Clear the ring for Swisscom
Last year, Swisscom attracted attention with an emotional annual report in diary form: Stefan Eicher's travel diary. This year, Circus Knie is giving a very private performance for Swisscom. The "picture book" was conceived and produced by Studio Achermann.
What does Swisscom have to do with the National Circus Knie? For Tom Hauk, Head of Brand Communications at Swisscom, it is not difficult to make a connection between the communications group Swisscom and the entertainment company Circus Knie: "We share enthusiasm, emotion and professionalism," he says. "Circus Knie is around 200 years old. Every year it tours the whole of Switzerland, and in 2009 it performed at 42 locations. And the shows are almost always sold out. That says it all."
Circus Knie is a brand that accompanies you throughout your life: as a child, as a godmother or godfather, as a mother or father, as a grandmother or grandfather. The glow in the eyes of circus visitors is completely independent of age. "The small Circus Knie family has found the big Swisscom family," says Beda Achermann, the creative mind behind the annual report. "There are many things that are very similar between Circus Knie and Swisscom: Circus Knie is 200 years old, Swisscom 150. Both are traditional modern Swiss companies, and both focus on people, communication and entertainment." Communication plays a special role at Circus Knie not only in the circus ring, but also behind the big top. The circus family has 200 members from 16 nations - and they keep in touch with their loved ones via telephone and cell phone, Skype and e-mail, Facebook and Twitter. And, of course, they follow the television programs from their home country. There is a parabolic antenna in front of each caravan, and countless cables and radio connections bring the caravans onto the data highway. Swisscom ensures that these communication solutions work, no matter where the circus is performing.
Behind the scenes
Circus Knie has been a Swisscom customer for many years. So it was not difficult to get the circus family excited about the project. "The Knies quickly realized that we weren't interested in taking a few quick, pretty photos, but in capturing the soul of the circus," says Tom Hauk. The circus visit captured in pictures is therefore also proof and reward for a good partnership - customer loyalty made easy.
Hauk and Studio Achermann worked for almost a year on this special "business appearance". They accompanied the circus to several performance venues and photographed the artists in Rapperswil, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne. "We, especially our photographer of course, have become part of the Knie family," says Beda Achermann.
As in the previous year, Swisscom sent out around 50,000 copies of its diary together with the brochure "Swisscom in brief". Anyone who is also hungry for facts and figures can request the figures section from the company. "We use the diary to convey emotions and make what Swisscom stands for tangible," explains Hauk. "It also replaces our image brochure." While other Swiss companies are focusing on online annual reports this year, Swisscom will continue to present its customers, business partners and employees with a picture book in the coming year. "We want to give the readers of our annual report emotions and sparkling eyes," emphasizes Hauk. "You can't do that with facts and figures on the Internet. You have to be able to touch, smell and read our annual report on the balcony." Those responsible at Swisscom have already decided who will be in the ring for the 2010 annual report. However, the curtain will not yet be lifted.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Circus Knie is a brand that accompanies you throughout your life: as a child, as a godmother or godfather, as a mother or father, as a grandmother or grandfather. The glow in the eyes of circus visitors is completely independent of age. "The small Circus Knie family has found the big Swisscom family," says Beda Achermann, the creative mind behind the annual report. "There are many things that are very similar between Circus Knie and Swisscom: Circus Knie is 200 years old, Swisscom 150. Both are traditional modern Swiss companies, and both focus on people, communication and entertainment." Communication plays a special role at Circus Knie not only in the circus ring, but also behind the big top. The circus family has 200 members from 16 nations - and they keep in touch with their loved ones via telephone and cell phone, Skype and e-mail, Facebook and Twitter. And, of course, they follow the television programs from their home country. There is a parabolic antenna in front of each caravan, and countless cables and radio connections bring the caravans onto the data highway. Swisscom ensures that these communication solutions work, no matter where the circus is performing.
Behind the scenes
Circus Knie has been a Swisscom customer for many years. So it was not difficult to get the circus family excited about the project. "The Knies quickly realized that we weren't interested in taking a few quick, pretty photos, but in capturing the soul of the circus," says Tom Hauk. The circus visit captured in pictures is therefore also proof and reward for a good partnership - customer loyalty made easy.
Hauk and Studio Achermann worked for almost a year on this special "business appearance". They accompanied the circus to several performance venues and photographed the artists in Rapperswil, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne. "We, especially our photographer of course, have become part of the Knie family," says Beda Achermann.
As in the previous year, Swisscom sent out around 50,000 copies of its diary together with the brochure "Swisscom in brief". Anyone who is also hungry for facts and figures can request the figures section from the company. "We use the diary to convey emotions and make what Swisscom stands for tangible," explains Hauk. "It also replaces our image brochure." While other Swiss companies are focusing on online annual reports this year, Swisscom will continue to present its customers, business partners and employees with a picture book in the coming year. "We want to give the readers of our annual report emotions and sparkling eyes," emphasizes Hauk. "You can't do that with facts and figures on the Internet. You have to be able to touch, smell and read our annual report on the balcony." Those responsible at Swisscom have already decided who will be in the ring for the 2010 annual report. However, the curtain will not yet be lifted.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
