Admeira, Ringier and NZZ also end cooperation with Publicitas
Following Tamedia, Ringier, and Admeira, the NZZ Media Group has now also announced that it is terminating its business relationship with the advertising agency Publicitas effective immediately. It, too, cites «outstanding payments on the part of Publicitas» and «recent events» as the reasons for this decision.
NZZ Media Solutions, the central marketing organization of the NZZ Media Group, announced on Thursday evening that it was forced to end its cooperation. "We therefore ask our customers to book directly with NZZ Media Solutions in future."
According to the press release, NZZ Media Solutions will contact all advertising customers to inform them of the next steps. In addition, all customers will be asked to make any outstanding payments directly to NZZ.
The unsatisfactory payment behavior of Publicitas for some time now has also prompted Admeira, Ringier and Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland and Tamedia to terminate their cooperation. They are also asking their customers to pay outstanding invoices directly to the media companies.
"No longer justifiable"
"From a business perspective, it was no longer justifiable to continue the collaboration with Publicitas via Admeira", Ringier Switzerland COO Alexander Theobald was quoted as saying in Thursday's press release. Developments in recent months had made this step necessary.
Admeira, in which SRG and Swisscom are also shareholders, is, according to its own information, the direct contact for campaign planning and order processing for all Ringier print titles and online platforms. It has the same role for Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland.
Publicitas "surprised"
On Wednesday, the media company Tamedia announced its termination of the cooperation with Publicitas with almost the same words. The advertising agency expressed its "surprise" at Tamedia's move and announced that it was working on a restructuring concept for medium-term stabilization.
An essential part of the concept is the commitment of the major publishers to continue the cooperation under revised conditions. Like the media companies, Publicitas is suffering from the marked decline in newspaper advertising. The company has already been in the red several times.
Controversy over payments
A controversy arose over the request to pay invoices directly to Tamedia. In response to the termination, Publicitas asked that the money be transferred to them as usual. The amounts would be separated and transferred to a Tamedia account as agreed.
Tamedia reacted immediately and announced that it would examine legal steps on the grounds of "breach of contract on the part of Publicitas". The request by Publicitas lacked any legal basis and constituted a deliberate misleading of customers to their detriment and to the detriment of Tamedia. (SDA)
