Meeting at the airline HQ in Kloten: Thjnk Zurich Co-CEO Andrea Bison and Swiss Head of Marketing Stefan Vasic. (Images: Chris Reist)
m&k: Stefan Vasic, when we did an interview last time, we were in the middle of the Covid pandemic. Your entire industry ostensibly came to a standstill – but in the background you switched all marketing to customer service. Your people took care of canceled flights, unsettled travelers… How do you think back on that time?
Stefan Vasic: Looking back, this was an extremely challenging and, in many ways, emotionally stressful time. As a globally operating airline, we were forced to constantly adapt our communication to the constantly changing conditions. You remember correctly: In this phase, our marketing was completely focused on providing information to our customers. Instead of large campaigns, social media campaigns and events, the focus was on dealing with the different requirements of health authorities worldwide. Our primary goal was to ensure that our guests always receive the information that is relevant to them and feel safe and cared for on board our aircraft.
“The pandemic was an emotionally stressful time in many ways.”
The relief when the pandemic subsided must have been great.
Yes, of course. With the gradual return to normality, our core business was also able to come back into focus in marketing, which made my employees very happy. The emotional strain resulted in particular from the uncertainty of what would happen next. Even though I personally didn’t know exactly how the situation would develop, I always believed that it would continue. I tried to pass on this confidence and positive attitude to my team. After initially downsizing the marketing department, we gradually began rebuilding it in small steps. This process required a high level of motivation, leadership skills, clear communication and, last but not least, a lot of energy. Looking back, I would say that we have succeeded in setting this up impressively, because we are performing better than ever in both qualitative and quantitative terms. I would like to say a big thank you to my team and all colleagues for this.
Andrea Bison, you weren’t yet Swiss’s lead agency at the time – i.e. during the pandemic – but still: How did you experience this extraordinary time with Thjnk?
Andrea Bison: It was particularly hard because we had mandates that were completely reduced to zero almost immediately. And of course the question arose: What does this mean for the people we have in the agency? We really wanted to keep them and lead the company through the fog because we value our employees so much – because we also know how much work goes into their recruiting and their training and further education – and because we were sure we would follow them not being able to simply “replace” it in a period of time We managed that, but – like for so many – it was anything but easy.
And yet you both gained fresh momentum from the Covid pandemic: To put it bluntly, Swiss was interested in a new agency, and Thjnk was ready?!
SV: (laughs) You can’t say it that simply! The desire for change, momentum, new dynamics… it was definitely there, but it wasn’t necessarily linked to a new agency. I really want to emphasize that here. The reason we put out the tender back then was for very clear legal reasons, particularly compliance reasons. We were obliged to start a regular tender process after extending the last contract period with Publicis; this began in the final third of the pandemic… and lasted, yes, until the announcement. A pitch like this always requires an enormous amount of work, for both sides: it starts in writing, then we had meetings, then Thjnk – like other agencies – was commissioned to “look over the shoulder”. In the end there were only two providers left in the running, and Thjnk was one of them. We noticed: the timing was right, the content was right, the human aspect was right – and the commercial aspect was also fine. So we decided to go into the future with Thjnk.
AB: If I may add here: As an agency, you are of course always happy when a “big brand” invites you to pitch. But you also have to check: Do we fit the brand and the brand fit us? What is their idea of and openness to creative communication? You really dig into it, develop ideas and – associated with them – emotions. That’s why it’s always so difficult when you lose a pitch… because you’ve put so much of yourself, your own strategic skills and creativity into it. At Swiss, however, the process was transparent, appreciative and based on equal partnership. Just the announcement of the win…that could have gone more smoothly. (laughs)
“You really dig into it, develop ideas and – associated with them – emotions.”
Now you have to explain that.
AB: Stefan was in Geneva on business, so we had to get his verdict via video call. But in our agency we couldn’t get the sound to work. We saw that his lips were moving and we became very uneasy. The sound only started when the words “…and that’s why I’m sorry to tell you…” came. Of course the mood sank for a millisecond before Stefan added: “… that you will now have a lot more to do because of us.”
SV: That was a bit mean of me, right? (laughs)
Then your cooperation began. Andrea, how do you as an agency approach a brand as rich in tradition as the Swiss flag carrier?
AB: The Swiss brand is an icon. Being involved in this next step of development is a great honor and at the same time a very demanding task, a significant challenge and a great responsibility. The shared vision was clear from the start and was already evident when we got to know each other during the pitch process. We then entered into intensive collaboration. First we devoted ourselves to the strategy, then to the conceptual development of the selected platform. It was particularly valuable to get to know the contact persons and those responsible in the team as well as to get to know the market managers in the key regions in order to be able to implement the campaign internationally.
What are the biggest challenges when working with such a legacy brand?
The biggest challenge in developing a new platform for such an established, iconic brand is maintaining enough of the brand while at the same time taking a new step forward enough. We repeatedly developed concepts and discussed together whether we were in the right place in this area of tension. At its core, it was about the Unique Swiss Experience, which we wanted to focus on. We experimented primarily in the design with possible design elements and a new look and feel.
“It was a good fit”: Thjnk co-CEO Bison, Swiss Head of Marketing Vasic.
Is there a kind of formula for navigating through the area of tension you mentioned, a top tip that could also be applied to other brands?
There probably isn’t one tip or one solution. In my opinion, it is a smart and sensitive mix of preserving elements that enable recognition while at the same time meeting the spirit of the times so that new target groups can identify with the brand, as well as a fresh, modern and unseen implementation that makes the brand carries into the new era.
Then let’s look at the results together: What strategic considerations were behind the decision to choose the new claim “Swiss all the way”?
SV: In recent years, people have changed their perspective on many things in life. This applies to areas such as work and leisure, nutrition, but also travel. More is expected. Not just on board, but also everything in front of and behind it. “Swiss all the way” takes this development into account by extending our quality promise to the entire customer journey – from booking in the app to the warmth at check-in, from the Swiss-Schöggeli, the extra mile of our cabin crews to the ” Uf Wiederluege” at the destination – our guests can expect superior Swiss service quality at every point of this journey.
AB: The claim “Swiss all the way” also conveys that Swiss is the airline of Switzerland and that it absolutely embodies the values of the country – without falling into national romanticism. From A to Z, from C for Comfort to H for Hospitality. “Swiss all the way” offers an emotional and friendly response to the needs of passengers, represents a premium service promise and covers the entire customer journey. This claim is understood all over the world.
“With our campaign we want to remind people of the magic that flying still radiates.”
The spelling of “Swiss all the way” on the visuals is special – the spaces between the words are deliberately kept wide, symbolizing for me as an outsider the path, the stations along which “Swiss-ness” becomes noticeable. However, aren’t you worried that you’ve installed a “reading brake”?
SV: No, quite the opposite! This is an “overreading brake” and underpins our claim to do one thing or another differently than our competitors.
The campaign relies heavily on emotional and cinematic imagery. Why is this aesthetic so important?
SV: With our campaign we want to inspire, remind you of the magic that flying still radiates and appeal to everyone who knows that good travel is not just defined by the number of films in the entertainment system or gold applications in the cabin interior. It’s the countless little moments between crew and guests, the warmth, the feeling of feeling at home above the clouds – or in our lounges, for example. And that in all travel classes, from Swiss Economy to Swiss First.
Ease, service and an all-round good feeling: “Swiss all the way”. (Images: zVg. Thjnk Zurich/Swiss)
Are you satisfied with the response so far?
AB: A lot. I’ve been doing this job for a while (laughs), but it’s always something special to see maxi posters with subjects that you co-created – for example at Zurich Central Station. These moments are always an absolute highlight. And people seem to like the campaign too; we get a lot of positive feedback. I’m excited to see what we hear in the various national markets when we roll out “Swiss all the way” globally – because that will be our next step.
