Wirz advertises Graubünden in a new way: Ibexes reunited with their creators
Wirz has secured the communication budget for the Graubünden brand in a multi-stage pitch process. In future, advertising for Graubünden is to be much more broadly based and the region is to be made better known not only as a vacation destination, but also as a business and living location. Wirz thus replaces Jung von Matt/Limmat.
The overall communication offensive is called "Enavant 4.0". Livio Dainese, Co-CEO and Head of Creative at Wirz: "I'm really looking forward to the new challenge with a client I've known for a long time. The unique character of Graubünden gives us enormous scope for creative campaigns." Gieri Spescha, Managing Director of the Graubünden brand, is full of praise for the new agency: "Wirz's concept convinced us from A to Z. They have shown that they are in tune with the times. They have shown that they can think in a contemporary and holistic way. We are now looking forward to implementing it together." The first communication measures as part of "Enavant 4.0" can be expected from spring 2019.
With the move to Wirz, the two ibexes Gian and Giachen, the stars of Graubünden's communication measures for years, are returning to their two creators Livio Dainese and Fernando Perez. The reigning "Advertiser of the Year" Dainese and his long-time creative companion Perez were CDs at Jung von Matt/Limmat at the time and in 2007 implemented the agency's decision to focus on the Graubünden's animal emblem as the basic idea for communication in the form of the two cult figureheads. Since then, Gian and Giachen have been among the most popular advertising figures in the country. The two inventors joined Hinderling Volkart at the end of 2012 and moved to Wirz a year later, where they replaced Philipp Skrabal.
In 2018, they will be reunited with their cheeky cloven hooves - voiced by Sergio Greco and Claudio Zuccolini - to take the long-standing Graubünden campaign into the next round. The aim is to consolidate the canton's position as a leading tourist region and raise awareness of Graubünden as a business and living location by 2022, according to a press release.
Jung von Matt/Limmat decided not to pitch
Wirz replaces Jung von Matt/Limmat - the agency that won the pitch for the Graubünden brand launched four years earlier by Advico Y&R in 2007 and has been responsible for the region's communications ever since. In collaboration with Jung von Matt/Limmat, numerous campaigns were created, some of which caused a stir not only nationally but also internationally - such as the village telephone in Tschlin or, most recently, the polarizing photography ban in Bergün.
However, Wirz did not beat Jung von Matt in the pitch - the previous account holder did not even take part in the tender. "After ten years of working together, we have decided not to enter the race for the budget," confirms Roman Hirsbrunner, CEO of Jung von Matt/Limmat, when asked by the Advertising Week. Why not? "According to the requirements of the tender, Graubünden needs an agency that builds bridges between tourism and non-tourism issues. As the previous agency, we inevitably tended to focus on the first part," explains Hirsbrunner. However, "letting go" of the client was not an easy decision. "Logically, the decision was difficult for us. But we always had a good exchange with the customer," says the Managing Director of Jung von Matt/Limmat. Although the client was disappointed, he was able to understand the decision, says Hirsbrunner - and adds with a wink: "After ten years of working together, we know each other a little..." (hae)
