Oops, that wasn’t quite right

An advertisement by the retailer Migros recently caused a stir across the Röstigraben (the cultural divide between French- and German-speaking Switzerland). It's not the first time Migros has made such a blunder.
 

In German-speaking Switzerland, many people try to maintain their Helvetism so as not to sound too Teutonic. Instead of hurrying (sich beeilen), they rush (pressieren). And they don't frühstücken (eat breakfast), they have a "zmörgelet" (a Swiss-German term for a leisurely breakfast). And the "Fahrkarten" (ticket) becomes a "Billet".

It's a similar story In French-speaking Switzerland with regard to the French of the ‘Grande Nation’. This is particularly evident with numbers. Instead of the complicated "soixante-dix," (meaning 60 plus 10 for the number 70) the French-speaking Swiss rely on simple logic: after "quarante" (40), "cinquante" (50), and "soixante" (60), comes "septante" (70). And next, of course, comes “huitante” – in place of the convoluted quatre-vingts (four times twenty).

A stab in the heart of French-speaking Switzerland
Migros should know that, too. According to the "Le Temps" newspaper, however, the television audience was all the more outraged recently when a commercial flickered across the screen. In it, a cashier tells a customer the price of his groceries: "Treize, soixante-dix." 13 francs, 70 centimes. But: soixante-dix instead of septante. Good heavens!
Migros admitted the error, which had crept in during the translation of the commercial produced in German-speaking Switzerland. Several quality control bodies – including some in French-speaking Switzerland – had overlooked it.

A linguistics expert from the University of Neuchâtel even went so far as to call it a stab in the heart of the French-speaking Swiss. Because it concerns the identity of the French-speaking Swiss as a minority, whether in relation to the French or to the German-speaking Swiss. And finally, Migros prides itself on its close relationship with consumers. Such a mistake simply cannot happen. Migros took the criticism to heart and announced it would correct the audio.

In its current TV commercial campaign, Migros made a mistake in the translation for the French-speaking Swiss audience.            
The Migros "Price Dwarf," portrayed by Kiran Shah, was poorly received.                 Photos from screenshots

But this wasn't the first blunder in the advertising history of Migros. Time for a look back at previous missteps.

Outrage on Twitter
In 2014, the retailer advertised the Italian pasta brand Garofalo. But German marketing people were clearly involved in the commercial's production. At the end, a voice-over advertised that the pasta was on sale at Migros, whereby the "s" at the end of the name was pronounced (incorrectly).

"Are you out of your mind? Stop this immediately!" tweeted, among others, SP National Councillor (Nationalrat) Jaqueline Badran. Migros initially denied any responsibility, claiming Garofalo had produced the clip. They stated they had informed the company of the error.

But as a Migros spokesperson later admitted to the "20 Minuten" newspaper: "This is truly embarrassing." A series of unfortunate circumstances had led to the mishap, and they understood the uproar. Shopping is a very emotional experience, and many Swiss people therefore couldn't understand why "their" Migros had been suddenly internationalised. The Migros pronunciation was subsequently corrected.

The Heidi from New Zealand
In 2011, the "Der Sonntag" newspaper, published by CH Media, reported on a Migros advertisement for yogurt and cheese under the Migros private label ‘Heidi’. The commercial was brimming with Swiss mountain idyll: a mountain range in the background, a green alpine landscape, and Heidi carrying milk cans down to the valley with her dog. At the end, a voice from Graubünden announced: "Heidi, alles Guati us da Bündnar Bärga (Heidi, everything good from the Graubünden mountains)."

Except: nothing about the commercial was Swiss, neither the mountains nor the cows nor the actress playing Heidi. Instead of filming in the Swiss Alps, Migros opted for New Zealand. "The scene had to depict a summer situation, but it was winter here in Switzerland," explained Migros regarding their choice of location.

People in the real Heidiland region were disappointed: "I don't think it's very consistent that Migros promotes regionality, but films this commercial in New Zealand," said the head of the Eastern Swiss holiday region. They would have gladly helped Migros out. "The effort for the one-hour drive from Migros headquarters at Limmatplatz to our location would certainly have been less than the 24-hour flight to New Zealand."

A year later, a new Migros Heidi commercial followed - filmed in Switzerland this time.

Criticism of the price dwarf
Back in 2010, Migros wanted to emphasise its low prices, just as it does today. The advertising team believed they had found the ideal ambassador: the Migros Preiszwerg (Price Dwarf), portrayed stereotypically by a ‘little person’ actor. Shortly after the initial broadcast, the Swiss Association of People of Short Stature (Verein kleinwüchsiger Menschen) spoke out, offering harsh criticism. The campaign, they argued, conveyed an image of short people that was reminiscent of the circus.

For the role, the advertising agency responsible hired Hollywood actor Kiran Shah, known for supporting roles in "The Lord of the Rings," "Titanic," and "Indiana Jones".

Migros responded to the criticism and discontinued the campaign, as reported by the "Der Sonntag" newspaper. "The Price Dwarf did not generate the desired sympathy among our customers and the public," as a spokesperson explained at the time.

But Migros executives can rest easy, despite the above missteps,. For many years now, the retailer has been considered one of the most creative advertisers in the country– thanks in part to its large PR budgets.

The Garofalo video can be seen on:
https://youtu.be/CU85FDYq7hM?si=Ql8bJ8geXobYLCeB

And the Heidi video on:
https://youtu.be/PXOr1MY1pTI?si=nzvOLk1yQYMJWALO