The Swissness Test: A Footballer, a Sponsor, and an Uncomfortable Question

What, precisely, does it mean to look 'Swiss'? It is a question that corporations, particularly those wrapping themselves in the national flag, must apparently answer. For footballer Manuel Akanji, the answer from his former sponsor, Volkswagen Switzerland, was seemingly not in his favour. In a new documentary series, the national team player alleges that a lucrative partnership was not renewed because he did not project a sufficiently Swiss image to the target audience.

The company in question is the Swiss importer for Volkswagen, a long-standing partner of the Swiss Football Association. The firm's response is a textbook example of corporate damage control. It distances itself from any form of discrimination, cites a general reduction in brand ambassadors as the real reason, and suggests the entire affair was a simple 'misunderstanding' in the communication between the company and Akanji's management. Conveniently, they note there was never any direct contact with the player himself.

This carefully constructed narrative, however, is contested. Akanji's manager, Vanessa Luperti, confirms the discussions were held through her but maintains that the footballer's account of the reasoning is accurate. She adds that Volkswagen Switzerland was offered a chance to present its side in the documentary, an offer the company declined. This refusal to engage on camera does little to dispel the impression of a company hoping a sensitive issue would simply disappear.

The documentary itself, titled 'The Belonging', explores the complex interplay of identity, heritage, and exclusion, particularly for athletes with multicultural backgrounds. Fellow national player Breel Embolo offers a blunt summary of the transactional nature of public affection: win, and you are a national hero; lose, and you face a barrage of racist abuse. It is the uncomfortable backdrop against which Akanji's experience unfolds.

Naturally, the experts are divided. One sociologist sees the sponsor's alleged reasoning as a clear case of racism, arguing that companies reinforce stereotypes when they embed them in marketing decisions. A marketing network president, however, offers a more pragmatic, if colder, perspective. He points to the role of market research, which merely reflects what the populace—the consumer—already thinks and perceives as 'Swiss'.

In this view, a company is not a moral arbiter but a servant of market demand. If market data suggests a certain image sells better, is it the company's job to challenge that perception or to profit from it? This line of reasoning, while commercially sound, conveniently absolves decision-makers of any responsibility for the social images they promote.

Ultimately, the matter was resolved in a characteristically Swiss fashion: quietly and behind closed doors. A 'clarifying conversation' took place between Akanji and Volkswagen in 2025, and all parties now consider the case closed. Volkswagen remains a partner of the national football association, and business continues as usual. The uncomfortable questions, however, linger.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com