Typically Basel

 
Newspapers II Kreisvier uses a testimonial campaign to promote the Baslerstab to the people of Basel. 
Since February 21, Basel's largest free newspaper Baslerstab has been sporting a new look and new distribution boxes. At the same time, it is also trying to set editorial and advertising accents. It has done this editorially by devoting the front and main story to the Basel dialect every day since the relaunch. Out of concern that "Baseldytsch" could disappear - because in Basel the standard language is soon to be promoted from kindergarten onwards. A father has his say who is "afraid for his children" because of this, experts who find this development "fatal" and a "catastrophe". The choice of words alone shows that this is an exaggeration, but this is part of the concept of the new Basel staff. Not only because it is pursuing an even more tabloid concept than before, but above all because it wants and needs to position itself as particularly Basel-oriented among the free papers. The Basel-focused editorial launch is flanked by an advertising concept with just as much local relevance. "Baslerstab - my favorite piece of Basel" is the slogan for the three-stage campaign developed by the Basel agency Kreisvier. Stage one consists of subjects that call on Baslerstab readers to send in a photo. This should show an object, a pet, a house or a life partner that the reader has found thanks to an advertisement in Baslerstab. In a second step, the photos will be reproduced in the Baslerstab. If the quality is insufficient, they will be taken by professionals. The third stage is to use some photos and statements as advertising for the Baslerstab - in the reader and advertising market. "We want to continue the campaign with real Baslerstab readers," says Nannette Graf, who has overall responsibility for the campaign at Kreisvier.
The appeal seems to have been successful: According to Graf, around 30 entries have already been counted in the first three days. It is also possible that the advertising idea will make the Baslerstab more popular with readers. Because here it has a shortcoming: according to surveys, the paper has been read so far, but not really liked. "That was the real tricky part of the job: making the traditional Baslerstab a popular paper again," says Graf.
Markus Knöpfli