50 years of Swiss TV advertising
On February 1, 1965, the first commercial break aired on Swiss television. Viewers liked the short films, and even the critical press described them as «solid and down-to-earth, with flawless visuals.».
Ovomaltine, Via/Radion brand detergent, Lindt chocolate, the Opel Kadett, Maggi golden beef soup, the Union Bank of Switzerland, Pepsi-Cola and Coop coffee: these eight products and companies were advertised in the first commercial break. The commercials in black and white showed sporty boys starched with ovomaltine, men dreaming of an Opel with plenty of storage space for their girlfriends, and a German businessman raving about the Bankgesellschaft while on vacation in Ticino. Advertising was much more expensive back then than it is today. Broadcasting a 30-second spot cost 3600 francs, which would be equivalent to 12,700 francs today. Today, a 30-second spot costs an average of just CHF 3,500.
