With the CAS Event Communication, the Swiss Public Relations Institute SPRI is launching for the first time in Switzerland a course that focuses exclusively on the communication aspects of event management. The three core areas of an event - strategy, process and implementation - are to be considered in the course from the point of view of communication. This includes in particular topics such as strategy and event communication, event as an emotional-informative means of communication, event and change management, PR and media work, sponsoring and partnership as well as project organization and cooperation with event agencies.  
The CAS Event Communication is aimed at proven event managers and people who have broad experience in the realization of events. The course starts on August 23, 2007 and lasts 20 days, spread over four months. The partner for this training is the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich.

Dialog marketing 26 awards were presented at the DM Prize gala. Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett was the most successful with seven prizes. The mascot Sigi Möhre was right to revel in the festive mood: six gold, eight silver and twelve bronze awards were presented to the agencies at the gala in Zurich's Kongresshaus. Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett received seven awards for their "outstanding and convincing performance", followed by OgilvyOne and Fisch.Meier Direkt/Publicis with three prizes each. The SDV Innovation Award went to Simplex, which took gold for its TurboMailer. The Audience Award, sponsored by AZ-Direct, was determined by the numerous votes at the DM exhibition at the EWZ Selnau substation in February: the public voted Euro RSCG the winner for their seductive campaign with Riposa.
Sigi Möhre wasn't the only one in a champagne mood - winners and guests celebrated together well into the night in PostMail's Yellow Lounge. The evening was organized by Kleistermeister Eventsolutions.
Jakob Nef, President of the Swiss Direct Marketing Association, motivated the audience that evening to take part in the next competition. The 2008 Dialog Marketing Prize will be the tenth anniversary edition.
Further information about this year's winners can be found at www.dm-preis.ch. The brochure with all the winners can also be downloaded there.
Andreas Panzeri

 The government of the Principality of Liechtenstein is supporting the global tobacco control strategy being actively pursued in the European Community with a new directive. Under this directive, tobacco advertising in print media, radio broadcasts and information society services will be banned in future, according to a press release. The advertising of tobacco products through sponsorship at cross-border events at European Union level will also be banned.  
The directive only applies to advertising and sponsorship with cross-border implications. Advertising in cinemas, on billboards or on products (e.g. on ashtrays or parasols) therefore does not fall within its scope. The same applies to tobacco sponsorship at purely local sporting events. The next step is for Parliament to approve the report and the motion to adopt the directive passed by the government in order for it to become legally binding.
 
Since the beginning of the 1990s, tobacco advertising on television has been banned in the EU by the Television without Frontiers Directive.

Advertising market Basler Zeitung and Südostschweiz are separating from the P. Others could soon follow. What has long been on the cards will become reality from January 1, 2008: Basler Zeitung Medien (BZM), publisher of the Basler Zeitung (BaZ), the free Baslerstab newspaper and various local newspapers, is going independent. However, PubliGroupe will retain a 37 percent stake in BZM. The chequered history of the relationship between Publicitas and the Hagemann publishing family goes back over 80 years. It was Fritz Hagemann, the grandfather of today's BaZ publisher Matthias Hagemann, who established the first contacts with P as a shareholder of the then National Zeitung. When the merger with Basler Nachrichten took place in 1976 under father Hans-Rudolf Hagemann, P was a minority shareholder.
Just three years ago, the relationship between P and BaZ was so good that Publicitas Basel decided to move into the BZM building. A "Publicitas" logo is emblazoned on the BZM building - above that of the "Basler Zeitung". At the same time, the lease between P and BZM was up for renewal and the relationship was already strained. Only six months earlier, the deal between P and NZZ had taken place, in which P ceded three publishing stakes in the Zurich regional newspapers to NZZ in exchange for the NZZ advertising management. This deal shook the confidence of BaZ publisher Matthias Hagemann, as PubliGroupe in turn holds 37 percent of BZM.
Accordingly, the management negotiations became increasingly difficult and ultimately lasted one and a half years (until spring 2006). Shortly afterwards, the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung in Liestal joined the Mittelland Zeitung, whose advertising management is also in P hands. Since then, the spat has been perfect, as P markets two competing daily newspapers in the same region. However, BZM also added fuel to the fire by starting to set up its own advertising agency under the name Key Media in summer 2005. The separation became apparent in September 2006 at the latest, when BZM marketed the new BaZ large circulation itself from the outset - via the newly founded BZM Werbe AG. The personnel and structural changes initiated by P in Northwestern Switzerland and on the BZM Board of Directors came too late.
The departure from the BZM means two things for the P: it is losing its most important source of income in Switzerland's second largest city. Accordingly, it is reducing its staff here. Above all, however, its (revenue) situation is completely new: apart from BZM, several publishers have broken away from the P lease in the last three years. Südostschweiz became largely independent in April (see box). Landbote, Thurgauer Zeitung and Walliser Bote had previously taken or announced the step of becoming independent. From 2008, almost every German-speaking region of Switzerland will therefore have its own daily newspaper: In the Golden Triangle, in eastern Switzerland (Schaffhausen, Winterthur, Thurgau), in south-eastern Switzerland, in Valais and in the canton of Fribourg. It is assumed in the industry that this is just the beginning of a "Los von Lausanne" movement.
Südostschweiz "de facto" under its own management 
What BZM still has ahead of it, Südostschweiz (SO) has quietly put behind it: "Since April 1, 2007, we've been truly self-directed," says publisher Hanspeter Lebrument. Here and there, people are rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Even the P-Service Center describes the new situation in Chur as "somewhat mysterious".
At first glance, little has changed: The previous SO marketer, Südostschweiz-Publicitas AG, a joint venture between SO and Publicitas, has moved within Chur, and the P branch in Chur has been closed. Behind this, however, lies a separation process that began a year ago when the publisher's daughter Susanne Lebrument took over the operational management from P-man Jürg Räber.
Initially, the entire staff was newly employed by SO. Then SO-Publicitas left the building shared with Publicitas Chur and relocated to SO-Verlag. It also separated itself from the P booking tool Pub 2000 in terms of IT. Above all, however, SO-Publicitas took over the contract for the national marketing of the newspaper Südostschweiz from Publicitas. Mind you: only the contract. SO's management contract with Publicitas has neither expired nor been terminated. For this reason, the entire process continues to be handled by Publimedia, while marketing, events and customer care are the responsibility of SO-Publicitas. "We have the active part. In fact, we are therefore an independent company," says Lebrument. What's more, SO-Publicitas doesn't just market SO. "We offer all Swiss newspapers and also titles abroad - we have a classic intermediary function," says Lebrument.
Unlike Basler Zeitung Medien, however, dissatisfaction with the P services was not the reason for the separation at SO. "The problem was primarily the cumbersome structures," says Susanne Lebrument. And continues: "I believe that a daily newspaper is something dynamic - it must also be able to act accordingly in the advertising sector." She brought this to SO-Publicitas, whereupon P felt unable to participate.
Nevertheless, the name of the company remains unchanged. And P is also represented on the Board of Directors by two people, including Publipresse General Director Otto Meier. Whether this remains the case, however, will only be decided at the Annual General Meeting. "I would be sorry to see Meier leave, and I've told him that," says Hanspeter Lebrument. "Because I appreciate the different perspective on the BoD."
Markus Knöpfli

 The Publicitas index on the development of advertising expenditure in the daily press fell slightly in April. Due to the absence of a Saturday, the index fell from 96.1 to 96.0 points. The weak dynamics of commercial advertisements and supplements generally prevented the index from developing as Publicitas reported. The main reason for this was the reluctance of automobile importers and telecommunications companies to invest.  
The index of job advertisements climbed by only 2.6 points to 174.0 points. Publicitas sees the reason for the modest development in the lack of Saturday compared to the previous year. On the other hand, occasional advertisements are still recording remarkable growth, according to the information provided. The extensive cantonal votes and the increase in obituaries in particular contributed significantly to the positive development. Real estate advertisements stagnated, with the corresponding index falling slightly by 0.2 points to 95.7 points.

Software Rüegg Werbung has developed a new campaign for AdNovum Informatik AG. AdNovum wants to offer its customers customized solutions. No matter how old the software is - AdNovum adapts it to the company's latest needs and also brings it up to date technically. The campaign uses analogies to illustrate just how big the step from old to new is, which can be understood even if IT knowledge is close to zero. The campaign is aimed at managers and decision-makers in Swiss companies. The campaign comprises full-page advertisements and can be seen in daily and weekly newspapers and business publications.

Car Since the end of 2006, Ruf Lanz has positioned Hyundai as "The German among the Asians". A pointed brand statement that makes it clear: Hyundai offers the highest quality at a very good price. This brand statement has been consistently applied ever since. The most recent example: a Korean woman, whose clothing style, haircut and gestures are unmistakably reminiscent of Angela Merkel, presents the three Hyundai models Getz, Tucson and Santa Fe. These offer values such as reliability and safety without having to exceed the household budget. The motif appears on both sides in newspapers and magazines.

Newspapers In contrast to its predecessor, the new SonntagsBlick magazine has met with a positive response from advertisers. two years after its launch and a renovation last fall, the predecessor of the SonntagsBlick magazine still hasn't gotten off the ground commercially. Was it just the age-old title Sie + Er that didn't really fit in with SoBli? It no longer matters. Since last Sunday, the magazine has been called Magazin again, only the printing on glossy magazine paper has remained. The introduction with lifestyle tips, an extensive celebrity photo series for Mother's Day, a few music reviews and a film review as well as a column by TV veteran Kurt Felix as a bouncer: the new SoBli magazine can be read in one go, and the mix of people and two reports - one of which was bought in from the Süddeutsche Zeitung magazine - seems to be just right. Video surveillance and stem cell research are timelessly topical subjects. The impressive 72 pages clearly bear the signature of SoBli boss Marc Walder, who was editor-in-chief of Schweizer Illustrierte until the end of last year. The layout was designed by Stéphane Carpentier from French-speaking Switzerland, who was also involved in refreshing the Tele layout.
She + He failed due to a lack of acceptance in the advertising market. The new magazine now seems to be meeting with a more positive response in the advertising industry. At least the first issue has been praised. Frank Bodin, CEO of Euro RSCG and President of BSW, describes the magazine as a tailor-made product for Sunday: "The magazine is like a bouquet of flowers that you can discover. Despite its diversity, it offers clear orientation. That is attractive." It is still too early to judge its acceptance in the reader market, says Bodin, whose customers include SoBli: "I'm not the Elisabeth Tessier of the media." He is optimistic because the benefits for readers are clear. Modern art direction is a big step forward compared to She + He.
Zurich advertiser Dominique von Matt is also positive: "I enjoy looking at this successful mix of lifestyle topics, entertainment and information on a relaxed Sunday morning. In contrast to its predecessor, the magazine radiates cheerfulness. That meets the needs of Sundays." As a brand, the new magazine is better integrated into SonntagsBlick. Advertisers are therefore more likely to assume that readers will use it, says von Matt. "The idea of a magazine for Sunday has always been a good one. Now it's also the right magazine," he says.
It remains to be seen how the advertising market will react to the title. Media agencies are still cautious and do not want to comment. Christof Kaufmann, CEO of OMD Switzerland, is taking a wait-and-see approach. From long experience, he never comments on a first edition, he says.
Adrian Scherrer

  The Uri weekly newspaper was published in a new layout for the first time on Wednesday. The William Tell inserted in the newspaper title is now missing. Instead, the paper, which is published on Wednesdays and Saturdays, now has page numbers. According to the editorial team, the newspaper will continue to be produced entirely in Altdorf in the interests of jobs in Uri. However, this means that not all pages can be printed in color. With the new layout, the Urner Wochenblatt also introduced a new editorial system. An editorial guide was also created.

Internet TV The global audience of Internet TV is getting another provider to be taken seriously: Joost interactive television. Joost has the same pronunciation as "jouced", which means "drunk". In fact, on Joost you can theoretically watch yourself drunk on the mainly English-language TV merchandise offered so far in 150 channels - provided you have the necessary broadband connection. Joost is the new project of two Internet pioneers, Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom, who previously established the telephone service Skype and the peer-to-peer (P2P) music sharing service Kazaa. This P2P technology is also used for Joost, although new users can currently only gain access by invitation from an already accepted user, but this is free of charge. The service is also expected to be made available to the general public later this month.
The content on Joost is based on agreements with media producers such as Time Warner, Turner Broadcasting, Sony, Hasbro, National Geographic, the National Hockey League, Endemol, CBS and Viacom, which supply series such as "CSI," "Survivor," "Charlie's Angels," "Starsky & Hutch" and the "Larry King Show. It didn't take long to persuade the media conglomerates to join in. "I think we're in a transitional phase in which the networks no longer see the Internet as just an experimental area, but are consciously planning it as one of their sources of profit," says Joe Laszlo, a technology analyst at market research firm Jupiter Research.
According to the creators, the multimedia possibilities offered by Joost are intended to appeal especially to the coveted young audience. Users surf through the channels with the help of a personalized navigation bar on the screen, and because they are online, they can also send text messages, download games, hang out in chat rooms or maintain their music playlist while watching TV. E-commerce is also to be made possible.
Three minutes of advertising per hourJoost is particularly interesting for the advertising industry: because the company concluded cooperation partnerships in Europe and around the world from the outset, it can now call itself "the first global TV distribution platform online". For this reason, even before its launch at the beginning of May, 32 major marketing companies participated, including Coca Cola, Nike, HP, Visa, Microsoft, T-Mobile and Nokia.
Just as with advertising-financed television, Joost will also integrate advertising clips into individual broadcasts, but these are to be limited to three minutes per hour. In the U.S., the project's main market to date, marketing companies will pay between $50,000 and $100,000 for advertising on Joost during the initial three-month test phase. The highlight for marketers is the ability to personalize advertising. Users interested in seeing advertising clips tailored directly to them are encouraged to provide information such as their zip code, gender, income and personal interests.
Joost already works with more than twenty agencies that bring innovative concepts to their clientele. Arc Worldwide, for example, which belongs to Leo Burnett, designed so-called contextual advertising for Nestlé-Purina and United Airlines under the aegis of Senior Vice President Mark Renshaw. Instead of interrupting ongoing broadcasts with commercials, this uses a "hand-raiser," or logo in a corner of the screen, that viewers can click on if they're interested and see more info about the product. Using this technology, the user can also be directed to an entertainment show that provides playful information about the Purina brand. "Joost combines the different marketing capabilities of digital platforms: dynamic content, direct marketing, creative and entertainment," says Renshaw.
Although Joost has been praised by industry watchers for its good timing and professional approach, the project could soon face market realities, according to James McQuivey, digital media analyst at research firm Forrester Reseach. "Content companies are showing their shows not only on Joost, but also on other Internet TV services such as AOL or YouTube, as well as their in-house websites," he says. Large corporations such as Toyota or P&G would therefore do most of their advertising deals directly with corporations such as Viacom or Sony rather than with Joost. He sees better business opportunities for Joost in less saturated regions of the world than the U.S., where content providers love to distribute their content through Joost. "I don't think Joost will become the TV platform of the Internet par excellence."   
Gerti Schön
"The only limit is creativity "Eric Clemenceau
, Vice President of Advertising in Europe and Asia at Joost, about advertising on the new platform. WW: The contracts Joost currently has with marketers provide for a test period of three months. Eric Clemenceau: During the test phase, we want to give advertisers and agencies the opportunity to test a range of different formats that combine the best elements of a traditional TV spot in terms of sound, image and motion with the interactivity, targeting and measurability of Internet advertising. We are testing spots in 10, 15 and 30 second lengths and a range of interactive features. We've also introduced what we call the "introstitial," which is a short message at the beginning of a broadcast introduced with the words "brought to you by." WW: Which forms of advertising are the contractors most interested in?Eric Clemenceau: They use innovative formats such as links to long-form advertising or entire shows dedicated specifically to a product. In the testing phase, we try to find out what works best for our clients and their agencies, there are no limits. The only limit is creativity.WW: Are there different advertising strategies between the U.S. and Europe or globally?Eric Clemenceau: No, we've found that our viewers around the world appreciate our advertising features. We combine the best that television and the Internet have to offer.WW: Will there also be entire channels sponsored by companies?Eric Clemenceau: We are exploring a number of different advertising platforms, including sponsoring entire channels. 
Interview: Gerti Schön

Paper Sihl + Eika as well as the owner Schneidersöhne have benefited from the takeover by Papyrus.High-ranking visitors ensured great interest among the trade, business and daily press at Sihl + Eika Papier AG's annual media conference this year. Mats Nordlander, the President of the Papyrus Group, to which Sihl + Eika has belonged since 2005, traveled to Thalwil. There, at the headquarters of the paper trading company Sihl + Eika, another top executive, Rainer Köster, was present. The visit of the two top managers underscores the importance Papyrus attaches to its, if you will, grandchild company (see box). For a long time now, the healthy and prospering trading house has been regarded within the Group not only as a stable sales figure - the term "star performer" has been coined in Thalwil - but also as an innovative company in terms of its extended range of services. Know-how transferSo the Papermanagement Print and Papermanagement Office concepts developed by Sihl + Eika are being extended to other countries where the Group parent company Papyrus is active. While Papermanagement Print enables participating print shops, among other things, to reduce sheet paper storage, Sihl + Eika understands Papermanagement Office as a system partnership for paper and also materials management in the office sector.
According to Daniel Meier, CEO of Sihl + Eika, these improvements have enabled the trading company to expand its market share. In 2006, Sihl + Eika increased its market share by 4.6 percent to 32 percent in the year under review. Finally, at the press conference, Meier attributed the positive income statement to the absorption of price erosion. Furthermore, the affiliation with Papyrus resulted in purchasing advantages, and the parent company StoraEnso also offered attractive external financing. While Sihl + Eika exports its paper management concept, Thalwil benefits from know-how - for example in the field of e-business, in order to, according to Meier, "further improve the value-added services.
Sales driver Central EuropePapyrus CEO Mats Nordlander does not try to be represented in every European country. Rather, a leading position is sought wherever Papyrus operates. This strategy has been successful. Nordlander is considered a turnaround manager; he has transformed the then struggling group into a profitable trading company through acquisitions such as the healthy Schneidersöhne, among others. "We have quadrupled sales since 2004," explains the Swedish manager. Regionally, the most important sales driver is the Central Europe region, which includes Switzerland and where about half of the group's sales are generated. In his address to the press, Rainer Köster, Senior Vice President responsible for Central Europe and thus for Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland, announced that StoraEnso had taken over the 20 percent previously held by Epicea in addition to the 80 percent previously held. Sihl + Eika is thus a fully integrated subsidiary with retroactive effect from January 1, 2007. Köster will become Chairman of the Board of Directors at Sihl + Eika.
Price increases plannedMore important than these changes was the information on pricing policy. Daniel Meier explained that price adjustments, i.e. increases, would have to be made. These were a reaction to price increases on the part of suppliers, who in turn had to contend with higher energy and raw material prices. Herbert Sutter, responsible for marketing, explained that prices would have to be adjusted upwards from September at the latest, both in the A4 range and for graphic papers.    
Who belongs to whom 
In 1998, the Swiss paper trading company Sihl + Eika sought a strong partner in the German paper trading house Schneidersöhne in order to better meet new challenges. For the same reason and in the course of a succession plan, the German family-owned company had adopted a similar strategy in 2005 and was finally integrated into the Papyrus Group, which was somewhat smaller. Papyrus itself is a subsidiary of the paper manufacturer StoraEnso. This company was created from a merger: from the Swedish paper and board manufacturer Enso and the Finnish paper producer Stora.
Jürgen Franck

 
The Zurich agency Werbeanstalt has prevailed in an agency evaluation and is now looking after the health insurance company Avanex. Avanex is an independent health insurance company and belongs to Helsana, the largest health insurer in Switzerland.