The fine line between modesty and arrogance
The editorial by Werbewoche Editor-in-Chief Anne-Friederike Heinrich from issue 20/2016 of December 2, 2016.
Swiss modesty is legendary. In this country, people like to hide their light under a bushel, acknowledge praise and thanks with a bashful "that's right" - but are then offended when no one notices how good they are. And that's what we Swiss really are. But advertising, marketing for ourselves, just a little bit, that's not what we like. Let others tell us what we do well. But how do others find out about our achievements?
Swiss modesty and small-mindedness goes so far as to turn a stroke into "es Schlägli," which the Freundliche Grüsse agency took up with a wink at the beginning of the year with its launch campaign for Elvia: it turned a fender bender into "es Blechschädeli" (Bit.ly/2guy7Rt) and from a bad pipe burst "es Rohrbrüchli" (Bit.ly/2fx14YL) - with the right insurance, of course. That was funny. However, modesty is not always praiseworthy and funny: If "I love you" turns into a wimpy "I han di gärn," the Swiss woman with a migration background loses patience, even if she generally appreciates the Swiss way of life and being.
I also have little understanding for the following: Numerous agency representatives complain loudly about award battles and the associated high costs. Nevertheless, they submit their work to national and international awards, because somehow "the others" have to hear about their top performance (see above). And when the submission is followed by praise and recognition, they go underground again and leave the stage empty on which the prize is to be awarded. This is what happened recently at the Epica in Amsterdam, and at various other awards around the world. Swiss people fetch awards - but don't pick them up. The prize on the safe, the way is saved.
Whether the legendary Swiss modesty is the cause of this behavior, a lack of money or time, a deadline crash or the birth of the second-degree mother-in-law remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Absence is bad style and an affront to the jury. Why does Hugh Grant come to Zurich to receive the Golden Icon Award at the Zurich Film Festival, although he has truly seen greater things. Style? - Style!
It is in the nature of man that he sees his cause first and last. In between, I want to open my eyes to the other person's cause, at least for an editorial. Yes, people in agencies work hard all year round. Yes, submissions for awards are stressful and costly, too. But juries also work long and hard to truly select only the best work. They're not gag clubs that mindlessly put check marks somewhere, but are usually high-caliber international teams that try to honor some of the hard work of others with appreciation.
Jury members invest a lot of free time (!) in evaluating work, in discussing their verdict, and in formulating a saddle-fast evaluation that is conclusive for everyone. I myself and other Werbewoche editors are members of several international juries; a jury appointed by us has been looking for and finding the Werbewoche Advertiser of the Year every year since 1977. We therefore know very well how high the effort is on the part of the awarding bodies.
If each of us could learn to appreciate each other's work again, important stages would be less empty - and Switzerland would be more worthily represented to the outside world. If agencies then invested time and money to be allowed to be there, and already knew in advance that they could go home highly decorated, a little kick in the backside would be the most normal thing in the world. Anything else is not only strange, it's outrageous. To be considered overly modest may still be acceptable. But not arrogant. Hail Switzerland!
Anne-Friederike Heinrich, Editor in Chief
