When the brand becomes a thriller
MK In your long series of brand thrillers, you have realized an online sequel thriller for Vögele Reisen for the first time. How did it come about?ANDREAS GIGER I initially offered Vögele Reisen a "normal" branded crime novel. Vögele Reisen then asked me whether it would also be possible to create a digital serialized crime novel with interactive elements. This idea met with an open door from me, as I had been dreaming of being able to do something like this for quite some time.MK What has been the response to this online detective story, the episodes of which are always announced in the customer newsletter?GIGER It is well known that only a minority of the addressees read such newsletters, and among them, crime fiction readers are also a minority. But the crime novel is well received by this opinion-forming group. They particularly appreciate the opportunity to vote on the progress of the story.MK Many companies need so-called content, especially online. What role can brand crime stories play here?GIGER The crime thriller boom in print and on TV shows that many people love crime stories. So why not use this interest to convey messages about a brand? The whole marketing world is calling for narrative elements. A crime novel in which a brand plays a leading role is an ideal vehicle for this.MK What makes a good brand crime novel? GIGER A good brand crime novel must be exciting without being too gory. It must not be devoid of amusing elements - after all, it is entertainment literature. And, of course, it must contain a wide range of information about the brand at the center.MK What does such a work cost?GIGER For the writing, I charge a flat fee of just over CHF 10,000.00. In addition, if it is a printed book, there are the costs for the actual book production (correction, layout, printing). The possible uses for this means of communication are manifold: branded crime novels can be given away or sold, in print or digitally, to customers, employees, and other related places.MK How did you come to write branded crime novels?GIGER Seven years ago, I wanted to give the guests at my sixtieth birthday party a lasting hostess gift that would bring them closer to my native Appenzell. Since many of the guests came from neighboring countries, where Appenzell is known primarily for its cheese, I wrote my debut mystery novel in which the secret of Appenzell cheese plays a leading role. I sent one of the last copies of this private print to the Appenzell Cheese Variety Organization. To my astonishment, they were thrilled and immediately ordered a few thousand copies as a gift for customers. The idea was then to implement this unusual instrument of brand cultivation for other brands as well. It was a hit, and I deliberately define the term "brand" in a broad sense. In the last seven years, I have written 20 such stories. The brands featured in them cover a variety of industries, from Appenzeller cheese to Fluora lamps and Herbamed to Sihltalbahn and Spross Gartenbau, but also communities from Berneck and Bremgarten to St. Margrethen and Thayngen. I am currently writing a digitally published serialized crime novel for Vögele Reisen.MK Do you have any other points of contact with brands, marketing and communication?GIGER I have always published, i.e. communicated, in various forms. As a trained social scientist, I worked for several years in market and opinion research. In addition, for many years I was a ghostwriter for the then head of IHA (now GfK-Switzerland), who was also president of the Swiss Marketing Association (GfM) at the time. This gave me the opportunity to deal with many aspects of marketing, which is of benefit to me now. After all, a new product like the branded crime novel doesn't sell itself...More information at gigerhome.ch and appenzellerkrimi.ch
