On August 7, Swiss Poster Research Plus (SPR+) launched a new study designed to provide more precise insights into the contact performance and reach contribution of poster panels within buildings (properties). With the SPR+ Expert planning tool, all Swiss F12/F200 street spaces can already be evaluated across all providers. The results of the new object study will be used to supplement the service with assessable object areas in the future. As part of this pilot study, railroad stations, shopping centers, parking facilities, freeway service stations and petrol stations will be examined using GPS mobility meters and empirical surveys, as SPR+ writes in a press release. The pilot study, which is being carried out in collaboration with the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems, is due to be completed in 2007.

 Ringier announced a reorganization of its newspaper division on Thursday. Ringier Group spokesperson Marco Castellaneta spoke with Werbewoche about the purpose of the new position of editorial director, the future plans for the Blick Group, and the collaboration between the designated Blick CEO Bernhard Weissberg and editorial director Marc Walder. WW: What is Ringier’s goal with the new position of Editorial Director? Castellaneta: Quite clearly, to strengthen the publishing house. In today’s world, you can’t view editorial development in isolation, limited to a single publication. Marc Walder will now look beyond his own immediate scope and, in his new role as Editorial Director, be responsible for the editorial and strategic development of Blick, Sonntagsblick, Blick Online, Heute, and Sport Magazin. Does this curtail the autonomy of the editors-in-chief? No, not at all. The editors-in-chief will manage day-to-day operations, while the editorial director will be responsible for the overarching strategy. Figuratively speaking, Walder’s position is intended to prevent a situation where people tend only to their own little gardens while neglecting the rest of the common ground.
At the same time, however, Bernhard Weissberg, the editor-in-chief-designate, is also overseeing the further development of *Blick*. So who’s doing what? Bernhard Weissberg has been in charge of the *Blick* 2010 renewal project for the past six months. The project team is expected to present proposals ready for decision by November 1. After that, Weissberg will take over as editor-in-chief and handle day-to-day operations. Marc Walder, on the other hand, will be responsible for the ongoing editorial development and strategic issues of the entire newspaper division.
And who will decide which version of *Blick* will actually be implemented? The editorial committee, headed by publisher Michael Ringier, will decide on the planned changes to *Blick*.
What is the focus of the *Blick 2010* project? I can’t say much about that yet. A great deal is being written about *Blick*: Some find it too left-leaning, others too right-leaning; some find it too serious, others too tabloid-like. The Blick renewal project is also about re-examining all the positions associated with the Blick brand—specifically, based on ethical, moral, and social criteria. The ultimate goal remains for Blick to stay number one—that is, to remain Switzerland’s best-selling daily newspaper.
So does that mean Blick 2010 is primarily focused on the daily newspaper and not on the other products? No, the direction of Blick Online is also being reviewed.
Are you also considering further expansion of the Blick product line or a massive expansion in the online sector? The Blick 2010 project is also addressing these questions. So many factors play a role in the media business today. You can reach readers via mobile devices, on the Internet, or through a free newspaper that will soon be landing in their mailboxes. In the online sector, some questions remain unanswered, and hardly anyone really knows where things are headed. At least we admit that, while others always seem to know exactly where things are going…
When is Blick 2010 scheduled to be launched? The relaunch of Blick is scheduled to take place in the first few months of next year.
Blick's circulation has been steadily declining in recent years. What will this year bring? The figures will be released soon; as we all know, we can't say or speculate anything until then.
There have been constant reorganizations at Ringier recently. Is this a sign of a crisis? Throughout its nearly 175-year history, Ringier has repeatedly and successfully repositioned itself. The current changes are follow-up steps to this year’s internationalization process and organizational restructuring. CEO Martin Werfeli essentially created the Ringier Verlag Schweiz organizational unit from scratch at the beginning of the year. Afterward, adjustments proved necessary—no one disputes that. At the same time, there were some changes in the Swiss newspaper division. The open positions have now been filled. These developments can certainly be viewed in a positive light. It also shows that this publishing house, with its more than 6,000 employees, is dynamic and thriving.
Will things finally calm down? Yes, that's likely.
 
 
Interview: Carole Scheidegger 

 The collaborative online encyclopaedia Wikipedia has suffered a serious setback in terms of its credibility. Software developed by a computer science student shows that companies such as Microsoft and organizations such as the CIA are among the most eager authors. The findings of the American computer science student Virgil Griffith were published in the industry magazine Wired and contain some memorable information. A corresponding report in the online edition of 20 Minuten cites the example of the controversial US voting machine manufacturer Diebold, where Griffith's tool was used to prove that an employee of the company had removed the entire section on criticism of the company's machines. It is not an isolated case, as a list of the companies and branches of government that take notes shows: A total of 5.3 million edits, carried out by 2.6 million individuals could be traced back to the CIA, Microsoft or congressional offices, among others. Industry experts agree: if Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales does not act immediately, the golden age of Wiki will soon be over.  

Möbel Unikat launches the strongest news campaign for Ikea in the furniture store's 30-year history in Switzerland.
Ikea loves it with the big trowel. The campaign for new decorative fabrics has already generated a lot of discussion in the advertising world. The fabric campaign was realized this spring by the agency Vizner Borel, which has been working for Ikea for two years. Now Ikea is launching "the strongest news campaign in Ikea's 30-year history in Switzerland" with one of its other partners, as the commissioned advertisers from Unikat proudly announce. The agency headed by CD Daniel Meier is now in its fourth year of working for Ikea, and its current campaign has been presenting the latest products from the "most popular furniture store" in Switzerland for 14 days starting August 6. Unikat has designed 26 different poster motifs for the campaign. "This is probably the first time the poster medium has been used in this form," says Daniel Meier. With its strikingly large number of images, the campaign almost looks like a hanging catalog, as all of the subjects, from the props to the background fabric, have been realized exclusively with Ikea products. However, there are many more in the catalog, namely a total of over 1000 new products. The designs can also be seen on megaposters at hot spots in Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Lausanne and Geneva. There are also e-boards in train stations and posters in all post offices in Switzerland. These will indicate where the new catalog is available. Ikea is attracting additional attention with an interactive banner on its own website.
New products, new catalogIn addition to the classic measures, the multi-layered campaign is complemented by numerous attractive events. Ikea presents its new products to the public shortly before the new annual catalog is published. This is the Swedish furniture manufacturer's most widely used means of communication. Several thousand F12, F200 and GF posters are now intended to make the latest products from this catalog appealing to the public. It goes without saying that the new products are also presented in the furniture stores on huge façade posters and parking lot posters.
In the main train stations of Zurich, Lucerne and Lausanne, sofas from Ikea invite you to linger in a cozy lounge atmosphere. In Zurich alone, over 50 sofas with side tables and lamps were placed for this purpose. Over 200 square meters of parquet had to be laid for this purpose. Huge backlit cubes with motifs from the new fabric collection identify the event from afar. Special 24-page flyers were also distributed. They contain new products and advance information on the publication of the annual catalog.
Andreas Panzeri

Sporttalente Orange8 creates the website for a Swisscom Mobile campaign. The road to the gold medal requires talent, ambition, unconditional commitment and, last but not least, financial support. Swisscom Mobile communicates this in a print campaign. With the "Golden Talents" campaign, customers and Swisscom retailers are to support young sports talents from the region. The idea is simple. When a customer buys an item with a Golden Talents sticker from a specialist retailer, the retailer pays three francs for each item sold to support the athletes, and the campaign is supported by a website. The website www.goldentalents.ch accompanies the campaign and offers photos and CVs of the young athletes as well as the addresses of the specialist retailers and a competition. The athletes and retailers from three regions are currently online. According to Swisscom Mobile, more will follow. The site is available in German and French. The Italian version is in the works. The Orange8 interactive agency, which specializes in complex websites, is responsible for the concept, design and online campaign.
Christian Lüscher

Marco Valà, the former advertising manager of Gesundheit Sprechstunde magazine, is now working independently and is switching to the gourmet and lifestyle sector. He is now responsible for advertising sales at Gourmedia for the gastronomy guides Zurich goes out, Basel goes out and Ticino goes out. Valà previously worked in advertising sales at Ringier for seven years, including the last two years as advertising manager at Gesundheit Sprechstunde.

Lifestyle Sulzer Sutter knows the code to the safe with Centurion, the most exclusive credit card from American Express.the Centurion card is probably the most coveted American Express card. It is only issued "on invitation". American Express Switzerland has now authorized Credit Suisse Private Banking to extend this invitation to selected customers from the "Service Seeking Super Affluents" segment, for which Sulzer Sutter has developed the communication material. It includes training presentations for CS client advisors, various sales documents as well as sales brochures and card applications with corresponding packaging.
Myths and legends surround the card with its extensive lifestyle service. Launched in 1982 in the United States under the name "The Black Card", the coveted piece of plastic was renamed the Centurion Card and introduced to the public in October 1999. Previously, the card was only available in the USA, where it was issued exclusively to hand-picked customers.
Centurion has now knocked the previously most prestigious Platinum Card off the Amex throne. The annual fee for a Centurion is an impressive 1000 euros. The bank must be able to guarantee a customer a credit rating of at least 100,000 euros. The card has already been described in the glossy press as the "purse order for dollar millionaires".
One of the card's most important services is a 24-hour concierge service. Centurion customers can use this telephone number to get one of the highly coveted seats in an exclusive restaurant, charter a private jet or search for sold-out opera tickets. In luxury hotels, an available room is guaranteed up to 72 hours before arrival. You can also become a Hilton HHonors Gold VIP member or Sixt offers a 20 percent discount on the current chauffeur rates. It goes without saying that you have access to over 450 lounges at airports around the world.   
Andreas Panzeri

Competition Urs Schrepfer, Executive CD at Advico Young & Rubicam, heads the newly created prize for young advertising creatives for the ADC. WW: The U28 competition is now being replaced by the "Young Creatives Award". Urs Schrepfer: With this new competition, the ADC can better adapt to the international competition for young creatives in Cannes. Switzerland is admitted in three categories there: Print, Film and Cyber. We can therefore send three teams to Cannes. This means that for the Swiss competition we will no longer only be judging work for posters, but now in the three categories Print Outdoor, Film and Web and New Media.
WW: What is the briefing?Urs Schrepfer:
The briefing will be presented at a warm-up event at Studio Bellerive in Zurich on August 22 from 4 pm. You can register at www.adc.ch/nachwuchs. Anyone born after June 25, 1979 can take part. The task will involve a campaign for Amnesty International. This client has guaranteed us that the best work will actually be published. WW: Who is on the jury? Urs Schrepfer:
The jury is made up of a maximum of 15 ADC members and international jurors. International voices are important to me. Glenn Gibbins from BBH London, for example, has already confirmed his participation. The award ceremony is on October 26. This means that the young talent competition is deliberately positioned independently of the usual ADC judging.WW: And the finances?Urs Schrepfer:
The new competition is more expensive. This is only possible thanks to sponsors such as Cinecom, Getty Images, Web2Com, APG, Condor Films, SwissFilm Association, 20 Minuten, Campari, BSW.interview: Andreas Panzeri

 Swiss Television (SF) is once again planning a children's channel. However, the project still has to be submitted to and approved by the SRG General Management. The channel should go on air at the beginning of 2009, as SF spokesperson Urs Durrer confirmed to SDA in a report by the Basler Zeitung. In addition to a collaboration with the children's channel KiKa from ARD and ZDF, it is also possible to go it alone. The channel would recoup some of the costs through advertising. According to Durrer, however, the SRG will decide when to launch the channel and what form it will take. Its spokesperson Daniel Steiner explained that the SRG would check whether the project was "strategically and financially compliant" if an application was received. If it approves the application, a license must be applied for from the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom).
SRG had already planned a children's channel last year. However, it put the project on ice after the Federal Council decided not to
The government had only approved a 2.5 percent increase in fees from 6.5 percent. Televisiun Rumantscha would have been able to broadcast on the planned channel in the evening. It is not clear whether this will be the case again with the new project: the decision lies with SRG, said SF spokesperson Durrer.

Pop music The Beastie Boys have been a constant in the music business since the 90s. They have released over 25 albums, ranging from rap and funk to rock and punk. This summer, the three old school rappers from New York hit the road again, also in Switzerland. With a memorable performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the new album "The Mix-Up". The special thing about this CD is the complete absence of vocals. Rappers who can keep their mouth shut? They deserve a special release campaign. EMI Music Switzerland and Fast Track put a lot of effort into a nationwide billboard around CD Philipp Skrabal. In the witty "Instrumental only" motif, adhesive tape is not only used extensively to hang up the poster.

Ferien Noise went on a voyage of discovery for Kuoni with the new Discovery catalog.
The journey is the destination. This wisdom applies in particular to discovery trips. Satisfying the longing for a travel experience off the beaten tourist track is what Kuoni offers with its Discovery programs. Kuoni in the footsteps of Indiana Jones? "Not quite, but almost," say the designers at Noise. Project manager Patrick Leuenberger and art director Gregor Fitz also wanted to express the fact that "Discovery trips are more than just vacations" when creating the new catalog for Discovery trips. Such adventures take travelers who want to embark on discoveries to the destination of their dreams. What you need to bring with you: a good physical condition and the willingness to prepare for this adventure, which is why the entire look and feel of the new Discovery catalog has been set in the mystical and romantic era, when the world was not yet brought into the living room via television and everyone had already "seen" the most remote corners of the earth.
In Noise's realization, an oriental beauty "with cat's eyes that say a lot and yet conceal everything" already attracts the viewer's attention on the cover. In the content, the elaborate design of the maps and the surroundings transport you back to the early nineteenth century. To a time when traveling was still an adventure.
Kuoni's new Discovery catalog stands out visually from the mass of travel brochures and appeals to both modern-day adventurers and people who enjoy coherent graphics.
Kuoni's Discovery division offers trips in three different categories. Discovery Challenge takes those interested in the world to remote and rarely visited regions from the desert to the highlands of Latin America. These travel experiences require you to forgo all comforts and spend several nights in a sleeping bag or igloo tent. Discovery Medium offers a little time to relax in a luxury hotel after the adventure in the igloo. Discovery Soft invites you to enjoy the experience in permanently installed tent camps, for example.
 
Andreas Panzeri 

Magazines Vogt-Schild Medien AG is getting rid of all its weapons magazines even before the weapons initiative has been passed at a political level. In July, it parted company with its subsidiary Vogt-Schild Deutschland GmbH, which publishes the German titles Visier and Caliber as well as the Swiss weapons magazine. The new owners are Peter and Hanne Grieder in Rapperswil SG. "In the political debate in Switzerland, the three special interest titles have a difficult position and were therefore not a goldmine," explains Christian Müller, CEO of the Vogt-Schild Group.  
Without weapons magazines, Vogt-Schild's magazine sales are reduced by around a third. Vogt-Schild also owns other magazines: the family title Wir Eltern and the trade journals Chemische Rundschau, Chemie Plus and SwissPlastics. However, the sale of these titles is not under discussion, says Müller.
Incidentally, Müller will remain loyal to Waffenmagazinen as a private individual: at Grieder's request and with Vogt-Schild's permission, he will advise the new owners on publishing issues. (mk)