First the stock market, then the image
Swissquote, provider of financial services on the Internet, wants to establish itself as an innovative brand
Swissquote, provider of financial services on the Internet, wants to establish itself as an innovative brandBy Anita VaucherSwissquote was founded in 1997 and has since gradually expanded its services on the Internet. The next big coup is the first one hundred percent virtual bank in Switzerland. The need for communication is correspondingly great.
Until about a year and a half ago, only a few insiders were familiar with the name Swissquote. This has changed abruptly and at the latest since the IPO of the leading provider of web-based financial services in spring 2000. Swissquote is number one in Switzerland
for real-time stock market information and number three in online brokerage with a 15% market share. The financial portal of the company in Gland, Vaud, is the most visited financial portal in Switzerland with 70,000 views per month.
Last year, the company also ventured into France. It was the French stock exchange that approached the two entrepreneurs a few years ago because there was nothing comparable in France. Swissquote has set its sights on Germany as another foreign market. And in May of this year, Swissquote plans to launch the first fully virtual bank in Switzerland.
Founding a financial portal - but hardly any money for advertising
Before the electronic stock exchange was founded in Switzerland, Telekurs had a monopoly on all stock exchange information. The electronic stock exchange ultimately enabled other companies to become active in this area. With Swissquote, the two managing directors Marc Bürki and Paolo Buzzi have broken this monopoly.
Word of mouth did not take long to spread among insiders. One reason why marketing and the corresponding advertising measures were initially left to one side. The money was needed more urgently elsewhere.
The founders of Swissquote actually acted anti-cyclically with regard to their marketing strategy. It was only when they suddenly became known to a wide audience as a result of the IPO that they decided to launch a large-scale advertising campaign and to work with an external advertising agency. Prior to this, every franc spent on advertising was turned over twice. Incidentally, the advertising was limited to tiny black and white advertisements in the financial section of the daily newspapers.
In general, the two founders of Swissquote do not behave like the golden boys of the industry. Although they were on the road to success from the very beginning, they never made a big splash and always expanded their company in small, well-considered steps. Today, in addition to online stock exchange trading, the Swissquote Group offers Marvel Communications, a leading company for the development of integrated web design solutions for Internet communication and e-business. At the beginning of this year, Swissquotemedia was created as an in-house acquisition office for advertising and sponsoring on the Swissquote homepage. Since last January, Swissquotemedia has been able to increase its customer volume to three million Swiss francs.
Recently, the two founders of Swissquote brought the financial specialist Tito Tettamanti, who made both positive and negative headlines in the early 1990s, onto the Board of Directors. This move was also carefully considered. "Tito Tettamanti is a member of the Board of Directors who performs his supervisory function one hundred percent and brings us valuable expertise with his experience," says Marc Bürki, explaining his choice and adding with a laugh that this is not necessarily a given on other Boards of Directors at the moment.
The brand is still too little known
However, the Swissquote brand had one flaw: it was barely established in the market. This was the result of a survey conducted after the IPO. Swissquote therefore decided to launch a broad-based image campaign. The communications agency Alibi in Commugny was commissioned to do this. They wanted an agency that was not too large and geographically close by. It was tasked with using modest financial resources to develop an intelligent and unobtrusive communication strategy for a company competing with rivals such as Credit Suisse Youtrade and Consors, which pursue a much more aggressive communication strategy.
The focus of the image campaign with TV commercials and full-page ads is the bridge. Derived from the Swissquote logo, Alibi has further developed this symbol. The bridge stands for a connection between the financial information and the customers. It is also a symbol of space and freedom, but is also intended to convey security and stability. The appearance is rock solid and fully in line with the philosophy of the two company founders. The bridge and the associated message can also be developed further.
The Alibi agency is in charge of the entire communication mandate for Swissquote and is also responsible for the design of the annual report and various brochures. The next big challenge for the agency is already just around the corner:
the development of a communication strategy for the first virtual bank in Switzerland from Swissquote.
Swissquote Group
Until about a year and a half ago, only a few insiders were familiar with the name Swissquote. This has changed abruptly and at the latest since the IPO of the leading provider of web-based financial services in spring 2000. Swissquote is number one in Switzerland
for real-time stock market information and number three in online brokerage with a 15% market share. The financial portal of the company in Gland, Vaud, is the most visited financial portal in Switzerland with 70,000 views per month.
Last year, the company also ventured into France. It was the French stock exchange that approached the two entrepreneurs a few years ago because there was nothing comparable in France. Swissquote has set its sights on Germany as another foreign market. And in May of this year, Swissquote plans to launch the first fully virtual bank in Switzerland.
Founding a financial portal - but hardly any money for advertising
Before the electronic stock exchange was founded in Switzerland, Telekurs had a monopoly on all stock exchange information. The electronic stock exchange ultimately enabled other companies to become active in this area. With Swissquote, the two managing directors Marc Bürki and Paolo Buzzi have broken this monopoly.
Word of mouth did not take long to spread among insiders. One reason why marketing and the corresponding advertising measures were initially left to one side. The money was needed more urgently elsewhere.
The founders of Swissquote actually acted anti-cyclically with regard to their marketing strategy. It was only when they suddenly became known to a wide audience as a result of the IPO that they decided to launch a large-scale advertising campaign and to work with an external advertising agency. Prior to this, every franc spent on advertising was turned over twice. Incidentally, the advertising was limited to tiny black and white advertisements in the financial section of the daily newspapers.
In general, the two founders of Swissquote do not behave like the golden boys of the industry. Although they were on the road to success from the very beginning, they never made a big splash and always expanded their company in small, well-considered steps. Today, in addition to online stock exchange trading, the Swissquote Group offers Marvel Communications, a leading company for the development of integrated web design solutions for Internet communication and e-business. At the beginning of this year, Swissquotemedia was created as an in-house acquisition office for advertising and sponsoring on the Swissquote homepage. Since last January, Swissquotemedia has been able to increase its customer volume to three million Swiss francs.
Recently, the two founders of Swissquote brought the financial specialist Tito Tettamanti, who made both positive and negative headlines in the early 1990s, onto the Board of Directors. This move was also carefully considered. "Tito Tettamanti is a member of the Board of Directors who performs his supervisory function one hundred percent and brings us valuable expertise with his experience," says Marc Bürki, explaining his choice and adding with a laugh that this is not necessarily a given on other Boards of Directors at the moment.
The brand is still too little known
However, the Swissquote brand had one flaw: it was barely established in the market. This was the result of a survey conducted after the IPO. Swissquote therefore decided to launch a broad-based image campaign. The communications agency Alibi in Commugny was commissioned to do this. They wanted an agency that was not too large and geographically close by. It was tasked with using modest financial resources to develop an intelligent and unobtrusive communication strategy for a company competing with rivals such as Credit Suisse Youtrade and Consors, which pursue a much more aggressive communication strategy.
The focus of the image campaign with TV commercials and full-page ads is the bridge. Derived from the Swissquote logo, Alibi has further developed this symbol. The bridge stands for a connection between the financial information and the customers. It is also a symbol of space and freedom, but is also intended to convey security and stability. The appearance is rock solid and fully in line with the philosophy of the two company founders. The bridge and the associated message can also be developed further.
The Alibi agency is in charge of the entire communication mandate for Swissquote and is also responsible for the design of the annual report and various brochures. The next big challenge for the agency is already just around the corner:
the development of a communication strategy for the first virtual bank in Switzerland from Swissquote.
Swissquote Group
1990: Foundation of Marvel Communications SA. The company transmits stock market data and develops financial databases.
1997: Foundation of Swissquote. First Internet portal for the transmission of real-time share prices on the stock exchange.
1999: Launch of the Swissquote Trade online platform
and foundation of the umbrella organization Swissquote Group Holding SA.
2000: IPO of the company
Ownership structure of the AG: 32% Audience
6% Private investors, primarily banks
52% Management and personnel
