FARNER PR

Nominated by the Group for a Switzerland Without an Army (GSoA)
Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland
Sector: Public relations, advertising and political communication
Turnover: CHF 14 million
Owned by: Publicly-traded corporation
Employees: 60 in Switzerland, numerous international partner agencies
CEO: Christian König

In Brief

Undercover duty for the arms industry: During the campaign for a Swiss ban on war material exports, the Zurich-based public relations agency Farner PR adopted methods reminiscent of the cold war. In June 2009, it sent a political scientist as undercover informant to a strategy weekend of the Group for a Switzerland Without an Army (GSoA). The woman claimed that she wanted to write a project paper, but asked so many expert questions that others became suspicious. In August, her boyfriend spoke with the press, claiming his girlfriend had been “poorly briefed” by Farner PR, and that she only took the assignment because there are currently few jobs for political scientists. Farner PR rejected “in the strongest terms” the accusation of having sent an informant. The media later received a Farner PR document from 2005: It contained references to “observation of activist groups” and “public disavowal of opponents.” In October, the Swiss newspaper “Blick” published the political scientist’s report – on Farner PR stationery. Legally, the spying on political opponents violates not only decency and propriety, but also freedom of assembly and expression.