The Swiss brand needs a lobby

 
Column The Swiss self-destruction ritual is hardly an adequate response to the banking crisis and is damaging the marketplace and the Swiss brand. 
When talking about all the communication disciplines that shape, form and influence a brand, lobbying is practically never mentioned. Lobbyists are viewed with suspicion as the sorcerer's apprentices of a system that tends to be corrupt, or at least clientelistic, and it's better to stay away from them. Our European neighbors, especially our friends from the British Isles, who like us like to emphasize their idiosyncrasies and their utterly unique national soul, are not familiar with this fear of contact. A particularly good example of this was the reporting on the billions written off at UBS.
While published opinion in Switzerland was fervently and with unbridled moral impetus pointing its finger at those responsible and united in targeting the Swiss banking center, the publishing guild in the UK immediately recognized the opportunity and lobbied the City of London with pinpoint accuracy.
"What's wrong with the Swiss banks, once hailed as the Fort Knox of the financial world?" sneered BBC World in its main news bulletin. The journalistic professionals gleefully feasted on the bankruptcy and mishap news from the parade ground. And they lobbied unrestrainedly for the domestic financial institutions, naturally neglecting the fact that some British banks can only keep their counters open at all with friendly financial support from the state.
We Swiss are quite different. In a memorable arena, after all the unpleasant news about collapsing bank share prices, we let ourselves be shown up by a former German finance minister (who, incidentally, dumped billions more on the already high German debt mountain) as greedy, semi-criminal gnomes who help the rich German locusts to smuggle their savings past the German tax authorities.
The former top German treasurer was ably assisted by the guardian of the social democratic grail, Hildegard Fässler, who, in a spectacular act of self-flagellation, lashed out at Switzerland and ultimately at herself in a way that would warm the heart of any Catholic.
Unfortunately, with all the self-criticism and ash-scattering on one's own head, it has been forgotten that we all benefit excessively from the Swiss financial center and its reputation. It is always an admirable spectacle to see how the outraged media and the naturally profile-seeking politicians deal one low blow after another to the otherwise oh-so-praised Swiss brand.
The globalized financial industry and the competitors of the local banks are rubbing their eyes in amazement and delight and making tempting offers to frightened customers. Instead of the usual expert questioning about the effects of the banking crisis on the reputation of the Swiss brand in the wider world, perhaps a brief pause would be appropriate and a somewhat deeper and more honest analysis from all sides of what this sporadic Swiss ritual of self-destruction means for the marketplace and the Swiss brand in the long term.
It could be that the realization prevails that a critical view of the performance of individual exponents of the economy does not always have to lead to a highly moralistic general attack on a branch of industry that makes a decisive and measurable contribution to the brand value of the Confederation.
Neither in the USA, nor in the UK, nor in the emerging BRIC countries is the question constantly being asked as to whether such a dynamic financial center - with all its risks - can and should be afforded. The question is pointless: Not only do we have to afford the financial center, we are dependent on it in such a way that questioning it strikes at the very heart of the Swiss brand.
Lobbying instead of dismantling is the only possible conclusion if you take a sober look at the realities of a globalized financial world. At the end of the day, it will be a hundred times more important for the Swiss brand that we cultivate and promote this unique advantage than any helpless, harmless hospitality spot for Euro 08, which comes and goes. The Swiss financial center will remain. Hopefully.
Kaspar Loeb is CEO of the Swiss advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi Simko