Flowers and pearls: advertising in "Schwiizerdüütsch"

Recently overheard in a commercial: "And? Does it sound good?" Yes, go ahead and read it again. And yes, of course something is wrong here.

The phenomenon is not new, but it is astonishing: why is advertising still being done in Swiss German, but not properly? So someone takes the trouble and money to produce a Swiss German version, but then doesn't bother to do it properly?

Mixed signals

These are often expensively produced commercials with an international character, in which the actors make a gibberish lip movement, because the sound is superimposed in every conceivable language variant anyway. The script is then in German - i.e. High German - and for the "Swiss market" it was advised to make a dialect version because then the message is authentic and most likely to go straight to the heart of the Swiss.

But what is obviously not considered necessary is a proper translation into Swiss German, because it's already German. Duh. The result is an alienating, really inauthentic (ok, it's not just because of the bumpy non-Swiss German), loveless attempt at rapprochement.

In case none of the producers knew or realized this before: Now you know. Incidentally, the Internet has been making fun of this for years, just to let you know. So: continuing like this just doesn't seem very customer-oriented. Or is that secondary - but then why compete in Swiss German at all? Mixed signals.

All toenails

An AI will not be bothered by this when speaking - on the contrary: it is even trained with incorrect Swiss German data. What's more, an AI doesn't have toenails, because surely these would have to curl up on a living person if they were forced to say it like that? "Should I really say it like that?", the person will ask with beads of sweat on their forehead and a trembling voice, and probably already knows the answer: "Please stick exactly to the script, it was taken from overseas." It must be something like that. And anyway, catering to the sensitivities of a few Swiss people is disproportionate - after all, we want to be right on the brain. over and into their hearts.

Strange or familiar?

However, the vote is not at all directed against Swiss German in advertising, but against unkindness. However, many people who would probably do better shy away from using Swiss German (not to be confused with Helvetisms). First of all, there is the question of which Swiss German should be used. Clichés, associations and expectations play a role, as does comprehensibility - or should it be a so-called neutral dialect that keeps the message as untainted as possible? In the case of written translations, there is also the fact that dialect is often difficult to recognize or cannot be read fluently - and therefore comes across as alienating rather than familiar. In other words, the opposite of what is intended. That's why you often only see it in writing as an effect and in abbreviated applications. But this effect can still be really good! Go for it - uh, try it!

Swiss German is compulsory

Swiss German is mandatory when "normal people" are speaking and it is their native language - i.e. in interviews, surveys or testimonial situations - otherwise the people have to pretend and no longer come across as really good. This was used very convincingly, for example, by a German discounter in a commercial with Swiss farmers. The fact that the discounter is German? Doesn't matter at all.

So, as is so often the case, there are reasons for and against - simply always with love.

Analyzed since 2025 Sarah Pally In her column "Blossoms and Pearls", she comments on industry-related terms with a personal touch, from a linguistic perspective - as well as with a precise view of developments in the industry. Pally is a partner in the Partner & Partner agency in Winterthur. She has been working in the fields of content marketing, text/concept and storytelling in the communications and marketing sector for 15 years.