In October, private individuals and companies had the opportunity to submit proposals for messages on streetcar roof panels as part of a competition organized by the agencies Ruf and Lanz and Mitlinks (see ). A jury selected 20 of the more than 1,500 entries, according to a VBZ press release issued on Thursday. The winning messages have now been published: for example, an unhappy lover asks his beloved for a second chance, a family is looking for an affordable apartment, and the Salvation Army is being self-deprecating for once: it is threatening to sing if we don't make its pots ring. The winning messages can be seen on the roof panels of Cobra streetcars on lines 4, 9, 11 and 14 from November 20, 2007 until the beginning of January 2008 or from now on.
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Publigroupe is taking over the French companies Bégécom, based in Nîmes, and Annuaires Téléphoniques de Bretagne (ATB), based in Lorient, in their entirety. The two companies publish telephone directories and yellow pages in Lyon and in 13 agglomerations in the south-east, south and west of France, thus doubling the business volume of Publigroupe's Search & Find segment on the French market, the Swiss intermediary announced on Wednesday. The Bégecom /ATB Group has an annual turnover of 6 million euros and employs 60 people.
Publigroupe has been active on the French market since 1997 with Amitel. Amitel publishes 29 local telephone directories in eastern France and has a turnover of EUR 6.1 million. The Bégécom/ATB products are an ideal geographical complement to those of Amitel, according to the press release.

Pleon C-Matrix, the Swiss organization of the European communications consultancy Pleon, is bringing an experienced page maker on board: Johann Mannes is taking over the management of the corporate publishing division with immediate effect, according to a press release issued on Thursday. Pleon C-Matrix has been working with the German creative agency for print and online media Kircher Burkhardt since April 2007. Under the Pleon C-Matrix Kircher Burkhardt brand, the leading Swiss corporate publishing house is to be created, according to the press release. The focus was on the conception of corporate stories, the integration of brand communication and the creation of positive brand feelings. Among other things, he was responsible for the relaunch of the Swissair Gazette as well as the Sabena Passport and LTU magazines. Mannes works part-time as a lecturer and examiner for the SPRI/Swiss Text Academy in the field of corporate publishing and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Text Academy.

 Ringier wants to increase its multimedia activities in future and is aiming to combine media in alliances. In order to bring print and online closer together, an integrated newsroom is to be created at Blick. This is already a reality at Abendzeitung Heute, as Editor-in-Chief Daniel Steil told Werbewoche: the entire editorial team is based in one room and has a clear online-first approach. "We don't have to hold anything back," explained Steil. However, the Heute-online.ch website is not to be expanded into a large news portal like its competitor 20 Minuten. "Alongside the 20 Minuten, Blick, Tages-Anzeiger and NZZ sites, that wouldn't make sense. Current news also comes in on our website via the agency ticker," said the interim head.
To this end, Heute is focusing on community: December, for example, will be declared "Community Month". Every day, the Abendzeitung team wants to organize a special campaign or launch a competition. The aim is to have around 18,500 community members by the end of the year; the current figure is around 17,250, which may seem somewhat modest compared to the competition: According to Tamedia spokesperson Christoph Zimmer, the 20 Minuten community has around 190,000 registered members, although the number of active community users is probably lower. However, it should be noted that Heute has only been on the market since May last year.
According to Steil, Abendblatt has had good success with its community offerings, which is why they are to be further promoted. Steil does not believe that the enthusiasm for communities is a short-lived phenomenon of the Web 2.0 hype: "Such offerings will last longer." That is why he wants to push ahead with further expansion.

The Lausanne-based agency Angebault Portenier has won the global communications mandate for the organization Agicoa, which represents the interests of production companies in the audiovisual sector. The agency beat off competition from two other candidates, according to a press release. The tasks range from strategic planning to the creation of a B2B campaign, I-publications, Internet, online work platform and event concepts. In the area of digital media, the projects will be carried out with Electronlibre, a long-standing cooperation partner of Angebault Portenier.

 The Schweizer Unternehmerzeitung is launched at the beginning of December with a circulation of 100,000 copies. It replaces KMU-Manager, which has been published for 13 years. The reason for the renaming is that the KMU Manager was increasingly often confused with other publications in the SME sector, as Remo Kuhn from the publisher Swiss Businesspress told Werbewoche. "Although we publish the oldest newspaper for SMEs, the confusion was causing increasing difficulties." Now the paper has a new look and has greatly expanded its reporting on economic policy. In addition to expanding the service section, the business newspaper will also increasingly report on innovation, management, controlling, IT and logistics with specialist articles. The editorial team, headed by Sandra Olar, remains the same and is committed to professional journalism.
The newspaper is sent to all companies in German-speaking Switzerland; smaller companies with up to ten employees receive it via their business mailbox. For around 26,000 companies with more than ten employees, the newspaper is sent directly to the CEO.

The Zurich advertising agency Ruf Lanz has launched a new advertisement for Suva Pro, which campaigns for safety in the workplace. It shows a desperate worker bee in a carnivorous plant. This motif is intended to show that even professionals are not immune to accidents, according to a statement from the agency. This is because people often underestimate the dangers in the workplace or overestimate their own abilities. The motif allows Suva Pro to address all occupational groups without raising a warning finger to a specific group. It can currently be seen in consumer magazines and newspapers, and is the responsibility of Ruf Lanz:
Danielle Lanz, Markus Ruf (Creative Direction); Markus Ruf (Text); Marcel Schläfle (Art Direction); Michèle Leibacher (Consulting). Photography and model making: Staudinger und Franke, Vienna Responsible at Suva Pro:
Urs Schaad, Robert Odermatt. 

 The Golden Ear 2007 was awarded in Zurich on Thursday evening. The Hamburg advertising agency Kolle Rebbe convinced the jury with its hidden telephone conversations and won the Golden Ear 2007 for its radio spot series "Bionade". Ruf Lanz won bronze for a series of spots for Sport Factory Outlet. Kolle Rebbe also received the Audience Award. This was carried out for the first time by the Golden Ear together with Radio 24 with a public vote.
In the new category "Other audio and audiovisual advertising media", two entries were awarded gold by the expert jury. Advertising agency Walker from Zurich was once again delighted to receive a prize, winning gold for its auditory mailing. Grabarz und Partner from Hamburg were also recognized for their sound in the Volkswagen Phaeton TV commercial.
In addition, 100 personalities from business, advertising and the press voted for the Radio Advertiser of the Year 2000 - Peter Wider from Sport Factory Outlet won this title for his commitment to radio advertising.
The award ceremony took place in the Zurich Chamber Orchestra House with a good 250 invited guests. Karin Lanz hosted the evening.
 
 
 
The list of winners:
 
The Golden Ear 2007
Category: Food/ luxury food
Advertising agency: Kolle Rebbe Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Simon Kämper, Matthias Strzoda
Consulting: Birgit Heikamp
Recording studio: Studio Funk Hamburg
Sound engineer: Philipp Feit
Speaker: Matthias Strzoda
Client: BIONADE GmbH
Product/Brand: BIONADE
Spot series: "Batteries", "Kurzwitz", "Train", "Bilbliothek"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Wolfgang Blum, Peter Kowalsky
The Silver Ear 2007

Category: IT
Advertising agency: Jung von Matt AG
Text/concept: Tom Hauser
Consulting: Nicole Drabsch
Director: Georg Hahn, Tom Hauser
Recording studio: Hahn Nitzsche Studios
Sound engineers: Georg Hahn, Thomas Nitzsche, Johannes Roeske, Erlend Krause
Client: Alcatel
Product/Brand: Alcatel OTS 853
Spot name: "Reggae"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Martina Arnold
Category: IT

Advertising agency: Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Martin Grass
Consulting: Marc Pech, Lydia Heydel
Directed by: Ralf Heuel, Torsten Hennings
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Torsten Hennings
Client: Arcor KG & Co. KG
Product/Brand: Arcor spam blocker
Spot series: "Dr. Dagogo"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jörg Quehl
Category: Finances

Advertising agency: Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Martin Grass
Consulting: Thomas Eickhoff, Julia Wilhelm
Directed by: Ralf Heuel, Torsten Hennings
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Torsten Hennings
Client: DEVK Versicherung
Product/Brand: DEVK Versicherung
Spot series: "Taxi", "Order"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Engelbert Fassbender, Michael Knaup, Christiane Niehaus
Category: Other

Advertising agency: Scholz & Friends, Hamburg
Text/concept: Marc-Philipp Kittel, Sven Janssen
Consultation: Raphael Brinkert, Sabine Hiersemann, Louisa Wimmer
Recording studio: Hastings, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Oscar Meixner
Client: Queisser Pharma GmbH & Co.KG
Product/Brand: Doppelherz Lecithin
Spot series: "Seat neighbor", "Prom"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jürgen Hennings
 

The Bronze Ear 2007
Category: Trade
Advertising agency: Ruf Lanz
Text/Concept: Markus Ruf
Consulting: Markus Ruf
Director: Markus Ruf
Recording studio: Selmi recording studio
Sound engineer: Chrigi Grunder
Speaker: George W. Bush, Irina Schönen
Client: Sport Factory Outlet
Product/Brand: Sporting goods
Spot series: "New ways to harm our people", "Tribal sovereignty", "Where wings take dream"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Peter Wider
Category: Vehicles

Advertising agency: Darftfcb Germany
Text/concept: Rudy Novotny, Michael Zimmermann, Andreas Miller
Consulting: Benjamin Müller-Grote
Director: Torsten Hennings
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Speaker: Marion von Stengel, Patrick Elias
Client: Audi AG
Product/Brand: Audi RS 4
Spot series: "Goethestrasse", "Right", "Route"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jagoda Low Becic
Category: Home/ House/ Office

Advertising agency: Jung von Matt AG
Text/concept: Tom Hauser
Consulting: Nic Heimann
Director: Torsten Hennings, Tom Hauser
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Torsten Hennings
Speakers: Ines Sass-Kömpe, Robert Poerschke, Jonas Bergström, Brunhilde Tabbert
Client: IKEA Germany
Product/Brand: IKEA Furniture
Spot series: "Couch", "Cupboard", "Chair"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Claudia Willvonseder, Jens Helfrich
Category: Other service providers

Advertising agency: Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Text/concept: Daniel Bödeker, Stefan Sohlau
Consulting: Katrin Seegers, Katrin Voss
Director: Stuart Kummer
Recording studio: Hastings Music GmbH
Sound engineer: Lars Gelhausen
Speakers: Jennifer Böttcher, Stuart Kummer
Client: jobsintown.de
Product/Brand: jobsintown.de
Spot name: "Time announcement"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Erich Galacho
Category: IT

Advertising agency: Jung von Matt AG
Text/concept: Tom Hauser
Consulting: Nicole Drabsch
Director: Georg Hahn, Tom Hauser
Recording studio: Hahn Nitzsche Studios
Sound engineers: Georg Hahn, Thomas Nitzsche, Johannes Roeske, Erlend Krause
Client: Alcatel
Product/Brand: Alcatel OTS 853
Spot name: "Heavy", "Arie"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Martina Arnold
Category: IT

Advertising agency: Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Martin Grass
Consulting: Marc Pech, Lydia Heydel
Directed by: Ralf Heuel, Torsten Hennings
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Torsten Hennings
Client: Arcor KG & Co. KG
Product/Brand: Arcor spam blocker
Spot series: "Nenito Villaran"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jörg Quehl
Category: Finances

Advertising agency: Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Martin Grass
Consulting: Thomas Eickhoff, Julia Wilhelm
Directed by: Ralf Heuel, Torsten Hennings
Recording studio: Studio Funk KG, Hamburg
Sound engineer: Torsten Hennings
Client: DEVK Versicherung
Product/Brand: DEVK Versicherung
Spot series: "Police"
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Engelbert Fassbender, Michael Knaup, Christiane Niehaus
Audiovisual advertising material

Gold:

Advertising agency: walker Werbeagentur
Text/concept: Tim Delaney, Robert Burleigh, Pius Walker
Recording studio: Jingle Jungle, Zurich
Sound engineer: Christoph Benz
Speaker: Rolf Schult
Client: walker advertising agency
Product/Brand: walker advertising agency
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Pius Walker
Gold:

Advertising agency: Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH
Text/concept: Paul von Mühlendahl, Christoph Stricker, Ralf Heuel
Consulting: Sandra Humbek
Director: Michael Reissinger
Client: Volkswagen AG
Product/Brand: Volkswagen Phaeton
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jochen Sengpiehl, Michael Lendle
 
Silver:

Advertising agency: walker Werbeagentur
Text/concept: Pius Walker
Consulting: Hans Beer
Director: Anthony Minghella
Recording studio: Jingle Jungle, Zurich
Sound engineer: Christoph Benz
Speaker: Mathias Gnädinger
Client: Fleurop Interflora
Product/Brand: Fleurop
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Jörg Beer
Bronze:

Advertising agency: Jung von Matt AG
Text/concept: Sascha Hanke, Tim Hanebeck, Moritz Grub
Consulting: Nina Gerwing, Lena Frers
Director: Niko Tziopanos
Client: Konzerthaus Dortmund
Product/Brand: Season 2007/2008
Responsible for marketing/advertising: Milena Ivkovic
 

 Viktor Giacobbo is back: after a five-year break, the cabaret artist and satirist will be back with his own program on SF1 from 2008. He will appear on the program "Late Service Public" with Mike Müller, as reported by SDA on Thursday. This will be a 40-minute satirical weekly review in which the two cabaret artists will comment on the events of the past few days. The show would include interviews with guests, film clips, parodies and appearances by comedians.Giacobbo was regularly present on SF with his own program "Viktors Spätprogramm" until the end of 2002. From 1990, over 80 satirical programs were broadcast from the Kaufleuten in Zurich. The new show will also be recorded at Kaufleuten. Initially, 30 broadcasts are planned.

 
Editors-in-chief seem to share their fate with football coaches in some respects: The whole nation knows better how to do their job, the fluctuation rate is very high and if someone is tipped out, the speculation machine starts immediately as to who should replace him. This is the case again now that we have received the news that Spiegel boss Stefan Aust's contract, which is due to run until 2010, will be terminated prematurely at the end of 2008. The good guy probably found out about his termination from afar, as he is currently on vacation, writes Horizont.net. But the carousel of candidates is already spinning: Giovanni di Lorenzo, head of Die Zeit, and Mathias Müller von Blumencron, editor-in-chief of Spiegel Online, are being passed around in the rumor mill. Whether Stefan Aust will remain in office until the end of next year or whether he will be let go early remains to be seen. So it seems that the firing of an editor-in-chief does not happen quite as quickly as with the football chiefs.

«Shortly before the elections, »Schweiz Aktuell« violated diversity guidelines with a report on Fribourg State Councilor Pascal Corminboeuf. The Federal Supreme Court dismissed the SRG’s appeal against the decision of the Independent Complaints Authority (UBI), as reported by the SDA on Thursday. Corminboeuf, who is an independent, was presented on the program at the time as a »leading government official« who was popular »across party lines.” The Association Against Factory Farming (VgT) subsequently filed a complaint with the UBI, arguing that the report had failed to address criticism of the State Councilor’s activities from animal welfare advocates and that it constituted one-sided election campaigning. The UBI upheld the complaint, ruling that the segment had violated the programming principles governing information and, in particular, the requirement for diversity. The SRG appealed this decision to the Federal Supreme Court, which has now dismissed the appeal. According to the SDA, the ruling is currently available only in its operative part.

Anthrazit, the Swiss magazine for the digital lifestyle, has networked its print, mobile and internet platforms throughout. Consumers can now switch media at any time, consult further links and read up on information, according to a press release from the magazine. Thanks to the complete networking, Anthrazit has now made the so-called "media breakthrough" of cross-media campaigns a thing of the past. The key to this is the QR code, a two-dimensional barcode, for which the Winterthur-based communications agency Demeulemeester Publicité invented the term Full Cross, which can be understood as an enhancement of Crossmedial
Responsible at Demeulemeester Publicité:
Caroline Demeulemeester, Jean-Marc Demeulemeester, responsible at Anthrazit Print AG:
Gabriele Benz, Christian Schwengeler.