Admeira acquires stake in NZZ marketing company Audienzz

Audienzz is the marketing subsidiary of the NZZ Media Group, specializing in digital services in the premium segment. Admeira acquired a 15 percent stake in Audienzz as of November 21, 2017. At the same time, the NZZ Media Group and its board member Dominique von Matt will take a seat on Admeira's board of directors. In a next step, the two parties will examine further cooperation with the aim of positioning Switzerland more strongly as a media location vis-à-vis global digital competitors.

Marc Walder, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Admeira, in a statement: "Admeira was founded with the aim of bringing Swiss media providers together and offering attractive opportunities to the advertising market. We look forward to developing new perspectives for media providers and advertisers together with Audienzz."

Etienne Jornod, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NZZ Media Group: "The digital advertising market is changing rapidly. It is therefore important to exchange ideas with other market players on new technologies and offerings." The two partners have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

"It's not about making a media policy statement".

Is Admeira joining in installments on the horizon? Myriam Käser, Head of Corporate Communications at the NZZ Media Group, waves it off when asked by Werbewoche: "Our products are different from those of our competitors. That's why we want to market our media ourselves and have no plans to join Admeira. For the same reason, we also terminated our contract with Publigroup at the time." Moreover, there is no privileged access to Admeira's data - or vice versa to Audienzz's data.

"The move communicated today is about learning from each other," Käser says. "It's not about making a media policy statement." He adds that nothing will change in the NZZ Media Group's approach to media policy. "You can work with someone and exchange views without being of the same opinion on every point." He said the NZZ has an interest in a strong media industry in Switzerland and has always strived to build bridges instead of deepening trenches. "That continues to be our stance. We're not leading a strategy against anyone, but we're looking for solutions that will make us stronger in the market."

There is still unanimity in the Swiss Media Association

The Swiss Media Association, which is known to have been one of the harshest critics of Admeira since the first hours of the marketing joint venture, sounds similarly mild. Managing director Andreas Häuptli sees no rift between member NZZ and the other publishers: "There continues to be unity within the association, including NZZ, vis-à-vis the - because of SRG's involvement - problematic construct that is Admeira," he told Werbewoche on Wednesday. "It is an entrepreneurial decision of the NZZ media group." NZZ will continue to market itself and will not become a shareholder in Admeira. Rather, Admeira is buying into the NZZ subsidiary Audienzz.

"We continue to call for an industry solution in data management," Häuptli said. In addition, cooperations would have to fulfill the requirements postulated in the parliamentary proposals: Being open to all and promoting media diversity. (hae)