Patron Saint of Discount Stores
Electronics: Once again, electronics retailers are sounding the call to all bargain hunters. For Eschenmoser, Wirz is blazing new trails through the discount jungle.
Electronics: Once again, electronics retailers are sounding the death knell for all bargain hunters. For Eschenmoser, Wirz is blazing new trails through the discount jungle. Bright red displays, percentage signs, and rock-bottom prices as far as the eye can see. Although there are no confirmed figures yet on sales performance around Christmas 2003, retailers are firmly reinforcing the impression this January that they’ve been left with even more unsold merchandise than usual. While stores seem to be able to boost foot traffic with their promotions, the cash registers aren’t filling up as quickly as they used to. Customers have become even more discerning; they can spot merchandise produced specifically for clearance sales, or they’re being even more frugal than in previous years. One might wonder whether the «frugality is cool» mentality preached by retailers themselves has made consumers more immune. Miracles do still happen, after all.
Under these circumstances, it was only a matter of time before creative advertising strategists would elevate this profit-margin-eroding consumer behavior to the status of something sacrosanct. The idea came from the Wirz team led by Creative Director Hanspeter Schweizer. Copywriter John Leuppi and Art Director Britta Egger named Prozentus the patron saint of bargain hunters. After all, says Leuppi with a smile, the electronics chain Eschenmoser believes in it. This provided a more striking dramatization of the core concept «No wonder, at these prices.» It will also serve as a platform for future 10% discount weeks in June and September. Previous campaigns played on pictograms that highlighted the weight of overfilled Eschenmoser shopping bags. In addition to ads, posters, tram banners, and giveaway holy cards featuring the ironic advertising character, three radio spots are being aired—though the percentage symbol doesn’t play a major role in them. The advertising concept was handled with care, as it could otherwise have veered into the blasphemous for certain consumer groups. Leuppi assembled a «star-studded cast» for the spots: Patricia Boser and Daniela Baumann can boast of being the first self-proclaimed fans of Prozentus.
Oh, Prozentus, guide us through the discount jungle: Wirz invents a patron saint for the electronics chain Eschenmoser.
Under these circumstances, it was only a matter of time before creative advertising strategists would elevate this profit-margin-eroding consumer behavior to the status of something sacrosanct. The idea came from the Wirz team led by Creative Director Hanspeter Schweizer. Copywriter John Leuppi and Art Director Britta Egger named Prozentus the patron saint of bargain hunters. After all, says Leuppi with a smile, the electronics chain Eschenmoser believes in it. This provided a more striking dramatization of the core concept «No wonder, at these prices.» It will also serve as a platform for future 10% discount weeks in June and September. Previous campaigns played on pictograms that highlighted the weight of overfilled Eschenmoser shopping bags. In addition to ads, posters, tram banners, and giveaway holy cards featuring the ironic advertising character, three radio spots are being aired—though the percentage symbol doesn’t play a major role in them. The advertising concept was handled with care, as it could otherwise have veered into the blasphemous for certain consumer groups. Leuppi assembled a «star-studded cast» for the spots: Patricia Boser and Daniela Baumann can boast of being the first self-proclaimed fans of Prozentus.
Oh, Prozentus, guide us through the discount jungle: Wirz invents a patron saint for the electronics chain Eschenmoser.
Discount Prozentus, patron saint of bargain hunters, is promoting the electronics chain Eschenmoser >> Page 10
Luca Aloisi
