The bustling spirit of Geneva

Location marketing An advertising expert has
"Esprit de Genève" into a brand. He also has the right product
free wireless Internet. "If you don't have oil, you need ideas," says
Charly Schwarz. And the independent Geneva-based advertising expert and
Communication consultant enough. And so he created "L'Esprit de Genève", the
Spirit of Geneva, deposited as a trademark. The idea also goes back to him,
Geneva with nationwide wireless Internet access (WiFi = Wireless
Fidelity). But for free, please, rather than from the public
paid public service.
Charly Schwarz, 45, was born in Geneva and is of Polish-Cuban descent.
Ancestors. After several years working for the media agency Initiative
Media, he decided to set up his own business. Today he is
freelance communications consultant, which gives him time for his
passions. For his company Anda, for example, which
reforesting the Amazon rainforest. Or for the association L'Esprit de
Genève, which Schwarz founded and which is responsible for the image of Geneva and the
to redynamize relations between civil society and politics.
The Esprit de Genève has been recognized since Henri Dunant, the League of Nations and the
legendary summit meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev whenever
when it comes to Geneva's international reputation. But
Charly Schwarz is now its sole owner. "Stop! Stop!",
he interjects briskly: "You've got me wrong!" Earning money
Schwarz does not want to use his brand: "We make the name available to everyone.
that promote the image of Geneva." Nevertheless, the
Use of the brand name not free of charge. Schwarz insists on a
In return, the association benefits. "Let's assume that the
Tourism Office wants to launch a promotion campaign for Geneva called 'Esprit de
Genève'. In return, we would like the support of the
offices for one of our campaigns."

City of hospitality
A kind of location marketing for Geneva as a financial center? "In Geneva
nobody does anything without subsidies. That has to change. You have to
show that even large projects can be realized without state aid
can." That's why he founded the association, in which around 200
Representatives from business, politics, administration and the media took part
work to restore the spirit of Geneva to its original meaning.
give. Throughout the centuries, Geneva has welcomed refugees.
It is a hospitable, cosmopolitan city with a high level of
Quality of life: "This spirit belongs to all those who contribute to the radiance of
Geneva."

The ashes of Henri Dunant
Founded in June 2004, the association finances its activities by
exclusively through private contributions and has already been awarded several
actions have attracted attention. For example with a publication about
the Geneva cemetery Le Cimetière des Rois - a little-known
urban jewel, where the most important names in Geneva are buried.
has a name. Then also with an inventory of the most beautiful beaches on the
sea or with a map of the existing wireless
Free internet access. The "Geneva 100 percent WiFi" project is part of
to this as well. "Imagine the advertising effect for Geneva!",
Schwarz is enthusiastic: "Geneva would be the world's first and only
important city with such a public service - even
Cities like New York or Bilbao are still at the experimental stage."

Just in case the Internet capital Geneva doesn't work out,
the bustling president of the Esprit de Genève has other arrows in his
quiver. For example, an electronic inventory of all "makers and doers
of the Geneva nomenklatura in business, culture, politics and art". And
He meditates on the next coup: the repatriation of the ashes of
Henri Dunant to Geneva. The founder of the Red Cross was named after his
expelled from Geneva by Puritan Calvinists and died
1910, poor as a mouse, in exile in German-speaking Switzerland; he is buried in Zurich. The
is not worthy of the spirit of Geneva. And where Charly Schwarz is right,
he is right.

 
Helen Brügger