"We are now reaping what we have sown".
WW After 13 months, Moneycab is returning to Adlink. How do you feel about this?
WW After 13 months, Moneycab returns to Adlink. What emotions are you feeling?Markus Rusterholz: On the one hand, joy, but on the other hand, pressure is also weighing on us. But the joy outweighs the pressure, because we are convinced that we can now reap what we have sown at that time. We had developed the entire commercialization concept when Moneycab was launched, but were then unable to finish it or bring it to market because of Moneycab's switch to Goldbach. After the switch to Goldbach, former Moneycab CEO Markus Gisler accused Adlink of not selling the platform efficiently enough. Today, the new management is saying that you made an enormous effort in 2001. Your comment?
The targets set by Moneycab at the time envisaged a utilization of the available advertising space of over 30 percent in the first half of 2001. In fact, however, we got to at least 70 percent, even though the traffic on the platform was smaller than we had hoped. When we saw that advertising performance was lower than planned, we immediately made new advertising space available. Despite this additional capacity, however, utilization did not drop, but remained at an average of 83 percent throughout the first six months.
What capacity utilization have you budgeted for 2003?
When traffic picks up again, we should reach a utilization rate of between 30 and 50 percent.
You spoke of pressure. What do you understand by that?
After the interruption, we asked ourselves how we could continue the earlier approaches. That is not easy. However, we are no longer under as much pressure to sell as we used to be with full exclusivity. Moneycab wants the other market participants to be able to contribute their ideas as well.
Collaboration between marketers instead of exclusivity - is this a new model in the online space?
No, it's not that new either - and it's not as if exclusivity is being completely dispensed with. Especially on the technical level, our system - Dart (Doubleclick) - is now the only one that is valid. And also in terms of commercialization, we and Bernt Maulaz, Marketing Manager of Moneycab, exclusively determine which advertising formats will be offered on the market and developed further at what price. What is new, however, is that other marketers are now also to have the opportunity to contribute with their offers, and are also commissioned for this. This sales model thus offers more guarantee that customers will be offered neutral media planning.
Which websites know a similar system?
20min.ch and Cineman.ch. At 20 Minuten, which itself has strong cross-media sales, the model is already having a positive impact in terms of revenues. Nevertheless, Adlink will continue to have the exclusive marketing partnership. We only waive it if a website can be sold actively and professionally by its operators and by other marketers.
How would you take it if Markus Gisler were to return to the Moneycab board?
I appreciate Mr. Gisler as a competent man when it comes to content. But marketing an online platform works differently from print, where he has a proven track record. I think that he is now gaining more insight at AZ Medien, which does a very good job of marketing itself online, and that he also recognized things at Moneycab last year that he would do differently today. From a human point of view, I also see absolutely no problem for a return.
Adlink managing director ad interim Markus Rusterholz on the return of Moneycab.
Interview: Markus Knöpfli
The targets set by Moneycab at the time envisaged a utilization of the available advertising space of over 30 percent in the first half of 2001. In fact, however, we got to at least 70 percent, even though the traffic on the platform was smaller than we had hoped. When we saw that advertising performance was lower than planned, we immediately made new advertising space available. Despite this additional capacity, however, utilization did not drop, but remained at an average of 83 percent throughout the first six months.
What capacity utilization have you budgeted for 2003?
When traffic picks up again, we should reach a utilization rate of between 30 and 50 percent.
You spoke of pressure. What do you understand by that?
After the interruption, we asked ourselves how we could continue the earlier approaches. That is not easy. However, we are no longer under as much pressure to sell as we used to be with full exclusivity. Moneycab wants the other market participants to be able to contribute their ideas as well.
Collaboration between marketers instead of exclusivity - is this a new model in the online space?
No, it's not that new either - and it's not as if exclusivity is being completely dispensed with. Especially on the technical level, our system - Dart (Doubleclick) - is now the only one that is valid. And also in terms of commercialization, we and Bernt Maulaz, Marketing Manager of Moneycab, exclusively determine which advertising formats will be offered on the market and developed further at what price. What is new, however, is that other marketers are now also to have the opportunity to contribute with their offers, and are also commissioned for this. This sales model thus offers more guarantee that customers will be offered neutral media planning.
Which websites know a similar system?
20min.ch and Cineman.ch. At 20 Minuten, which itself has strong cross-media sales, the model is already having a positive impact in terms of revenues. Nevertheless, Adlink will continue to have the exclusive marketing partnership. We only waive it if a website can be sold actively and professionally by its operators and by other marketers.
How would you take it if Markus Gisler were to return to the Moneycab board?
I appreciate Mr. Gisler as a competent man when it comes to content. But marketing an online platform works differently from print, where he has a proven track record. I think that he is now gaining more insight at AZ Medien, which does a very good job of marketing itself online, and that he also recognized things at Moneycab last year that he would do differently today. From a human point of view, I also see absolutely no problem for a return.
Adlink managing director ad interim Markus Rusterholz on the return of Moneycab.
Interview: Markus Knöpfli
