"Investing in the future - with bold, differentiating and strategically clever measures".

Advertisingweek.ch: In July, your agency advertised with the surprising claim "For sale: ViznerBorel" on the cover of the Advertising Week. What reactions did you receive to this ad? 

Lajos Vizner: We have received a lot of positive feedback. From "very inspiring interview", "it so suits you" to "not only the lead is good, you also close the circle very conclusively. I haven't seen any agency besides you guys come up with anything really clever at the moment." We certainly drew attention to ourselves with this action and showed courage, even if the purchase offers failed to materialize (laughs).

In the September issue, you now follow up: "Sold: ViznerBorel" is written on the Advertising Week-Cover. Why did you decide to go one step further in terms of communication? 

Guillaume Borel: Only communication that sparks ignites a fire. For us, it was clear from the start that this action needed a resolution. Now is the right time for it. After being blocked for almost five months, the task now is to take another step forward.

How should we understand that you were blocked?

Vizner: During the lockdown, it was difficult to generate new business. Most customers were preoccupied with themselves and coping with the crisis, which is understandable. After the opening in mid-June, everyone was still very uncertain and the tanker first had to slowly pick up speed again. Then came the big summer vacations, where many people declared their solidarity with Switzerland and discovered the beauty of the country. During all this time, we had no other choice but to look positively and confidently into the future and to keep reminding ourselves as an agency. At the end of the day, no one knows how it will all turn out. Therefore, the motto for everyone is and should be to invest in the future with bold, differentiating and strategically clever measures and campaigns.

On the second cover page, you show work that you have successfully realized. Why exactly these projects?

Vizner: These works are representative of the style of our agency. Just recently, I had to put together an agency presentation. Once again, it was not easy for me to make a selection. In the past 17 years, we have been able to realize many outstanding projects for our clients. Every single campaign has been strategically clever, has a strong, differentiating and sustainable idea, where the spark jumps over to the consumer and lights a fire. This makes us proud, because behind all these assignments there is a lot of heart and soul and honest consulting and creative quality, which have as their only goal to bring the products and services of our clients to the consumer. We have never been interested in industry awards. Our customers and we can't buy anything with them. By the way, in response to the recent agency presentation, I received a WhatsApp message with the following content: "Wow! Congratulations! I do know a lot of agencies, but your presentation was really convincing. You guys are doing great stuff!"

Parallel to the July cover you said Werbewoche.ch interviewthe Corona situation was disastrous for the advertising industry. Do you see a certain recovery in the meantime?

Borel: Yes and no. As I mentioned at the beginning, there is still a great deal of reticence and uncertainty. For many of us, it is still a dance on very thin ice. True, there are noticeable tendencies pointing in a different direction. But until Covid-19 is defeated, it will remain a game with fire. Fortunately, we have a lot of experience in dealing with fire (laughs).

Covid case numbers are currently on the rise again. If we are threatened with a second lockdown in the fall or winter, what will happen to the agency industry? 

Borel: The Swiss economy will not be able to afford a second lockdown. The consequences would be too severe. I can imagine that individual cities or regions will be quarantined. All we can do is live with it and make the best of the situation. But if, contrary to expectations, there is a second lockdown, it will probably lead to the death of a large number of agencies and also really shake up the entire Swiss economy.

Are policymakers doing enough to support the advertising industry - which, after all, is an industry with many thousands of employees?

Borel: Politics is doing what it can. Some things can be cushioned somewhat with the short-time work model. But this will not be a permanent state of affairs. The advertising industry, without having to discuss it, has been hit hard, but there are other sectors of the economy that are doing really badly, such as the travel, tourism and event industry - or all those individual businesses that are fighting for their existence every day.

If you could make one wish for the last months of the "annus horribilis" 2020, what would it be? 

Vizner: Speaking for the world, we wish that Covid-19 will be defeated as soon as possible in order to return to a certain normality. Although nothing will ever be the same again. For us, we would like to have major clients from the retail and retail trade, so that we can use our energy and our "feu sacré" to develop sustainable, differentiating strategies and campaign ideas, as we have been able to do in the past for clients such as Porsche, Denner, UPC, Migrolino, Ikea and many more. At this point, a big thank you is due to all our existing clients for their loyalty and faithfulness to ViznerBorel. Once again, we have seen that when client and agency act as a team and pursue the same goal, the impossible can be made possible, even in difficult times, with a professional approach based on partnership and a great deal of trust.