The media pitch at the Finnish Nokia Group has been decided. The company announced today that Carat, a subsidiary of the Aegis Group, will be responsible for global media planning and buying. According to Horizont.net, the budget is estimated at 325 million euros. According to the company, Carat will be responsible for all markets in which the cell phone manufacturer operates.
The previous budget holder is the Group M subsidiary Mediacom from the WPP Group. The handover to Carat is scheduled to take place in the 3rd quarter of 2009. There will be a longer transition period for the Indian and Middle East/North African markets.

In fact, some of our sponsoring partnerships have lasted longer than many a marriage. The secret to these good relationships? Work and commitment. Because every relationship needs work if it's going to stay good. And the commitment has to be genuine. That's why we maintain personal contact with our partners throughout the year and don't forget the nice little things - a thank-you ad or a photo calendar with star portraits are always well received.
More benefits than costs
Above all, the sponsors must have a real benefit from the connection they have made. For us, sponsors are not just financial backers, but an important part of the AVO Session Family. Within this family, we all support each other. This creates a measurable mutual benefit that goes far beyond what can be found in a sponsorship contract. As long as this benefit remains even in times of crisis, there is no crisis in the relationship.
What makes the quality of an event?
Quality and authenticity are crucial for the sponsor - and they cannot be conjured up. There is no playback and no cas¬ting show candidates, but credible musicians and world stars - live and up close. The intimate club atmosphere gives the event a special charm and distinguishes the AVO Session Basel from all other music festivals. Added to this are our long-term advertising concept, strong media partners and an international broadcast thanks to TV transmissions in up to 40 countries on all five continents. Compared to our competitors, we can therefore guarantee our sponsors significantly more attention.
Defying the mood of crisis with innovations
This year's AVO Session Basel will feature an exceptional line-up of stars, but also organizational innovations. Above all, we are catering even more to the hospitality needs of our sponsors. This will turn our partners' customer invitations into very special experiences for their guests. We want to cleverly expand the range of products and services in the sense of a professional line extension, instead of simply offering more of the same. This includes exclusive "money can't buy" activities where guests can experience priceless moments. And they are always worth the price.
Investing tighter budgets in an even more targeted way
2009 will be the year of the CFOs - and of course we too will have to keep an eye on spending and make targeted cuts. But only where it makes sense. If you save in the wrong place, you'll only end up paying for it, and you'll ruin a good brand very quickly. And if the event loses its authenticity, no sponsor will be interested anymore. The fact is: a good image is priceless. Savings can be made behind the scenes, where neither the stars nor the guests, and certainly not the sponsors, notice. Even if you cut costs, it must never be cheap.
In general, it would be a mistake to think that sponsorship is primarily about money. In a conversation with a potential sponsor, financial matters usually only come up at the very end. Much more important is the common goal: a successful event for everyone. If the conditions are right, the result is a genuine partnership that both sides can rely on - in good times and bad.

Matthias Müller (44) is co-founder and president of AVO Session Basel. Already during his apprenticeship, the Basel native founded the concert agency Artsession. Today, in addition to AVO Session Basel, he also runs the event agency Copromotion and is active in various associations. He passes on his knowledge as an event specialist in lectures at the University of Applied Sciences Basel, the Universities of Basel and St. Gallen as well as at Sawi. With his wife and two sons, the passionate sports diver lives in his great-grandmother's house in Münchenstein (BL). More info on www.avo.ch

In 2007, Stress successfully demonstrated with his song "On a qu'une terre" how the power of music can be used to campaign for a better environment. In 2008, the Basel rapper Griot followed suit with his song "Was isch los?". This emerged from an IGSU competition. Griot became a much-heard musical ambassador against littering. That is why the interest group for a clean environment does not simply want to throw the idea for this "Anti Littering Song Contest" on the garbage heap, but is calling for a remake. The competition is being communicated by ViznerBorel. Bands, rappers, chansonniers or jazz musicians who want to compose a potential hit against the careless discarding of litter in public spaces are invited to take part. Songs can be uploaded to www.igsu.ch. A jury of experts will award prizes worth 15,000 francs.
In addition to PET recycling, the IGSU also includes IGORA. This cooperative for aluminum recycling can look back on 20 years of successful work. ViznerBorel is also celebrating this anniversary with a comprehensive campaign. Together with the beverage and aluminum industry, IGORA has developed a well thought-out private-sector recycling concept. It is not based on coercion, but on voluntariness and has led to a "world champion" collection rate of 90% in Switzerland (pan).

The short message service Twitter has postponed planned maintenance work due to the events in Iran. Twitter is one of the few communication channels through which Iranians can exchange news. The work planned for Monday has been postponed in order to maintain the services during the demonstrations followed by the whole world, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said Tuesday, according to SDA. He also denied reports that the postponement had come at the request of the US State Department.
He said it is very flattering to think that the service, which is just two years old, also has such significance in the eyes of the U.S. government. "Nevertheless, it is important to note that the U.S. State Department has no influence on our decisions," Stone said.
The maintenance work has since been carried out, and the Twitter service was shut down for an hour late Tuesday evening (CEST).

Markus Kaufmann has been Head of Communications and Marketing at Abraxas Informatik since June 1, 2009. The 44-year-old is responsible for all overarching external and internal communications and marketing for Abraxas and its subsidiaries. The proven communications and marketing specialist holds a diploma in Corporate Communications Manager (NDS) and brings many years of experience to his new role.
After working in the travel industry, publishing and sports retail, Markus Kaufmann was Head of Corporate Communications at the Zurich software company Netcetera from 1998 to 2005. Then, until the end of 2008, as co-owner of the communications agency cR Kommunikation, he managed, among other things, political communications mandates and national campaigns for clients from various industries as well as from the environment of public administrations.
As a co-initiator of the major Zurich IT conference Jazoon, among other things, Markus Kaufmann has always remained in close contact with the ICT industry. Most recently, he worked as an independent management consultant for communications and marketing, focusing primarily on sustainability issues.

Ruf Lanz has been responsible for Suva's striking prevention campaigns for many years. The creative agency has just won the Swiss Poster Award 2009 for Suva's winter prevention campaign.
Now new subjects on a different topic follow: fair play. Because there is too much fouling on Swiss sports fields. This results in numerous, sometimes serious injuries every year - associated with high costs for Suva. The "Ballet pose" motif is food for thought for all footballers to focus on their playing skills instead of bad fouls. The "Trinkbidon" motif can be used for all sports, including handball and volleyball, for example.
The subjects are used in sports magazines and as posters in the sports environment.

Mitlinks has implemented a new online presence for Saferparty. It now has a new look with adapted lettering and new imagery. The Saferparty website is managed by Streetwork, a youth counseling service provided by the City of Zurich and its social services. Streetwork provides preventative information in the party sector and works closely with schools and youth clubs.

Jung von Matt has struck a chord with the public with its Chocolate chicken, which makes the long journey every day to deliver its fresh egg to consumers. The first commercial from the new umbrella brand campaign has played its way into the hearts of countless viewers since its premiere on April 14, as CD Alexander Jaggy can proudly report. Since then, Chocolate and her animal trainer Tatjana Zimek have not only appeared as guests on "Giacobbo/Müller", but the "Egg Chicken Migros" community has also grown disproportionately on Facebook and YouTube, as Jung von Matt observes.
Of course, the concept works perfectly, as the following film has now also been conceived in this world of humanized animals. "At some point, the animals will give it back to you", the commercial communicates on the subject of sustainability. The Migros TerraSuisse label is advertised. This stands for agriculture with respect for biodiversity. Habitats are deliberately created on TerraSuisse farms. In addition to species-appropriate husbandry on the farm, these guarantee the survival of a large number of wild animals in our densely populated Switzerland. The animals thank us by adapting to humans: No noise is made early in the morning!
Andreas Panzeri

After the film with the chicken, the production company Viking has now realized a new animal film.

In the new Migros commercial, the animals show consideration for humans - out of gratitude for species-appropriate husbandry.

The publisher of the free newspaper .ch, Punkt ch AG, which was discontinued at the beginning of May, has gone bankrupt. The Board of Directors filed the balance sheet, as announced on Wednesday. The investors want to ensure that the employees do not suffer any financial losses.
The Zurich district court will now open bankruptcy proceedings against the company. The case will then be referred to the competent bankruptcy office, the statement continues.
The investors had voluntarily decided to ensure that the employees of Punkt ch AG would not suffer any financial losses. In this context, they are also prepared to make up the shortfall in the pension fund. According to the press release, hardship cases among the workforce have already been settled.
The free newspaper .ch was discontinued on May 4 due to the drastic deterioration in the economic environment. After efforts to save the company had failed, the Board of Directors of Punkt ch AG was legally obliged to file the balance sheet in view of its over-indebtedness. The closure of the newspaper affected 69 employees (61 full-time positions), 20 of whom were hardship cases. There was no social plan for the mass redundancies.
The commuter magazine, which was first published in mid-September 2007, was discontinued after around one and a half years.

Every year, at the beginning of the summer break, publishing house managers enter the circulation and circulation sections of their print titles in a form at www.wemf.ch and submit it for certification. The survey period lasts from the middle of the previous year (July 1) to the middle of the current year (June 30).
This year, publishers are once again performing this ritual, albeit with an important innovation: for the July 08 to June 09 survey period, the free print runs of all titles must be broken down for the first time into the five distribution types of free subscriptions, household distribution, self-service, hand distribution and targeted distribution. The reported figures will then be published for the first time on October 1, 2009.
According to the new regulations (which have been in force since July 1, 2008), "free subscription" refers to regular mailings to free subscribers. "Household distribution" refers to unaddressed distribution in letterboxes. A statement from the commissioned distribution organization is required to certify each of the two delivery types. Self-service" refers to distribution via newspaper boxes or dispensers. In this case, however, returns must be invoiced according to publication dates, whereby Wemf reserves the right to carry out random checks. Manual distribution" refers to distribution via colporteurs, also less returns. Finally, "target distribution" refers to repeated delivery to the same addressees of a target group, whereby this distribution must take place regularly and, depending on the publication interval, for at least three months - for the continuous information of customers or also to acquire new subscribers.
"The new regulation has no impact on either the number of copies sold or the number of free copies. This means that the circulation figures for a title remain comparable with those of previous years," says Roland Achermann, Head of Circulation Certification at Wemf.
Apart from the new level of detail for free circulation, the new regulations, which are available on the Wemf website, will result in a number of other changes. For example, the term "confirmation of circulation by post" will no longer be used in future and all titles will once again be regarded as "Wemf/SW-certified". Furthermore, a new, standardized price model will apply to certification. This is based on a detailed process cost calculation on the one hand and on cause-oriented aspects (such as distribution via several channels, publication frequency) on the other.
Markus Knöpfli

That hurts! Advertising often has more impact than expected, at least if you open your eyes. Anyone who reads articles online will be familiar with this: banners are constantly flashing into your reading pleasure, you just have to look. The reader's brain quickly mixes headline and slogan, the banner becomes a commentary on the editorial article. It reads like this: "Car flies into oncoming lane - Beam me up Scotty". There are combinations for every taste, from macabre to bitterly evil to funny. Admittedly a little wanton. But even keyword professionals are sometimes amazed: is it really too much to ask to think a little more carefully in critical cases? We have compiled the best advertising stumbling blocks of the last two weeks for you. (afw)
Send us the killer suits you have found yourself: [email protected]

The aim of the new disability insurance (IV) campaign is to motivate employers to reintegrate people with disabilities into the work process or to keep them in the work process. This communication task was awarded by means of a competitive presentation - Saatchi & Saatchi won the pitch.
According to the agency, the first works are now on display. The motto is "One job. Two winners." The campaign logo shows fingers forming an "IV". And in French, an "AI" turned upside down. The creative centerpiece of the campaign are recruitment ads - ads that are based on job advertisements and are also placed in the job advertisements. The ads are written from the jobseeker's perspective and address topics such as reintegration, early detection and prevention.
Posters, which also allude to the viewer's situation, and online banners also give the campaign the public presence that the topic demands.
Responsible at the Federal Social Insurance Office in Berne: Angela Fürer (project responsibility), Eva Lang (project management). Responsible at Saatchi & Saatchi: Kaspar Loeb, Beatrix Eichenberger (consulting), Patrick Lienert, Jürg Aemmer (CD), Martin Bettler, Stefanie Ledermann (AD), Patrick Lienert (text), Rahel Witschi, Caesar Eberhard (DTP), Pascal Schaub (strategy), Raphael Zubler (photographer), Reddepartment (image processing), Sota (litho).