Clever vixens wanted: SBB advertising campaign triggers sexism debate

The campaign is "questionable," says a representative of the organization Terre des Femmes Switzerland to the Handelszeitung. It is particularly problematic that only young women are being sought.

The Zurich agency Transformer is responsible for the animalistic advertising campaign. On behalf of SBB, the advertisers are recruiting female students from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich - or as the job advertisement puts it: "clever vixens". According to the job advertisement, the women are to walk up and down the platform and hold up a poster with tips on commuting. The Perron number girls are to wear a fox tail and fox ears.

According to the job advertisement, the campaign will start in mid-August in Pfäffikon, Zurich, and will subsequently also take place on the platforms of Bülach, Effretikon, Winterthur and Regensdorf. The campaign will end at the beginning of September. The female students receive 150 francs in pay for two hours in the fox costume.

The promotion is part of SBB's "Clever Commuting" campaign. The Federal Railway defends the campaign. Those who use the relief trains at rush hour have space on the train and are a "smart fox," says media spokesman Daniele Pallecchi. "This is our message and this message is supported in public appearance with appropriate accessories. This includes a headband, which women simply wear better than men," says the spokesman. (Handelszeitung)