A city learns tolerance
AY&R encourages Zurich's population to think about xenophobia
AY&R encourages Zurich's population to think about xenophobiaThe city of Zurich is setting an example for its foreigners with an advertising campaign. This is in line with a report on its integration policy adopted last year. "In addition to concrete measures to solve problems, we also need to improve the atmosphere in the xenophobic climate, which is mainly fueled by the SVP," says Brigit Wehrli, Director of the Department of Urban Development, explaining the campaign. The campaign, consisting of posters, advertisements, TV and cinema spots, was designed by Advico Young & Rubicam (AY&R) and is based on the slogan "Only a cosmopolitan city is a cosmopolitan city".
"If you want to be a cosmopolitan city and treat Switzerland with a certain arrogance, the residents must also behave like citizens of a cosmopolitan city," says Wehrli.
"We were looking for a way to get as many people as possible, who we might never reach, to think," says copywriter Jürg Brechbühl. For example, we tried to confront certain focus groups with the topic of xenophobia in places where they like to hang out. A subject with the headline "Imagine if only Zurich people played at the ZSC Lions", for example, is placed on a mobile poster site in front of the Hallenstadion. "The posters are not intended to be advertising, which is why they almost look like manuscripts," says Art Director Valentina Herrmann.
The commercials show integration that has already taken place: In both films, the viewer hears a socially apparently integrated person talking about himself in dialect, while the picture shows a constant shot. This sequence lasts 13 seconds. Only when the speaker comes into the picture at the end of the film does it become clear that these are people of color from Zurich: namely flight attendant Mary Wamaitha from Kenya and 15-year-old ZSC-GC junior Richard Schuppisser from Jamaica. Ernst Weber
"If you want to be a cosmopolitan city and treat Switzerland with a certain arrogance, the residents must also behave like citizens of a cosmopolitan city," says Wehrli.
"We were looking for a way to get as many people as possible, who we might never reach, to think," says copywriter Jürg Brechbühl. For example, we tried to confront certain focus groups with the topic of xenophobia in places where they like to hang out. A subject with the headline "Imagine if only Zurich people played at the ZSC Lions", for example, is placed on a mobile poster site in front of the Hallenstadion. "The posters are not intended to be advertising, which is why they almost look like manuscripts," says Art Director Valentina Herrmann.
The commercials show integration that has already taken place: In both films, the viewer hears a socially apparently integrated person talking about himself in dialect, while the picture shows a constant shot. This sequence lasts 13 seconds. Only when the speaker comes into the picture at the end of the film does it become clear that these are people of color from Zurich: namely flight attendant Mary Wamaitha from Kenya and 15-year-old ZSC-GC junior Richard Schuppisser from Jamaica. Ernst Weber
