The new city gate in the west of Bern is a gateway to modernity
The Westside in Bern is a naturally developed neighborhood featuring a shopping center, recreational facilities, a hotel, and a retirement community. It was built by Migros based on plans by Daniel Libeskind.
Since October 2008, Switzerland's most beautiful shopping center to the west of Bern has been inviting shoppers to go shopping, exercise, enjoy culture and experience leisure time. The 550 million franc attraction was built by Migros.
The communication for the Westside leisure and shopping center has been created, planned and maintained by the Bern agency Republica for over a year. "Create experiences, make them tangible and convey them" is the credo that determines all communication measures relating to Westside: The aim is to create a link between shopping and leisure. This is also entirely in the spirit of architect Daniel Libeskind, whose designs and implementations have had a decisive influence on this lifestyle. Republica was already able to work on a strategic level for those responsible for Westside during the pre-opening phase. The agency from Bern's Mattequartier now manages the entire budget at all levels, working closely with Biel-based orange8 interactive in the online area. "They wanted an agency that could play the entire keyboard and also sing a new song," says Roger Keller, Senior Consultant and member of the management board at Republica, who looks after Westside.
In addition to in-depth expertise and creativity, proximity is of course also a home advantage for the Bernese. They maintain a very lively and inspiring exchange with Westside Marketing, are often on site and can therefore "really soak up the experience factors". In total, Republica has an average of four to five employees permanently working for Westside. "We have to and want to be able to react quickly, offer solutions quickly and always maintain the basic communicative aura of the entire shopping and experience center," explains Republica CD Re Wilk.
The rhythm for the overarching campaigns is basically determined by the four seasons. "Discover" will soon be the theme for spring. Republica provides the basic idea for all seasonal campaigns as well as their design with advertisements, posters, online adaptations and other means. The managers of all 55 stores as well as the cinemas, restaurants and other service providers in the Westside are also contacted on an interdisciplinary basis. What synergies are there for joint events? What is suitable for adapting the overarching campaign? What can the individual stores contribute to the theme? Which design ideas from the campaign can be used in-house or as ambient campaigns?
In concrete terms, the combination of measures can result in a cinema premiere with large-scale projection in the indoor pool, a casting show for a fashion house in the mall or a beach party with live concerts and DJs on the forecourt in summer. True to the motto "Creating experiences", events play a central role in Westside communication at any time of year.
One of the many challenges in promoting an adventure center is the incredible variety of offers. "You have a lot to tell. And combining shopping with leisure activities is a very nice and exciting challenge. But as always, you can't get bogged down," says Re Wilk. More than 55 clients must be able to recognize their messages behind the subjects of a particular umbrella campaign - from children's bathrooms to Migros and luxury car dealers. On the other hand, it must also be possible to serve a very heterogeneous clientele. Stylistically, Republica wants to address this unusual breadth of consumers with all its ideas. "Clear statements with a high experiential appeal in a nutshell" is the concept. In order to be able to go into more detail, the messages are then passed on to a wide variety of channels - from radio and small advertisements to the Westside magazine. In four issues per year, the magazine communicates a wide range of background information, sales promotions and events.
Republica has defined binding design rules for all the various print products associated with the Westside. It is striking how a white border in all applications takes up the idea of a shell from the architectural design. "The white frame reflects the building, inside it's full of joie de vivre, colorful and approachable," says Re Wilk, explaining the parallels to the concept of architect Daniel Libeskind. "In any case, we like to work with colors." As a clear message, all print products are preceded by the complete offer in the top line: "55 stores, 11 cinemas, 10 restaurants, 1 adventure pool & spa, 1 hotel."
Republica also in Thun
The success of Westside has not been without consequences for Rebublica. Just as the architect Libeskind is now building several shopping centers, including one in Las Vegas, thanks to his recommendation from Bern, Republica has now also won another contract up the Aare after Westside. The brand was developed for the Panorama-Center shopping center. This is being built next to the Thun Süd football stadium. The Bernese communications experts are responsible for the design of the brand, among other things, and are now providing communications support during the construction phase. The Panorama-Center shopping center will open in September 2011.
The communication for the Westside leisure and shopping center has been created, planned and maintained by the Bern agency Republica for over a year. "Create experiences, make them tangible and convey them" is the credo that determines all communication measures relating to Westside: The aim is to create a link between shopping and leisure. This is also entirely in the spirit of architect Daniel Libeskind, whose designs and implementations have had a decisive influence on this lifestyle. Republica was already able to work on a strategic level for those responsible for Westside during the pre-opening phase. The agency from Bern's Mattequartier now manages the entire budget at all levels, working closely with Biel-based orange8 interactive in the online area. "They wanted an agency that could play the entire keyboard and also sing a new song," says Roger Keller, Senior Consultant and member of the management board at Republica, who looks after Westside.
In addition to in-depth expertise and creativity, proximity is of course also a home advantage for the Bernese. They maintain a very lively and inspiring exchange with Westside Marketing, are often on site and can therefore "really soak up the experience factors". In total, Republica has an average of four to five employees permanently working for Westside. "We have to and want to be able to react quickly, offer solutions quickly and always maintain the basic communicative aura of the entire shopping and experience center," explains Republica CD Re Wilk.
The rhythm for the overarching campaigns is basically determined by the four seasons. "Discover" will soon be the theme for spring. Republica provides the basic idea for all seasonal campaigns as well as their design with advertisements, posters, online adaptations and other means. The managers of all 55 stores as well as the cinemas, restaurants and other service providers in the Westside are also contacted on an interdisciplinary basis. What synergies are there for joint events? What is suitable for adapting the overarching campaign? What can the individual stores contribute to the theme? Which design ideas from the campaign can be used in-house or as ambient campaigns?
In concrete terms, the combination of measures can result in a cinema premiere with large-scale projection in the indoor pool, a casting show for a fashion house in the mall or a beach party with live concerts and DJs on the forecourt in summer. True to the motto "Creating experiences", events play a central role in Westside communication at any time of year.
One of the many challenges in promoting an adventure center is the incredible variety of offers. "You have a lot to tell. And combining shopping with leisure activities is a very nice and exciting challenge. But as always, you can't get bogged down," says Re Wilk. More than 55 clients must be able to recognize their messages behind the subjects of a particular umbrella campaign - from children's bathrooms to Migros and luxury car dealers. On the other hand, it must also be possible to serve a very heterogeneous clientele. Stylistically, Republica wants to address this unusual breadth of consumers with all its ideas. "Clear statements with a high experiential appeal in a nutshell" is the concept. In order to be able to go into more detail, the messages are then passed on to a wide variety of channels - from radio and small advertisements to the Westside magazine. In four issues per year, the magazine communicates a wide range of background information, sales promotions and events.
Republica has defined binding design rules for all the various print products associated with the Westside. It is striking how a white border in all applications takes up the idea of a shell from the architectural design. "The white frame reflects the building, inside it's full of joie de vivre, colorful and approachable," says Re Wilk, explaining the parallels to the concept of architect Daniel Libeskind. "In any case, we like to work with colors." As a clear message, all print products are preceded by the complete offer in the top line: "55 stores, 11 cinemas, 10 restaurants, 1 adventure pool & spa, 1 hotel."
Republica also in Thun
The success of Westside has not been without consequences for Rebublica. Just as the architect Libeskind is now building several shopping centers, including one in Las Vegas, thanks to his recommendation from Bern, Republica has now also won another contract up the Aare after Westside. The brand was developed for the Panorama-Center shopping center. This is being built next to the Thun Süd football stadium. The Bernese communications experts are responsible for the design of the brand, among other things, and are now providing communications support during the construction phase. The Panorama-Center shopping center will open in September 2011.
Andreas Panzeri
All Republica print products have a uniform white border. The graphic element is symbolically based on the shell of the building designed by star architect Daniel Libeskind. Then the frame, like the center, is filled with life. Regular events are a particularly important element for advertising at Westside. At these, synergies are sought between the various stores and service providers.
