From 2007, the APG research project Poster Performance Index (PPI) will now also collect in-depth data on the contact intensity of an optimal poster campaign in addition to the qualitative impact (recall, brand recognition, appeal). As before, ten waves of surveys will be conducted in the Bern and Lausanne conurbations, which will scrutinize national poster campaigns. However, in order to be able to evaluate the impact in even greater detail, the test will now be supplemented by determining the contact class in addition to the questions on recall, brand recognition and liking. "What do you think: have you seen this advertisement once or twice, three to five times or more?" is the new, fourth topic question. 
The PPI will thus increasingly become an important link between the basic media performance now measured by SPR+ and the actual communication success of a poster campaign, according to APG. The objectives of the survey remain, on the one hand, comprehensive industry evaluations and, on the other, the ability to combine target group-specific statements on the gender and age groups of certain poster campaigns.

Self-promotion Every year, the creative competition challenges us to come up with a particularly original New Year's card. Advertising Week would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the good wishes we received. The white powder in the transparent plastic bag looked anything but uncool. The label had a tempting text on it: "For a safe New Year". However, anyone who took the trouble to read the small print was finally told: "Please do not ingest this road salt and do not use it for cooking." Like Exxtra Kommunikation, many agencies like to surprise their customers and business partners with the most original New Year's greetings possible every year. For advertising agencies, it is only natural that a bit of self-promotion is included in the message when sending good wishes.
Among the many graphically appealing cards, one creation by McCann Erickson caught our eye. "A good idea can be realized endlessly" is the explanation for an illustration with 252 different versions of the painted head of Jesus. BrandPulse relied more on words than images: "And I'm not an actress. I don't think I'm an actress. I think I've created a brand and a business", the agency quotes Pamela Anderson and recommends itself for the new year to solve possible positioning problems.
Others tried to surprise us with something useful. Viva put the New Year's card in a transparent plastic case, which is now used as a cool toiletry bag by the niece of our short list reporter. The white bath slippers from Freiburghaus und Partner can be used in a similar way in everyday life. The gadget dramatized the message: "Get into your finches and take a Christmas break with F/P until 3 January 2007."
In the "Beautiful Graphics" category, the advertising department of the PKZ fashion house attracted attention with an artistic copy of a nostalgic enamel sign. The subject shows an old PKZ advertisement.
Three hours by train from Zurich and therefore not to be found on the scene every day are the advertisers and friends of the Trio agency in Lausanne. So it's a really nice idea that Trio has sent us a collection of portraits of 224 people who attended the 75th anniversary party of Switzerland's oldest advertising agency on October 19 last year. "2007 will be phenomenal. The stars don't lie. At least not the ones in their eyes," is the headline on the poster-sized poster.
"Cheers - to over 100 municipalities" is the headline in the New Year's edition of Doppelpunkt. Tamedia's in-house newspaper toasted five new regional associations with a cover adorned with 100 coats of arms.
What will the new year actually be like? This question triggers a little queasy feelings at Oyecomm's New Year's greeting. The company for the design, management and implementation of communication processes in Zurich sent us a red balloon. On it was the cunning wish: "Here's to a magical 007" - and a mean pin. We haven't yet dared to actually pop the trick. What if voodoo is actually built into the balloon and the pin?
We should also actively contribute to our luck in the new year with a card from Prime Communications. Here we found instructions for making a lucky sow out of paper in the style of origami. Wirz Werbung took action itself. Anyone who dialed a certain telephone number on December 24 could be serenaded on the recorder by various employees.
There is a clear trend towards modular calendars. Packed in pretty little boxes, you will find a wide variety of cards with which you can put together your own annual calendar to suit your mood. Polyconsult has provided us with modular calendar material for at least six workstations.
Do good and talk about it! This piece of advertising wisdom has long been commonplace in the USA, and the idea is now increasingly spilling over to us. The fashion label Benetton is not only showing its usual colorful commitment on its card, but also financially. It is supporting the organization "Reporters sans frontières" with an undisclosed sum. Pucci, Sulzer donates to the Tixi cab for the disabled. Studerpartner sent a card with a magic lamp. Anyone who warmed the black jug on a golden background with their hand for ten seconds could read: "With our help, the Wunderlampe Foundation fulfills the heart's desire of seriously ill children." In addition the PC 87-755227-6.
Die Bündner thank you for your cooperation with Werbewoche in a personal letter. The agency, which moved to Zurich last year, donated 3,000 francs in our name to the Mäuseburg crèche in Illanz. Instead of giving clients, employees and friends of the company "a bottle of wine, we donated CHF 10,000 to the aid organization Helvetas," Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett tells us. This is illustrated with a valuable packaged water bottle - but only printed and not three-dimensional, so that the environment is not further burdened with pointless advertising waste. Almost none of this has actually reached us this year.
The ten cute chocolate Coca bottles were snacked on in no time at all in the editorial office. Coca-Cola wished us a place on "The Coke side of life". Which brings us to our "Coci" after all.
Andreas Panzeri

Following an agency evaluation, those responsible at Doetsch Grether have entrusted the Grether's Pastilles brand to the Zurich advertising agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett SFLB with immediate effect. According to Marketing Director Tobias Meyer, the agency's creative potential and sound strategic advice were decisive factors in the decision. The Original Grether's Pastilles are made in Switzerland from natural ingredients according to a 150-year-old recipe and are beneficial for hoarseness, sore throats and dry mouth. The first measures will be seen shortly.

Airlines: After several years of price-focused advertising, Swiss is launching a traditional image campaign again for the first time. Frank Maier, Managing Director and Head of Marketing at Swiss, explains the background. WW: Swiss’s advertising is on the rise. Your commercial is being praised across all media. Did you expect this level of success for Campari Soda? Frank Maier: The feedback has been overwhelming. We’ve achieved something and apparently tapped into emotions that can be conveyed once again. Of course, we’re surprised by the scale of this success. In addition to coverage in all major print media, there was also an extensive feature on DRS 3 and SF1. We’ve also seen it discussed in many online forums and chat rooms. The original song has now been released as a single for the first time by the music publisher and is already climbing the charts. Campari Soda can be downloaded as a ringtone on our own website, www.swiss.com. The campaign components—such as ads, the CD single, the ringtone, and the microsite—were planned as an integrated whole, and pre-tests were also conducted. The very positive feedback couldn’t have been planned in advance. But fundamentally, of course, that kind of impact was the whole point.
WW: Is Campari now also being served on flights? Maier: We’re focused on the mood the song conveys, not on that specific alcoholic beverage. Campari is indirectly benefiting from what we’ve actually revived. We’re now serving the drink in Business Class. But it’s not as if we had spoken with Campari beforehand. We just really love this song. It stirs up longing and has something to do with wanderlust. The music appeals to all demographics, including young people who aren’t yet familiar with the song. And the older generation can rediscover this feeling.WW: Emotion has been missing from Swiss’s advertising in recent years. The focus has been solely on price. Does this reflect the fact that travel has shifted from a premium adventure to mass tourism? Maier: There are two points to consider. Two years ago, we weren’t in the situation we’re in today. The market was characterized by extremely cutthroat competition. We did offer quality in First and Business Class, maintained our own customer loyalty program, and truly embodied the service aspect. But we also had to cater to the mass market with price-sensitive customers to fill the planes. That still holds true for short-haul flights, where competition is much more aggressive. Quality is crucial here as well, but it’s a different kind of quality—one defined by efficiency. Customers want time savings, fixed departure gates, and fast check-in—maybe even a quick stop in the lounge. On long-haul routes, the focus is more on service and product quality. Here, entirely different competitors are active in the market. So we can’t say we’re doing just one thing—only quality or only price. Swiss must find a balance, and that leads to the question of how to communicate. Where do we want to set our priorities? Take the London or Paris catchment areas, for example. Given the current oversupply on direct city routes, I see price being the main focus; for customers transferring in Zurich, the emphasis shifts toward quality. The balance has to be right. WW: Image or price: Doesn’t that also require two stylistically different campaigns? Maier: No. Together with the newly added agency Nose for design, as well as Jung von Matt/Limmat, we’ve now developed a new corporate identity (CI) where ads featuring the price can be designed using the same layout as those highlighting quality. Through the new platform, we’re able to communicate «99 francs» while also highlighting that we offer a range of services and provide exclusive products on board, especially for business-class customers. This is now presented with a unified visual style and a consistent tone. WW: When is this new strategy set to take off, and which agency is leading the effort? Maier: It was already launched in November 2006. It’s a collaboration between Nose, Design Intelligence in Zurich, and Jung von Matt. Nose is now our design agency. Jung von Matt is responsible for all creative work and advertising communications. The creative team led by Alexander Jaggy developed the layout and content of the advertisements as well as the concept for the film. We’re now extending this theme to the online sphere as well. In the future, all communication channels should speak the same language. Nose is responsible for this corporate identity. The designers are rolling it out across all platforms. For our online presence, we’re also being supported by Plan.Net, a Munich-based agency specializing in online communication. And MediaSchneider handles media buying.WW: When Swiss was acquired by Lufthansa, many in Switzerland thought the brand was finished. Now «Swissness» is gaining momentum again. Are we in a recovery phase following the crisis? Maier: Now is the time for alignment—for positioning. What we’re building here must be carefully nurtured. We have the advantage that we’re currently feeling a tailwind from the market. You have to demonstrate quality and communicate it to the outside world. That’s why, ten weeks ago, we began re-entering the market with a new image campaign. We’re distinguishing ourselves from Lufthansa and deliberately rebuilding our focus on «Swissness.» We embody this «Swissness.» This unique identity stands for a tradition of design. Our ads are intentionally minimalist. They play with the colors white and red, as well as the Swiss cross. Newly emphasized selling points include our service orientation, Swiss hospitality, and personalized care. Switzerland’s international values, such as cultural tolerance and neutrality, are also helpful. WW: How strongly should we position ourselves in relation to Lufthansa? Maier: Lufthansa defines its brand image through a claim to leadership in Europe. Swiss has no such claim whatsoever due to the difference in scale; instead, it positions itself as a quality airline. The term «niche» is an exaggeration in terms of size, but we are small—a boutique airline. Lufthansa is large and dynamic and aims for market leadership—meaning it’s innovative and introduces new products. Lufthansa will operate an A380, an aircraft that Swiss will never fly. Lufthansa has massive hubs where it operates and is expanding globally more and more. Swiss has to emphasize that we’re from Switzerland, that we’re smaller—and therefore more personal. We have the opportunity to still know our top customers personally, to maintain a dialogue with them, and to serve the market accordingly. With large airlines, that’s no longer possible simply because of the sheer number of customers.WW: Where is Swiss’s advertising focused in terms of the Switzerland–abroad relationship? Maier: In terms of the balance, we have to recognize that we can achieve the most in our home market. We advertise into the neighboring regions—from Geneva into France, as well as into Alsace and southern Germany. That’s our extended home market. For other regional focal points, there’s too much competition across the board. We therefore focus specifically on metropolitan areas like London and Paris. In such regions, online media are also very important and effective. WW: With the integration of the Swiss Travel Club into the Miles & More frequent flyer program, the «Swissness» element is no longer present. Is that a loss? Maier: With the overarching platform, we can work together with Lufthansa to offer members some very attractive benefits. However, a special “Swiss window” is also intended to reintroduce the “Swissness” element more prominently. In the future, in addition to flights, there will be a selection of various high-quality Swiss products that can once again be purchased with miles. WW: Unlike Credit Suisse, for example, Swiss works with Swiss agencies. Was that a matter of diplomacy or a pitch? Maier: A completely normal pitch. We could have chosen an agency from Germany or London as well. But a London agency doesn’t understand quite as well how the Swiss think. And that’s the difference compared to the banks. They operate globally, albeit with a Swiss headquarters. We, on the other hand, say: Switzerland is our home market—and we first need to truly win it back and get a firm grip on it. We’ve now achieved that. And drawing on the strength of our home market, we’re expanding into more and more markets. By the way, the film was produced entirely in Switzerland: Swiss locations, actors, and production crew. We say “Swiss made,” and we explicitly wanted it to be “Swiss made.” It would have lacked credibility to shoot this film abroad. WW: But it’s being shown abroad, isn’t it? Maier: For now, we’ve focused on Switzerland. The concept is also very Switzerland-centric. Our colleagues abroad are amazed by the film. They’ve never seen this kind of style in the airline industry before. It’s a completely different image. We want to convey this feeling in Switzerland first. Over the next few months, a decision will be made about an international rollout in Europe. WW: The commercial is a hit with the general public—people who dream of flying but don’t have to fly frequently for work. So, is it more of a “budget” image after all? Maier: Anything is possible. We deliberately included two scenes featuring executives. Even an executive needs some relaxation and peace while flying. Finally on the plane, a quiet moment to catch your breath. Everyone feels that longing. That’s why we’re including everyone—right down to the construction worker standing in steaming tar. WW: To what extent does Swiss’s advertising have to be coordinated with Germany? Maier: In terms of the basic concept, we’re in constant communication. We consult with each other when developing our positioning, and when we create our campaigns, we inform Lufthansa and, of course, ensure that our campaigns aren’t running simultaneously in the market. Otherwise, however, we have complete freedom. In this market, you also have to be able to act very quickly and aggressively. We’re self-sufficient when it comes to planning and implementation. WW: To what extent are there other partnerships, for example with Switzerland Tourism? Maier: In recent years, we’ve mainly had to react defensively. In the area of PR, there was often a need to issue statements in response to negative reports. Now we’re hiring additional staff again, expanding in a targeted manner, and expanding our flight schedule. In this climate, we can also actively reach out to new customers again. A positive shift is taking place in the general perception. We’re noticing that many brand-name companies want to partner with Swiss again. Not just Switzerland Tourism, but a whole range of other blue-chip companies have regained confidence in us and see us as an attractive partner. WW: Swissair was a brand. Swiss sounds similar. Can you feel the impact of this groundwork? Maier: The transition went smoothly, and I think that in many foreign markets—especially intercontinental markets like the U.S.—the change in the brand name hasn’t really been noticed yet. The positive image transfer is working—we see that in a lot of feedback and conversations with customers and employees, but also from the competition. Frank Maier in Hohenheim
He studied economics and later earned his doctorate (Dr. phil.) in Münster. He began his career as a consultant in Lufthansa’s marketing division. In 2000, he took over as head of marketing communications, assuming responsibility for all of Lufthansa’s global communications initiatives. In November 2004, he joined Swiss, where he is currently Head of Marketing. Swiss and Alinghi on Course Together: Collaboration
with a second national symbol: As the official airline of Alinghi, Swiss is taking the successful Swiss sailing team to the 32nd America’s Cup. Swiss has entered into a promising partnership with the defending champions of the world’s most famous sailing regatta. «Both carry the name of Switzerland out into the world,» says Publicis, the agency for UBS and thus Alinghi. Swiss is accompanying the professional sailors on their journey to their training base in Dubai. Starting in March, Swiss will also begin flying to the regatta city of Valencia three times a week.
Interview: Andreas Panzeri

Commentary by René Worni on trustworthy publishing partners After the German Axel Springer Group announced the purchase of Jean Frey Verlag shortly before Christmas, the media remained surprisingly quiet. Critical words were completely absent from the usual reporting. How can this be explained? Until the 1990s, the name Axel Springer was still synonymous with sensationalist tabloid and checkbook journalism, such as Bild, the company's flagship, always practiced on the fringes of legality. Generations had absorbed Heinrich Böll's lost honor of Katharina Blum or Günter Wallraff's front-page reports of the editorial horror at Bild with their mother's milk or enjoyed them as compulsory reading at secondary schools at the latest. Bild reporters were bloodhounds and would walk over dead bodies to get their stories.
It remains to be seen whether this is still the case at Bild today, otherwise the world has become a different place and the once self-evident defensive reflex against the German group has apparently had its day. It has managed to draw a line under the past, not least thanks to the rapprochement between CEO Döpfner and Bild's eternal denier, Günter Grass.
The takeover of Jean Frey Verlag by the Germans brought to mind that the Group, as owner of the Handelszeitungs Group, had already been operating discreetly in Switzerland since 1999 and had the financial resources to reshuffle the cards in the Swiss market. Back in 1992, Ringier almost merged with the German Axel Springer publishing house.
Local publishers are increasingly flirting with state subsidies, said Hanspeter Lebrument at the Epiphany Conference (the publisher president should take his own nose to the grindstone). Publishers such as Axel Springer, which are committed to the Anglo-Saxon tradition of media independence, are therefore seen as more trustworthy partners in Switzerland. In this respect, the group is welcome here in Switzerland. The further Springerization of the Swiss media landscape is merely a question of opportunities arising.
René Worni, Editor

Mediafocus The advertising month of November 2006 proved to be extremely strong, with a year-on-year increase of 19.2%. Advertising pressure rose considerably in practically all advertising media, with the daily press, consumer magazines, teletext and the Internet up by over 25 percent. TV, trade journals and cinema were also up. Radio and billboard advertising remained at the same level or slightly below. The transport (+78%), consumer electronics (+50%) and cosmetics/personal care (+41%) markets grew. By contrast, less was invested in tobacco products, energy and pharmaceuticals/health.
In November 2006, the Goldbach Electronic Media Index (GEMI) again showed a sharp rise in advertising investment in electronic media, with an increase of 6 index points (from 342 to 348 points). All media grew by 3 index points (to 178 points). Television increased by 8 index points (to 352 points) and thus had a considerable impact on total advertising investment in November. Adscreen shone with an increase of 12 index points (to 226 points), and Internet grew again by 11 index points (to 247 points). After a dry spell, Teletext gained 4 index points (to 145 points), while radio remained at 250 index points. The Goldbach Electronic Media Index is based on the data published by Media Focus for advertising investments in Switzerland and Wemf's AIS advertising expenditure statistics for Adscreen with index 100 in December 2004.

Scholz & Friends Zurich is now responsible for communications at Blick, the highest-circulation Swiss daily newspaper published by Ringier. The Zurich-based friends won over the publisher in a pitch against two competitors. The mandate covers all communication measures. Dietrich Berg, head of the Blick publishing house, on the agency's decision: "Scholz & Friends Zurich convinced us with their combination of media expertise and excellent creation. It's good to have an international partner at our side who convinced us with a large orchestra of the best ideas." Katrin Seegers, Managing Director Consulting Scholz & Friends Zurich: "For us, Blick is a high-caliber client that always defines the Swiss newspaper market in a bold and imaginative way. We are looking forward to the challenge."  
Blick is the third account win since the trio Katrin Seegers, Jan Leube and Matthias Spaetgens took over the management of Scholz & Friends Zurich in early summer 2006. Scholz & Friends Zurich was founded in February 2003 and serves clients such as Balisto, Ebly, Masterfoods, Credit Suisse, Riso, Honda and Siemens Hausgeräte.

What don't people do to be present in the media? Stars and politicians stage scandals, provoke, get married, get divorced or adopt babies. Advertising agencies, on the other hand, have a more difficult time. Especially when there's nothing to say, but they still want to be talked about again. Certain agencies then announce a restructuring or relocation of their agency, the release of a publication or the hiring of a new apprentice.  
However, the Basel-based advertising agency Bluegummy Marketing Communications has come up with something particularly original to make its presence felt in the media at the beginning of the year. In its mailing, it confidently announces that it is declaring 2007 the year of the orange and also sends along a picture as an illustration for all those who don't know what an orange looks like. According to agency tradition, one fruit is chosen each year to accompany the agency through the year. According to the agency, the orange stands for strength and vigor, and after winning two pitches at the end of 2006, this is the right energy boost. Incidentally, the lemon was named fruit of the year in 2006...

Velo Flash puts the pedal to the metal. For years, the Zurich bike courier has officially been the fastest in Switzerland. Because Flash keeps winning the bike courier championship. And because the Flash only brakes once: at the customer's door. But then until the brakes are on, so that everything stays just as it should be for customers: punctual, reliable and blazingly fast. Publicis has been dramatizing Flash's speed for years in ever new, surprising subjects. And for once, it portrays the courier as it is rarely seen - at rest.

People tend to forget about glasses. But this is about to change. The Zurich advertising agency Publicis is promoting Oakley's new eyewear collection with a new print campaign entitled "Glasses you'll never forget". In the style of classic wanted posters, the four poster subjects show the typical, albeit highly abstracted, phantom images. The only striking features are not the heads of the criminals depicted, but their sunglasses. So there are still things that everyone can remember.

The Graubünden government is now taking action in the dispute over the huge advertising slide of the Engadin/St. Moritz mountain railroads on Piz Corvatsch. It is of the opinion that a procedure for buildings outside the construction zone BAB is necessary for such projections, as reported by the SDA: both the projector and the still image on the northern slope of Piz Corvatsch are outside the construction zone. For this reason, the municipality of Silvaplana is not solely responsible for approval, said Director of Economic Affairs Hansjörg Trachsel at the cantonal government's monthly meeting with the media in Chur.
The government had held back because a case like that of the giant projection measuring 163 by 163 meters on Corvatsch is not mentioned in any law. The advertisement for the 100th anniversary of the Engadin/St. Moritz mountain railroads is to be illuminated at night for six weeks in January and February.
However, the installation is highly controversial, and not just in the Upper Engadin. The advertisement has also been sharply criticized by the Swiss Heritage Society and the Swiss Foundation for Landscape Conservation for causing light pollution and spoiling the landscape (see
).

The Zurich advertising agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett SFLB is promoting the online store Freshbox.ch, which delivers fresh fruit to the office. More and more companies are taking advantage of this healthy offer and regularly supplying their employees with vitamins - by ordering the Freshbox fruit packages as a subscription. All it takes is a few mouse clicks on Freshbox.ch. And a small change of work utensils. From now on, it is advisable to be properly equipped for your next meeting: SFLB has simply replaced the typical ballpoint pen in the breast pocket of a suit with a fruit peeler. The advertising motif can now be seen in various print media