On October 12, 2026, FHWien der WKW and the Marketing Club Austria (MCÖ), in collaboration with XXXLutz, hosted a club evening on the future of testimonial marketing.
On October 12, 2026, a very special MCÖ club evening took place at the XXXL Restaurant Mahü in collaboration with FHWien der WKW and XXXLutz. Following opening remarks by Sieglinde Martin, Head of the Department of Communication, and the MCÖ, Thomas Schmidt, Head of the Marketing & Sales Management Study Programs at FHWien der WKW, hosted the evening. Industry experts discussed the role that well-known advertising figures and influencers play in brand communication and what makes them credible. A business field project by students in the Master’s program in Communication Management, commissioned by XXXLutz, provided insights into how a merchandising shop can become part of testimonial marketing.
The Putz Family to Go
Christof Sauke, Academic Expert & Lecturer at the Competence Center for Marketing at FHWien der WKW, served as a coach for the business field project with XXXLutz last semester. The students’ task was to design a merchandising shop for XXXLutz, featuring, among other things, fan merchandise centered on the Putz family and iconic items such as the red chair. He discussed the impact of testimonials using the Putz family as an example, presented the key findings from the market research conducted as part of the business field project, and showcased the concepts for the merchandising store designed by the students. Thomas Saliger, Head of Marketing and Corporate Spokesperson for the XXXLutz Group, provided humorous and very personal insights into the origins and gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the Putz family.
>> Learn more about the business field project with XXXLutz
Papa Putz Meets Influencer Marketing
In the expert panel discussion that followed, Thomas Saliger, Kerstin Haberfellner from Nespresso, Ilja Jay Lawal from the FOLLOW agency and a graduate of FHWien der WKW, and Hubert Wolf, known as “Papa Putz,” discussed current trends in testimonial marketing. The focus was on changing requirements for testimonials, as well as the importance of awareness, authenticity, and a long-term connection to the brand. Stephan Bauer, alias “Putzi Putz,” also joined the discussion spontaneously and shared some very personal insights. Birgit Schaller from our Competence Center for Marketing moderated the discussion.
The highly entertaining evening, featuring stories and anecdotes about the Putz family, was rounded out with a catering prepared by the XXL Restaurant team. The guests took the opportunity to chat and network.
Photo credit: © MCÖ / Ingo Folie