WPP creates new appearance for SportXX with Ariella Käslin

Since the beginning of the year, WPP has been the new lead agency for the Migros specialty stores (SportXX, BikeWorld, Micasa, Do it + Garden and Melectronics) and, starting with SportXX, now wants to demonstrate its creative expertise with a new visual identity, new strategic direction and campaign. Central is the holistic approach: To build strength and resilience for an increasingly demanding everyday life, one should not only train the body, but also the mind. This attitude is not only reflected in SportXX's new brand message "Strong Body. Strong Mind. Strong Me." but is also clearly conveyed through authentic and convincing storytelling in various commercials and the new imagery.

"With its creative expertise, WPP has succeeded in bringing SportXX's new direction, which we have been working on for some time, precisely to the point. In doing so, we will make the new brand philosophy tangible for our customers across all channels, online and offline, and also break new ground. We are very pleased about the successful start and the further cooperation with WPP," says Ophélie Döbler, Head of SportXX & Bike World.

Former top gymnast Ariella Käslin as ambassador

The heart of the campaign is a new image spot in which Ariella Käslin conveys the message and speaks the voice-over. She lends special emphasis to the spot with her own sports history and public statements on the importance of mental strength. The spot highlights different sports from a physical and mental aspect - on the one hand in their ambitious practice, on the other hand the emotions that athletes:inside feel after training. In this way, the key message: "Those who train body and mind are ready for life" is appropriately staged.

"We are particularly pleased to have gained an authentic and convincing brand ambassador for SportXX in Ariella Käslin," says Beat Kronenberg, Head of Marketing SportXX and Bike World. "Through her career in professional sports and her attitude towards the harmony of physical and mental fitness, she perfectly embodies the values that SportXX will stand for in the future," Kronenberg continues.

New X-signet in all campaign touchpoints

In addition to the image spot, which is played out on TV and online in various versions, there are numerous campaign assets for OOH, DOOH, social media, banners, and POS. The brand's new X-signet appears everywhere as a recurring element - symbolic of the brand name and as a connecting element of "Body" and "Mind. The accompanying product campaign for the running range also picks up the X symbol, as well as the motto #strongme with its headline dictum "Make yourself strong for..." and thus completes the new overall message of the SportXX brand. Further elements of the brand evolution, as well as two pilot stores with a completely new brand identity in Schönbühl and Crissier, are already in the pipeline and will be rolled out on a project-by-project basis.

Team Connect is the customized WPP agency for Migros Fachmärkte AG. Team Connect is made up of the agencies Scholz & Friends, Ogilvy and Wunderman Thompson for strategy and creation, and the Hogarth agency for production.

Responsible at SportXX: Ophélie Döbler (Head of SportXX and Bike World), Beat Kronenberg,(Head of Marketing and E-Commerce SportXX and Bike World), Simona Maiolo (Group Brand Manager SportXX). Responsible at Team Connect: Deborah Buccarella, Petra Zehnder (Consulting) Susi Miller (Strategy), Gabriel Schuster (Concept, Art Direction), Jehmsei Keo (Concept, Text), Andrei Vid (Art Direction), Julia Fuchs, Dilay Bön (Graphics), Benjamin Franken (Executive Creative Direction), Sandro Tschuor (overall responsibility SportXX), Peter Petermann, Swen Morath, Tobias Händler (overall responsibility Migros Fachmarkt AG), Jens Derler (production), TJ O'Grady Peyton (director), Jan Mettler (camera), Leopold Fiala (photography)