Federal Councillor Schmid on the glamorous world of advertisers
On Advertising Day, Federal Councilor Samuel Schmid addressed the assembled industry representatives and won them over with a humorous speech. He told advertisers that he wants intelligent and clever advertising that makes him feel he is being taken seriously.
Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid addressed the assembled members of the industry on Advertising Day and impressed them with a humorous speech. The Minister of Defense skilfully parried the announcement by moderator Frank Baumann, who welcomed Schmid as "half a Federal Councillor": Baumann should allow himself to be elected to the Federal Council, because then he would not even be a second, but only a seventh. Schmid wittily wondered whether he had perhaps only been invited to find out the secret of his party's political posters. His comment was brief: "These posters are striking. That's why they're called that. That's all I'm going to say." He wanted intelligent and clever advertising from the "glamorous advertisers", where he felt he was being taken seriously. As an example, he cited a headline from M&C Saatchi London for the travel agency Lastminute.com: "Surprise the girl in your life. Take her sister to Paris".
Less well received by the Federal Councillor is the advertising for the car he drives privately: On the BMW website it says: "Whatever questions you may have in the course of a day, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan offers an answer." Schmid explained that he asks himself many questions every day: "Which new fighter plane should I buy? How can I get the Swiss to do more sport? Have I done what is necessary to ensure security in our country?" He does not know who is responsible for the BMW advertising - but he can assure you that his car has not yet provided him with the answers to these questions.
Schmid did not just talk about advertising, however, but used the occasion elegantly for a bit of advertising on matters close to his own heart: For Euro 08, for example. But also for a reminder that Parliament and the Federal Council have rejected the initiative "Popular sovereignty instead of propaganda by the authorities". At this point, the Federal Council and advertisers would also meet: Both should start from the responsible citizen. And for advertisers, it is important to bribe the consumer "briefly and truly and legally".
Less well received by the Federal Councillor is the advertising for the car he drives privately: On the BMW website it says: "Whatever questions you may have in the course of a day, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan offers an answer." Schmid explained that he asks himself many questions every day: "Which new fighter plane should I buy? How can I get the Swiss to do more sport? Have I done what is necessary to ensure security in our country?" He does not know who is responsible for the BMW advertising - but he can assure you that his car has not yet provided him with the answers to these questions.
Schmid did not just talk about advertising, however, but used the occasion elegantly for a bit of advertising on matters close to his own heart: For Euro 08, for example. But also for a reminder that Parliament and the Federal Council have rejected the initiative "Popular sovereignty instead of propaganda by the authorities". At this point, the Federal Council and advertisers would also meet: Both should start from the responsible citizen. And for advertisers, it is important to bribe the consumer "briefly and truly and legally".
