Embellished balance sheets

 
Wirtschaftsmagazine Wirz accompanies the relaunch of Bilanz with a cheeky little beard and gel in his hair. 
The 10/08 issue of the business magazine Bilanz at the end of May featured a new look for the first time: with equally subtle but effective adaptations to the signs of the times. Editor-in-chief Dirk Schütz and Ralph Büchi, who is responsible for the magazine as a whole, impressed the readers with a revised magazine architecture, new sections and new journalistic formats. In addition to well-researched stories, this includes regular stories and interviews with the top shots in the Swiss economy.
At Wirz, these stars were seen as the best potential for a visual testimonial that had to work without a lot of words or false promises. "You don't have to explain the balance sheet to anyone," says CD Hanspeter Schweizer. He therefore naturally worked with the format of the now changed title page for the advertisements. It is immediately obvious that it is about the balance sheet because the graphic has incorporated all the important elements of the typography.
The leading Swiss business magazine has given itself a new look and become more "reader-friendly". Translated into the language of advertising, this means "more attractive". This is therefore also the idea behind Wirz's launch campaign: the newly embellished balance sheet is also reflected in the faces of the magazine's protagonists. Deutsche Bank boss Joe Ackermann stands out with his trendy goatee. Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger makes an exceptionally relaxed impression with his foulard, sideburns and fashionable glasses. Marcel Ospel, former head of UBS, not only has what it takes to be a documentary star with his well-groomed appearance of a British aristocrat.
Of course, the creative minds at Wirz were unable to work with the real Ospel and Leuenberger for the successful styling. The graphics only used the real faces of the business giants. To this end, the new attributes were tested and photographed on selected physical doubles together with stylist Clifford Lilley and Barbara Grundmann-Roth from Hair & Make-up. Finally, the various images were mixed on the computer.
The aim was not clowning or even denigration. Accordingly, none of the beautified people protested. At the time of going to press for this last advertising week before the vacations, it was not yet known whether Leuenberger actually intends to rub some gel into his hair during his vacation. Instead, we are looking forward to our own new styling, which will be available for the first time on August 21.
NZZOnline has also taken up Wirz's campaign and launched an article about the "misappropriated Federal Councillor". The competitor of Bilanz complained that pictures of celebrities should "always serve information purposes or as an illustration of a fact". Nevertheless, the NZZ showed a certain understanding for the tongue-in-cheek campaign. The online nephew of the old aunt formulated more criticism of last year's campaign for the vote on the 5th IV revision, in which the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions mounted the heads of federal councillors on the bodies of disabled people.
An image campaign will continue in the fall around the balance sheet. Politically correct? We can look forward to it.
Andreas Panzeri