An Edelweiss shirt for Swiss farmers
Celebrity endorsements are intended to boost the image of farmers and their products. With the help of Burson-Marsteller.
Celebrity associations to boost the image of farmers and their products. With the help of Burson-Marsteller. "I am and will always be a farmer at heart. There is no better profession than this," Mister Switzerland Renzo Blumenthal is said to have claimed between a photo shoot and a car show. So much professional pride from a famous man is worthy of a "Quote of the Week" from the Swiss Farmers' Association (SBV). However, the revelation could not have come at a better time - even if it stands in stark contrast to the development of the profession in Switzerland. As the sharp decline in the number of farms has led to a decline in the public's understanding of the services, strong lobby and concerns of farmers, the SBC responded in 1998 with its first national image campaign with the claim "Good, there are Swiss farmers", which was intended to strengthen consumer confidence in farming families. Not only by portraying them as sympathetic producers of healthy and organic food, but also by anchoring other services such as landscape conservation. Above all, it was intended to present the completely changed Swiss agricultural sector following the reforms with more modern images.
Edelweiss fabric as the common threadThe concept line, which was also intended to promote the acceptance of local products, argued from the farmers' perspective. Thanks to their natural and modern products, they would bring life to the city, i.e. form the basis for the well-being of the population of the city and countryside.
The agency is now also changing its point of view. Instead of farmers, consumers are now addressing their peers. However, the first ten testimonials are prominent and therefore attention-grabbing consumers. In order to stand out from the overflowing sea of testimonials - the Swiss Fruit Association has also been running a celebrity campaign for years - and to be recognizable again, the creative team at Burson-Marsteller put Michelle Hunziker, Köbi Kuhn & Co. in typical Edelweiss farmer shirts. The well-known claim reinforces this visual bracket or the "light blue thread" that holds the striking print and poster campaign together right down to the below-the-line area of the trade fair appearances. A TV commercial version is not ruled out in the concept, which is initially designed to run for three years.
According to copywriter and consultant Olaf Pilleri, the selected celebrities were to provide an element of surprise. That's why they were specifically looking for contemporaries with an urban, open-minded and active charisma. However, it remains to be seen whether it will always be possible to realize testimonial subjects with a high rarity value, as in the case of Coop and Migros bosses Hansueli Loosli and Herbert Bolliger respectively. While in 2006, alongside show, political and business celebrities, it is mainly representatives from the world of sport who will shine, the next wave will also see celebrities from the world of culture donning the farmer's shirt and making a crisp statement.
Luca Aloisi
Edelweiss fabric as the common threadThe concept line, which was also intended to promote the acceptance of local products, argued from the farmers' perspective. Thanks to their natural and modern products, they would bring life to the city, i.e. form the basis for the well-being of the population of the city and countryside.
The agency is now also changing its point of view. Instead of farmers, consumers are now addressing their peers. However, the first ten testimonials are prominent and therefore attention-grabbing consumers. In order to stand out from the overflowing sea of testimonials - the Swiss Fruit Association has also been running a celebrity campaign for years - and to be recognizable again, the creative team at Burson-Marsteller put Michelle Hunziker, Köbi Kuhn & Co. in typical Edelweiss farmer shirts. The well-known claim reinforces this visual bracket or the "light blue thread" that holds the striking print and poster campaign together right down to the below-the-line area of the trade fair appearances. A TV commercial version is not ruled out in the concept, which is initially designed to run for three years.
According to copywriter and consultant Olaf Pilleri, the selected celebrities were to provide an element of surprise. That's why they were specifically looking for contemporaries with an urban, open-minded and active charisma. However, it remains to be seen whether it will always be possible to realize testimonial subjects with a high rarity value, as in the case of Coop and Migros bosses Hansueli Loosli and Herbert Bolliger respectively. While in 2006, alongside show, political and business celebrities, it is mainly representatives from the world of sport who will shine, the next wave will also see celebrities from the world of culture donning the farmer's shirt and making a crisp statement.
Luca Aloisi
