The media are feeling the effects of the slowing economy. Advertising expenditure in the daily press fell slightly in August compared to the previous year. The Publicitas index fell by 0.3 points to 95.3 points. As in previous months, commercial advertising in the national market was less dynamic. Important advertisers such as major distributors, banks and car importers reduced their advertising expenditure. The local market also appears to be faltering, as Publicitas noted. Job advertisements, on the other hand, increased slightly, with the corresponding index rising by 0.3 points to 199.5 points. The index for job advertisements reached a high in May and has remained at a high level ever since.

The Basler Zeitung (BaZ) has awarded the Zurich agency Krieg, Schlupp, Bürge / Springer & Jacoby (KSB/SJ) the contract for its new brand campaign. On the subjects, increasingly wild rumors in the form of headlines circle around a copy of the BaZ. The claim "Read first, then talk" is intended to demonstrate that it is better to read the BaZ than to believe what your mother's friend heard at the hairdresser, who in turn was told by his cousin, who was told by his work colleague. The campaign is intended to show that BaZ offers its readership well-founded, first-hand news.
Several double-page and full-page advertisements as well as a wide-ranging poster campaign will soon be appearing throughout the Basel area. Further topical motifs will follow. Radio spots are also being realized, as well as various below-the-line measures, writes KSB/SJ in a press release on Tuesday. In addition, a digital campaign focusing in particular on young new readers will follow in late fall.
Responsible at the Basler Zeitung: Roland Steffen (Head of Publishing), Harry Zaugg (Head of Advertising Market), Adi Steiner (Head of Advertising), Markus Jöhrin (Head of Reader Market).
Responsible at KSB/SJ: Daniel Krieg, Uwe Schlupp (Creative Direction), Andy Lusti, Beat Egger, Christoph Hess (Text), Mario Moosbrugger, Robin Strebel (Art Direction),Mareike Jansen, Lukas Vetsch (Graphics), Nick Schoberth, Christoph Bürge (Consulting Management), Andrea Walker (Consulting), Nadia Bachmann (DTP). Keystone, Corbis (photography). Detail AG (photography, image processing and litho).

Advertising agency Goldbach Media has taken control of the German media agency Arbomedia and already holds 72.7 percent of its shares. Goldbach is therefore making a mandatory tender offer to the shareholders. The total amount for the acquisition of 100 percent of the shares would be approximately 35 million euros.
According to the press release, Arbomedia holds a leading position in online advertising sales in Eastern Europe. With the integration of Arbomedia’s leading companies in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania, as well as its emerging business in Russia, the company will become the number one player in online media advertising in Eastern Europe, according to a press release from Goldbach Media.
Arbomedia has been listed on the German stock exchange since 2000 and, with 497 employees, generated revenue of 76.6 million euros in 2007. Goldbach Media, which has been listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SWX) since June 2007, increased its revenue by about 19 percent to 237 million Swiss francs in 2007 with 189 employees. Operating income amounted to 17.8 million Swiss francs.

Since signing a deal with the bra manufacturer in January this year, burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese has been on the road as a Wonderbras witness. She was recently seen wearing the 40s-style lingerie she designed herself at the Photos According to Bild.de, she is reported to have said: "I hope that with this new line I can share my passion for sensual, wearable lingerie that brings a touch of glamor to everyday life." Now the American has revealed in a viral spot with the name "The Science of Sexy". The hottest Wonderbra comes out of a test tube, or at least that's how it was meant to be. Her hottest clip was not. "Antiseptic", was the conclusion of one blogger. Judge for yourself.

The two Zurich lawyers Andreas Meili and Herbert Pfortmüller are founding a joint law firm in Zurich as of October 1, specializing in media, communications, entertainment and the arts. The firm, which will operate under the name Meili Pfortmüller, aims to represent national and international clients in all related legal and business matters.
The 45-year-old Andreas Meili was Head of Group Legal Services at Tamedia from 1996 to 2002. From 2002 to 2007, he headed Electronic Media there and was a member of the Executive Board. Since 2008, he has been working as an independent media lawyer. Herbert Pfortmüller, 55, has been an independent lawyer in Zurich since 1990, focusing on media, entertainment and the arts. Among other things, he is a member of the board of directors of Good News.

As part of the revision of the Health Act, the Grand Council of the Canton of Aargau has rejected advertising bans on tobacco and alcohol. Advertising for tobacco products and alcoholic beverages on posters and in cinemas therefore remains permitted. The Grand Council removed the ban proposed by the government from the law by 69 votes to 58.
The FDP and SVP parliamentary groups spoke out against a ban. The SP, Greens and EPP were in favor of an advertising ban. The CVP was divided. The opponents emphasized that the ban would restrict freedom of trade and commerce. Sponsors could no longer be found. From the point of view of the supporters, the protection of young people and prevention should have been strengthened.

The Department of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich has compiled a location report that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the canton in the international competition between locations. It also contains measures to ensure the competitiveness of Zurich as a business location.
The canton of Zurich is an international leader in terms of economic performance. This is despite the fact that more and more competitors are getting involved in the international competition between locations. According to the report, the greatest strengths of Zurich as a business location are its strong financial center, the uniquely high quality of life, the attractive education and research location, the flexible labor market, moderate taxes by international standards and an efficient infrastructure. Companies particularly value Switzerland's political stability and legal certainty.
The report cites the small-scale political structures, which slow down the decision-making process, as weaknesses. Another point of criticism is the high level of regulation, which makes it difficult to quickly adapt the economic framework conditions. The knowledge developed at universities and research institutes is not yet sufficiently translated into new products and services, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.
Measures to maintain and improve the attractiveness of the Canton of Zurich as a business location in the long term include the areas of knowledge location, business location, financial center, quality of life and reputation. The government has coordinated the measures with the legislative objectives for 2007-2011 and would like to use them as a basis for future location promotion activities.

Roger Schawinski's adult station Radio 1 lost around a third of its listeners in August after a good start in the first three months. This was reported by Newsnetz, based on as yet unpublished figures from Publica Data. In June, Schawinski published listener figures for the first time; 110,000 people tuned into his radio station every day in the first three months after its launch. In the summer months - from May 26 to August 25 - the station only reached an average of 81,700 listeners per day.
The figures are surprising, as Radio 1 - despite a smaller broadcasting area limited to Zurich and the surrounding area - was already hot on the heels of its main competitors Radio 24 and Energy Zurich. However, the loss cannot be attributed to the summer vacations, as both rival radio stations have seen a slight increase in listenership in the same period. Apparently, listeners' initial curiosity has evaporated. However, if Radio 1 wins the bid for the larger Zurich-Glarus license area, it should be rid of its worries.
(Image: Keystone)

Axa-Winterthur has hired Assai, an agency belonging to the Wirz Group, for its latest "Box" household insurance campaign. The campaign includes interactive streaming ads on the Internet, advertisements and editorial contributions. At the center is a microsite that can be accessed on Axa Winterthur's website. Under the slogan, "You love it. We insure it." the young target audience is to be playfully involved and convinced of "Box" with an online competition.
In this competition, participants film or photograph a hug that is as original as possible and upload the result to the microsite. They then collect as many votes as possible. The online game "Hugman" also focuses on hugging objects.
Assai is responsible for the conception, realization and production of all advertising media as well as online media strategy and planning. The ad campaign was planned by Initiative Media Western.

The media consulting company and subsidiary of Basler Zeitung Medien (BZM), Keymedia, will also have its own consulting and sales office in Lucerne from October 1, 2008. Florian Blum will head the office. Another Basler Zeitung subsidiary, BZM Werbe AG, will also be present at the new location.
The main aim of Keymedia's new Lucerne office is to communicate its range of services in the print sector, according to a press release issued by BZM on Tuesday. The focus will be on personal contact and individual advice for regional customers and partners.
In addition to the headquarters in Basel and the new office in Lucerne, the two subsidiaries of Basler Zeitung are also represented in Liestal, Aarau and Berne.

The National Council does not want to ban "oversexualized and gender-discriminatory" advertising by law. On Monday, it tacitly rejected an initiative by Heiner Studer from the Protestant People's Party in Aargau, who has since left the Council.
Criminal law already sets certain limits on public advertising with the ban on pornography, the Legal Commission stated in its negative opinion according to SDA. A stricter ban would be difficult to enforce.
The demand for an ombudsman's office is also off the table with the National Council's no vote. In the opinion of the Legal Affairs Committee and the plenary, the Swiss Commission for Fair Trading can intervene more flexibly and quickly than a state body. It considers gender-discriminatory advertising to be unfair.
It was also noted that the cantons and municipalities are responsible for advertising regulations. They could take account of "the different regional sensitivities".
(Image: Tally Weijl subjects are also always good for a provocation. During the 2008 European Football Championships, an advertising streetcar designed by the fashion company was rejected by the VBZ: "too indecent").

At Le Matin, the newsstand newspaper in western Switzerland published by Edipresse, not only will the new concept be implemented on September 30, but there will also be a change in the editorial management. Deputy Editor-in-Chief Ariane Dayer will succeed Editor-in-Chief Peter Rothenbühler, who has led the newspaper since 2002 and increased readership by 33 percent. Deputy Editor-in-Chief will be Michel Jeanneret, who already holds this position together with Dayer.
The 44-year-old is the first woman to head an Edipresse daily newspaper. She once wrote for the news magazine L'Hebdo, which she headed as editor-in-chief from 1997 to 2002. In 2004, she founded the satirical magazine Saturne and headed it until 2006, when she moved to Le Matin Dimanche and later became deputy editor-in-chief at Le Matin Semaine.
Peter Rothenbühler will remain Director of the editorial offices of Le Matin (Semaine, Dimanche and Bleu) until the end of 2008. As of January 2009, he will become Deputy Director of Edipresse Switzerland publications alongside Eric Hoesli, member of the General Management of Edipresse.