Bored executives play mini-golf in their office or know how to perfectly throw a ball of paper in the waste bin. That's what we learned during the last season of the campaign for Alpha.ch. Now Wirz has launched a few new ideas around the first Internet address for Swiss management positions. Alpha.ch from Tamedia is predestined to give good advice to ambitious applicants, said the team of Hanspeter Schweizer and Thomas Kurzmeyer.
This insight has led to an advertising campaign with (for the time being) twelve subjects that can now be seen and read in Tamedia titles. The Alpha team at Wirz Werbung provides valuable insights into career advancement, such as the advice to buy two suit vestons so that one can hang over your chair as a presence marker at all times (tip no. 1). Or to always take vacations on unsuitable dates and then demonstratively postpone them at short notice due to work overload (tip no. 8). All of this well-intentioned advice leads to the simple realization: "If that doesn't help, Alpha.ch will.
The individual motifs were illustrated by Guido Köhler with a twinkle in his eye and at the same time carefully illustrated in the style of industrial instruction manuals.
A light goes on for the clever ones
For working people who can't cheat their way through the day with such tips and therefore often have to work long into the night, Wirz can present a no less cheeky idea. For Jobwinner, the job portal for "normal people" from the Tamedia range, Wirz has installed a light in just one room in an empty office building. According to the ambient idea of Priscilla Kämpfer from Wirz, this installation had to appear as if someone was still working there. For several nights, the Jobwinner.ch recommendation "For better jobs than this one" was projected under the brightly lit window from the building next door using a special projector.
Andreas Panzeri

The Federal Administrative Court has its work cut out for it, as hardly any of the decisions made by the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) regarding the awarding of radio and TV licenses in the 15 areas with more than one applicant are accepted by the unsuccessful parties. There are at least three exceptions: Firstly, there is Tamedia, which swallows the award of the TV license to Tele Top and waives an appeal, but allows Tele Züri to continue broadcasting and roughly doubles its broadcasting area. The same applies to the Valais Wallis TV project: the Uvek decision is also welcomed there, but the existing Tele Oberwallis will continue - in the hope of still being included in the project for the licensed Canal 9. The TV license that the Uvek awarded to Edipresse and La Liberté in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg is also undisputed. "We accept the decision," says Frédéric Piancastelli from the losing company Unicast SA. As his company recently took over the TV music channel TVM3 and launched Rouge TV on the digital Cablecom network in mid-November, it will concentrate on these activities and on operating the licensed radio stations Rouge FM and Lac, said Piancastelli.
However, all other TV areas with more than one applicant remain in question. Günter Heuberger, head of Tele Top and the Tele Säntis project, lodged an appeal against the award of the license to Tele Ostschweiz (St. Galler Tagblatt). AZ Medien, operator of Tele M1 and Tele Tell, is contesting the award of the license to Tele 1, the LZ Medien project, in Central Switzerland. Tele Alf, in turn, is questioning the license for Tele M1, as confirmed by initiator Werner Baumann on request. And in the Jura, Arc TV believes that the concession awarded to Canal Alpha was not legal.
The decisions regarding radio licenses are at least equally contested - or the situation remains uncertain because the appeal period is still running here and there, such as with the ZüriLive project, which had applied for the Zurich city area (smaller license). In any case, its initiator Oliver Flückiger left it open when asked whether he will lodge an appeal against the award of the license to Giuseppe Scaglione's Radio Monte Carlo "in the next few days". However, one thing is clear: Roger Schawinski's Radio 1, which also lost out there, will not dispute RMC's license. Conversely, Scaglione accepts that his 105züri was left empty-handed in the larger Zurich-Glarus area. This means that only Ringier's Radio Energy Zürich will contest the Uvek decision.
It is also known that Schawinski has contested the award of the license to Radios Grischa and Argovia. In Basel, Christian Heeb's Radio RBB is disputing that it was rightly left empty-handed. And in the Jura, Radio LuNe is taking legal action against the licensed Arc FM. No statement was available from the radio projects Meyrin and Léman Local in Geneva. It is therefore possible that an appeal will also be lodged from this side.
Markus Knöpfli

Ruf Lanz has made a model work up quite a sweat for the Sport Factory outlet in the Bally area in Schönenwerd: to dramatize the message that anyone can buy professional ski equipment thanks to the outlet's low prices, the Zurich agency has put a not-so-slim winter sportsman in the skin-tight suit of the Swiss skiati. The claim "Everyone feels like a pro there" is intended to draw attention to the outlet's cutting-edge winter equipment, according to a press release.
Ruf Lanz has been advertising for the outlet since 2002 and has been awarded a Cannes Lion for her campaigns this year, among others. The three subjects can be seen on occasional ads, posters and POS rotairs.
Responsible at Sport Factory Outlet: Peter Wider (overall responsibility). Responsible at Ruf Lanz: Markus Ruf and Danielle Lanz (CD), Grit Wolany (AD), Torsten Maas (text), Michèle Leibacher (consulting). Photography: Oliver Nanzig. Image editing: Patrik Rohner.

For some agencies, the annual ranking by Werbewoche is essential for survival. They want to acquire with it. And many clients can't evaluate creativity themselves. They want to rely on many medals. For other agencies, the ranking is more a matter of prestige. At the top of the podium, it is perhaps a bit more glamorous to work in everyday life. And you play a more important role in industry gossip.
This year, the fact that the Y&R Group has moved up from 4th to 1st place will certainly be a talking point. It should not be forgotten that much of the work was done before CCO Markus Gut joined the company exactly one year ago. The Leica campaign, which also scored international points, was created under CD Urs Schrepfer. Conversely, Markus Gut is still responsible for many points at Publicis. This agency has now slipped from second to fourth place. Jung von Matt/Limmat has risen from 5 to 3. But that would be different if the Mercedes films from Germany had not counted, Markus Ruf reckons. His agency has moved up one place and is now in second place, and the submission of these films would have explicitly led to a new regulation at ADC, Ruf hopes for the coming times of a fairer world.
> Creative Ranking 2008 - Top 10
Well, in pageants, it's often the case that the runner-up earns more money than the actual winner. How this development will play out in the advertising industry will certainly make for many exciting discussions in the coming year. Who will shine with metal and who will also shine in the market?
The large agencies are building up noticeably more. At the same time, a fragmentation can be observed. More and more small specialists are working in grateful niches. Publicis has lost customers, but has also found new and interesting employees to attract new customers. In the "smallest advertising agency", things are getting tight. It is true that Pius Walker has slipped from first place to sixth - exactly the opposite of how things went last year. But a growing team of "young guns" is working at Walker at full speed on newly won budgets.
Advico Young & Rubicam has moved and, at its new location on Hardturmstrasse with four agencies under one roof, is showing unbridled energy for a defense of its newly won top spot. And Markus Gut can report that his crew has already won over a dozen pitches and lost almost none.
Ranking stimulates discussion
Some agencies have decided against the ranking and want to keep the prize money for themselves. "It's nice to have tens of thousands still in the account at the end of the year instead of being invested in worthless tin," says Daniel Matter, who no longer wanted to bid in the scramble for the hard-fought tenth place and didn't co-finance a single competition last year. Newcomer Rod also does not (yet) participate in competitions. Others have threatened the move but have returned to a corrected sporting view that "taking part is more important than winning." It is against this backdrop that the discussion must be viewed as to whether consideration of points is intended to promote a creative elite or more qualitative breadth. Do only the metal awards won by the top count? But aren't the honorary places on the shortlist a sign of quality on an everyday level, when creative compromises are found for "difficult customers".
And actually, the number of employees should also be included in the list, says Markus Ruf. After all, he says, it makes a difference whether an agency with 100 people makes a few hundred points or an agency with a good 20 people makes only a little less.
Epica is no longer counted in the ranking. Although this competition is the only one in which the entrants cannot evaluate themselves, but must present their ideas to a jury of experts consisting of editors-in-chief of the industry magazines. Many film awards such as Edi, Die Klappe and Spotlight should no longer count for the ranking, according to the wishes of a panel of experts made up of top creatives. The quality of these films is already taken into account by the judging in ADC, the leaders believe. Exactly the same could be argued for all other competitions. But if Clio and Cannes remain in, even if these lions - mostly at least - have already won ADC gold, then that again amounts to strengthening the top. And rankings were already meant to award the best in the days of the gladiators. Even if the matter must now be seen more and more in sporting terms.
Andreas Panzeri

It runs and runs and runs: Wirz's constantly surprising campaign for Mobiliar. It's not an easy job to find a new approach every year. But with three new winter films, Matthias Freuler and his team have once again managed to surprise us in an amazing way - to use a deliberate pleonasm.
The movie "Sessellift" shows - or doesn't show, because there is very thick fog - how a couple misses the right moment to jump off the ski lift. As usual, this is explained in the damage report "Dear Furniture...". Wirz has now also been able to add an ambient idea to this spot(t). In some winter resorts in Graubünden and the Bernese Oberland, safety nets have been hung at the end of the chairlifts at the top station, which look deceptively similar to the graph paper in the damage sketches. The Mobiliar logo can also be seen on the net. You can guess the rest.
A second film shows how a car driver rams into a toilet cubicle in a parking lot in a ski resort so unhappily that the toilet and its human visitor are pushed into a rapid ride across the snowy slopes. A third film dramatizes the fact that there is no point in fitting snow chains to the rear wheel of a front-wheel drive car. All films were directed by Ernst Wirz. The sound design was created by JingleJungle. (pan)

> View spot

The international aluminum group Vimetco has chosen Schneiter Meier Külling as its partner for the new annual report. With a turnover of 1.5 billion US dollars in 2007 and 10,000 employees, Vimetco is one of the ten largest aluminum companies in the world. The mandate covers both the content and the visual design concept and realization of the 2008 annual report, which will be published in English. Schneiter Meier Külling is responsible for the annual reports of SBB, Swiss Life, Axpo and Sanitas, among others.

Ticketcorner (TC) is launching a new leisure magazine entitled "More" at the end of January 2009. The name stands for the added value in terms of information and offers that the 68-page magazine will provide, says Christoph Soltmannowski, TC media spokesman and editor-in-chief of More.
The free magazine in tabloid format is published ten times a year with an issue for German-speaking Switzerland (200,000 copies) and for French-speaking Switzerland (50,000 copies). It is distributed via some of TC's 1,400 sales outlets and the Hallenstadion Zurich, and More is also sent to around 30,000 members of TC's clubs and the concert agency GoodNews. In return, TC will discontinue the TicketNews event brochure. The cooperation between Good News and 20 Minuten Week also expires at the end of 2008. Tamedia had terminated this in order to launch 20 Minuten Friday with its own entertainment portal Tilllate.com. Good News, where Ringier is in charge, therefore looked around for new partners.
"In terms of content, More is about everything that Ticketcorner offers," says Soltmannowski. As Switzerland's largest ticketing company cooperates with around 5,000 contractual partners, the range is very broad. It includes pop-rock concerts, musicals and other cultural events, as well as sporting events such as the Ice Hockey World Cup and now also ski tickets. Accordingly, More offers a 20-page event guide, presents bands on a further 20 pages, portrays artists and sportspeople or traces the history of a production. The magazine also contains articles on ski resorts where TC is active, as well as service pages and information on discounts for members.
But how will More differ from 20 Minuten Friday? "More is thematically broader and goes into more depth," says Soltmannowski. In terms of age, More is also "more compatible at the top". Soltmannowski states that the target group is 20 to 50-year-olds - a challenge. "However, as many events actually appeal to all age groups, we believe that it is also possible to address all age groups at a journalistic level," he says.
Incidentally, there is also a project for a leisure magazine within Ringier; it has the working title Brombeer and is "ready to go" in the drawer of Marc Walder, Head of Ringier Switzerland. The weekly title would be aimed at an urban and primarily female audience. But Walder is hesitant: "We have not yet decided whether we will launch the magazine. We also haven't decided on any of the options we've worked out regarding the question of whether the magazine should be free and in terms of distribution."
Markus Knöpfli

To stand or not to stand - no longer a question on "heute journal": from spring 2009, there will be no chairs in the redesigned news studio. Claus Kleber and Marietta Slomka will then present standing up, no matter how stunning the news may be. Financial crisis at the public broadcasters? Or has a spine guru declared war on presenter humps? Editorial director Kleber admits: "I can't sit up straight. Ever since I started my job six years ago, I've wished I didn't have to sit. When I present standing up, I feel more comfortable and can approach the viewers more openly." Slomka also prefers it when she can present standing up. Kleber had previously explained that "heute journal" also wanted to "really step on the gas" in terms of content with the new design of the news studio. Perhaps it was the sitting posture that held back the popular team of presenters until now. We are eagerly awaiting to see whether "heute journal" will make any immediate changes.

The review of the year in A3 format offers nourishing food for the eye as well as exciting texts by Lorenz Keiser, Jürg Dedial and Matthias Remund. "Bestpicture 2008" can be ordered at www.bestpicture.ch can be ordered. The "picture gallery" is also available on the website. There you can pick out selected pictures in various formats and have them produced for private use: from posters to pictures on metal to framed works. Take a look! (afw)

With "Google Zeitgeist", Google has just published the rankings of the most searched words on Google search engines. It is not only the various lists that are revealing, but also the fact that Google writes that they show what Mr. and Mrs. Swiss on the internet were looking for. Of course, this is not entirely correct, as the lists only show what Mr. and Mrs. Schweizer on Google searched. But King Google can be forgiven for confusing himself with the Internet. After all, with a dizzying market share of over 80 percent, you can't always keep a cool head.
Be that as it may, the most searched word on Google in Switzerland is: Youtube. The second (there we go!): Google, number three is video. At least that's the official list. The fact that nothing to do with sexuality is in the top 10 is somewhat suspicious. But never mind. Overall, social network terms are on the rise. The fastest growing terms are Facebook in first place, Netlog in third and YouTube in fifth. Not surprisingly, the most searched-for person in Switzerland this year was Barack Obama. Then comes Roger Federer, a Swiss national, followed by Madonna.
The list is also not short on unintentional humor. For example, the word Homegate (a real estate site) is the 8th fastest growing term, followed by UBS in 9th place. Pure coincidence. Then: the fastest growing term globally was Sarah Palin. You can almost bet that it will also be the fastest shrinking term in 2009. Unless, of course, the charming lady from Alaska with a penchant for nepotism once again involuntarily makes a name for herself. Well, as you can see, the Google Zeitgeist list has a lot to offer - see for yourself itself.

The two Swiss printing companies Ast & Jakob, Vetsch AG in Köniz and Fischer AG in Münsingen are joining forces from next year. The Köniz-based company will hold a majority stake in Fischer from January 1, 2009. No staff reductions are planned.
Ast & Jakob, Vetsch will hold 52 percent of the share capital, as detailed in a joint press release issued by the companies on Wednesday. The remaining 48 percent will remain in the hands of existing shareholders Daniel Linder, Beat Schaffner and Daniel Troxler.
The three will also remain managing directors of the company. They took over Fischer AG in 2005 from the former main shareholder Heinz Fischer. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Fischer AG für Data und Print specializes in magazines and printed advertising material. It is also active in publishing. Together, the two companies employ around 100 people.
From next year, production will be temporarily concentrated in Münsingen. In two years, the companies will then move to a new, joint location. The search for such a location is currently underway.