Swiss Federation of the Deaf Campaign Silences Celebrities
Through the «Hinhören» campaign, the Swiss Federation of the Deaf and andfrank bring to life what hearing impairment means in everyday life: Well-known Swiss personalities speak to the camera—but no sound can be heard.
When familiar voices suddenly fall silent
We live in a pretty noisy world. Everywhere, things are flashing and popping up, speaking to us or demanding our attention. We listen to one another, talk on the phone, watch videos, and consume countless pieces of content every day. Attention has become a highly contested resource. Anyone who wants to be heard has to stand out amid an ever-increasing barrage of stimuli. With a new awareness and fundraising campaign, the Swiss Federation of the Deaf and the agency andfrank aim to counteract this very situation—and in doing so, create an unusual moment of silence.
Yet it is precisely in areas where attention is most needed—such as socially relevant issues—that many concerns fall by the wayside. This also applies to deafness and hearing impairment. Often, it is not the hearing impairment itself that creates barriers, but rather a society and a system of communication that excludes deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
The Swiss Federation of the Deaf's campaign focuses on silence rather than volume
So how do you draw attention to an issue that isn’t loud but is all the more important? The answer from the Swiss Federation of the Deaf and andfrank is: not by getting louder, but by being quiet. Under the concept «Listen Up,» a campaign was developed that not only brings the issue to light but also allows people to experience it firsthand. At the heart of the campaign are well-known Swiss figures from various fields—people whom we normally listen to when they speak. Participants include Timo Meier, Christa Rigozzi, Hausi Leutenegger, Sidney Schertenleib, and Nino Schurter, as well as other public figures from Switzerland. In short videos, they speak directly into the camera. But no sound can be heard.
The audience is taken aback. Is the device muted? Is the speaker not working? Is something missing? Only then does the explanation follow. This sense of confusion is at the heart of the idea. The absence of sound becomes a stylistic device and creates a brief shift in perspective: For a moment, people who can hear experience what it might feel like when communication isn’t accessible.
Launch on Sign Language Day
The campaign was launched to mark Sign Language Day on September 23, 2026. Various formats were created for TV, online video, social media, and digital paid media channels. In this way, «Hinhören» brings attention to a topic that is often overlooked in everyday life: a quiet campaign that, for that very reason, cannot be ignored.
Person in charge at SGB-FSS: Yannick Schefer (Marketing & Communications), Darja Budanov, Angelo Viel, Angela Hartmann (Fundraising), Carmela Zumbach (Fundraising & Vocational Training). Person in charge at andfrank: Ramon Alder (Concept & Creative Direction), Laura Starace, Vivian Darges (Art Direction), Michalea Blatter (Graphic Design), Nico Strässle (Managing Director), Elisa Stahel (Consulting), Florian Bieniek (Media). Supporting Partners: Gregor Rosenberger, Sandro Palomba (DubDub Recording Studio), Sarah Andrina Schütz (Voice Artist). Supporters: Christa Rigozzi, Emma (@wemmse), Eric Lüthi (@ericwdrae), Francine Jordi, Geraldine Reuteler, Hausi Leutenegger, Nadja Kälin, Nino Schurter, Riola Xhemaili, Simon Ehammer, Sidney Schertenleib, Taulant Gashnjani (@t_ronimo), Timo Meier, Abrogans Sportmanagement Agency, GFC Sports Management, Headz Agency, WNXT Agency.
