Publicitas International, marketer of foreign media products for Swiss advertisers, is publishing a new brochure for international print media planning entitled "Publications reaching affluent people of the world". The brochure is a practical tool for print media planning in the lifestyle and special interest magazine sector, according to a press release. The media planning brochures "Most important financial and economic publications of the world" and "Newspapers in Switzerland's neighboring countries (transnational business)" are already well established. All brochures from Publicitas International can be here be ordered.

Schaffner & Conzelmann Designersfactory has been honored with three Red dot Awards in the field of communication design. The Basel-based agency received the seal of quality for two works commissioned by Coop Switzerland, namely the design of a new product range for the under-20 generation and the design of a packaging line for premium kitchen aids. Schaffner & Conzelmann received the third Red Dot for the design of a poster for the University Eye Clinic of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
A total of 6,112 entries were submitted and 471 received awards. The award ceremony will take place on December 9 in Essen.

On September 4, 197 sales specialists were presented with their federal certificates at the Casino Lucerne. The written and oral examination, which was organized by Swiss Marketing (SMC), was completed by 297 candidates in two languages, German and Italian. The youngest participant was just under 21, the oldest 49 years old.
There were two premieres this year, according to a press release from Swiss Marketing: The title "Sales Specialist" replaces the title "Sales Coordinator". This is due to the examination reform of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET). And, more importantly, the 2009 graduates are among the first to receive a European-compatible certificate. Swiss Marketing (SMC) and its training system have been accepted as a new member of the European Marketing Confederation (EMC). This agreement will come into force in the fall. This opens the door to the European labor market for graduates, as Swiss qualifications can now be classified for all employers on the continent for the first time.

Italy's head of government Silvio Berlusconi denies tensions with the Vatican. His relations and those of his government with the Vatican are "as always excellent", the Prime Minister said in an interview with his TV channel Canale 5 on Monday, according to SDA. Berlusconi complained about a "subversive and wild campaign" directed against him with the aim of forcing him to resign and topple the center-right government. The will of the people, who elected him, was being ignored.
The resignation of the editor-in-chief of the Catholic daily newspaper L'Avvenire, Dino Boffo, who had attacked Berlusconi over his private life, caused outrage in Catholic circles last week. The President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Angelo Bagnasco, said that Boffo had been the victim of an "unqualifiable media attack".
Speaking to Canale 5, Berlusconi expressed his conviction that the various scandals to date have not affected his popularity. "I am proud of these first 14 months in office," he emphasized. According to polls, his popularity is at 70 percent. "The majority of Italians would like to be like me and agree with my behavior. The Italians know that Berlusconi protects them from those who want to turn Italy into a fiscal police state," he said. He denied that there was no media freedom in Italy because he monopolized the TV landscape. This is "a joke of this communist and Catholic-communist minority, which controls 90 percent of the newspapers in Italy."

With immediate effect, the new claim "Espresso Felling" will accompany the Italian coffee machine brand Saeco. Espresso is more than just a drink, according to a press release - espresso is a zest for life and the essence of coffee culture, which is loved and lived around the world today, especially in Saeco's home country. This attitude to life is also to be reinforced in Switzerland with the new claim.

The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is looking into the side jobs of SF presenters. The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) has instructed OFCOM to examine the regulations of SRG and Swiss Television and to clarify whether there is a need for regulatory action. This concerns the question of whether the acceptance of secondary contracts is regulated and in what form presenters may derive a personal benefit from their market value, which they have thanks to their work for a fee-paying medium. A week ago, the Sonntagszeitung reported that "SF-Börse" presenter Patrizia Laeri, for example, had been booked for five Swiss Life events. The appearances had taken place at a time when Swiss television news and business programs had repeatedly reported on problems at Swiss Life.

The World Cup qualifying match between Switzerland and Greece, which was broadcast on SF zwei on Saturday, September 5, 2009, attracted a very large audience: Up to 1,139,000 viewers watched the final minutes of the match with the two goals for the Swiss national team. This corresponds to a market share of 61.9 percent.

The daily newspaper Oltner Tagblatt will continue to be managed by Publicitas in the advertising market. The publisher and Publicitas have extended the marketing contracts by one year until the end of 2010, as was reported in a press release on Monday. The renewed partnership also includes the combination of the Oltner Tagblatt with the Zofinger Tagblatt. Both partners intend to regulate future cooperation on the basis of the new Publicitas business model in the course of 2010.

The Olten-based beauty clinic Artemedic has commissioned Stöhlker AG in Zollikon to strengthen its presence and image in German-speaking Switzerland. Artemedic offers customers a comprehensive service in the fields of plastic surgery and dermatology.
Cosmetic surgery such as breast augmentation and hair transplants are no longer a luxury in Switzerland, but a matter of lifestyle, according to a press release from the agency. Over 30,000 cosmetic operations are carried out in Switzerland every year. The fact is that people who feel good in their bodies have better chances in life and at work. The private clinic Artemedic recognized this early on and adapted its services accordingly. With great success, because despite difficult economic times, the clinic knows no crisis. The beauty clinic, which has been part of the Pallas Group since 2003, is already fully booked for months.

Orange8 has a new website. All information on the Biel, Zurich and Constance locations can now be found on one website, as detailed in a press release. The newsroom contains current reports such as specialist articles, news and trends. The service segments are now grouped into the areas of online campaigns, websites, search engine marketing, content, dialog and communities. Performance marketing, Orange8's performance-based billing model, has also been given a place on the website. The agency also attaches great importance to the "News" section. Here, extensive online marketing information such as specialist articles, news and trends are presented in an appealing blog-like format. Success stories offer explanations of important projects. All content is search engine optimized and the website combines the sensible and discreet use of Flash and Ajax.

On September 9, Radio 105's full program will start, and various top DJs, including Antoine, Sir Colin, Mr. Mike and DJ Smash FX, will be playing their sets on FM 105 from Thursday to Sunday.
Thursdays and Sundays are Urban Nights with R'n'B, black music and hip-hop, while Fridays and Saturdays are Club Nights with the entire electro spectrum. "We focus on the one-hour DJ sets and completely dispense with moderation and commercial breaks within the mix sets," says 105 boss Giuseppe Scaglione. Further sets by guest DJs are also planned for the weekly hip-hop program "Dope".

A trend reversal is emerging in the fight against music and film piracy. After decades of anti-piracy groups focusing their campaigns primarily on using harsh messages to draw attention to theft and crime in connection with pirated copies, new campaigns are now emphasizing positive aspects. According to the press release, this is demonstrated by a recently presented anti-piracy campaign in the UK, which aims to convey to the so-called "Generation Y-Pay?" that legal downloads support artists and programs instead of criminalizing users in connection with piracy. The government-backed project uses numerous British celebrities to promote the fight against illegal downloading of entertainment content and replaces the previous anti-piracy trailers, which were entitled "Piracy is a crime" and conveyed corresponding content. In future, the copyright representatives will instead focus on conveying messages such as "You make the films". The new campaign is due to start in November.
The rethink began after recent surveys showed that the industry has not been very successful with its previous measures and needs to fundamentally change its attitude towards the young internet generation, reports the Guardian. According to studies by the Indystry Trust for IP Awareness (Itipa), the 16 to 34 age group is now simply used to content online costing nothing or lives with such an expectation.
"In the general perception, the reference to the illegal has certainly been somewhat overused in the meantime. However, the music industry has always tried to make both the positive aspects and the fact of theft clear," explains IFPI spokesperson Thomas Böhm when asked by Pressetext. Both aspects are important. We want to encourage people to buy music, but at the same time we have to do something about illegal activities.
While 74 percent of the younger generation think it is right to pay to rent or buy a movie in everyday life, for example, only 39 percent believe they should pay for the same content when they consume it online. The new campaign aims to change users' mindsets by highlighting the idea that the money invested secures the work and survival of their favorite artists.