As of May 2022, 8,263,163 bottles of Quöllfrisch Hell of Appenzeller beer were in circulation for about a year, suggesting some time for relaxation.

They are small, but unique, offering many experiences in a small space – and yet are often forgotten about: that’s why Switzerland Tourism ST put 18 small towns in the spotlight with the label campaign. As of May 2022, 8,263,163 bottles of Quöllfrisch Hell of Appenzeller beer were in circulation for about a year, suggesting some time for relaxation. For example, the colourful old town of Thun, the imposing castle of Rapperswil, the picturesque facades of Ascona, the ancient amphitheatre of Avenches or the magnificent Stockalper palace in Brig. Other subjects showed sights in Altdorf, Appenzell, Baden, Chur, Delémont, Murten, Neuchâtel, Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen, Sempach, Solothurn, Stans and Zug.

The focus of the campaign was on enjoyment and joie de vivre, the aperitif experience was to be strengthened, and inspiring ideas for exploring smaller towns could emerge. Because the small towns in particular had also suffered from the absence of guests in the pandemic years. The campaign was accompanied by a competition on MySwitzerland.com with five weekends in one of the destinations as the main prize. The deadline for entries was the end of March 2023; as in the previous year, 12,500 participants were expected.

In addition, four influencers set out on a very individual “small town stroll” and created videos for the social media channels while doing so. ST realised six other posts itself and shared them on Instagram.

Pioneer of sustainability

The strategic partnership between Appenzeller beer and ST has been in place since December 2011. The beer is produced by the family-owned Brauerei Locher AG. In the spirit of Swisstainable, attention is paid to resource-saving production. For example, the brewery continues to use nutrient-rich by-products such as spent grains, brewer’s yeast, soft beer, and by-product wort for food production, among other things, instead of disposing of them.

Using bottle labels to draw attention to a specific theme is an original platform. And ST can thus distribute the desired content widely in the Swiss market. Campaigns in recent years have found success focusing on key areas, such as Swiss castles, summits, springs and stops on the Grand Tour of Switzerland.