Keenly observed readers
Matter & Partner has been running ads for *Der Beobachter* for eight years—and is now revamping its advertising style.
Zeitschriften Matter & Partner have been advertising for the Beobachter for eight years - and are now changing the advertising style. The new campaign is "very bold and very fast", says Beobachter publishing director Peter Kümmerli about the concept of the Zurich creatives. The new campaign for the weekly magazine uses only typography and text. Elaborate photo shoots are a thing of the past. The idea has two advantages: it is cheaper to implement and can react more quickly to trends in society. The campaign for new readers is supported by the claim "Take the reins". The eight years in which Matter & Partner has been realizing advertising for Beobachter have also left their mark on Switzerland's leading consumer and advice magazine. The Beobachter underwent a relaunch in two stages, most recently in 2000 - because "you can't just turn such a big steamer around like that," says Kümmerli.
The publishing director joined the paper in 1995. At that time, Jean Frey AG, the publisher of the Beobachter, had just been taken over by the Basler Mediengruppe. A development that was followed with excitement by the industry also arose last year, when Ringier no longer wanted to remain a mere observer of the temporarily explosive constellation at Jean Frey AG, but started thinking about launching a competing product.
A value that remainsWith so much change behind the scenes and at the same time almost record-breaking loyalty on the customer side, it is worth taking a closer look at how advertising from the same agency has changed in all these phases.
It was a development aimed at making readers more self-confident and pointing them more actively towards solutions to their problems. The campaign with the initially passive "Beobachter als Typ" worked with real readers such as "Lukretia Müller, Beobachterin". Under her portrait, the claim was reassuring: "Good, there's the Observer."
"There are enough spectators," was the motto of the next development phase in 1997, when quirky originals and outsiders from a society that was only watching were quoted with their testimonials. What all the characters had in common was the courage to resist: they didn't put up with everything. 1997 was also the year in which Daniel Matter joined the agency and was able to take on responsibility for this client, which had already existed since 1995, "as a fine inheritance", as he says.
The campaign that followed was even more committed, with people who actively "do something when they're being driven at", explains Matter. The idea of the "Prix Courage" resonates in this advertising campaign with people who not only look on but also achieve something. This prize is awarded annually by the Beobachter for courageous action in the service of our society.
In 2000, the advertising agency wanted to take some of the seriousness out of the Beobachter's themes. With a little wink in the visual design, they showed how the Beobachter helps to "minimize problems". In this way, the advertising also wanted to adapt a little to the younger generation.
The agency and client went one step further in 2001, with a woman "hanging" from a washing line to illustrate that a problem no longer had to be seen as so threatening - it was all a question of visuals. The figures in the subjects of the 2002 campaign were able to solve problems themselves. For example, a woman repaired her car in front of the bewildered garage owner.
Against this backdrop, it is logical that the latest campaign was no longer able to drive forward this emancipation of the readership. The often multi-layered staging is therefore being replaced by a reduction to a purely typographic implementation.
Campaign extension possibleThese subjects, which have only the red background color and the white letters as a common stylistic device, can be adapted for the various "by-products" of Beobachter. For example, a subject can also be used to advertise the non-fiction books published by Beobachter. For example, a bookmark can be used to publicize the fact that Beobachter is the largest publisher of how-to books in Switzerland.
The new campaign will also focus on the advisory service. Subscribers already request over 100,000 free advisory services every year. This additional service will be highlighted in the new campaign with the text "Lawyer: CHF 69.50 per year".
The Internet is also to be anchored more firmly in consumer awareness. In the first three months of this year, 25,000 subscribers with problems in the areas of housing, family, work or consumption have already used a fee-based advice tool on the Beobachter.ch website. The SOS Beobachter foundation can also be a worthwhile advertising subject in the new concept. Here, 3,000 applicants per year can count on financial help for people in need.
"We are happy that we can now take a very bold approach," says Daniel Matter, summarizing his thoughts. The advertiser is convinced that "the most underestimated medium" could also be given a little more attention by advertisers in future.
White typography on a red background: Matter & Partner's new campaign for Beobachter dispenses with elaborate photo shoots.
The publishing director joined the paper in 1995. At that time, Jean Frey AG, the publisher of the Beobachter, had just been taken over by the Basler Mediengruppe. A development that was followed with excitement by the industry also arose last year, when Ringier no longer wanted to remain a mere observer of the temporarily explosive constellation at Jean Frey AG, but started thinking about launching a competing product.
A value that remainsWith so much change behind the scenes and at the same time almost record-breaking loyalty on the customer side, it is worth taking a closer look at how advertising from the same agency has changed in all these phases.
It was a development aimed at making readers more self-confident and pointing them more actively towards solutions to their problems. The campaign with the initially passive "Beobachter als Typ" worked with real readers such as "Lukretia Müller, Beobachterin". Under her portrait, the claim was reassuring: "Good, there's the Observer."
"There are enough spectators," was the motto of the next development phase in 1997, when quirky originals and outsiders from a society that was only watching were quoted with their testimonials. What all the characters had in common was the courage to resist: they didn't put up with everything. 1997 was also the year in which Daniel Matter joined the agency and was able to take on responsibility for this client, which had already existed since 1995, "as a fine inheritance", as he says.
The campaign that followed was even more committed, with people who actively "do something when they're being driven at", explains Matter. The idea of the "Prix Courage" resonates in this advertising campaign with people who not only look on but also achieve something. This prize is awarded annually by the Beobachter for courageous action in the service of our society.
In 2000, the advertising agency wanted to take some of the seriousness out of the Beobachter's themes. With a little wink in the visual design, they showed how the Beobachter helps to "minimize problems". In this way, the advertising also wanted to adapt a little to the younger generation.
The agency and client went one step further in 2001, with a woman "hanging" from a washing line to illustrate that a problem no longer had to be seen as so threatening - it was all a question of visuals. The figures in the subjects of the 2002 campaign were able to solve problems themselves. For example, a woman repaired her car in front of the bewildered garage owner.
Against this backdrop, it is logical that the latest campaign was no longer able to drive forward this emancipation of the readership. The often multi-layered staging is therefore being replaced by a reduction to a purely typographic implementation.
Campaign extension possibleThese subjects, which have only the red background color and the white letters as a common stylistic device, can be adapted for the various "by-products" of Beobachter. For example, a subject can also be used to advertise the non-fiction books published by Beobachter. For example, a bookmark can be used to publicize the fact that Beobachter is the largest publisher of how-to books in Switzerland.
The new campaign will also focus on the advisory service. Subscribers already request over 100,000 free advisory services every year. This additional service will be highlighted in the new campaign with the text "Lawyer: CHF 69.50 per year".
The Internet is also to be anchored more firmly in consumer awareness. In the first three months of this year, 25,000 subscribers with problems in the areas of housing, family, work or consumption have already used a fee-based advice tool on the Beobachter.ch website. The SOS Beobachter foundation can also be a worthwhile advertising subject in the new concept. Here, 3,000 applicants per year can count on financial help for people in need.
"We are happy that we can now take a very bold approach," says Daniel Matter, summarizing his thoughts. The advertiser is convinced that "the most underestimated medium" could also be given a little more attention by advertisers in future.
White typography on a red background: Matter & Partner's new campaign for Beobachter dispenses with elaborate photo shoots.
Beobachter campaigns from the Matter & Partner kitchen always integrated the joys and concerns of its readers.
Andreas Panzeri
