House of Switzerland Taps Into Weber Shandwick Olympic Expertise

LONDON, 16 January 2011 – Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms, today announced its appointment by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Presence Switzerland, the official body for Switzerland’s communications abroad, to promote the country’s official guesthouse at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Ahead of the formal opening of the Olympics next year, Weber Shandwick will be helping Switzerland to establish a strong presence in London through a campaign designed to boost the country’s brand in the UK and to enhance and develop its network of contacts. The focus for the campaign will be the House of Switzerland itself, which will be based in Glaziers Hall on the South Bank and will be open to the public from 20 July to 12 August 2012.

Presence Switzerland put the brief out to tender in May and shortlisted six agencies, Weber Shandwick emerged as the subsequent winner of the business. The agency has already begun work.

Kieu Duy Tran, head of marketing and communications for the House of Switzerland 2012, said of the appointment: “We were looking for an agency that offered a combination of Olympic know-how, country branding expertise, and a depth of contact within the media and political worlds; Weber Shandwick fitted that bill.”

Marcus Smith, Weber Shandwick’s head of international affairs, commented: “This is a particularly exciting assignment for us: everyone thinks they know Switzerland but part of our brief is to use the House’s presence at the London Olympics to show the world new and different aspects of the country. We are pleased to add this prestigious client to our growing body of Olympic work.”