"Cross-media needs a strategy"

Training The Sawi (Swiss
Training Center for Marketing, Advertising and Communication) leads in the
March for the first time with a course on cross-media. Sawi Director Jürg Engi
provides information on content and objectives.WW: Sawi, BSW and Goldbach Media are jointly launching a cross-media course. Why now?
Jürg Engi: The fact is,
that consumers are increasingly avoiding communication.
Advertising agencies and clients therefore need to find new ways of
can win the "war for eyeballs". Cross-media knowledge and skills have therefore become highly relevant. We have recognized that
There is a training vacuum in this area, which we are working on together with
Goldbach Media and the BSW.

WW: How does Sawi define the buzzword cross-media?
Engi: In the
principle, cross-media is the "integrated communication of the future".
Integrated communication is not new, but it tends to affect the
temporal and formal integration. Crossmedia goes much further by
a message or a topic also in terms of content across all media
is orchestrated. Every medium and every measure
a defined part; not only the formal arrangement, but also the
fine-tuning content is becoming more important than ever. As in the
Music: Only if every single instrument is set up and tuned correctly
and synchronized, the power of the orchestra can unfold.

WW: You
are now talking about three terms: Crossmedia, integrated communication
and "integrated communication of the future" - once again: What are
the differences?
Engi: The
Integrated communication to date is broadly defined,
but certainly does not take into account all the media that are used today for
are available. Some electronic media are still so new that
both clients and agency staff don't really have anything to do with it
can start. Even previous channels were not fully utilized.
For example, the possibility of launching a topic editorially and
traditional communication. Cross-media and the
"Integrated communication of the future" uses the entire range of media
and also relies on synergies with the editorial area.
The prerequisite for this is that the content is relevant from an editorial point of view.
are.

WW: Mostly
However, cross-media is used on the supply side, as a marketing term by
Media companies such as Goldbach, PubliGroupe and others that operate via
have various media channels and preferably use as many of them as possible.
and the same advertising customer.
Engi: So that
I only agree to a limited extent. With our understanding of
In any case, cross-media has to start from the product side, i.e. from the
customers and from the agency. Their basic question must be:
How can consumers be optimally involved so that they can participate in the
end - ideally interactively. Then they must
define which marketing tools they want to use and
can. And only when this strategy is in place do you consider which
Media how to use.

WW: Who designs a cross-media campaign?
Engi: Ideally
an interdisciplinary team is formed from the very first briefing.
together. Because only through early involvement can the strength of the individual
discipline to its full potential.

WW: When are cross-media campaigns suitable?
Engi: When
intensive interaction between the consumer, manufacturer and
product. Or with young target groups who
are used to interacting skillfully with media.

WW: What are the main contents of the new Sawi course?
Engi: We
show what cross-media is, that it requires a strategy and how
interdisciplinary coordination is crucial. We also respond to
the various media and their possibilities, but not as far as the
Details. Afterwards, the participants should know what
what you can do with it and how you can turn all this into a
powerful campaign. They should also
rediscover "old" channels. Later we may offer
follow-up courses in order to become even more familiar with the technology of individual media.
to go deeper.

WW: Are
ethical questions are also part of the course, after all, the aim is to
of the commercial sector and also editorial offices.
be involved?
Engi: Of course
it is becoming an increasingly important requirement to check campaigns for their
media effectiveness. We therefore address this point
consciously, of course.

WW: Initiator
of your course is Goldbach Media, a company that works exclusively with
electronic and digital media. How do you prevent
the course is too biased towards electronic media?
Engi: To the
one, with Goldbach Media providing one of eleven lecturers
on the one hand, and on the other, by also offering "classic" disciplines
convey. Only with a focus on potential connecting and
Synergy points.

Interview: Markus Knöpfli

The new cross-media seminar
The Sawi (Swiss Training Center for Marketing, Advertising and
Communication) offers under the title "Crossmedia Kompressor" a
Intensive seminar for communications practitioners at both agency and
also on the customer side. After a three-day course block (16. to 18.
March 2006) in Dübendorf, the participants will develop
in groups to develop a real-life case, which was then presented to a jury on April 8, 2006.
presented to a jury of experts. The course costs 2950 francs.
The initiator is Goldbach Media, the course concept comes from Regula
Fecker, Strategic Planner at Jung von Matt/Limmat. She is also
Head of the Sawi cross-media seminar. (mk)