Into the future with a new rhythm
Although the business press Bilanz and Bilan are switching to fortnightly publication at the same time, they are otherwise approaching their future in completely different ways.
Although the business press Bilanz and Bilan are switching to fortnightly publication at the same time, they are otherwise approaching their future in completely different ways.
The business magazines Bilan (Edipresse) and Bilanz (Jean Frey) have a common problem: as advertisements are booked at increasingly short notice, they often fall by the wayside as monthly titles due to the long lead times for customers. In addition, as many campaigns are placed at more concentrated times, the monthly magazines can often only be considered once - if at all. Théo Bouchat, who is responsible for magazines at Edipresse, says: "Our advertising customers confirm that Bilan is the best way to reach executives in French-speaking Switzerland, but they hold back because they cannot generate sufficient advertising pressure with our magazine in the desired time." This message was also heard in Zurich. Bilanz Editor-in-Chief René Lüchinger knows: "Our publication frequency is no longer compatible with the booking rhythm of our advertisers. That is why we are now increasing the cadence to 22 issues per year and thus becoming a valid alternative to the weekly press. "But with this problem and the simultaneous change to the
fortnightly rhythm, the two business magazines have already exhausted what they have in common, as their situations are too different. Bilan is now alone with its new rhythm in French-speaking Switzerland, while Bilanz is joining a tradition that is common practice with Beobachter and some women's titles. The starting points are also different: Bilanz has lost a lot of circulation, readership and advertising in recent years, but according to Lüchinger is clearly in the black and has a return on sales of a good five percent. Overall, its counterpart in French-speaking Switzerland is in a better position, fluctuating only slightly in the economic headwinds and even achieving higher advertising sales again last year compared to 2003. "Bilan was always profitable, in the double-digit percentage range," emphasizes Bouchat.
The respective competitive environments are also different: According to Lüchinger, Bilanz is in a "cut-throat battle" with several similar Swiss titles, while Bilan is confronted with Agefi, Le Temps and, above all, the French business press. The two magazines are tackling the future in different ways. Bilan is carrying out a veritable relaunch and has hired the newspaper designer Dominique Roynette, ex-AD of Le Monde, for this. The new concept consists of three parts: La quinzaine/Actualité, Enjeux/Enquêtes and Carrières/Argent. More importantly, however, the editorial spirit of Bilan is also changing. "We want to question more than just ask questions and also tackle political correctness," he says.
Borrowing from WeltwocheBouchat explains what this means: If, for example, Christoph Blocher spoke of thirty percent too many federal civil servants, Bilan would gather the facts despite all the booing, show who would suffer and who would benefit from a reduction in civil servants and how a reduction would affect pending cases, the unemployment fund and taxes. "We want to take an unbiased and close look at unconventional ideas in future," says Bouchat, referring to Weltwoche. "It already works in this spirit, but has become too ideological," he says.
Unlike Bilan, there is no change of direction for the balance sheet. Not even a layout refresh. "Overall, we're not changing much, we're just developing Bilanz organically," says Lüchinger. The background: When Lüchinger joined Bilanz a year ago, he didn't bother with the relaunch that his predecessor Medard Meier had initiated in spring 2003. He had the front redesigned again and gave the magazine a simple but unmistakable look with the same white frame around the cover. He also deleted seven of the maximum 14 annual Bilanz specials that were unprofitable. As a result, Bilanz published a total of 19 issues last year. He therefore sees the cadence change to 22 issues as a logical continuation of this reorganization: in future, Bilanz will dispense with specials altogether, but will integrate them with thematic focuses in the new fortnightly magazine.
Return to continuityThe line extensions have done more harm than good to the main magazine, explains the new publishing director Sandra Geiger. "The Bilanz brand has been severely neglected and watered down in recent years, we need to nurture it more again." After the turbulent change of ownership three years ago and the changes in the editorial team and publishing house, calm and continuity must now be restored to the product, she says.
The changeover is associated with major goals for the balance sheet. "We need to make gains among women and in the younger segment among people over 30," says Geiger. In the medium term, she would like to increase the paid circulation from 34,213 copies (interim certification) to 44,000 copies.
increase. She accepts the fact that the balance sheet will hardly show ten readers per copy in future. Geiger: "We even have to break that, because it's an enormous cluster risk."
Edipresse is also hoping for more momentum for Bilan. Bouchat anticipates growth from 20,000 to 150,000 readers within one and a half years. He is more cautious when it comes to advertising sales. "I certainly don't expect it to double," he says simply.
By-products: Different strategiesAlthough the "Bilanz Business Talk" on Press TV is an important channel in terms of a strong brand presence, René Lüchinger says that the audio balance is more important for reader loyalty. The CD with spoken balance sheet texts is intended for Sandra
Geiger will continue to do so, initially eleven times a year as before. An e-paper can now also be downloaded from the website, but like most web offers, it is subject to a charge for non-subscribers.
In contrast to the balance sheet, Théo Bouchat at Bilan is thinking of expanding the line extension. The four supplements per year, including on watches
and luxury, and is not ruling out further ones. He would like to make the weekly Bilan radio broadcasts on Radio Lac in Geneva attractive to other private broadcasters in French-speaking Switzerland. And Bilan's monthly television appearance on Vaud TVRL is to be broadcast fortnightly in future. (mk)
Hefty investmentsIn order to cope with the new rhythm, the Bilan editorial team is doubled to ten people, with Olivier Toublan remaining editor-in-chief. The single copy price is reduced from 11 to 6 francs, the subscription price is increased by eleven to 110 francs. The relaunch communication will take the form of posters and advertisements designed by the agency C'est un scandale. The advertising prices remain the same.
The Bilanz editorial team will be expanded only moderately and will continue to be able to adapt texts exclusively from the German Wirtschaftswoche and now also from the New York Fortune. The single copy price will be reduced from 12 to 8 francs, the subscription price will rise slightly to 140 francs, while the advertising price will be reduced by 2400 francs to 15900 francs. The advertising campaign for the changeover was designed by the Bolt Rohner agency.
The change of cadence is a financial tour de force for Bilan: "Due to the additional costs for the relaunch (paper, editorial and distribution), the operating budget will deteriorate temporarily, but afterwards it will look better than before," Bouchat is convinced. In terms of the balance sheet, the additional costs for the changeover are lower due to the many previous specials, but the budget still provides for 20 percent for investments. (mk)
Tactical differences: Bilanz focuses on consistency in its appearance, Bilan treats itself to a redesign.
Rejuvenate Bilanz readership: Sandra Geiger and René Lüchinger.
Markus Knöpfli
The business magazines Bilan (Edipresse) and Bilanz (Jean Frey) have a common problem: as advertisements are booked at increasingly short notice, they often fall by the wayside as monthly titles due to the long lead times for customers. In addition, as many campaigns are placed at more concentrated times, the monthly magazines can often only be considered once - if at all. Théo Bouchat, who is responsible for magazines at Edipresse, says: "Our advertising customers confirm that Bilan is the best way to reach executives in French-speaking Switzerland, but they hold back because they cannot generate sufficient advertising pressure with our magazine in the desired time." This message was also heard in Zurich. Bilanz Editor-in-Chief René Lüchinger knows: "Our publication frequency is no longer compatible with the booking rhythm of our advertisers. That is why we are now increasing the cadence to 22 issues per year and thus becoming a valid alternative to the weekly press. "But with this problem and the simultaneous change to the
fortnightly rhythm, the two business magazines have already exhausted what they have in common, as their situations are too different. Bilan is now alone with its new rhythm in French-speaking Switzerland, while Bilanz is joining a tradition that is common practice with Beobachter and some women's titles. The starting points are also different: Bilanz has lost a lot of circulation, readership and advertising in recent years, but according to Lüchinger is clearly in the black and has a return on sales of a good five percent. Overall, its counterpart in French-speaking Switzerland is in a better position, fluctuating only slightly in the economic headwinds and even achieving higher advertising sales again last year compared to 2003. "Bilan was always profitable, in the double-digit percentage range," emphasizes Bouchat.
The respective competitive environments are also different: According to Lüchinger, Bilanz is in a "cut-throat battle" with several similar Swiss titles, while Bilan is confronted with Agefi, Le Temps and, above all, the French business press. The two magazines are tackling the future in different ways. Bilan is carrying out a veritable relaunch and has hired the newspaper designer Dominique Roynette, ex-AD of Le Monde, for this. The new concept consists of three parts: La quinzaine/Actualité, Enjeux/Enquêtes and Carrières/Argent. More importantly, however, the editorial spirit of Bilan is also changing. "We want to question more than just ask questions and also tackle political correctness," he says.
Borrowing from WeltwocheBouchat explains what this means: If, for example, Christoph Blocher spoke of thirty percent too many federal civil servants, Bilan would gather the facts despite all the booing, show who would suffer and who would benefit from a reduction in civil servants and how a reduction would affect pending cases, the unemployment fund and taxes. "We want to take an unbiased and close look at unconventional ideas in future," says Bouchat, referring to Weltwoche. "It already works in this spirit, but has become too ideological," he says.
Unlike Bilan, there is no change of direction for the balance sheet. Not even a layout refresh. "Overall, we're not changing much, we're just developing Bilanz organically," says Lüchinger. The background: When Lüchinger joined Bilanz a year ago, he didn't bother with the relaunch that his predecessor Medard Meier had initiated in spring 2003. He had the front redesigned again and gave the magazine a simple but unmistakable look with the same white frame around the cover. He also deleted seven of the maximum 14 annual Bilanz specials that were unprofitable. As a result, Bilanz published a total of 19 issues last year. He therefore sees the cadence change to 22 issues as a logical continuation of this reorganization: in future, Bilanz will dispense with specials altogether, but will integrate them with thematic focuses in the new fortnightly magazine.
Return to continuityThe line extensions have done more harm than good to the main magazine, explains the new publishing director Sandra Geiger. "The Bilanz brand has been severely neglected and watered down in recent years, we need to nurture it more again." After the turbulent change of ownership three years ago and the changes in the editorial team and publishing house, calm and continuity must now be restored to the product, she says.
The changeover is associated with major goals for the balance sheet. "We need to make gains among women and in the younger segment among people over 30," says Geiger. In the medium term, she would like to increase the paid circulation from 34,213 copies (interim certification) to 44,000 copies.
increase. She accepts the fact that the balance sheet will hardly show ten readers per copy in future. Geiger: "We even have to break that, because it's an enormous cluster risk."
Edipresse is also hoping for more momentum for Bilan. Bouchat anticipates growth from 20,000 to 150,000 readers within one and a half years. He is more cautious when it comes to advertising sales. "I certainly don't expect it to double," he says simply.
By-products: Different strategiesAlthough the "Bilanz Business Talk" on Press TV is an important channel in terms of a strong brand presence, René Lüchinger says that the audio balance is more important for reader loyalty. The CD with spoken balance sheet texts is intended for Sandra
Geiger will continue to do so, initially eleven times a year as before. An e-paper can now also be downloaded from the website, but like most web offers, it is subject to a charge for non-subscribers.
In contrast to the balance sheet, Théo Bouchat at Bilan is thinking of expanding the line extension. The four supplements per year, including on watches
and luxury, and is not ruling out further ones. He would like to make the weekly Bilan radio broadcasts on Radio Lac in Geneva attractive to other private broadcasters in French-speaking Switzerland. And Bilan's monthly television appearance on Vaud TVRL is to be broadcast fortnightly in future. (mk)
Hefty investmentsIn order to cope with the new rhythm, the Bilan editorial team is doubled to ten people, with Olivier Toublan remaining editor-in-chief. The single copy price is reduced from 11 to 6 francs, the subscription price is increased by eleven to 110 francs. The relaunch communication will take the form of posters and advertisements designed by the agency C'est un scandale. The advertising prices remain the same.
The Bilanz editorial team will be expanded only moderately and will continue to be able to adapt texts exclusively from the German Wirtschaftswoche and now also from the New York Fortune. The single copy price will be reduced from 12 to 8 francs, the subscription price will rise slightly to 140 francs, while the advertising price will be reduced by 2400 francs to 15900 francs. The advertising campaign for the changeover was designed by the Bolt Rohner agency.
The change of cadence is a financial tour de force for Bilan: "Due to the additional costs for the relaunch (paper, editorial and distribution), the operating budget will deteriorate temporarily, but afterwards it will look better than before," Bouchat is convinced. In terms of the balance sheet, the additional costs for the changeover are lower due to the many previous specials, but the budget still provides for 20 percent for investments. (mk)
Tactical differences: Bilanz focuses on consistency in its appearance, Bilan treats itself to a redesign.
Rejuvenate Bilanz readership: Sandra Geiger and René Lüchinger.
Markus Knöpfli
