P is moving out of the BaZ
Advertising Business: In 2008, the BaZ will operate independently; Publicitas is leaving the shared office.
Advertising Business: The BaZ Will Go It Alone in 2008; P Leaves the Shared Building. After a partnership of about 80 years, Publicitas Basel and Basler Zeitung Medien (BZM) are parting ways—even physically. «We are looking for suitable premises in downtown Basel and expect to leave the BZM building on Wiese-Ufer during the first half of 2008,» says Jürg Räber, who has been head of P Basel for the past six months. The main reason for the separation is BZM’s decision to operate independently starting in 2008.
The partners had decided to merge just three years earlier. At the end of 2004, about 100 employees from Publicitas, Publimedia, Publimag, and P International were transferred to BZM. With this move, the media company and the advertising agency sought to strengthen their relationship.
The situation came to a head. But as life would have it—things have been strained between the two ever since. Even the negotiations at the time for the new management contract proved difficult because, in mid-2004, the deal between PubliGroupe and NZZ had caused uncertainty at the BZM. The fact that the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung then joined the Mittelland-Zeitung in September 2006 led to a complete breakdown in relations. This is because the MZ, like the BaZ, is under PubliGroupe management.
With the MZ’s expansion into the Basel region, the BaZ and MZ became direct competitors, and the P found itself caught in the crossfire. It did, however, restructure and replace some personnel. Yet the BZM remained suspicious and, despite the P lease, began setting up its own advertising sales organizations. The premature termination of the new management contract at the end of 2007 was the logical consequence. Meanwhile, BZM’s preparations for going independent are in full swing (see page 20). The only thing that still connects the two companies is the 37-percent stake that PubliGroupe holds in BZM.
Markus Knöpfli
The partners had decided to merge just three years earlier. At the end of 2004, about 100 employees from Publicitas, Publimedia, Publimag, and P International were transferred to BZM. With this move, the media company and the advertising agency sought to strengthen their relationship.
The situation came to a head. But as life would have it—things have been strained between the two ever since. Even the negotiations at the time for the new management contract proved difficult because, in mid-2004, the deal between PubliGroupe and NZZ had caused uncertainty at the BZM. The fact that the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung then joined the Mittelland-Zeitung in September 2006 led to a complete breakdown in relations. This is because the MZ, like the BaZ, is under PubliGroupe management.
With the MZ’s expansion into the Basel region, the BaZ and MZ became direct competitors, and the P found itself caught in the crossfire. It did, however, restructure and replace some personnel. Yet the BZM remained suspicious and, despite the P lease, began setting up its own advertising sales organizations. The premature termination of the new management contract at the end of 2007 was the logical consequence. Meanwhile, BZM’s preparations for going independent are in full swing (see page 20). The only thing that still connects the two companies is the 37-percent stake that PubliGroupe holds in BZM.
Markus Knöpfli
