How did it all begin? A new film tells the almost true story of Digitec Galaxus
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Digitec Galaxus has got itself – and you – a very special gift. No, it’s not a voucher. It’s a short film. One that reveals how the company got started, then grew larger and larger.
It all starts with frustration. A young Oliver Herren takes a bite of his kebab. He and his buddy Florian Teuteberg have just been turned away by a nightclub bouncer. Again. The solution? Florian thinks he’s cracked it: «If we ever want to get in anywhere, we’ll have to start our own club.»
This conversation spawned a success story that almost all of Switzerland is familiar with. At least, that’s how it’s portrayed in Unfiltered, the film Digitec Galaxus has made to celebrate its 25th anniversary. If you’ve been shopping with us since the early days, you might remember our earlier productions, including Digiteco, the film marking our tenth anniversary. This new company film asks the ultimate question: how did it all begin? What’s the story behind Digitec Galaxus, an online shop now known to almost every child in Switzerland? An online shop known to almost every Lukas Podolski fan or AfD supporter in Germany (link in German)?
The biopic, made in true Digitec Galaxus style, delivers the answer. You definitely won’t have seen company history put together like this before.
From a trailer idea to a 15-minute film
«This isn’t actually what we planned to make at all,» says Eva Lipecki, the Senior Brand Communications Manager who led the project. «At the first pitch meeting we held, there were two ideas for how we could mark our 25th anniversary. The idea of a biopic – a film-based biography of the company – was the most popular one. But it was just supposed to be a trailer for a fictional film, not an actual film. Although our adverts are sometimes fairly long, we’ve never ventured into blockbuster-length territory.»
What came out of all this was a 15-minute short film and all the things involved in such a project: casting actors, scouting locations, recruiting extras and writing an 18-page screenplay. Experts in lighting, makeup, props and set design were brought in.
Now, all of this was obviously done on a budget, so creative solutions were required. That’s why the film stars Galaxus employees, who’ve settled for a few seconds of fame instead of a fee.
The actors who play the founding duo
Florian Teuteberg and Oliver Herren, who co-founded Digitec Galaxus and still run the company today, don’t play themselves. Instead, Jonathan Fiebig (Florian) and Joël Schnabel (Oliver) were cast in the roles. Perhaps the actors will now have people stopping them on the street to ask why their parcel has been delayed.
Check out Unfiltered and let us know if you like the film. By the way, if you’re wondering whether everything in the film really happened, the answer is: yep, sure, absolutely. Except for maybe the money shower part.
You’ll find a review of Unfiltered by our resident film critic, Luca Fontana, here.
Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.
Show all
