Greatest tourism ad ever? Trevor Noah and Roger Federer board the ‘wrong train.’
In a delightful twist of humor and scenic beauty, Roger Federer and Trevor Noah's Swiss tourism ad cleverly showcases the charm of Switzerland's Grand Train Tour. The ad, which blends the comedic talents of Noah with the iconic presence of Federer, takes viewers on a picturesque journey through the Swiss countryside, all while embracing a narrative of mistaken travel plans. The cleverness lies in its ability to feel more like a mini-documentary than a traditional advertisement, drawing viewers into the experience rather than pushing a product.
Federer's nostalgic reflections on his own childhood train journeys add a layer of personal touch to this whimsical campaign, while Noah's recounting of their punctuality mishaps provides genuine humor. The ad's success, underscored by its award at the 2023 Rail Tourism Awards, demonstrates how effective storytelling can transcend the typical boundaries of advertising, inviting viewers to not just visit Switzerland, but to experience its culture and punctuality firsthand.
Constructive analysis
The constructive-journalism lens: not just what happened, but what works.
- The problem
- Traditional tourism ads often feel clichéd and fail to engage audiences.
- The actions
- The Swiss tourism campaign uses storytelling and humor, featuring well-known personalities to create an engaging narrative.
- Evidence of progress
- The ad won the top prize at the 2023 Rail Tourism Awards and received positive feedback from viewers, who expressed a newfound interest in visiting Switzerland.
- What we can learn
- Other tourism campaigns can learn from this approach by focusing on authentic experiences and storytelling that resonate emotionally with viewers.
PERMA wellbeing profile of this story
Seligman's five pillars of wellbeing, as expressed in this story.
- Positive Emotion
- 9
- Engagement
- 8
- Relationships
- 7
- Meaning
- 6
- Accomplishment
- 9
Character strengths in play
Top VIA strengths this story embodies.
Humor
The ad plays like a mini-documentary of Noah and Federer filming a Swiss tourism ad gone wrong.
Curiosity
Both Noah and Federer shared a tourism ad they collaborated on for the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, and people are loving it.
Nostalgia
Federer shared how much he has enjoyed making Swiss tourism ads, recalling his own childhood experiences on trains.
Try this today
Think of a place you love and create a short, humorous story around it. Imagine how you would share that story with someone who has never been there, focusing on what makes it uniquely enjoyable or memorable.