Effie Switzerland Awards 2024: Gold for Wirz and think

The Effie Awards Switzerland are organized by Leading Swiss Agencies, the association of Switzerland's leading communications agencies, and recognize the most effective marketing campaigns of the past two years. For this year's edition, 59 jury members selected 34 outstanding campaigns as finalists in the first round of judging. m&k was there and gained various insights from the jury (Markt-kom.com reported).

From these 34 campaigns, 20 jurors have now awarded a total of 24 campaigns with metal in the second round of judging. The judging took place under the direction of jury president Peter Felser and the Effie management.

Which 24 campaigns have won is revealed m&k currently being unveiled in various stages. The 2024 winners will be celebrated at the award show on November 13.

Now that all the bronze and silver winners have been announced, the first gold winners have been announced: Wirz with two campaigns and think.

NON Beer: The most democratic beer in Switzerland (New category)

Migros uses the public debate about the potential sale of alcohol for a product launch. The NON becomes a symbol of the vote and sustainably strengthens Migros' market share in the non-alcoholic beer segment.

After almost 100 alcohol-free years, Migros put the alcohol issue to a ballot. A potential shitstorm faced a huge opportunity: Public attention on the Migros range has never been greater. Migros used this opportunity to introduce the first Migros beer - with or without alcohol, depending on the result of the vote. Enormous media interest was followed by a clear decision by the 2.3 million cooperative members: OUI to NON. The NON beer - a drinkable symbol of Migros democracy - became Migros' second-largest non-alcoholic beer brand in just six months. The NON family now includes five other varieties and has helped Migros gain 10 percentage points of market share in the non-alcoholic beer segment.

 Client: Federation of Migros Cooperatives

Lead agency: Wirz Group

OUI to the NON: Cheers to Migros democracy (Public Relations category)

With the beer twist, Migros manages to turn a potential shitstorm into the PR coup of the year. In doing so, it is reflecting on its fundamental democratic values and strengthening its reputation in the long term.

Alcohol in Migros, yes or no? A highly emotional topic. After almost 100 alcohol-free years, Migros left this fundamental decision to its 2.3 million cooperative members. In order to generate maximum attention for the vote, an unconventional campaign was chosen: the announcement of the first Migros beer. With or without alcohol, depending on the result of the vote. This took the heat out of the heated debate. An enormous media response followed, reaching over 400 million contacts and generating a media equivalent value of CHF 14.72 million. With an increase of 20,515 cooperative members and the highest voter turnout in the last five years, the campaign not only became the "biggest PR coup of the year" (Watson.ch), but also strengthened brand integrity in the long term.

Client: Federation of Migros Cooperatives

Lead agency: Wirz Group

Ochsner Sport - Switzerland is our sports ground (Brand Image category)

A long-standing success story: despite intensified competition, Ochsner Sport has been able to clearly expand its position as market leader. And not only in terms of brand awareness, top-of-mind and competence perception, but also in terms of market share.

With its new positioning "Switzerland is our sports ground" and the campaigns based on it, Ochsner Sport can successfully assert itself in the competitive sports market.

Over the course of three years and seven campaigns, the brand has succeeded time and again in communicating its new sporting aspirations, staging a wide variety of themes in a way that is true to its positioning and yet unique.

This has a positive effect on the brand: unaided brand awareness has improved to 75% and the top-of-mind value to 39%, making Ochsner Sport the most competent provider in the minds of the Swiss, ahead of SportX and Decathlon.

And it has a positive effect on business: the market share can be increased to 10.0%.

 Client: Ochsner Sport

Lead agency: thjnk Zurich

Other agencies / companies: JBW Media