David Schärer on Comsumcast: «Attention is no longer the problem»

The Comsumcast with David Schärer on YouTube.

David Schärer calls his approach «Designing Consent.» He used to wonder how one could even attract attention in the age of social media. Today, he says, that problem has been solved. Everyone has a potential reach. The challenge lies elsewhere. You have to connect with society and give a topic meaning. Campaign professionals call this “framing.” Lying isn’t part of it, he emphasizes. You can highlight nuances and not say everything—but you stick to the truth.

The Art of Alliance

The vote on the initiative to cut SRG funding in half showed just what that looks like. For Schärer, this was a matter close to his heart. He argued that the value of public service media could hardly be overstated. The opposing side had a strong argument: Who wants to pay more? So Schärer steered the debate away from money and toward fundamental principles: diversity of opinion, social cohesion, and democracy. The main challenge, he said, was forging a broad alliance across culture, sports, and entertainment. Such alliances can fall apart quickly. In the end, over 60 percent voted “No.”.

On that same March 8, the bitter pill came. Schärer’s campaign for Zürich FDP mayoral candidate Përparim Avdili failed. The posters launched early and boldly. «The next mayor doesn’t have to be named Golta,» they read, a reference to his SP rival Raphael Golta. Another poster depicted the Liberal candidate as a tenant. Schärer deliberately positioned Avdili as a second-generation immigrant on the center-left. In the end, Avdili’s rags-to-riches story resonated most strongly with conservative voters. Avdili secured an absolute majority but was eliminated as a surplus candidate. Could a different approach have worked? «I don’t know,» says Schärer.

From a Potato Sack to the Federal Council

Schärer won the Federal Council election campaign for Martin Pfister. The candidate from Zug was considered an underdog against favorite Markus Ritter. Schärer emphasized the differences: Pfister had been an executive politician, a health director, and a colonel to boot. The Federal Assembly decides the election. The public does not vote on the matter. Nevertheless, the media image has an impact in the Council chamber. PR pioneer Rudolf Farner once famously said that for a million, he could turn a sack of potatoes into a Federal Councilor. Schärer’s dry comment: Anyone who isn’t a sack of potatoes gets off much cheaper.

The most formative experience

Schärer calls the coronavirus pandemic the most formative experience of his career. In early 2020, the FOPH issued an urgent call for proposals. One by one, the competitors dropped out; in the end, only his studio remained. During the presentation, Daniel Koch confirmed Switzerland’s first case. The tagline «This is how we protect ourselves» replaced the initial idea, which sounded too protectionist. The rifts only began to open when the state of emergency became the new normal. Communication, he learned, can indeed shape attitudes and behavior.

Consent in a Fragmented Network

A brand-new development is that David Schärer will also be overseeing the Swiss FDP’s campaign going forward. In addition, Schärer advises the SPD in Germany and the SPÖ in Austria. The rise of right-wing populism is linked to the weakness of social democracy. The promise of upward mobility no longer holds true for many people. Social media lacks common ground; the public is fragmented. The AfD is dancing on TikTok and subtly slipping its message in. It’s a matter of consistency. For Schärer, good communication ultimately means exactly that: organizing support. And a commercial? It’s good if it surprises.

The episode featuring David Schärer on Spotify

ComSumCast is a production of the Zurich Press Association and the Zurich PR Society, hosted by Reto Lipp and produced by Christoph Soltmannowski / Castalavista Podcast Factory.