Ochsner Sport and thjnk Zurich: «Done Playing Nice»
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Ochsner Sport is challenging Switzerland with star coach José Mourinho: The «Done Playing Nice» campaign aims to break with the typical Swiss tendency toward modesty—and make ambition socially acceptable.
Ochsner Sport's World Cup Campaign Challenges Swiss Modesty
Switzerland is considered diplomatic and reserved—even in soccer, the country tends to downplay its stature. As a performance brand, Ochsner Sport aims to deliberately challenge this self-image ahead of the 2026 World Cup. For the Ochsner Sport World Cup campaign, the sports retailer, in collaboration with the Zurich-based agency thjnk Zürich, has signed none other than José Mourinho—the self-proclaimed «Special One» and one of the most influential figures in world soccer.
Mourinho can look back on a career that is hard to top in terms of trophies: He won league titles in Portugal, Spain, England, and Italy; he won the Champions League with FC Porto and Inter Milan; and in 2022, he led AS Roma to its first international title in 61 years—in the Conference League. Most recently, he coached Benfica, and he is currently being touted as the new coach of Real Madrid.
The Campaign Video: Mourinho's Pep Talk for Switzerland
At the heart of the campaign, Mourinho addresses the Swiss public directly. The core message: Leave diplomacy at home for the tournament; don’t be afraid to ruffle feathers or aim higher. «You’ve achieved a lot and can achieve even more,» is the bottom line—phrased succinctly and with a wink as a call to be a little un-Swiss. This new mindset is encapsulated in the campaign slogan: «Done Playing Nice.».
Visually, the film features fast cuts, a variety of styles, and a cameo appearance by superfan Luca Loutenbach, who brings Mourinho’s pep talk to life. It was directed by Milo Blake, with the screenplay written by thjnk Zurich. The film was produced by Le Berg Switzerland.
«Done Playing Nice» on Social Media and in Public Spaces
The campaign isn't limited to the TV spot. On social media, Mourinho appears in familiar formats—such as “Blind Rankings”—and shares his incisive insights. To coincide with the World Cup, a tournament-long communication campaign will be launched, featuring tailored headlines commenting on the Swiss national team’s matches. Additional measures include point-of-sale and out-of-home implementations, including a custom campaign collage for the construction site wall at Zurich’s main train station.
Responsible at Ochsner Sport: Marco Greco (Head of Marketing), Patrizia Fiechter (Team Leader Classic Communication), Claudio Keist (Team Leader Content & Social Media)
Responsible at thjnk Zurich: Alexander Jaggy, Pablo Schencke (Creative Director), Lukas Amgwerd, Lukas Frischknecht, Maira Weidmann (Creative Director), Johannes Gorsboth (Copywriter), Moritz Lüth, Xenia Marty, Alba Dita Rau (Art Director), Andrea Bison (Consulting Director), Andrea Häfliger, Marie Vuilleumier, Marisa Studer (Consulting), Gordon Nemitz (Managing Director, Strategy), Carole Räber (Strategy)
Responsible external partners: Le Berg Switzerland (Production), Milo Blake (Director), Bernardo Infante (DoP), Gabriel Waldvogel (Executive Producer), Christina Walther, Jana Neumann (Producers), Anna Bernutz (Post-Production), Family Production (Production Services), Lukas Maeder (Photography), Studio Gessner (Photo Post-Production), David Gesselbauer (Editor & Sound), Le Berg (Animation), Frame23 (VFX), Südlich-t (Online), IXYXI (Music Composition), Sounds Good Audio, Martin Leitner (Sound Design & Mix)
