The US shareholder advisor ISS recommends accepting the proposals of the British hedge fund Laxey at the Publigroupe Annual General Meeting. ISS clearly supports the principle of "one share, one vote", said Institutional Shareholder Service (ISS) in a recently published recommendation to shareholders on the occasion of the Publigroupe AGM on April 30, according to SDA. Precautions against takeovers, such as restrictions on voting rights, serve as a hurdle to prevent inefficient managers and board members from being replaced.
Publigroupe spoke out against abolishing the voting cap a week ago. The Lausanne-based company cited independence as a key element for the company's success. Laxey, which is also a major shareholder in Implenia, has held a 4.98 percent stake in Publigroupe since February, according to the latest information.

 The Vaud-based technology group Kudelski can breathe a sigh of relief: the German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere will remain a customer of the TV encryption expert for its cable customers for the time being. Security vulnerabilities were discovered at the beginning of the year. Hackers had cracked the Kudelski encryption program. This led to a loss of revenue for Premiere. The Munich-based company threatened to switch providers as a result (see
). Kudelski and Premiere have now confirmed their collaboration until 2012, and the contract can be extended by Premiere until 2015, according to a joint press release issued on Tuesday. Both companies were convinced that they could "adequately" close the security gaps with the new generation of smartcards.
However, Kudelski will still have competition: the Premiere program broadcast via satellite will in future be encoded using Videoguard technology from the company NDS. NDS is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Murdoch recently acquired a 22.7 percent stake in Premiere. According to SDA, analysts assume that Premiere will test the two systems in parallel operation and select the better one in a few years' time.
Due to the loss of sales, Premiere also wanted to negotiate with Kudelski about claims for damages. However, no details were given on Tuesday.

 The Swiss Advertising Association criticizes measures from the National Tobacco Programme 2008 to 2012, which was drawn up by the Federal Office of Public Health. The association naturally agrees with the goal of reducing the number of tobacco-related deaths and illnesses in Switzerland. However, it takes issue with the planned advertising restrictions, according to spokesman Piero Schäfer. The association finds advertising restrictions disproportionate in view of the fact that cigarette consumption has been falling for years. For example, the proportion of smokers among young people fell by 20 percent between 2001 and 2006, without advertising restrictions being in place during this period. This proves once again that advertising does not influence consumption in the way claimed, the SW concludes in its statement. It also finds it disturbing that advertising should be subject to partial restrictions, which primarily affect billboard advertising due to various cantonal laws. An anti-smoking study by the World Bank even states that partial bans on cigarette advertising have little effect on smoking. The SW refers to the self-restriction that the industry has imposed on itself with regard to smoking advertising and argues that the warnings on the packets and in the advertising serve to prevent and inform. Advertising bans, on the other hand, could lead to tobacco companies shifting their marketing efforts to other areas: If they are denied the classic method of communication, they will activate other channels, fears the SW. It would be naïve to assume that the industry would abandon communication measures for what is still a legal product. According to the association, this "communicative underground" is not in the interests of prevention.
Swiss Advertising also opposes the fact that the Federal Administration and Federal Council always refer to European law when it comes to the introduction of new standards. The statement goes on to say that creating the impression that one must inevitably adapt to European law is "dishonest, questionable in terms of democratic policy and likely to further undermine trust in the federal authorities". The association finds the increasing cantonal advertising restrictions equally difficult: They have led to total legal uncertainty, as it is forbidden in one canton what is permitted in another. Swiss Advertising therefore believes that this federalist approach is "not expedient" and therefore rejects cantonal bans.

The psychologization of society is progressing. The relevant magazines are booming, psychotests in the colorful press and on equally colorful websites are popular. Of course, this development does not stop at advertising: the Rorschach test, invented by a Swiss psychiatrist in 1921, is at least a popular stylistic element in commercial communication. Ogilvy Interactive uses it to advertise Alfa Romeo. The creative youngsters used the psychological diagnostic tool in an entry for this year's "Only an ad can do that" competition. And a look at advertising history shows that the color blobs, which are controversial among psychologists, were already used in a car ad in 2006: JWT+H+F used them to advertise Mazda. And at the time, it was not the first creative workshop to use the motif for advertising. Why might that be? Are the inkblots such universal symbols as the shape of a heart, the Statue of Liberty or the Egyptian pyramids? Maybe it's simply because of all the psychology drop-outs who have dropped out of university and are now working in agencies. JWT+H+F for Mazda:

Ogilvy Interactive for Alfa Romeo:

 Although the Swiss Press Council is perceived as competent and fair, its impact on day-to-day work is rated as low. This is the result of a new study. The self-regulatory body of the media is considered to have more understanding for the work of the media than the judiciary due to its professional competence, as the Press Council announced on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the media professionals surveyed do not want to grant it any sanctioning powers.
And although the Press Council is regarded as fair and competent, its opinions are hardly ever discussed in editorial offices. At the same time, however, the body's function as a "guideline" for the rapidly changing industry is considered important and desired.
Focus on advisory functionAccording to the study, the Press Council should make its advisory function better known. In addition, the code of professional ethics and the guidelines should be more closely linked to the quality assurance and reflection processes in the editorial offices.
The study was conducted by the Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM) at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the Swiss Press Council Foundation. Last year, 50 deliberately selected "skeptics" and "euphorics" from the participants in an online survey were interviewed in depth.
Binding conclusions have not yet been drawn, writes the Press Council. It now wants to wait and see whether or not the currently discussed inclusion of the SRG and publishers in the foundation's sponsorship comes about.

 
The Elternet.ch website developed by Dialog Lucky Lack guides parents and educators through the jungle of the Internet, cell phones, games and the like and offers them comprehensive information on the new information and communication technologies for parenting. It also gives them the opportunity to exchange ideas with other parents on questions of parenting in the digitalized world. An advisory board of highly qualified specialists from various fields will monitor the accuracy of the content, according to a press release from the dialog agency. The independent project is the result of a private initiative led by the main initiator and independent communications consultant Nadia Garcia.

 The youth station Radio 105 is launching three new web radio channels. 105 House is intended to bring the sound of the clubs to the radio. 105 Latino offers a non-stop mix of salsa, bachata, merengue and reggaeton for all Latino fans. And with 105 Italia (Radio Centocinque), an Italian station can be heard via the Radio 105 website. 105 Italia is a partner station of Giuseppe Scaglione's radio and, according to his statement, "the most legendary radio station in Italy"; the satirical program "Lo Zoo di 105" is the most listened to radio show in Italy. A mix of music, news and radio shows can be heard on the station.

 
The agency Baertschi, Meroni & Bolleter is launching a continuation of the campaign it created in fall 2007 for the Swiss sporting goods supplier Stöckli. While the winter range was advertised at that time, the summer range is now to be made known to a wide audience. According to the agency's press release, the summer range consists of an extensive assortment for a wide variety of sports. The newly developed
spot shows the two talking mountains already familiar from the winter campaign. One of the two is being pampered with a back massage by a mountain biker. The TV campaign is now running for five weeks on SF 1, SF 2 and selected local TV stations. 
Responsible at Stöckli Swiss Sports:

Beni Stöckli (Managing Director) and Sepp Odermatt (Head of Marketing). Responsible at BMB: Flavio Meroni and Markus Rottmann (creation), Christian Baertschi and Marion Schwager (consulting). Production: Heinrich Reinacher and Natalina Zainal (Markenfilm (Schweiz) AG). Animation: Animationsfabrik GmbH, Hamburg. Director: Kay Woitas. Media: Caroline Nünlist and Thomas Rüttimann (Zipmedia GmbH, Zurich).

 The two agencies Scholz & Friends Zurich and Krieg, Schlupp, Bürge/Springer & Jacoby (KSB/SJ) are also among the finalists at the One Show Festival in New York. Scholz & Friends Zurich can hope to win precious metal with a work for Zauberladen Zürich. The guerrilla film campaign
"How-the-heck-did-this-card-get-into-your -pocket?" aimed to introduce people to the fascination of magic with a simple but effective card trick. KSB/SJ made it onto the shortlist with its "Monster" campaign for bed specialist Finetra. The coveted one-show precious metal will be awarded during the festival week from May 5 to 9 in New York.

 
The Coop Naturaline brand has been around for 12 years. With the current spring and summer collection, the wholesaler wants to prove that fashion and fairness, or fashion and organic, do not have to be opposites. With Naturaline, Coop offers textiles made from organic cotton that are produced and processed according to very strict social and ecological guidelines. The campaigns are developed by the Zurich agency Krieg, Schlupp, Bürge/Springer & Jacoby. The three fall ads from last year are now being followed by two spring ads. With headlines designed to get to the heart of Naturaline's special features with a certain nonchalance and lightness, according to the agency. Without concealing the fact that organic fashion from fair trade has to fulfill one thing above all else in order to be worn: It has to look good.
The advertisements are currently appearing in the national general press and in selected women's magazines.
Responsible at Coop:
Jürg Peritz (Head of Marketing/Procurement), Sandro Corpina (Head of Category Management Textiles), Jürg Kräuchi (Head of Advertising Coop City).Responsible at KSB/SJ: Uwe Schlupp (CD), Anita Kummer (AD), Marion Lim (text), Barbara Lagger, Christoph Bürge (consulting management), Laurence Bolinger (consulting), Adriana Stepanov (DTP), Lilo Killer (art buying), Frédéric Auerbach (photo), Detail (image processing), Coop Media and Initiative Media Western (media).

 
Natürlich, the magazine for nature, health and society, has had both its Internet and advertising presence redesigned. With the aim of further increasing its readership of 227,000 readers per month, the magazine commissioned the Zurich-based agency am Wasser to develop a new campaign.Natürlich is 30 years old and, according to a press release, is as fresh as its readers following its redesign. According to the agency, this is also due to the fact that topics relating to a healthy lifestyle have always been presented in a relaxed, lively and consistent manner with many services.
The new advertising campaign programmatically positions the monthly magazine as a source of quality of life. With realizations that leave no doubt that a healthy lifestyle and joie de vivre have a lot to do with each other. The campaign can be seen in consumer magazines and daily newspapers from April 2008.
Responsible at AZ Fachverlage:
Irene Frei (Publishing Director), Peter Jauch (Product Management). Responsible at Agentur am Wasser, Maeder & Partner Werbeagentur: Ruedi Maeder (CD/Text), André Juchli (AD), Sonya Fricker (Consulting).

Double pressure around the Zurich Böögg at this year's Sechseläuten. Not only was the whole of Switzerland waiting for the shortest possible time until the explosion so that we could enjoy the best possible summer in 2008. However, they had to be patient until the last firecracker on the Böögg, which had been burned down to the stick, finally exploded. There was also a lot of excitement behind the scenes. Pius Walker and his client Maxiprint were just as eagerly awaiting the bang as the starting signal for another super-fast advertising campaign. "Maxiprint.ch: No one prints faster" is the well-known claim from previous campaigns. Now the promise has been kept once again. A few seconds after the Böögg lost its head, over 10,000 flyers rained down on the audience at Zurich's Bellevue in addition to the real rain.

In addition to the exact time of the explosion "18:26", the scraps of paper also bore the appropriate weather forecast
"Schmuddelsommer" was printed for the expected summer. On the back of the flyer, spectators discovered a voucher for a Sechseläuten bratwurst in the "Vorderer Sternen".
The guerrilla action was made possible thanks to an organized exercise with over 15 helpers at what was no longer the "smallest advertising agency in the world". In the print shop, over 100 people worked on more than a dozen printers...
But let's not go there. Of course, the flyers were not printed in real time. Walker had the relevant flyers pre-printed for every minute from 18.01 to 18.35 - in a print run depending on the probability of the explosion. The advertising flyers were then shot over the heads of the astonished crowd with a special cannon quite close to the Publicis agency - where, piquantly, the traditional advertising aperitif was held. The other logistical infrastructure for the campaign was hidden in a small house, which had "Vorderer Sternen" written on it for camouflage purposes and was later converted with a large "Maxiprint" sheet for further information about the guerrilla campaign and the large bratwurst distribution.
This was also a great success under the spontaneously created new slogan: "No one crushed them faster."
Andreas Panzeri