Column After the lean years, it's time to invest again. Publishers are once again doing it in the wrong place. After five lean years - with advertising down by 30 to over 50 percent at leading A daily newspapers (please never forget!) - publishers and, above all, editorial teams are stretched to the limit. In concrete terms, this means, for example, that the culture section of a leading regional newspaper with high content standards still has a budget of CHF 400 per newspaper page for freelancer fees (image and text). Contributions that would take a normal cultural journalist one working day to produce are then remunerated with 300 francs. The head of department of a medium-sized regional newspaper tells me about freelance journalists who attend an evening event, write the report that night and then receive a fee of 150 francs! But the publishers of these newspapers applaud reliably when someone on a podium says that quality journalism will save their species. What constitutes quality? Careful research, of course. Which, of course, is of little use if I'm not reasonably well versed in the subject in question. What and who should I ask if I don't know what's important, for example when it comes to investing? Where should I even start my research if I have no idea about the mechanics of managing pension fund assets? And how should I categorize the information I have researched if I find it difficult to read and interpret a balance sheet?
"Good afternoon, you have a scalpel here. No one else is here at the moment. Would you mind performing this heart operation?" Or: "Take a seat! This is a cockpit. Please fly this jumbo jet to London quickly!"
"Okay, I'll give it a try..."
Too many average Swiss journalists handle dangerous instruments and control big boxes without having learned how to do it properly. They lack the prerequisites, the time and the budget to acquire these prerequisites in a suitable form. A suitable form means training, further education, maintaining contacts outside of the daily news in the form of reading, discussions with contacts and attending conferences. Means specialization in key dossiers. Does not necessarily mean becoming an expert yourself, but at least being knowledgeable enough about the subject or industry to be able to ask questions that are taken seriously.
Publishers and, above all, journalists would be shocked if they could listen to how they, their competence and their reputation are judged in the boardrooms. As a rule, the problems are then delegated to the ever-growing guild of press spokespeople, spin doctors and façade cleaners. Their task is clear: feed the dragon, but keep the stupid gang at bay. Of course, the aim of the interested parties is not public information or even clarification of the context. Rather, peace and quiet for undisturbed business.
Even the most capable and informed journalists will always be forced to reduce complexity and radically simplify facts. If they then have to do this under the prevailing working conditions - without in-depth knowledge of the dossier, under time and budget pressure - the consequences are inevitable, which run exactly counter to the quality that is supposedly aimed for through in-depth coverage. They can be influenced. And the herd follows the leaders. Monumental errors of judgment occur in series, sometimes with tragic consequences for those affected. Although the Swissfirst case has not yet been clarified down to the last detail, it has the potential to become a prime example of this undesirable development.
So, what now? After the lean years, it's time to invest again. I fear that publishers are once again doing it in the wrong place. The fact that everyone now owns a wonderful, state-of-the-art newspaper printing plant has dutifully impressed us. The fact that most publishers have missed out on the two big areas of success in the past - the networks and search engines - is somewhat less so. This experience will probably not prevent them from investing huge sums in the wrong things again, currently in the material battles in the free press field. The money for this is still being earned with the traditional titles, but they are being cut to the bone in terms of intellect and personnel. There is then a lack of funds for more and more competently staffed editorial positions, for personnel development, management training, basic and further training and for decent salaries.
The industry is well on the way to eating its own seeds. En Guete!
Karl Lüönd is a freelance journalist and author

 A good piece of meat, a slice or two of cheese, two halves of bread and a spoonful of ketchup - and you have one of the most popular Western foods. Now the good cheeseburger, which has been a standard offering in every fast food establishment for decades, is becoming a dangerous weapon in the battle between the system catering giants. As the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Wednesday, Burger King is planning to attack its competitor McDonalds with an unbeatable double cheeseburger offer. At the beginning of the year, the extra-cheesy hand-held meal will initially be offered in three branches at a price of just one dollar. A reaction to the success of market leader McDonalds' low-price promotions. "In our opinion, the one-dollar double cheeseburger is our competitor's most powerful weapon," the newspaper quotes from the secret battle plan of Burger King's marketing boss. And that is why they are now firing back: The cheeseburger from Burger King is said to be far superior in size to the model from the golden seagull. Whether this is biological warfare is extremely uncertain.

With his AudioP, Anton Fessler wants to sell messages set to music via the Internet at ridicule prices instead of spot prices.
Reading in the car is easy for passengers - but impossible for the man or woman behind the wheel. So how does someone use their time sensibly to absorb information when they are on the road for five hours a day? Anton Fessler was approached by an acquaintance in the banking sector with just such a need. The stock exchange trader said that he would like to listen to the early morning reports instead of reading them for a change. This gave Fessler the idea that a tool should be developed to communicate information not just in black and white, but with audio files in a similarly cost-effective way. "At some point, it will no longer be possible to inform people just by eye," was a logical consideration for Fessler, who realized that the ear is still used far too little today to absorb targeted information. There are already audio books. However, they are usually elaborate and too expensive for everyday messages. There are also specialized companies that sell podcasts with music and jingles. However, the production costs and delivery times are not yet very attractive. This is how Fessler finally discovered his gap in the market: "We want to offer simple audio documents in the shortest possible time at reasonable prices."
Fessler's start-up AudioP, founded in May, makes use of the ever-expanding possibilities of the Internet and cell phones. The customer uploads a written text to www.audiop.ch. They then select the language: German, English, French or Italian. A second click selects the delivery time: 24 hours or 2 to 5 days. A third step determines the quality "basic" or "professional". The fourth selection decides how the file should ultimately be delivered.
With the "Mobile phone number" solution, the recipients of the message receive a summary of the audio file and a telephone number by SMS. The file is automatically played on this number. "Depending on the client, this can be a free number or a value-added number," explains Fessler. And who needs it? "Banks can send their customers investment tips by cell phone, for example," says the young entrepreneur, noting that there is already a tangible need for this. With the second option, "cell phone download", Fessler sees rapidly growing opportunities thanks to the new generation of cell phones with iPhones. AudioP or the customer himself sends a link via SMS, which is used to save the audio file on the target audience's cell phone. With the third delivery option, "Audio CD", the message is sent by post on a CD. This service extends the delivery time slightly. It is therefore mainly used for longer-term projects such as e-learning or product presentations. Here too, AudioP can already serve an interesting customer: An internationally active manufacturer of construction machinery has had CDs with various product information recorded for its sales representatives. The representative listens to these "brochures set to music" to get in the mood or as a refresher while driving to customers. Coca-Cola is also interested in using such CDs in future to inform its sales representatives about news from the head office.
The fourth option for delivering an audio message with AudioP is the "link download". A link is sent by e-mail, which the customer can use to download the audio file from a protected server.
None of this is completely new. What is new, however, are the prices at which AudioP can offer its services. Thanks to largely automated processing via the network, the "basic" model can be offered from as little as 166 francs. At AudioP, Anton Fessler works with a network of voice-over artists who have set up their own sound booth at home. The job can therefore also be worthwhile as a side income for an actor. Fessler believes that the ideal length for an audio file is no more than five minutes. For such short takes, the effort for the speaker is too great to go into a studio. Having your own booth makes the offer cheaper - and the technical quality is still guaranteed.
Anton Fessler got the idea for this company during his time at Venturelab. As a coach at this organization in St.Gallen, he advised various start-ups on their foundation and in the start-up phase. "Why not change sides for a change?", he said to himself last spring, as Fessler has always felt like an entrepreneur. In his youth, he gained his first management experience with the Scouts. He later studied business administration at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur (ZHW), where he founded an "Association for the Promotion of Entrepreneurial Students".
Anton Fessler currently still runs his AudioP as a one-man show together with a network of freelance speakers. However, the company is broadly based with a board of directors from the young entrepreneur scene and illustrious investors. These, as well as a few customers with top brands from the luxury goods to mass-produced goods sectors, believe in the future of AudioP. "With the development of the new generations of cell phones, our idea will also be suitable for the masses," Fessler is convinced. "With an iPhone, you can simply surf to a website that is already technically optimized for our idea."
As far as advertising applications are concerned, Fessler believes the best time is yet to come. When budgets for expensive commercials or large advertisements become tighter, the message on the cell phone remains a cheap solution. In addition, success can be measured in very concrete terms. "You can include an audio file in an ad with a link or bee tag. If this is called up, the ad has had its effect. The idea then works like an electronic coupon," says Fessler, looking forward to future developments.   
Andreas Panzeri 
 

 
This year's marketing yearbook from Künzler Bachmann Medien in St. Gallen focuses on values in company management, brand development and management and, in this context, gives Switcher founder Robin Cornelius a chance to speak. According to a press release, the topic of values is about how companies will communicate with their customers in the future and about trends that could determine marketing. The 286-page book also focuses on the network society, social bookmarking and grassroots campaigning, the meaning and purpose of competitions, the potential of digital magazines, the benefits of text mining and dialog marketing in all its facets.

 The rail strike in Germany may be tarnishing Deutsche Bahn's image, but it is also generating above-average income from online advertising. Because many more customers are visiting the Bahn.de website to find out about the effects of the strike, user numbers are soaring. The rail company is benefiting from advertisements that are displayed on the site, as Werben & Verkaufen reports. However, Deutsche Bahn does not wish to disclose the amount of additional revenue. According to the online marketer Orangemedia, which is responsible for Bahn.de, some advertising customers have increased their investments in current campaigns due to the current situation.

The Swiss ski factory Stöckli is changing its brand name to Stöckli Outdoor Sports and wants to reposition itself as a competent sports equipment supplier with its own points of sale and a year-round product range. With an independent TV concept, the company is now venturing into national television for the first time in its history, according to a press release. The commercial, developed and realized by the advertising agency BMB, shows two mountains making fun of the often ill-equipped winter sports enthusiasts. The TV campaign will now run for four weeks on SF1 and SF2.  
Responsible at Stöckli Swiss Sports:

Beni Stöckli (Head of Services) 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 Uli Scheper (Markenfilm (Schweiz) AG). Animation: Animationsfabrik GmbH, Hamburg. Director: Kay Woitas. Photography: Thomas Ulrich (Visual Impact GmbH, Interlaken). Media: Caroline Nünlist and Thomas Rüttimann (ZipMedia GmbH, Zurich).

The campaign for the Graubünden regional brand from Jung von Matt/Limmat was launched on October 30. The first works for the partners Davos Tourismus, Klosters Tourismus and Davos Klosters Bergbahnen are now appearing. In this winter campaign, the Grisons ibex makes another appearance. Just in time for the first snow, this time he invites snow sports enthusiasts to Davos and Klosters. Covered in deep snow, the Graubünden heraldic animal speaks from the white masses and conveys the message that the season can begin. Posters are used as part of this campaign and a commercial has been supporting the start of the season in Davos-Klosters since November 16, 2007. Campaigns and promotions by other partners of the Graubünden regional brand will follow. Responsible for the Graubünden regional brand:

Gaudenz Thoma (CEO), Gieri Spesch (Head of PR/Brand Management), Mike Frei (PR/Brand Management). Responsible at Davos Tourismus/Klosters Tourismus/Davos Klosters Bergbahnen: Béatrice Merlach (Head of Marketing), Bettina Bolliger (Marketing & Events), Marika Zanoletti (Marketing & Sales). Responsible at Jung von Matt/Limmat:
Alexander Jaggy, Michael Rottmann (Creative Direction), Fernando Perez (Art Direction), Livio Dainese (Text), Christina Baeriswyl (Graphics), Rolf Helfenstein, Claudia Camenisch (Consulting), Didi Knall, Ilonka Galliard, Erasmo Palomba (FFF/Art Buying), Hannes Kutzler (Photography), Artbox (Animation), Markus Zeugin, Florian Frank (Camera), Jingle Jungle (Sound Design).

 
The communications agency Rod is developing and programming the Informatica 08 online portal. Informatica is a series of events and training courses designed to introduce teenagers and young adults to the subject of computer science and to interest them in science as a possible career field. The background to this commission, awarded by the Year of Computer Science Association, is the lack of trained computer scientists in Switzerland. Informatica 08 - the Year of Computer Science" was launched by the Swiss IT associations under the patronage of Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard:
Verein Jahr der Informatik; Project management: André Golliez, Jacqueline Schleier, Sebastian Horat. Communications agency: Rod Kommunikation; Design: Kobebeef; Programming: Wyona, Photography: Florian Kalotay & Gian Paul Lozza.

 
The screenwriters' union strike in the United States, which has been ongoing since November 2, 2007, is likely to lead to a shift in advertising spending away from television and towards other media if it continues for any length of time. As Adage.com reports, the strike means that scripts for short-run TV series, talk shows and soap operas in particular are not being produced, meaning that no new episodes can be produced. Due to a lack of new material, various stations have already started to broadcast reruns, which has led to a slump in viewer numbers for talk shows such as "The Tonight Show" and "Saturday Night Live". For this reason, media agencies are already thinking out loud about looking for alternative advertising space for their clients in cinema, radio and digital and print media. With the Christmas season just around the corner, the problem of falling viewer numbers is becoming even more acute. The retail business is so dependent on fourth quarter sales that advertisers can't afford poorly invested ad time, Horizon Media's Eric Blankfein told Adage.com. So far, according to various media people, there has been no shift of ad time to other media. However, this will change if the strike continues. Cinema, radio and the like will be happy.

 
On Tuesday evening, the winners of the Edi.07 were announced at a festive awards ceremony at the Schiffbau. The first three places in the Commercials category went to spots from the agencies Contexta, Jung von Matt/Limmat and Publicis. The spots from Contexta and JvM/Limmat each won a special Edi. 
This year, around a third more films were registered than last year. According to the organizers of the Edi, this testifies to the state and importance of audiovisual production in Switzerland. The fact that the FDHA, the Federal Department of Home Affairs, and in particular the Federal Office of Culture, has been the patron of this competition for the past eight years also shows that the "Eidgenössische" of the commissioned and advertising film industry is an event of national importance.
The year 2007 produced the most extensive shortlist in the show's eight-year history, which raised the bar even higher for a win. The show was hosted by
Dieter Moor, who as an organic farmer also took on the role of audience cheerleader. Around 600 guests were present at the awards ceremony, with the winners in the Clips&Trailers category:

Gold
"St. Helvetia" a music clipDas Kollektiv GmbH for music distribution world records
Silver
"Red Head Speedskater" a clip with fast-paced animationKompost Productions for Sahrathan Records
Bronze
"Dutti the Giant" a movie trailerPlan B Film GmbH for Frenetic Films / Ventura Films
The winners in the Corporate category were:

Gold
"Selma!", a film about human rightsBase Court for EIP
Silver
"The solution behind the solution" an image filmNew Identity Ltd. for Bühler AG
Bronze
"Zwischenspiel" an information filmBlush Films GmbH for SBB
The winners in the Commercials category were

Gold
"Thank you" from the family sitcom "Beck&Bondi "Contexta for Swisscom Fixnet AG
Silver
"Campari Soda" by SwissJung von Matt/Limmat for Swiss International Air Lines
Bronze
"Rübli" by MigrosPublicis for the Federation of Migros Cooperatives
Special Ed. were awarded for:

Idea, concept, script
"Female circumcision", an awareness campaign Playground Media Productions AG for the Swiss Committee for UNICEF
Direction
"Interlude "Blush Films GmbH for SBB
Camera
"Thank you "Contexta AG for Swisscom Fixnet AG
Post-Production: Visual Effects
"The move", a fully animated clip seriesPush'n'Pull Communication for Billag AG
Post-Production: Visual Effects
"Endlich Nichtschwimmer", a music clipKompost Productions for Yo Mama Records
Post-Production: Music & Sound Design
"Campari Soda "Jung von Matt/Limmat for Swiss International Air Lines
You can read the details about the winners of the Edi.07

download (client, names of all creators, reasons of the jury)

Radio 1 has once again announced new additions to the team: The editorial team will be strengthened by Ales Kral, Silvan Grütter and Daniel Plain. The 49-year-old Ales Kral was editor at Radio 24 for many years, including two years as editorial director. He then worked as a freelance editor for 20 Minuten and as a copywriter for various publications. The 39-year-old Daniel Plain was editor at Radio 24 and has been deputy editor-in-chief there since 2007. Silvan Grütter currently writes for Blick. He started his career as a presenter at Radio Zürisee, then as a video journalist, presenter and producer at TeleZüri and TV3. The 37-year-old was then editor at Schweizer Illustrierte, Sonntagsblick and most recently at Blick. According to the press release, the Radio 1 program team should be largely complete by the end of the month.

 Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin has raised his index finger at the media: He considers it dangerous for the media to focus solely on circulation and ratings. Credibility suffers as a result. "Credibility is the added value of the journalist," Couchepin explained on Tuesday at a journalists' conference in Lausanne. Credibility in journalism arises from a "combination of ability and will". On the one hand, it requires knowledge, culture and experience. On the other hand, you also have to want credibility. "One without the other doesn't work," said the Minister of the Interior, according to SDA.
It is dangerous to try to influence events without basic knowledge and only aim for the highest possible circulation or viewing figures. Couchepin believes that quality newspapers have a future, despite the competition from free newspapers. However, this requires a good mix of credibility and success.