Newspapers The Basellandschaftliche Zeitung is making its readers curious: from next Saturday, the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (bz) will take over the concept, jacket section and layout of the Mittelland Zeitung (MZ). Thanks to this cooperation in the jacket section, "journalistic capacities will be freed up, which will enrich and further expand regional and local reporting", promises publishing director Mathis Lüdin at bz. His readership should be able to find out more about their immediate surroundings with the new possibilities. The new design will also be fresher and clearer in the style of the tried-and-tested MZ, so the familiar will be complemented by something new. The advertising agency Bürgi&Partner in Lenzburg has also incorporated this into its work. Under the motto "Your bz and even more ...", the agency is presenting a multi-stage teaser campaign. The idea is not completely new. The subjects build on the teaser campaign that the Aargauer Zeitung had already realized a year ago for its own relaunch.
It will start at the beginning of September. For two weeks, curiosity about the expanded bz will be aroused and the medium of the newspaper will be dramatized in a creative way, with a torn-open front page providing a first glimpse of the new insides. The publication of the refreshed bz will be followed on September 16 by a complete view.
In order to achieve an optimal effect and focus the attention of the target groups, several media are used in parallel - the bz relies on print ads, posters, streetcar and bus advertising as well as radio and TV spots.
Andreas Panzeri

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, is cracking down on violations of freedom of speech: The former Terminator signed a bill that criminalizes the theft of free newspapers. The theft of free newspapers will no longer be tolerated in the Sunshine State. From January 2007, anyone who takes more than 25 copies of a free newspaper will face a fine of 500 dollars or ten days in prison. The governor's statement to this effect revealed the background to the new law: the free newspaper thieves represented a threat to freedom of expression. And when it comes to such fundamental values - freedom of speech is enshrined in the constitution - Americans are known not to take a joke. A free newspaper thief, the statement continued, violated the right of others to express and publicly disseminate their opinions. Outrageous acts had prompted the former action star to take this step. A politician, for example, who in November 2002 stole more than a thousand copies of a free newspaper that did not support his candidacy. But now, thanks to the Tyrolean rock, freedom of expression will soon be safe again.    

Advertising Chris von Rohr as we would like to see him. Ruf Lanz shows the dreaded music critic with a Hannibal Lecter mask. The casting call for the big music casting show "Superstar" on 3+ is an eye-catcher. And it makes sense: because 3+ explicitly wants to appeal to talented people who can really sing or rap. But it also makes sense in terms of the channel itself, because it also allows the top thrillers that are regularly shown on 3+ to compete.

Mach Basic K-Tipp, SI and Beobachter are in a neck-and-neck race, the Sunday market is saturated, and the business press continues to lose reach.Service: Long-term analysis of the daily and Sunday press as well as the regional free press in the
Article "Creeping development"
According to Wemf, the new readership figures show that 90.9 percent of the Swiss population read at least one newspaper more or less regularly and 93.1 percent read at least one magazine. These figures have remained stable since the year 2000, and for the first time, Mach Basic 2005, 2006-1 and 2006-2 provide three semi-annual reach studies. These were all surveyed over a twelve-month period, but were each delayed by six months. Mach Basic 2006-2 was conducted between April 12, 2005 and March 26, 2006.
It is astonishing that only around half of the securities in these three studies show continuous developments. Many in the 2006-1 evaluation experienced a more or less pronounced "interim high" or "interim low". This means that the current values are often similar to those of 2005. Although these intermediate highs and lows were always within the confidence interval, it is clear that with today's measurement methodology for print reach, more frequent publications alone do not provide greater accuracy. For this reason, in this analysis we concentrate primarily on a comparison of the 2006-2 values with 2005.
The trend in subscribed daily newspapers is largely stable: not a single major title shows significant changes in a half-year or year-on-year comparison. However, the new commuter newspapers in French-speaking Switzerland are starting to leave their mark.
Tagi remains in declineThe only major daily newspaper to make significant gains in German-speaking Switzerland is once again the free title 20 Minuten, primarily due to its expansion into St. Gallen (June 2005). However, the commuter paper has probably now reached its zenith in German-speaking Switzerland. It now remains to be seen whether it will be able to maintain this reach or whether it will even have to cede readers to the evening paper Heute and the free business daily Cash Daily - both from Ringier. Incidentally, 20 Minuten has hardly been able to do anything to the St. Galler Tagblatt - and nothing at all to the Neue Luzerner Zeitung.
The Mittelland Zeitung reports a strong increase of 60,000 readers, but beware, this is not a real "gain" but a clever marketing ploy that will only become reality in two days' time: On September 16, 2006, the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (bz) will join the newspaper association, which is why the MZ has already had the bz readership added to its own reach.
The Tages-Anzeiger, on the other hand, continues to show a downward trend, with its net reach falling from 15.3 to 13.2 percent since 2000. The Berner Zeitung is also eroding: despite the integration of the Bund, growth in the Bernese Oberland and expansion in the canton of Solothurn, the title has lost a total of 10 percent of its readership since 2003 and is now slipping back below the 400,000 mark.
The Aargauer Zeitung, on the other hand, has made some gains, probably thanks to its new concept a year ago. The Basler Zeitung has recovered since its relaunch two years ago, and the Blick is also more stable than a year ago; the tabloid format has apparently been digested. The NZZ, on the other hand, has lost 19,000 readers. However, the Alte Tante has repeatedly reported gains and losses of this kind in recent years, but the title has remained stable in the long term.
Trend reversal for cashThere were no significant changes among the Sunday titles, and this market is probably now saturated. Last year, all titles were still up, NZZ am Sonntag even significantly so. Now trench warfare is beginning: the slight losses of two titles are showing up as gains for the third. What influence will the new regional Sonntagsblatt of Südostschweiz, which has been published since May, have on these three titles?
The trend in the business press is thought-provoking. Once again, this genre is losing contacts - continuously since 2000. This is true even without the methodologically incomparable decline in readership of Bilanz (see below). Stocks, on the other hand, is a clear loser; with 52,000 new readers, it is worse off than in 2002, when the young title was included in Mach Basic for the first time. Cash, on the other hand, has seen a turnaround: After two years of heavy losses, it is the only business title with a slight plus. However, it remains to be seen whether this will continue with Cash Daily.
It is exciting to see what is currently happening with the paid-for magazines with the highest reach: Although K-Tipp remains number one, it has lost 75,000 readers in just six months and is now only just ahead of Schweizer Illustrierte and Beobachter. The latter is also losing readers and image: for years it was ahead of SI, but now its reach has been significantly reduced and it has had to cede the silver medal to the Ringiertitel. SI also seems to have reached its zenith and is on the decline. It remains to be seen what effect SI Style, which has been on the market since March, will have.
Huge bloodletting DuFacts has managed to stabilize after heavy losses. However, there is still no turning point in sight for Das Beste from Reader's Digest: the monthly magazine is once again losing significant readership - including in French-speaking Switzerland. The cultural magazine Du is also experiencing massive problems, with its readership falling by 20 percent. On the other hand, there is joy among women's magazines: Joy is stealing readers away from Freundin and taking its place.
The performance of the left-wing WOZ is disappointing, falling below the psychologically important mark of 100,000 readers. The magazine, on the other hand, is growing, but only because it has also been enclosed with the Basler Zeitung and the Berner Zeitung since fall 2004. This is now taking full effect for the first time.
In French-speaking Switzerland, Tout compte fait deserves special mention: It has grown significantly within a year and now reaches almost 100,000 readers. And in Italian-speaking Switzerland, we will have to keep an eye on the association's magazine Touring: it is the only title in Ticino to have lost a significant number of readers - for the first time, but in German-speaking Switzerland the title has been experiencing a strong downward trend for some time.
Attention, area of trust! For the Mach Basic 2006-2
the resident population of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein aged 14 and over represents the basic population. This is a total of 5.8 million people. A total of 23,816 interviews were conducted for the study, including 17,178 in German-speaking Switzerland, 5534 in French-speaking Switzerland and 1104 in Ticino, but the results obtained from the sample are only valid for the population within a certain confidence interval. With a confidence level of 95.5 percent, the confidence interval in Mach Basic 2005 has the following maximum values: For the whole of Switzerland (including the Principality of Liechtenstein) plus/minus 0.7 percent, for the German language group plus/minus 0.8 percent, for the French language group plus/minus 1.4 percent and for the Italian language group plus/minus 3.0 percent.
Rhythm disturbances at the beginning of 2005
the business magazine Bilanz changed its publication frequency from monthly to fortnightly. Shortly before this, the circulation was adjusted and reduced by 19 percent. It was clear that these measures would leave their mark on the reach, which still amounted to 417,000 readers in 2004, and this was also communicated (even if the figures cannot be compared directly for methodological reasons). However, the result was lower than expected. In mid-May, publishing director Sandra Geiger was still expecting the reach of her title to fall to around 270,000 readers (WW 19/06). Now it is even 28,000 readers less. Nevertheless, she is "not shocked". "Yes, we misjudged," she admits frankly, but it is clear that the bottom has now been reached. "The subscription channel is growing slightly again, and we are already seeing an increase in circulation," she says. The reach will probably level off at around 250,000 readers. "That means six to seven readers per copy - a reasonable figure compared to the past, when we had 10 to 12 readers per copy," says Geiger.
At the parallel title in French-speaking Switzerland, Bilan (Edipresse), which made the same cadence change at the same time as Bilanz, reach is still eroding, but in the confidence range. Like Geiger, Théo Bouchat, Director of Edipresse, also speaks of a renewed increase in reach: "Mach Basic 2006-2 still paints a picture of the past."
Markus Knöpfli

Politics The Chur-based agency diebündner communicates about the autumn session of the Federal Assembly in Flims, where the time-honored Federal Palace in Bern is undergoing a thorough renovation. For this reason, the Federal Parliament will be meeting in Flims from September 18 to October 6. The Hotel Waldhaus will temporarily become Switzerland's new center of power. Naturally, the people of Graubünden are taking this event as an opportunity to inject a breath of fresh air into Swiss politics. Their message: in the mountain air of Graubünden, our parliamentarians should be able to clear their heads for day-to-day political business. During the Sessiun - as the session is officially called this time in the fourth national language - there should therefore be a little time for leisure in the form of applied regional studies in addition to hard political work.
The people of Graubünden are responsible for advertising this varied supporting program in Flims with posters, booklets and advertisements. On the one hand, the communication experts from the mountains inform the parliamentarians about various local offers for information and leisure activities. On the other hand, the opportunity to visit the parliament in Flims is also made attractive to the population in the lowlands. An excursion that promises interesting insights into the work of parliament as well as a good dose of nature.
In collaboration with Graubünden Ferien, a POS communication was created that presents Graubünden as a cosmopolitan region with great economic and tourism potential.
The party manifesto as a source of inspirationOf course, local businesses also use the presence of the councillors and the increased media attention as an opportunity for various activities of their own. For the local advertising of the Degiacomi shoe store in Flims, for example, the agency chose the Graubünden party programs of the major parties as a source of advertising copy. For once, the values are presented in a beautifully balanced way against the background of the party colors and speak to the political tourists. After all, parliamentarians and visitors might need a pair of good mountain boots for the accompanying program to the Sessiun.
Andreas Panzeri

Branding Exxtra is celebrating M-Budget's ten-year success story with a major campaign. "Better a loaf of bread than cutting the advertising budget" seems to be the motto at M-Budget. After the young cult brand already appeared on billboards throughout Switzerland in January, the Swiss discount original is doubling down this fall. M-Budget is launching a new, offensive poster and print campaign. Exxtra Kommunikation has designed a whole series of new subjects in the usual bold M-Budget style. On the one hand, these draw attention to further new products in the range. At the same time, the advertising budget is cleverly used to confidently emphasize the cult character of the graphically refreshing brand, detached from individual products.
The Migros brand M-Budget can now look back on a ten-year success story. In 1996, after an employee had a flash of inspiration while on vacation in Australia, it came onto the market with the first discount items in a green and white low-cost design, apparently fulfilling the needs of an entire population. The products sold well not only among people with modest incomes or large families, but also among middle to higher earners. "This is probably due not only to low prices and good quality, but also to successful marketing and advertising strategies," believes Beat Mühlemann, Head of Marketing Communications at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives, Zurich.
According to the large-scale Brand Asset Valuator image study, M-Budget is now the strongest Migros brand, stands for best value for money and is perceived as an innovative cult brand. 
The advertising agency responsible, Exxtra Kommunikation, "did not always focus on pleasing", according to CD Dieter Hofmann. Instead, the brand's virtues were more important: cheap, pragmatic, simple, clever and Swiss.
In doing so, the creatives have occasionally accepted the fact that some people have felt offended - for example in the last campaign with the subject "Now you can change your underpants more often than a woman". Such provocations are part of the process and contribute to the brand's cult character.
Migros is using the same style, with a pinch of tongue-in-cheek, to draw attention to some of its 70 new M-Budget products this fall. A total of six subjects, each reduced to one product and an integrated headline, will adorn billboards and selected newspaper pages in September. Statements such as "Macht blitz, aber nicht blank", "Toast für ein Butterbrot" on the toast and "Lieber ein Brot als die Ferien streichen" are certainly further building blocks for the iconic image of the M-Budget brand.
Andreas Panzeri

Newspapers The case is attracting public attention and shows once again how effectively the media can intervene directly in a trial. Whereby "trial" here of course means social development and not a court hearing. It is about the Swissfirst bank and its possible involvement in kickback payments, and it is not just two prominent communications consultants who are engaged in a fierce competition behind these events. The race for the title of "Swiss First" is also in full swing among the media covering the events. Who will deliver the decisive primeur? Sometimes the facts don't allow a glance at the balance sheet in 20 minutes, when the observer can only puzzle over where cash has really flowed.
So which title should the curious reader stick to in this case? - "New arrest in the Swissfirst case": the latest SonntagsZeitung once again clearly won the race for prime time. However, anyone who then bought the apparently hot newspaper was disappointed to discover that "new" on this Sunday did not mean a new development, as it could have done after the speculation on Saturday. "New" only meant an arrest that had already been made on Tuesday, five days ago. Unfortunately, the buyer noticed it too late at the newspaper vending machine.
A possible moral of the story: For newspapers, POS should not only be called "Point of Sale", but also "Point of Seriosity".
Andreas Panzeri

There is apparently a prominent new prospective buyer for the Spanish-language US television channel Univision: An investment company owned by Bill Gates, together with other companies, may want to outbid the investor group led by media mogul Haim Saban with a new offer.The consortium led by Mexican media group Televisa is considering a 13 billion dollar offer for Univision, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The Univision management had already approved the takeover by the Saban Group for a good twelve billion dollars at the end of June (see
Saban swallows US broadcaster in billion-dollar deal). However, Univision shareholders still have to approve the deal on September 27, with the Saban Group offering 36.25 dollars per Univision share. The New York Times put the rival offer from Televisa, the Gates investment company Cascade Investments and Bain Capital at at least 38 dollars. Saban's offer had already trumped an earlier offer from the Televisa Group.

schoch&sonders, a new agency for packaging design, was launched in Zurich on September 1. The agency sees its strength primarily in its specialization in packaging design, which it implements from A to Z, i.e. from conception to implementation.

With Dominik Schoch and Roman Sonders, no strangers have become agency founders. Dominik Schoch, Creative Director at schoch&sonders, was Art Director at the agency By Heart for 8 years. Roman Sonders, who runs the agency, is a federally certified communications manager and federally certified marketing planner and worked for many years as advertising manager at Ford.

As Roman Sonders, agency director, told Werbewoche, the agency currently consists of just two employees and a network of freelancers. "But we want to grow and are also ready for the big jobs," says Sonders. Sonders describes his agency's specialization in packaging design as a particular strength. "There aren't many agencies on the market that offer packaging design from A to Z - this is where we see our opportunity," Sonders continues. Strategy, design and realization come from a single source at schoch&sonders. Naturally, the company works with a network of partner companies: Detailpack AG and Maxomedia are currently listed in the agency presentation. But according to Sonders, further collaborations with communication agencies are also very welcome.

The first orders that schoch&sonders has won show that this concept promises to be a success. Migros is already one of the young agency's clients.

Nicole Kidman spent the past weekend in Italy. Behind the old walls of an apartment building in the Testaccio district of Rome, the shooting of a commercial clip with the 39-year-old Australian-born actress was planned. But before the cameras started rolling, the production company had to negotiate with the residents of the house. The reason: the property manager had let the commercial filmmakers use the filming location for the equivalent of a good 12,600 francs. But the tenants also wanted their share to pay the "operating costs. They blocked the entrance and talked until they were promised 54,000 francs. Included in this price: The five-day leave of the courtyard, the laundry room and the terrace.
 

The NZZ am Sonntag is launching its second series of world literature summaries on September 17. Once again, literary classics will be included in the paper free of charge on ten Sundays in a very condensed form. The first series of compact classics was launched last January (see World literature light with NZZ am Sonntag). The campaign generated an exceptionally high number of trial subscriptions with a very good conversion rate, the NZZ reader marketing department told Werbewoche. For this reason, the decision was made to run a second series. The second round will also offer an introductory subscription for 10 Sundays. The campaign is being launched in collaboration with the company Getabstract from Lucerne.

No fewer than four new employees have joined the off- and online dialog marketing divisions of the Zurich-based direct marketing specialist Fisch.Meier.Direkt. The new head of desktop is Adrian Häni (picture), who most recently held the same position at Lowe.
The consulting area is strengthened by Nahuel Morales in the function of Junior Brand Director and Michael Jakopp as Brand Assistant. Morales brings six years of experience in dialog marketing, gained with clients such as Betty Bossi, Viseca and Helsana. Jakopp already worked for Fisch.Meier.Promotion during his studies.
And last but not least, Alexandra Fux is the new Junior AD. She has already proven her talent in various agencies in Bern, according to the press release.