Messages in black and white

The secret of the brand thriller

Andreas Giger wanted to give the guests at his birthday party in summer 2011 a special souvenir of the Appenzellerland. The social researcher wrote his first crime novel for the occasion. The 166-page novel centers around a fictional story about the myth of Appenzeller cheese. "Eine Leiche in der Bleiche" was first distributed as a private edition. "The positive reactions from those around me encouraged me to send a copy to the Appenzeller Käse variety organization," says Andreas Giger, explaining the continuation of his literary success story. The people in charge at Appenzeller also liked the thriller and had the book printed in an edition of several thousand. Since then, the book has been given as a gift to business partners and loyal guests of Appenzellerland. This in turn led to the renowned regional thriller publisher Emons in Cologne becoming aware of the thriller from Appenzell.
In the meantime, it has been included in the autumn program and "Eine Leiche in der Bleiche" is now available in every bookshop. Andreas Giger, a trained social researcher and "reflector" who also writes books on non-fiction topics such as "The Vision of a Mature Switzerland", has since turned the development of "brand crime novels" into a new line of business: fictional stories based around the myth of a brand. Unlike the cheese thriller, however, where Giger wrote his thriller without a commission from Appenzeller, the terms of a new project would have to be discussed in advance.
More information on: www.gigerheimat.ch

Eczema follows the streetcar driver

From now on, visits to the doctor are a pure pleasure again. At least if you visit a family doctor in the city of Zurich. After last year's "Das Geheimnis des Tramführers" (The Secret of the Tram Driver), the second GP novel is now available there, for which Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett was once again able to secure the services of author and actor Patrick Frey. In the second part, Frey tells the story of the life of family doctor Dr. Daniel Bolliger, the ingenious diagnostician from Goldbrunnenplatz, with a great deal of wit and charm. This time, the story revolves around a 42-year-old folk music singer who visits the family doctor's practice because of an attack of eczema and draws Dr. Bolliger into a vortex of despair and secret passion. In addition to suspense and drama, the reader is introduced to the advantages of being a family doctor with a wink and a pinch of self-irony. "The success of the GP novel is based on the fact that we bring the advantages of the GP model closer to people in an entertaining and self-deprecating way. The reader decides to read our message voluntarily and with great pleasure. Of course, this is also because it comes in a package that is unusual, but still suits GPs very well. And, of course, because in Patrick Frey we have been able to attract a well-known author who has put his heart and soul and knowledge into writing exciting, palatable stories," explains Patrick Suter at SFLB. The agency wanted to write a second GP novel "because the patients themselves were constantly asking for a new GP novel". SFLB cannot yet say much about the feedback on the current novel "Das Ekzem war ihr Schicksal". However, a public reading at Sphères was a success: people even had to sit on the stairs and there was a lot of laughter. As at the last reading, the scenes were performed very wittily by Patrick Frey and two fellow actors. From August to September 2011, almost all of the 5,000 copies of the last GP novel "The Secret of the Tram Guide" found their audience via the Zurich GPs' website. During the period in question, the click rate on the site was more than twice as high as in times without literature. The GP novel can be ordered via:
www.hausarzt.ch
 

Massage products as product placement

FCZ has relied on the services of Hermann "Hermi" Burgermeister since 1975. The equipment manager and masseur with a lifetime contract has long been a cult figure. "A living legend", as President Ancilla Canepa says. Now, thanks to the support of Perskindol, the Zurich city club has been able to publish a book with a kind of memoir of its good spirit. "Master! Burgermeister!" The book was written by Michael Lütscher, who has already written the FCZ biography "Eine Stadt, ein Verein, eine Geschichte". Lütscher has also made a name for himself as co-editor of a music magazine and background editor at the SonntagsZeitung and as a reporter for Cash. The journalist and non-fiction author regularly gives restaurant tips on the Tages-Anzeiger portal.
 
The man with the Perskindol is here
The book "Burgermeister" was published just in time for Hermann Burgermeister's 65th birthday in October. Despite his retirement age, the FCZ legend is far from thinking of giving up, as he promises in the richly illustrated book. In the book, Lütscher has compiled countless anecdotes and experiences from Burgermeister's many years at the club. The collection also provides a look behind the scenes of top-level football. In addition, prominent current and former companions such as Köbi Kuhn, Lucien Favre, Sven Hotz and Sepp Blatter comment on this exceptional figure in the world of the fast-moving football business. Hermann Burgermeister is also a household name to all FC Zurich fans. They know him from every game: if a player is injured on the pitch, Burgermeister rushes onto the pitch with his bag to administer first aid. Always with him, of course: his Perskindol bag filled with numerous miracle cures. Burgermeister, who always appears on the pitch in a bright yellow Perskindol shirt, symbolizes the soul of FCZ, because he embodies the virtues of the sport: commitment, loyalty, enthusiasm.
Available from the FCZ fan club at Sihlporte.