Fellmann, who previously worked as an editor at the Neue Luzerner Zeitung NLZ, replaces Andreas Schmid at the NZZ am Sonntag, who now works for the NZZ. Fabian Fellmann's place in the editorial team at NLZ will be taken by Karin Kälin. She previously worked as a journalist at the NLZ.
Advertising Week: Does it make sense that everything sounds today, Mr. Weiss?
Peter Philippe Weiss: We have to differentiate between acoustic pollution and functional sounds. I understand acoustic pollution to be sounds that are there but that nobody needs or wants and that are simply annoying - especially in public spaces that should actually be protected from noise. Functional sounds are developed specifically for a function and are useful, for example as feedback or alarm sounds. Students on the "Sound Studies" Master's course at Berlin University of the Arts have analyzed the sounds in an operating theatre. They found that an operating theater is a very noisy place to work, bad for the patient and the doctors: plate walls reflect every sound many times over, metal cutlery is thrown onto metal tables, a battery of devices beeps wildly and this beeping is disproportionate to the importance of the devices. The students suggested sloping the operating room walls a little so that there would be no fluttering reverberations and placing rubber mats on the tables to prevent everything from rattling around. They also came up with a proposal on how to organize the sounds of the equipment hierarchically and how to add associative noises and metaphors to some of them, for example the heart machine with a noise that sounds like the beating of a heart. The aim was to create sounds that are meaningful and pleasant. Functional sounds have long been an issue, but not at the design level. That's why most devices just make a "beep", the dumbest possible sound a machine can make. These sounds are neither typographically designed nor do they convey the company's values.
Aren't shrill sounds necessary for alarm sounds to attract the desired attention?
Unfortunately, we are currently surrounded by the most primitive sine tones, which is not necessary. Apparently, companies are not even aware that sounds are a level that can be shaped and are ideal as a means of communication and for branding. A sound can say "attention" without being unpleasant. For example, we have composed alarm tones from ceramic sounds for Duravit's high-quality designer saunas. These sounds, which pick up on Duravit's materiality, do not hurt the ear, but still fulfill their purpose.
Which sounds do you think are superfluous?
Difficult to say. In many areas, it would simply make sense to reduce the volume. In architecture, too much attention is paid to the look and materials, while the acoustic dimension is often completely ignored. The best example of this is the new Berlin Central Station, which is an absolute acoustic disaster. Lots of smooth materials, marble, glass and steel were used, everything echoes and rattles, you can hear train noises everywhere. And the dome is constructed in such a way that it intensifies the sound like a parabolic mirror. It can really happen that you don't hear your announcement on the platform, but the announcement from four floors below blows in your face as if you were standing directly in front of the loudspeaker.
Smartphones can play back sound in MP3 quality. Nevertheless, ringtones and signal tones always have an artificial character and are similar. You can't tell whether you're holding a Nokia, Siemens or Apple device.
I think certain sounds from Apple are very Apple. The SMS sound is alert and fresh, the guitar ringtone and the sonar sound are also well made and have character. Cell phone sounds need a certain penetrating power so that you can hear them when the cell phone rings in your jacket pocket. Apple's sounds work. But Apple is also moving into the mainstream: as an alternative to the ringtones mentioned, you can download songs to your cell phone. But I miss really beautifully designed, innovative ringtones that offer a new sound experience. An overarching sound identity is also missing: these sounds are familiar from Apple, but they don't stand for Apple. Apple should invest in a sound brand. There are moments when the brand could be perfectly communicated through sound, because sound is emotional and immediate. Think of telephone waiting loops, commercials or the stylish Apple Stores. They simply play music or nothing at all. This could create intense brand experiences. Incidentally, this applies not only to Apple, but also to other cell phone brands. If a company offers 20 ringtones, 2 or 3 can be a bit more daring, experimental and memorable. In a quiet environment, it would also be nice to have a ringtone that goes on and off gently and not just - tack - starts and - tack - is off again. Such aesthetics and different sounds would be desirable, a few abstract, original things, if you can already work with samples and MP3. I could well imagine small, fine, appealing clouds of sound. Sound doesn't have to be dry and pseudo-funny, some kind of laughter, squeaking or croaking. Sound can suddenly make a small cell phone big and full of character. And thus also the manufacturer's brand.
How would you like the iPad to sound?
The iPad is still a long way from what it could achieve in the area of sound for companies. Publishers want to create experiences, but they are still thinking in terms of "print". They don't yet realize that they suddenly have speakers. When I open a title's app, nothing happens in terms of sound. The app is silent. Then a short video of a fashion show comes on and - puff - I go from silent to the middle of a noisy event. Once the video is over, it is suddenly silent again. The acoustic side is not designed at all, although sound needs typography and an acoustic layout that works with different levels and is aware of the transitions. In the example, the sound could rise to the level of the movie and transition into the background at the end, without the movie taking longer to watch. These transitions can be designed, you can give the images their sound, depth and spatiality and thus bring the app to life.
Would you also give all the control buttons a sound?
That depends. You would have to find out from the user profile which feedback sounds are really important. Of course, it shouldn't be tedious. If you do a lot of actions, you usually don't want it to sound all the time. An exciting aspect, however, would be dynamic sound design. In this case, the sound that a page makes when it is turned, for example, depends on the speed of movement. This means that there is not always the same sound, which eventually gets on your nerves. I wouldn't generate an artificial sound for the page-turning, but would start from the real sound of the page-turning and thin out this sound a little so that it remains subtle. After all, we don't want to realize that we're holding a machine in our hands. Generally speaking, with an entertainment medium like the iPad, there's simply a difference between tapping on an icon and then just hearing nothing, and a beautifully crafted, subtle, acoustic signature of a company or magazine that heightens the excitement and is continued throughout the entire presentation. We recently created such a sound for the "Beobachter", initially only for a weekly web teaser. However, it will soon also be used for the app and telephone services.
So sounds can be used for brand management. What advice do you have for companies? Do brands have to make music?
Brands and companies do not have to make music, but since companies are already audibly present at many interfaces today, it makes sense to create an acoustic brand element, a recognition pattern. Sound gives brands invisible emotional power and creates added value at the acoustic points of contact. To do this, however, we need less music and more sound patterns, sounds and sound-music combinations. Anyone who creates a brand sound must approach the right result in a multi-stage branding process, must delve deep into the brand, must question the business in which the company operates, what it sounds like, whether it has its own sounds. This results in a sound world in which music can, but does not have to, play a role. Sound is a form of communication that is becoming increasingly exciting. If you work with it precisely, you can strengthen the core of your brand enormously. It's not quantity that matters, but the right sound in the right place: C'est le ton qui fais la musique.
Interview: Anne-Friederike Heinrich
www.corporate-sound.com
What it is about. - How can Hans Hollenstein's party imagine that with this passport photo of Mr. Hollenstein they will convince the majority of voters and he will be re-elected without any problems. But he is not the only one who has fallen prey to this unimaginativeness. All parties ha¬ben a passport photo of their candidates and used empty slogans such as "More freedom", "Proven and committed" or (SVP) "Competently committed, assertive" and (BDP) "Committed, competent, determined".
My thesis: I assume that 80% of the advertising messages are not assigned to the sender and possibly even ignored. The whole thing is an unsuccessful waste of money, from which the billboard companies and publishers are certainly happy to profit.
On Monday after the elections, Mr. Hollenstein was surprised that his advertising had not attracted enough attention or had gone down. No wonder, old man with a moustache and empty words certainly brings nothing. If he at least looked like Reagan or Schwarzenegger, I would have gone for the "portrait" strategy, too. The most effective advertising strategy was that of Hollenstein's employees after the lost election by means of radio interviews. The praiseworthy things they said about their boss would have made a perfect election campaign. But now it's too late.
I'm not just talking here as a moth, I've also invented ideas for a politician before. As the simplest solution, I suggested that he put his political goals of "turning things upside down" into practice and at least have the posters that were already printed hung upside down with additional adhesive.
Finally, he also didn't realize he needed to shave off his mustache to demonstrate the big changes he wants to achieve. It takes courage. Talk has no place in advertising.
Even the advertising for our beloved cars is a uniform mishmash with exceptions. The same applies to fashion advertising from Coop, C&A, Vögele, Manor, etc. If you think away the logo, the same happens as with political advertising, a one-size-fits-all mush. H&M and Tally Weijl are somewhat different.
I'm not really surprised that the advertising is becoming quieter and more uniform. In the end, I met five old, younger advertising colleagues on the street. All of them dressed in coal black from top to bottom according to the advertising motto "Just don't attract attention". My red and green shoe has hopefully left a positive advertising effect on the aforementioned.
The opener this time for me was the aperitif prolongé for Irene Hiltpold's birthday, where I met all the old colorful birds from design, film, photography, graphics, music and art again.
Theophil Butz, once a star advertiser (quote Ringier), now an inspirer and, as of now, a mothballer. "Not an easy role, but a necessary one, which I perform here every fortnight." Please send any relevant information to [email protected].
Of course, this applies especially when riding uphill. As a result, according to an SFLB press release, we’re likely to see a lot of summit climbers on e-bikes in the Swiss mountains this spring.
The campaign will go live in mid-April: on billboards, on public transportation, online, in daily newspapers, and on the radio.
Contact person at M-way: H.J. Dohrmann (Executive Management), Thomas Schröder (Head of Marketing/Communications), Doris Kessler (Marketing/Communications), Adrian Bührer (Online Consulting). Responsible at SFLB: Simon Staub (Art Direction), Diana Rossi (Copy), Peter Brönnimann (Creative Director), Niels Schäfer (Graphic Design), Anna Colby (Art Buying), André Stäheli, Fiona Gottwald (Consulting), Stephan Schacher (Photography), Patrick Rohner (Image Editing). Radio spots: Jingle Jungle.
The agency won the CICD pitch with its "Clouds" concept, including naming, and is now responsible for all marketing communication, as detailed in a press release on Wednesday. The first results of the new collaboration should be on show soon.
The campaign is based on the CCA key visual, the lime. The viewer is told the story of a CCA product, as the agency writes in a press release. Depending on the target group, the new concept can be used to create advertisements that convey appropriate messages. For example, on the subject of eggs.
Responsible at CCA Angehrn: Markus Weiskopf (Head of Marketing). Responsible at Freicom: Karina Swierzy (AD), Peter Liptak (text), Stephanie Degasperi (graphics), Janine Steiner (polygraphy), Silvia Grüninger, Nadine Büchi (consulting).
The media year 2010 was characterized by major uncertainties, the company wrote in a press release on Wednesday. Nevertheless, Südostschweiz Medien reported gross revenues of 135 million, 2 percent higher than in the previous year (132 million francs). Thanks to an internal efficiency, savings and sales increase program, EBITDA improved by 12 percent to 8.3 million francs (previous year 7.4 million francs). Net profit after tax amounted to CHF 3 million (2009: CHF -0.1 million).
According to the press release, the past year was characterized by restructuring. CHF 6 million was invested in new printing presses. The digital offerings in the news area were expanded and the editorial teams were prepared for convergent forms of work in a newsroom with a comprehensive training program. Planning work for the new media building, which is to be built on the Rossboden in Chur by the end of 2013, was also driven forward.
The key figures for daily and weekly newspapers (circulation/readership), radio (listeners) and television (viewers) developed well or remained stable at a high level, according to the report. Despite adverse economic conditions, advertising income in the print and electronic media sectors developed very positively.
You can see the best advertising clips on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 7:45 p.m. in "Die Werbewoche" on Star TV.
Thomas Stutz, himself a trained farmer and active in field advertising for years with the company Greenworks in Althäusern AG, accuses the Astra of official misconduct, abuse of authority, one-sided favoritism and official arbitrariness. He confirmed on Wednesday on request of the SDA a report in the newspaper Schweizer Bauer.
Field advertising - for example at airports or along railroad lines - allows farmers to earn an extra income. Field advertising is prohibited along highways. Andreas Aebi, a member of the Bern SVP National Council, had wanted to lift this ban with a parliamentary initiative. After the National Council initially approved the initiative in March 2009, it wrote off the proposal in March of this year due to legal and material contradictions.
This has now put Stutz on the spot. He criticizes that the Astra allows advertising posters attached to buildings along freeways that have nothing to do with - the permitted - company signage. Field advertising by farmers has been banned, he says, on the grounds that it is within the range of perception of vehicle drivers and could affect their concentration. Stutz does not understand why advertising on buildings or trucks should be allowed, but field advertising should not. In his view, Astra is measuring with two cubits. Stutz supports his accusations with several photographed examples, which he enclosed with the advertisement.
Stutz filed the complaint against Astra via the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. However, the legal service of the Federal Office has not yet received anything, said Astra spokesman Michael Müller on request. Therefore, the office could not yet comment on the matter. (SDA)
> On the same topic in Advertising Week: Throwing in the ink.
Additional savings and efficiency efforts, higher commercial revenues and the elimination of commitments explain this pleasing development, the company writes in a statement. Thanks to the better-than-expected economic situation, advertising revenues increased strongly. Also contributing to the better result were the abandonment and postponement of IT projects and the reduction of distribution costs, according to the statement. The pension fund recovered quickly, eliminating the need for restructuring measures. The budget development was slightly above expectations and brought additional income from reception fees.
The economic environment remains volatile, however, and SRG's financial room for maneuver remains narrow in view of the necessary investments in technology and infrastructure, the statement continues. Barring unforeseen events such as another economic slump, SRG will close 2011 in the black.
Operating result significantly improved
Compared to the previous year, the 2010 corporate result improved by 34.4 million Swiss francs, i.e. from -46.7 million to -12.3 million Swiss francs. Operating income increased by 3.2 percent from CHF 1,563.1 million to CHF 1,612.7 million, mainly due to an improvement in commercial income (CHF +32.2 million) and additional income from reception fees (CHF +15.7 million). By contrast, operating expenses for the 2010 sports year (Winter Olympics in Canada, Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany, Football World Cup in South Africa) showed only a slight increase of 0.3 percent compared to 2009, i.e. from CHF 1608.1 million to CHF 1612.5 million.
Due to the weak euro and the likewise weakening US dollar, the financial result had an exceptionally strong negative impact of -12.5 million Swiss francs (previous year -1.7 million). The operating result improved year-on-year from -45.0 million to +0.2 million Swiss francs and is thus already close to the break-even result targeted for the coming years.
Their efforts are primarily directed against network operators, search engines and friendship portals. "Without content, this infrastructure will remain empty," threatened ZDF Director General Markus Schächter at the presentation of the German Content Alliance in Berlin on Wednesday. Protecting content from illegal use is the most important challenge for the media and creative industries, said Dieter Gorny, Chairman of the German Music Industry Association.
Above all, it is up to politicians to set the framework conditions here, said the President of the Association of Private Broadcasting and Telemedia (VPRT), Jürgen Doetz. The basis for this must be copyright law. The illegal downloading of films and music, for example, posed a threat to the existence of the entire media industry. (SDA)
According to the press release, Landliebe starts with a circulation of 200,000 copies and costs CHF 6.50 for a single copy and CHF 24 for a subscription. The appears quarterly and goes with a circumference of 172 sides to the start. The first issue will be published on Thursday.
Landliebe is a decelerating, romantic and very Swiss magazine that aims to enchant with wonderful photography and sensitive texts, the statement continues. It is intended to convey tranquility, radiate a sense of security and focus on nature. Many service elements and regular columns by respected experts characterize the magazine. Landliebe also devotes each issue to the big trends of hiking and knitting. The family magazine was developed by a small team of Ringier magazines.
> KSB: Launch campaign for Swiss country love
> Ringier relies on Landliebe
