A halo for old cheese
Valais raclette cheese has been awarded the AOC quality label. Thanks to the poster campaign by the Brig-based agency Visucom.com, even the cardinal has heard about it.
The custom of melting cheese over an open fire has existed in Valais since 1574. The connoisseur speaks of raclette, keeps quiet and enjoys. For years, the Valais Milk Association and other raclette cheese producers have been arguing about who is allowed to label their cheese "raclette". The Valaisans laid sole claim to the title, while other cheese producers intervened. "Over 80 percent of raclette is produced outside of Valais. That corresponds to 11,000 tons of raclette per year," said Emmi spokesperson Stephan Wehrle, for example. "The Valais' absolute claim is not justified." Cheese for the Valaisans.
Sacred cow
After a long back and forth, the Federal Office for Agriculture has now awarded Valais raclette cheese the "Valais Raclette AOC" label. This makes it easier for the people of Valais to stand out against domestic and foreign raclette competitors. The label proves that all of the cheese's ingredients come from the Valais and that it was produced in the traditional Valais way. This is monitored by a control commission.
The new quality label is advertised with a wink using three poster subjects: a typical black Valais cow with a crown, the queen for the cheese king, a Valais cow that stands for Raclette AOC head, and a Valais cow with a halo - after all, the Valais people hold their raclette cheese sacred.
Advertising highlight
Cardinal Henri Schwery was less than pleased with the last motif. He felt that giving a cow a halo was highly inappropriate and a "denigration of religion". A great annoyance for the Vatican, a wonderful advertising hit for Valais raclette cheese and the agency Visucom.com. The dispute over the sacred cow even made it into the main edition of "Tagesschau". If the eclat now also boosts consumption of the AOC-certified Valais raclette, the goal has been achieved.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Sacred cow
After a long back and forth, the Federal Office for Agriculture has now awarded Valais raclette cheese the "Valais Raclette AOC" label. This makes it easier for the people of Valais to stand out against domestic and foreign raclette competitors. The label proves that all of the cheese's ingredients come from the Valais and that it was produced in the traditional Valais way. This is monitored by a control commission.
The new quality label is advertised with a wink using three poster subjects: a typical black Valais cow with a crown, the queen for the cheese king, a Valais cow that stands for Raclette AOC head, and a Valais cow with a halo - after all, the Valais people hold their raclette cheese sacred.
Advertising highlight
Cardinal Henri Schwery was less than pleased with the last motif. He felt that giving a cow a halo was highly inappropriate and a "denigration of religion". A great annoyance for the Vatican, a wonderful advertising hit for Valais raclette cheese and the agency Visucom.com. The dispute over the sacred cow even made it into the main edition of "Tagesschau". If the eclat now also boosts consumption of the AOC-certified Valais raclette, the goal has been achieved.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
