands — motion, illustration, developer work, photography, copy in a fourth language — a vetted freelance bench steps in, briefed on your Discovery Brief so nothing is lost in translation.
You still talk to one person. The studio just quietly gets bigger when it needs to.
THE TEAM
Senior-led. Specialist-supported.
Passionrebel works with a trusted network of experienced specialists across strategy, content, paid media, tracking, design, and web development. This model keeps the studio lean, flexible, and senior-led — while giving clients access to high-level expertise across every area that matters for digital growth. The goal is not to imitate a large agency structure, but to combine strategic depth, specialist excellence, and a more agile way of working.
Strategic Lead & Digital Marketing Consultant
Leads overall strategy, client relationships, growth direction, campaign thinking, messaging, funnel strategy, and final recommendations. Acts as the strategic link between business goals, digital marketing, performance, and execution.
Stephanie Gschwandtner
Junior Marketing Assistant
Supports newsletter content, website content, social media content, and selected coordination across branding and web-related projects.
TBC — joining soon
Paid Media Specialist
Support role for campaign setup, optimisation, platform execution, and paid media delivery under Passionrebel’s strategic direction.
TBC — joining soon
Senior GA4 & GTM Tracking Specialist
Supports tracking, measurement, and analytics setup across client projects. Has worked on advanced tracking implementations for brands all over the world.
Chris Bailey
Web Design & Development
Supports web design and development projects where strong digital execution and high-quality implementation are required. Selected experience: Red Bull, Meiberger Holzbau, Illumina, Stammdesign, Volksbank.
Florian Hechenberger — Founder & CEO, Neonblack Salzburg
Senior Graphic Designer
Supports brand design and visual identity work where a high-quality, strategically aligned visual layer is needed. Passionrebel work includes the Illumina soft rebranding.
Katerina Sonntagova
Photographer
Supports Passionrebel clients where high-quality brand imagery is needed. Selected experience: Illumina, WoodyLiving.
Christa Gaigg — Austria
Web Developer
Supports Passionrebel with WordPress development, technical maintenance and web updates. Selected experience: WoodyLiving.
Gerd Roider — Austria
FAQ
Honest answers to the questions we hear most.
A few straight answers on how Passionrebel works, who it is for, and what makes the collaboration different from a typical agency setup.
Is Passionrebel a full-service agency?
Not in the traditional sense. Passionrebel is a senior-led digital marketing studio. Strategy, paid media, funnel thinking, reporting and optimisation are led directly by Stephanie, with trusted specialists brought in where needed.
Do you only run ads?
No. Paid media is the primary delivery channel, but Passionrebel never starts with ads. Every engagement begins with the Discovery Brief — an in-depth review of the brand, website, SEO, tracking, and positioning. Campaigns only launch once the foundation is in place. This is what makes the performance numbers what they are.
Who are you best suited for?
Design-conscious, quality-driven brands — typically in architecture, construction, interior design, home & living, healthcare, or education — who want a long-term strategic partner, not a campaign executor. The ideal client has a strong product, is ready to invest in proper setup, and values working directly with a senior strategist rather than being handed to a junior team.
What budget should a business have?
Passionrebel is designed for brands that are ready to invest in long-term growth. As a guideline, clients usually need a setup budget from around €2,000 and an ongoing monthly budget from around €1,800 including ad spend.
How does the setup phase work?
Setup is a focused 4–6 week process. It starts with the Discovery Brief, then moves through a full audit of the website, tracking, existing channels, and competitive landscape. From there, Passionrebel builds the strategy, sets up campaigns, creates the custom ChatGPT Marketing Assistant, and establishes reporting. The setup investment typically ranges from €2,000 to €5,000+ depending on scope and channels.
What does the monthly retainer include?
The retainer covers ongoing management and optimisation of agreed paid media channels, a detailed monthly report with a role-based action plan, a monthly strategy meeting, and weekly optimisation. Stephanie is directly involved in every client account, every month. Ad spend is always separate and billed directly by the platforms to the client.
Do clients work directly with Stephanie?
Yes — always. There are no account juniors, no handoffs, no layers. Every strategy call, every report, every recommendation comes directly from Stephanie. This is a non-negotiable part of how Passionrebel operates, and one of the most consistent reasons clients stay for years.
How quickly do results come?
It depends on the starting point, the channels, and the category — but most clients see meaningful improvements within the first 3 months of campaigns going live. The foundation work done upfront (website, SEO, tracking) is what makes the paid media perform well from the start, rather than requiring months of learning time. Some clients see strong results within the first 4–6 weeks of launch.
Is Passionrebel right for early-stage businesses?
Usually not. Passionrebel is best suited to brands with a strong product or service, a clear ambition to grow, and enough budget to support proper strategy and execution. If the foundation is not ready yet, we will say so honestly.
Do you use AI in your work?
Yes, but not as a gimmick. Technology supports research, reporting, workflows and internal efficiency. The thinking remains human-led, senior-led and strategy-driven.
work with us
Start a conversation.
A 30-minute call is the fastest way to find out if we're the right studio for you.
