Reduced to the minimum
Following the release of the cryptic press release at the end of November, the planned «realignment» is unlikely to go ahead.
The orderly "realignment" is unlikely to come to fruition after the cryptic media release was sent out at the end of November, in which Reinhold Weber (48, photo), owner of the legendary Zurich advertising agency Weber Hodel Schmid (WHS), announced upcoming changes, namely the termination of all contracts with employees and business partners and the possible cooperation with GGK Zurich, through which he wanted to save half of the 20 jobs. Shortly afterwards, GGK boss Hermann Strittmatter qualified these plans to the media: whether, when and how a merger would take place would first have to be discussed. Strittmatter would not be founding a new agency, nor could there be any talk of a merger. If anything, GGK wants to integrate Weber and his team. What is likely to be the last episode of the WHS grounding marks the end of a special chapter in Swiss advertising history. It was opened in 1991 by the other co-founders Yvonne Hodel and John Schmid. Large accounts such as Smart, "Zürich", Tages-Anzeiger, MediaMarkt and Switzerland Tourism soon led to awards, recognition and even more commissions. WHS expanded to Vienna and Berlin and grew to over 100 employees. The steady decline began with the loss of substantial budgets and was accelerated by the crash of the new economy, especially in the dotcom-heavy international offices. The departure of strategists contributed to the rest. (la)
