Do you know Saskia? If not: Be glad! Because Saskia is a stupid name. Besides, Saskia is a Körnlipickerin and she is German - what actually the name should already say, but does not. Saskia is also proof that advertising that chums up and works too hard with clichés can backfire. What is it all about? Precisely, about Saskia.

Have you seen the new Migros campaign? A very graying woman in her mid-forties with horse teeth "likes 'Zmörgele'" (that's what it says!). But wait with the laughter, it comes now even worse: Saskia likes namely "Zmörgele with real spelt quark bread. That's now also available at Migros." Aha, so it's not just in Germany. That would be mean, too. "For Saskia and everyone who likes it." So, now you can laugh. But first, thank you, dear Migros and dear visu'l, agency for identity and communication, who are responsible for this failure. I as a German feel not only (v)recognized, but also accepted, with all my quirks, especially with the biggest one: "We Germans" eat dark bread. And MY spelt quark bread is now also available here, in my new home, in MY Migros. Introduced by customer request. You are so good to us!!! But be careful: Not only to us. Because the bread is "for Saskia and all who like". So share it! Germans can still learn something. The fact that this sentence is, by the way, a linguistic rust nail in the foot, we want to overlook.

Being German goes through the stomach

Honestly: In my entire 31 years in Germany, I have never seen a spelt quark bread, let alone eaten one. Even though I can't deny my passion for dark bread (my husband refers to it as pumpernickel without a clue). In addition, I would not identify Saskia as a typical German name with the best will in the world. Let it be Ute, Kerstin or even Friederike - but certainly not Saskia. And the lady on the subject reminds me somehow of Linda de Mol, even if she really is a German. But what does a typical German or a typical German look like? Exactly, that's what's wrong with the whole approach. According to Migros and their agency, however, there are definitely characteristics that all Germans share: stupid grins, bad hairstyle and/or hair color, unwavering good humor and a penchant for the products of their "homeland". At least, that's what this stupid campaign suggests.

To make matters worse, there is not only Saskia with her spelt quark bread (she also has dumplings in her assortment), but also Hilda with her Spreewald gherkins, Norbert with his Duplo chocolate pralines ("the longest praline in the world" was a publicity stunt, not a product name) and Uwe with his lentil stew. Everybody gets what he deserves. Sorry. What he loves. At least at Migros. If I am not completely mistaken in my compatriots who have made it to Switzerland and my Swiss colleagues, they will give a wide berth precisely to the "typically German" products marked with the German flag. At best, the Germans will ask their Swiss spouse to buy such a bread quite inconspicuously - simply to see whether the Swiss can really bake dark bread. Or how Spreewald gherkins from the Aargau taste. And the Swiss immediately look for a detour as soon as they see the German flag. Yes, I can hear it already: You only meant well and we are so ungrateful. Again. I would say: You did the job badly. From a German and Swiss point of view. You could have asked someone who knows about it. After all, there are enough Germans in Switzerland. Even every day in the Migros. You would certainly have found someone who would have revealed to you that you're really barking up the wrong tree with this campaign.
 

"This is quite depressing," says Urs Tiefenauer, the club's media director. As if sports clubs don't have a hard enough time finding sponsors, HC Thurgau has to part with a sponsor. The emblem of the "Blauer Aff" contact bar in Affeltrangen, Thurgau, had to be removed from the players' shorts - meaning the club is out a hefty sum, as media chief Urs Tiefenauer explains.

The Swiss Ice Hockey Association initially tolerated the Kontaktbar advertising, but later intervened, Tiefenauer said. Because other sponsors were also bothered by the "Blauer Aff" pants advertising, the emblem was taken off the pants, Tiefenauer said. One of HC Thurgau's main sponsors is Thurgauer Kantonalbank (TKB). Another major sponsor is the Stadler Rail Group of former SVP National Council member and ex-ice hockey player Peter Spuhler.

So that the players no longer have to take to the ice with empty pants, as Tiefenauer puts it, HC Thurgau is now looking for another pants sponsor. It is doing so with a lottery. The club wants to sell 222 tickets at 500 francs each. Among the participants of the lottery, two will be drawn - they will win the free trouser advertising space. Already 40 tickets have been sold, Tiefenauer told SDA on Thursday. If at least 111 tickets are sold, two winners will be chosen, Tiefenauer said. The free advertising space is worth 35'000 francs, the HC Thurgau media chief confirmed a report in the Thurgauer Zeitung.

HC Thurgau's campaign is entitled "Get in your pants now". Tiefenauer doesn't find the whole story about the "Blauer Aff" advertisement very funny, he rather thinks it is prudery. (sda)

According to the press release, the SRF television studios in Leutschenbach will be transformed into a crime scene. Under the motto "The crime scene for the crime scene is SF 1", the Zurich agency has taken on the well-known Meteo roof: corpse drawings on the floor of "SF Meteo" and forensic scientists doing their work will cause a brief moment of irritation for TV and cinema viewers, making them believe for a few seconds that a crime has taken place on the Meteo roof.

The statement "The crime scene for the crime scene is SF 1" and familiar "Tatort" elements quickly clarify the case and make it clear in a surprising way that this is an advertisement for the crime series "Tatort" and for Swiss radio and television. The trailer is accompanied by advertisements with corpse drawings on "SF Meteo", "Glanz & Gloria" and "Sportpanorama".

Responsible at Swiss Radio and Television: Corinne Pellerin (Head of Communications and Marketing), Kristina Burch (Communications and Marketing Consultant), Jeannette Hofer (Project Manager Advertising, Culture and Information), Andrea Wenger (Communications and Marketing Consultant Culture). Responsible at Vizner Borel:
Lajos Vizner, Guillaume Borel (overall responsibility), John Leuppi (text/concept), Florian Steiner (art direction), Markus Binggeli (strategy), Andrea Vizzarro (consulting), Reto Salimbeni (director), Shannon Mildon (producer), Manifesto Films (TV production), Jonas Kuhn (photography).
 

This was indispensable for the British Empire's maritime navigation, the agency said in a statement. Futurecom has uncovered this original DNA of the watch brand in its CI/CD. The maritime look of the new catalog communicates an affinity to the vast sea and thus shows exactly the spirit of discovery of Arnold & Son. Still alive in traditional craftsmanship combined with the latest technology.

Responsible at Arnold & Son: Aude Solari (project management), Sabine Schaltegger (image and text). Responsible at Futurecom: Silke Heinzelmann (Art Direction), Elias Zurbuchen (Factory), Marc Maresch (Consulting and Project Management).

To cope with the increasing variety of channels in the digital world, the entire electronic program guide (EPG) has been redesigned for user-friendliness, maximum topicality and speed, according to a statement. This makes it easy to find the desired program by time, station or interest.

Furthermore, all tips and ratings from the Tele editorial team and the TV program of over 150 channels are also available. And thanks to the close cooperation with the Internet TV provider Wilmaa.com, users can also watch live TV on Tele.ch after a one-time registration. "With the redesign of the Tele EPG and the "responsive design" for use on all commercially available smartphones, planning the evening's TV viewing has never been easier or more convenient," says Christoph Büeler, Head of Online for Program Media.
 

According to the press release, the creators of Quottom want to create an honest and independent magazine for their entire generation. The cultural magazine will combine timeless life topics with art on a total of 250 pages. Quottom wants to encourage readers to not just think about their ideas in the privacy of their own rooms, but to become active and put them into practice. Two umbrella themes - "Fear" and "Longing" in the first issue - are tackled photographically, artistically, with portraits and with words. The project is now said to have become a passion project in full swing and the initial crew consisting of Nicolas Walker, Tanja Luchsinger and Ruben Feurer has expanded into a large circle. The magazine includes well-known names such as Walter Pfeiffer, young up-and-coming artists such as Philipp Dornbierer (Yehteh), as well as undiscovered gems. Although the 40 or so contributors work for free and count on sponsors and advertisements, this is unfortunately not enough, the founders write in the press release. To finance the printing, Quottom is relying on the support of its future readers via the crowdfunding platform Wemakeit.ch  instructed.
 

The future of books in the age of cloud computing and virtual bookshops dominated discussions at the world's largest industry gathering, with publishers and booksellers looking for new strategies. "People are trying things out everywhere," said Ina Fuchshuber from Neobooks, a self-publishing platform of the Munich-based publishing group Droemer Knaur. According to the book fair organizers, 7307 exhibitors from 97 countries have registered for the fair, slightly fewer than last year (7384). Of these, 39 percent (2849 exhibitors) come from Germany. Great Britain is represented by 745 exhibitors (previous year: 761), the USA by 616 (606). Around 300,000 visitors are expected in the exhibition halls by Sunday. This year's Guest of Honor at the Book Fair is New Zealand.

Play and borrow

Even if e-book sales only account for two percent of the overall market: The book trade has fallen into crisis under the pressure of the electronic offer and is breaking new ground. For example, the bookstore chain Thalia announced on Wednesday that it would be setting up toy departments in 140 of its bookstores before Christmas. The German Publishers and Booksellers Association wants to set up a lending library on the Internet. 1000 titles are to be made available for the online bookshelf of the future.

Nothing is lost yet

According to Claudia Paul from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, publishers are also adapting better and better to electronic competition. "They are working very hard to accompany the digital revolution. They are expanding their areas of work and changing their processes". So far, competition has not yet had a negative impact on the industry. The number of publishers affiliated with the Börsenverein has remained constant for years at just over 1800.

Star guest Schwarzenegger

According to a study by the University of Hamburg, e-book readers continue to buy printed books. "There is hardly any cannibalization of printed books," write the authors from the Institute for Marketing and Media. According to the study, 22 percent of e-book users buy at least three printed hardcover books a year. But will this still be the case for the next generation? Hardly any children's book can still do without additional electronic offerings, as the focus on children's and youth media at the book fair makes clear.

And where is the literature at the book fair? Arnold Schwarzenegger, of all people, caused the biggest stir when he presented his autobiography "Total Recall" to hundreds of curious visitors. Bestselling author Ken Follett ("Winter of the World") also did the honors. (Stephan Maurer/SDA/DPA)
 

The previous website focused on communicating the company's structure, with central elements such as expertise and range of products and services being communicated on a secondary basis, according to a statement. The new web presence designed by Adicto optimizes this communication and puts the offers and professional competence of PDS more clearly in the foreground. In order to make the very comprehensive range of information more easily accessible and to provide it with directly "tangible" contact persons, the website was completely rebuilt conceptually, graphically and technically. The result is an Internet presence that is intended to appeal emotionally and, with its clear structure and intuitive operation, allows quick access to the comprehensive range of services offered by PDS.

Below the main structure are the overall overviews of offerings, locations, employees, vacancies and events. These contents can be quickly narrowed down to a number relevant to the visitor using centrally positioned filter elements that recur in their logic - which ensures that the desired information can be found quickly. The large number of events on offer can be transferred directly to the user's own agenda. Ping Internet Agency took over the technical implementation.

Care has also been taken to ensure that the management of page content can be efficiently captured and edited. For this purpose, key information is maintained at central points and then linked to each other. This prevents errors and reduces effort.

Parallel to the relaunch of the website, a concept for the social media activities of PDS was developed in close cooperation between PDS and Adicto. The first phase was completed two weeks ago with a Facebook page introduced, the activities on Facebook and the website are already closely interlinked. In the future, areas of the website are to become an integral part of the Facebook presence.

4+ went on air on Tuesday. But only in the living rooms of UPC Cablecom customers. The cable network operator spoils not only digital but also analog TV subscribers with blockbusters ("Achtung, fertig, Charlie!"), the usual series ("How I Met Your Mother") and reruns of 3+ in-house productions ("Bauer, ledig, sucht..."). To make room, Cablecom dropped SWR, another third party public broadcaster, from its analog offering. Perhaps a friendly but firm nudge to get SWR's older target group to come to terms with the separation from the analog network. Parting hurts, but digital TV is calling. This is because the channel is "already included in the basic "Mini" package - and in the best HD quality", according to the Support page from UPC Cablecom. Chance writes the best stories - and they are broadcast in HD.

Swisscom TV customers will not be able to enjoy 4+ for the time being. The company is making no secret of this and yesterday published the unedited SDA report via Bluewin.ch announcing the imminent birth of the entertainment channel. "4+ can only be received via UPC Cablecom", it says. That almost sounds like the all-clear. (hae)

Note: Some independent cable cooperatives also offer 4+. However, no mention was ever made of this in the reports.
 

Lidl is far ahead of all other food retailers in the search query rankings. The site operator of Filialsuche.ch says: "This can be explained by the fact that the German store chain still has a much sparser store network. The comparatively low search volume at Denner or Coop is simply due to their high coverage. On average, there are around 10,000 inhabitants per Denner store. For a Lidl store, this is more than 95,000. In addition, some Lidl stores are still brand new and consumers have simply not yet internalized the locations."

Lidl is followed by the DIY store Hornbach, which is currently the second most frequently searched for with six Swiss branches. In total, the search volume at filialsuche.ch is spread across thirty indexed retailers.

The statistics also show that just under a third of all search queries come from mobile devices. The iPhone continues to lead the way here, together with the iPad. The two Apple devices have a share of 70 percent. The majority of the remaining hits come from smartphones and tablets with Android operating systems. (ots)

The bowls specially made for "Donate A Plate", designed by the four Swiss artists Eric Andersen, Arthur David, Paula Troxler and Ikou Tschüss and produced in the Langenthal porcelain factory, will be available from October 2012 for 44 francs, as detailed in a press release. With the purchase of a porcelain bowl, the Swiss Cancer League and the two associations "Leben wie zuvor" and "Savoir Patient" will receive a donation totaling 15 francs.

In Switzerland, over 5,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, with one in nine being directly affected in their lifetime. Various companies, institutions and private individuals are involved in this fundraising campaign.

The remaining employees will have to accept a 15 percent pay cut. Despite the difficult economic situation for media companies, the number of employees at El País has remained stable at around 470 since 2007. The newspaper's employees blamed the crisis in the media market, the country's economic crisis and the management of the Prisa media group, to which El País belongs, for the job cuts. Spain's largest media group reported a loss of 53 million euros in the second quarter.

The newspaper's cost-cutting plan highlights the difficulties that the Spanish media have been struggling with for years. Over the past five years, almost 8,000 jobs have been cut in the media sector. Newspapers, radio and television stations are reporting falling advertising revenue and customers are leaving. In addition, it is difficult for media companies to earn money with news on the Internet. (SDA)