Publicis Groupe and Bagels of Berkeley: Long-term partnership with Zurich Film Festival

Since recently, it's been curtains up for eleven days of exclusive film experience, film enthusiasts and filmmakers as well as stars of Hollywood up close in the middle of Zurich. In a spectacular setting - this year with stars like Jessica Chastain, Ethan Hawke, Mads Mikkelsen and Diane Kruger - the 19th Zurich Film Festival ZFF expects more than 130'000 visitors:inside and shows 148 curated films, inspiring discoveries and intelligent mainstream as well as world and European premieres.

At the same time, the ZFF is already looking further into the future. On the occasion of its 20th anniversary next year, it is taking the opportunity to implement its own self-image even more consistently. The aim is to bring the top-class cinema experience even closer to the audience, to inspire even more people - and at the same time to become even more of a home of talent for the stars of tomorrow.

Publicis Groupe Zurich will accompany this ambition, first and foremost with the social media agency Bagels of Berkeley around the social media experts Rahel Dürsteler, Tatjana Streit, Aurore von Oppersdorff, Iona Jefferies and Luciano Hagge Dias.

What can we expect from the new partnership? What can the audience expect from the "new" ZFF? Jennifer Somm, Managing Director of Spoundation Motion Picture (the agency that markets the Zurich Film Festival), Alessandro Monsurrò, Head of Marketing & Media ZFF, as well as Senior Social Media Consultant Rahel Dürsteler and Social Consultant Tatjana Streit from Bagels of Berkeley have the answers.

Jennifer Somm, why is now the right moment to prepare ZFF for the future?

Jennifer Somm: ZFF is at an exciting point: Corona is behind us, our anniversary lies ahead. And the interest in film is unbroken. For us, the ideal time to start a new era with ZFF.

What tipped the scales in favor of ZFF's collaboration with Publicis Groupe or Bagels of Berkeley?

Publicis Groupe's expertise in breadth and depth is exactly what we need. And the fact that we are both at Bellevue makes us practically neighbors and cooperation very easy and cooperative. The fact that Publicis Groupe even has a movie theater in its own building is a symbol of the fact that it simply fits.

Alessandro Monsurrò, what do you expect from the collaboration?

Alessandro Monsurrò: The mission is very clear: create even more relevant content that develops momentum, moves, excites and engages audiences across Switzerland and beyond. Especially at the festival itself, but also throughout the year, Bagels of Berkeley will support ZFF's social media team in generating attention for the festival, creating excellent stories and playing out content that converts.

How does that work?

Jennifer Somm: By addressing our audience - by which we mean the entire spectrum of our target groups - even more specifically. And by launching the Frame, which we opened with a world premiere on September 27. The Frame gives the ZFF its own home and a year-round presence. In other words, we now have a venue where we can show curated films throughout the year. It was important to us to develop a strong look for the Frame and its own presence that differentiates it from ZFF. Based on this CI / CD, created by Zurich art director Christian Scherler, Bagels of
Berkeley to be responsible for building and managing the new channels on social media.

Rahel Dürsteler, why is social media so important and right for ZFF?

Rahel Dürsteler: Social media has long been a standard or a must in advertising and communication - especially if you want to reach different target groups like ZFF. And we can find, address or integrate almost any:n in the social media universe. In addition, videos, reels and cinema are per se close relatives, practically films in short format, and excellent means for storytelling. This allows us to stage cinema in a true-to-life way.

Tatjana Streit, what concrete measures do you use to implement this at ZFF? What is your trademark, your ace in the hole?
up your sleeve?

Tatjana Streit: We can pull out all the stops, starting with the festival itself: With the office at Bellevue, we are right next door to the ZFF and the festival events. We feel the vibe, can pick up on topics and react spontaneously if necessary. We do daily check-ins with the ZFF social media team. And together with them, we use the direct line to Cast, the study program at the ZHdK, which creates content for the ZFF during the two festival weeks - to name just a few examples. In the medium and long term, we do targeted reporting to show the results for the ZFF partners and to develop positioning strategies with the ZFF team, especially in view of the 20th anniversary. First and foremost, we don't want to generate more and more content, but rather define relevant content and prepare and play it out even better for the selected communities and platforms.

How do you manage to keep ZFF with the Frame in the minds and hearts of the public all year round?
remains?

Tatjana Streit: At Frame, we don't want one-way communication, but discourse with our physical neighbors, visitors, and Zurich's social media users. We don't want to stand out from the community, but act as part of it. We love our city and we love films. That unites us. So we can present the Frame as what it is: a cinema and meeting place in the middle of Zurich's Kreis 4 - urban, intelligent, curated. In short: with everything a cultural heart desires. In addition, we try to generate added value through posts that visitors can expect from a cultural center, i.e. program, events, location and people - informative, but always snackable and entertaining.