WOZ wants to take over UBS
The left-wing weekly WOZ is pulling off a major coup: It plans to take over none other than the major bank UBS—and attract new readers at the same time. For every new subscription, the paper will buy one share of UBS stock. The campaign was conceived by the SFLB agency in collaboration with the WOZ team.
The left-wing weekly newspaper WOZ is launching a major coup: it wants to take over none other than the major bank UBS - and gain new readers at the same time. The aim of the takeover is to turn "a money-grabbing lottery store into the first decent big bank", according to the specially created website Wozkauftubs.ch. The takeover of UBS by WOZ is to take place piece by piece, share by share. Anyone wishing to support WOZ in this process can now purchase a special "WOZ-plus-UBS subscription": The price for this is made up of CHF 235 for the WOZ subscription plus CHF 35 for the UBS share. For each subscription purchased, the weekly newspaper will buy one UBS share.
"With this campaign, we want to send out a signal that we can work together to influence the business practices of the big banks. It should make people think about the fact that there are always losers in global financial transactions," explained editorial director Susan Boos when asked by Werbewoche. At the same time, it is hoped to reach new readers.
It is also clear to WOZ that it will take many, many new readers to swallow up the big bank: "1,036,773,672 subscriptions left until the takeover," it said rather self-deprecatingly on its website on Wednesday evening. "But our voice will not go unheard. The Ethos Foundation, for example, shows that this kind of commitment has an impact," Boos continued.
The campaign will certainly cause a stir. The left-wing weekly has already anticipated the reactions of its media colleagues and shows a Blick front page that opens with "UBS bosses tremble before WOZ freaks". Or the headline "UBS bosses: soon only 3,900 francs salary?".
The idea was developed jointly by the WOZ crew and the Zurich agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett, as Boos said. The UBS takeover will be launched in the WOZ on Thursday, including an advertisement by SFLB. The subject will appear in other titles over the next few days. Further measures are also planned.
Ruedi Widmer, WOZ employee and designated member of the UBS Board of Directors on crisis management.
"With this campaign, we want to send out a signal that we can work together to influence the business practices of the big banks. It should make people think about the fact that there are always losers in global financial transactions," explained editorial director Susan Boos when asked by Werbewoche. At the same time, it is hoped to reach new readers.
It is also clear to WOZ that it will take many, many new readers to swallow up the big bank: "1,036,773,672 subscriptions left until the takeover," it said rather self-deprecatingly on its website on Wednesday evening. "But our voice will not go unheard. The Ethos Foundation, for example, shows that this kind of commitment has an impact," Boos continued.
The campaign will certainly cause a stir. The left-wing weekly has already anticipated the reactions of its media colleagues and shows a Blick front page that opens with "UBS bosses tremble before WOZ freaks". Or the headline "UBS bosses: soon only 3,900 francs salary?".
The idea was developed jointly by the WOZ crew and the Zurich agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett, as Boos said. The UBS takeover will be launched in the WOZ on Thursday, including an advertisement by SFLB. The subject will appear in other titles over the next few days. Further measures are also planned.
Ruedi Widmer, WOZ employee and designated member of the UBS Board of Directors on crisis management.
Responsible at WOZ:
The collective of the weekly newspaper WOZ. Responsible at Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett: Simon Staub (AD), Diana Rossi, Peter Brönnimann (text), Martin Spillmann (CD), Moritz Stillhard (graphics), Mirjam Eberle (consulting).
