Postpress Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Vertrieb Deutschland GmbH and Heidelberg Schweiz AG have recently become exclusive sales partners of Kama GmbH. The Dresden-based company Kama manufactures high-quality die-cutters in the 50 x 70 centimeter format and larger. Heidelberg now offers a complete range of die-cutters for various target groups; in addition to the entry-level Varimatrix model and the die-cutting systems in the Dymatrix series, Heidelberg now also has products in the lower format and performance segment in its portfolio with the Kama die-cutters.

Further training The Zurich Vocational School of Design provides information on the technopolygraphy training course Is it worthwhile training as a technopolygraph if you have completed a polygraph apprenticeship? Yes, because the basic training can only lay a foundation for working in prepress. Just think of how the field of IT in connection with prepress has developed in an almost revolutionary way in recent years (workflow systems, color management, CtP, digital printing) and how we are taking rapid steps towards fully automated production (CIP 4, JDF) in the print sector.In addition to a one-week study trip with visits to Heidelberg, Agfa and Kodak Creo, which has become an integral part of technopolygraphy training and which aims to promote cultural and social skills as well as technical knowledge, this course is already the third with new, expanded content designed to enable future technopolygraphers to lead a team or prepress department.
In addition to the ability to lead and instruct employees, the subjects of management basics, project management and cost basics, for example, should also enable future technopolygraphers to make their technical knowledge available to the management when writing a proposal for the evaluation of a new CtP platesetter and to coordinate a corresponding project group.
In addition to all this, the aim and objective of the technopolygraphy course is for them to master the entire pre-press production process - including the production of websites as an important interface to pre-press and the multiple use of data.

Werner Meier, Head of the Technopolygraphy class.
Information eveningThe course
Preliminary courses take place from October 2006 to July 2007. For those interested, an information evening will be held on Friday, September 29, 2006, at 6 p.m. in the Limmatplatz school building, Ausstellungsstrasse 104, 8005 Zurich, and detailed documentation can be obtained from the Vocational School of Design Zurich, Media, Form, Color, Ausstellungsstrasse 104, 8090 Zurich,
www.medienformfarbe.ch can be requested.

Posters A new exhibition can be admired at the Museum für Gestaltung. Theme: Japanese posters - today. The exhibition will run until December 3, 2006. The spectrum of design forms ranges from graphic and calligraphic elements, manga motifs, computer-generated effects and photomontages to pop art collages.

Imholz becomes TUI ReiseCenter, 60 times in Switzerland. The advertising agency Frontwork, newly domiciled in Wallisellen, has taken on the major rebranding project. It is to be realized within two months and completed by the end of September.
New window stickers, orientation boards, signposts and light boxes are needed at 60 locations. Frontwork plans, designs, produces and installs all the signage. The challenge: each location was to be given its own individual solution.

Premiere on 3+: the young Swiss television channel is the first in the German-speaking world to broadcast the world's most successful underwear show. Every year since 1996, Naomi, Giselle and co. have taken to the catwalk for the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" to present the latest creations from the famous lingerie label. According to a press release from 3+, the spectacle captivates two billion people every year. That means 30 percent of the world's population can attest to the fact that Heidi Klum was back in perfect shape just two months after giving birth to her second child - one of the highlights, according to the press release - or that Tyra Banks can also show personality. Thanks to 3+, German-speaking underwear fetishists are no longer left out: On September 9 and 15, the beauties will be strutting through Swiss parlors, accompanied by commentary from Swiss top model Nadja Schildknecht.  

Television One in five households has a digital video recorder. It is used as if it were analog.18 percent of all German-speaking households in Switzerland already have a digital video recorder (DVR), which can be used to record and then play back programs on a hard disc instead of on tape. This is the result of an online survey conducted by the McCann Erickson agency, in which a total of 294 people took part. Interestingly, the majority of DVR owners use the new devices in the traditional way - to record and play back programs and films. The main advantages over conventional video recorders, such as time-shifted television, TV program overviews or switching on breaks without missing anything (live pausing), are still hardly used.
And what do DVR users do with the recorded commercial breaks? The trend is clear: the majority skip the entire blocks or let them run through quickly. It is striking that women are more radical and often (77%) skip the entire commercial break, while 29% of men still watch the blocks quickly and even watch a single spot.
According to Urs Jaermann from McCann Erickson, the survey was conducted in mid-August - using the agency's own panel, which currently has 1,000 participants in German-speaking Switzerland.
Markus Knöpfli

Trade journals The Media Trend Journal has a new look With the September issue, the Media Trend Journal (MTJ) trade journal published by Media Daten AG has a new look. Both the look and the content structure have been revised. The layout has been streamlined and the individual sections have been integrated into a clear and consistent magazine dramaturgy. "The MTJ is all about content over form," emphasizes Urs Schnider, Editor-in-Chief of the Media Trend Journal. This was consistently implemented in the content revision - the streamlining meant dispensing with short news items. The actual strength of the magazine thus comes more clearly into focus, and the eye is consistently drawn to the mostly picture-free multi-page articles. The new MTJ concentrates entirely on media analyses and multi-page background reports.
The graphics and tables have also been redesigned: Their uniform and clear structure makes them easier to read.

Kathrin Fischer

Reto Meier and Roger Gähwiler form the interface between production and advertising agencies or end customers under the name dreiplus Werbearchitekten. He acts as a general contractor for clients wishing to build. He advises, carries out submissions and awards various subcontracts. Reto Meier and Roger Gähwiler also see themselves as such an interface. This is why their agency dreiplus is called "advertising architects". "drei" stands for the three areas of consulting, conception and realization as well as for the three partners. The "plus" stands for everything behind it - i.e. production partners, suppliers, employees and customers. Meier and Gähwiler have been active on the market with their new service since the beginning of this year. The two see themselves as a neutral, non-producing hub for the entire advertising technology sector. Both previously worked productively in the advertising industry - for providers such as Christinger, Frontwork and Westiform. In the course of these jobs, Meier and Gähwiler have independently organized very complex projects for major clients such as Coop, APG, Amag and Aldi.
"As project managers, we collected the needs of advertising agencies and end customers from all sectors and transferred them to production," is how the advertising architects describe their previous work. However, because they were only allowed to offer a limited range of products as employees of a specific producer, their creative options were correspondingly limited. "We couldn't always offer our customers the optimal solution." 
The two have also noticed: "Because the client can't know all the processes in production themselves, this often leads to unnecessary time stress before the work is completed." The consequences are either a postponement or additional costs. Transporting this knowledge "from the back to the front" is now the concern of the advertising architects.
No longer representing a specific production, but rather acting as a consultant to introduce the right plans and ideas as early as possible in the decision-making phase of a project - this is the gap in the market that advertising architects have spied out for themselves. This includes comprehensive CI adaptations, vehicle lettering, signage, product and packaging design, illuminated advertising and all other technical implementations in the advertising production industry.
For all this work, submissions are carried out on behalf of the advertising agency or a direct customer, deadlines are planned and "it is ensured that the product arrives at the right place at the right time at the right price".
The customer base is growing rapidly. The advertising architects have already realized a number of projects under their name for clients such as McDonald's, Hilti, Tierpark Goldau and SIUS,
L'Oréal, Traitafina.
The advertising architects act as service providers and create the concept in the sense of collecting ideas, putting them on paper and discussing them with the client. Together with their network, they provide agency services, PR services and the most appropriate products and their implementation. "This enables us to provide our customers with the tailor-made solution they want at all times."
How great is this need among agencies? "Everyone has to work on a budget these days. Several quotes have to be obtained for one job. These often show big differences. This is where we can help you make a sensible decision to save time and money," promise the advertising architects. Meier and Gähwiler know all the products, producers and production processes from their own many years of experience. They are constantly keeping up to date with new trends and products. "In an agency, this range can no longer be followed on the side."
making decisions themselves, and no one else in the company has the final say: "This freedom is very valuable to us," the young entrepreneurs are convinced. They also love a healthy dose of pressure. "Actively generating something is more fun than receiving a salary every month." And: "With the expected developments in the economy, many more CI changes will follow. This makes our offering on the market all the more important."
After completing his apprenticeship, Roger Gähwiler worked as a lettering and advertising designer, then switched to field service and looked after customers for larger litho companies. He later returned to the industry and joined Christinger Partner.
After completing his apprenticeship as a lettering and advertising designer, Reto Meier trained further in the field of restoration painting. Restoring, gilding, graining and marbling old buildings was "a labor of patience" that he remembers as enriching and beautiful.
He was then also drawn back into the industry. He managed this at Westiform in a dual role as a graphic designer and typeface painter. He later moved to Christinger, where he soon became head of advertising technology and internal sales. When the young competitor Frontwork wanted to poach him, Meier accepted because he was "attracted by the development". For the rebranding of EPA to Coop City, he was in charge of the interface for over two years. This positive experience and various further training courses have now given him the courage to start his own company.
Meier and Gähwiler were brought together by their third partner, Manuel Munuera. He runs his own industrial design company in Schlieren. However, he is not operationally involved with the advertising architects in their "farmhouse loft" in Opfikon, but works in the "plus" area.
With its name "dreiplus", the agency has also recently received requests for castings. "We are sometimes mistaken for the new private television," laugh the advertising architects. There was even almost a confusion with the logo. It was only by chance that the advertisers did not opt for the spelling "3+". Now they have a little "secret message" in the station ID of the new channel every day.        
Andreas Panzeri

Free Cash daily newspapers are free - at the kiosk. Publicis lures the people to the point of present: As the agency for Cash daily, Publicis has more arrows in its quiver to advertise the various multimedia products surrounding what could be the new cash cow from Ringier. The first phase, however, is all about "hard selling for the free newspaper", as the freelance CD Jean Etienne Aebi explains. The sober introductory campaign must make three points clear. Cash daily, which is distributed free of charge, must be made known as an independent title and positioned as an alternative to competitors such as Finanz und Wirtschaft or, for example, Handelszeitung. Secondly, "free" should be communicated as an important incentive. Thirdly, it must be made clear that Cash daily is not available in boxes like the well-known commuter newspapers, but must be requested at the kiosk.
The advertising psychologists at Publicis believe that this last novelty has it all. It's about the fear of thresholds. The Swiss are shy in this respect because "the Swiss mentality is not such that they go to a kiosk even if they don't want to buy anything there". So we need to work on changing behavior here, because at the Cash daily, even an elegantly dressed businessman and obvious subscriber to the Financial Times should be able to ask the newsagent for a free newspaper without inhibitions.
Straightforward headlinesStylistically, the campaign works on a primarily verbal level. The communication for Switzerland's first business daily newspaper works quickly and without the image puzzles or word games that are otherwise popular in newspaper advertising. The subjects recall the already familiar campaign with red headlines on a yellow background.
Andreas Panzeri
More about Cash daily in this advertising week:
Come to the kiosk, capitalist!

Magazine Swiss digital radio (DAB) has a future, says a new German magazine for digital radio. A Swiss edition of the German magazine "Reinhören, das Magazin für Besser-Hörer" was published for the first time last September 1st with a circulation of 6000 copies and virtually no press. The magazine, which is published quarterly in Germany with a circulation of 30,000 copies, dedicated a special issue with twelve extra pages to the topic of digital radio (DAB) for its first market launch in Switzerland.
This is no coincidence and has to do on the one hand with the protracted development of digital radio in Germany, where hardly any launch strategies for this technology are yet discernible. On the other hand, the two magazine founders and co-directors Mario Gongolsky and Niels Gründel are keeping a watchful eye on the development of DAB in Switzerland and predict great growth potential for DAB in Switzerland.
This sometimes leads to DAB managers at SRG pointing out the importance of the publication. Because even in Switzerland, the introduction of digital radio is not without controversy. "In a European comparison, we consider the introduction strategy for DAB in Switzerland to be promising," says Mario Gongolsky.
In line with the state of development of digital radio in the German-speaking world, Switzerland is the most interesting market for the magazine for the publishers of Reinhören. Gongolsky is delighted with the response from customers so far. "We have a market of 3.5 million German-speaking Swiss here," which is nothing compared to the 82 million Germans. But it is encouraging that people like listening to the radio in Switzerland, especially as digital radio is struggling to enter the market in Germany.
Gongolsky and Gründel launched the magazine at the Funkausstellung 2003, and in 2004 it appeared regularly on newsstands. The editorial team consists of just 1.3 permanent employees, who work together with six freelance authors and have "already gone through a certain dry spell". The Swiss launch is an expression of better times.
Editorially soundThe magazine has an average of 64 pages and is aimed at people who are interested in radio, related devices and technologies. The editorial team focuses on the political and economic background of a medium that many have already predicted the death of, but for which completely new perspectives are opening up on the threshold of digitalization.
The current issue has been published in two separate editions, a German and a Swiss edition. The expected topics of the audio media genre are dealt with in depth: It is about high-flying satellite projects for radio that promise program diversity, about the encryption of broadcast signals, about the improved starting position for digital radio after the wave conference (RRC 06) in Geneva last June or about podcasting. There is also an interview with the cult podcaster Annik Rubens, whose podcast "Schlaflos in München" (Sleepless in Munich) inspires several thousand people every day.
In addition, the editorial team always presents a range of digital radios and other audio devices about which the general listening public is still barely informed. Gongolsky knows that he is pretty much alone when it comes to listening. "Listening to the radio is pretty much lost behind all the TV images." The magazine aims to encourage the public to rediscover the joy of radio. "When the renaissance begins, we'll already be there," he says. A larger magazine is being considered for next year.
Alpine lift for HD radio Radio Sunshine's HD attempt
is mentioned in the editorial of the Swiss edition of Reinhören: the project is like a "veritable almighty boom" for HD radio. HD combines digital and analog broadcasting on the existing FM signal, a technology that is currently celebrating its debut in the USA. Presumably, the aim is to change as little as possible at the core - i.e. the program and range. DAB, on the other hand, completely reshuffles the cards because all stations have the same range. According to Mario Gongolsky, this creates new risks, but also new options: "Specialist stations with jazz or literature do not find enough listeners these days as long as they can only be broadcast in Zurich or Bern."
In principle, he has nothing against HD radio, he says. However, he is bothered by the fact that HD technology is only just emerging in the USA. Corresponding receivers are therefore still expensive and hardly mature. "If Switzerland were to rely on HD radio, it would mean that the development that can already be carried out today would be delayed for five years."
René Worni

The number of creative competitions is increasing. Increasing at an alarming rate. Everyone who is listed in the corresponding e-mail distribution lists knows that. But does that also mean that creativity is on the rise? Or are such contests entertainment or, in the end, just an advertising measure? Currently, for example, the second Rhino Award is running in Germany, which - if the press release is to be believed - "inspires agencies and consumers". The Rhino Award is a prize for advertising on trucks, a new type of advertising medium in which Trans-marketing specializes. According to the call for entries for the award, it is "relying on the opinion of motorists". Road users are now allowed to select their favorite subjects on the autobahns and in other road traffic throughout Germany, and vote for them online. That's great, especially for those with portable Internet in their pockets in areas with nationwide hotspots - although of course the question of traffic safety immediately arises. Or is it only allowed to vote when there's a traffic jam? As it looks, however, few are struggling with such problems, and the award is already "a complete success." Probably people remember their favorite subject and vote at home. Or there is always traffic jam. And people are extremely bored. Either way, a jury of 30 will select the winner from the three most popular subjects, who will be celebrated in Hockenheim in October with much pomp and many prizes.

Digital printing Océ Switzerland has successfully developed a business model that has since been adopted by other countries and is now to be expanded Digital print shops have a harder time than other, established print shops; in some cases, they still have to do a lot of educational work and at the same time assert themselves in competitive markets. Their customers often still know very little about the technical possibilities of digital printing, personalization or on-demand printing. Océ, provider of products and services for professional document management, is compensating for these deficits with the launch of the so-called Océ Quality Centers, which were presented at the beginning of August. Selected companies will be supported by Océ to better market digital printing services. Corresponding partnerships were concluded with the first ten companies before the official launch. "The Océ Quality Centers concept goes far beyond the supply of copying and printing systems," explained Arndt Hungerberg, Business Group Director Digital Document Systems at Océ, at a press conference.
For Switzerland and the rest of the worldThomas Kollhopp, responsible for Digital Document Systems at Océ, is responsible for the development of the "Océ Quality Center" business model, which was officially launched on August 9. Kollhopp explains the positioning of the Centers: "The Quality Centers are about anchoring digital printing in the market - with our customers' customers. They should find out via digital print service providers what just-in-time production is - and, above all, what the advantages of such production scenarios are."
According to Kollhopp, this should put Océ partner companies in a better position to justify why digital printing is more suitable for this or that job and for which purposes the process is the right one. These measures are rounded off with support for the professional marketing of print products, partnerships in a VIP group and the resulting exchange of experience. "We also award these innovative, quality-conscious and customer-oriented partners with a corresponding seal of approval," explains Kollhopp.
In order to receive this label, companies must fulfill minimum requirements: For example, a Quality Center partner must have both a color and a black-and-white system - and generate at least 50 percent of its sales in digital printing with Océ systems. In order to give the label a certain exclusivity, Océ has made sure that the partners come from different regions of Switzerland - also because direct competitors are unlikely to want to exchange information about their regional activities.
 
Kollhopp explains that the Quality Center concept developed in Switzerland has got off to a very successful start and has now been introduced or is about to be introduced in other countries.
Flexibility as a prerequisiteRepresenting the first ten partners, Reto Spiegel, Managing Director of Impress Spiegel AG, Egerkingen, explained that a high degree of flexibility and a willingness to learn new things were required. In return, they benefit from a great deal of support: "Océ provides us with tools for analysis and strategy, organizes helpful workshops and also supports us with questions about paper and its printability, for example, through good connections to the paper trade."
Obviously, it was also decided to emphasize the particularly good printing results on creative papers. To document this print quality, Océ has developed various print samples with partner Sihl + Eika and realized them on a wide variety of creative papers. Josef Inauen, Head of Market Development at the paper wholesaler, underlined the print quality of the Océ color printing systems at the launch of the Quality Centers: "In our opinion, the CPS 800 and 900 print systems from Océ are the only digital printing systems on the market that can print on such a wide range of papers."
Jürgen Franck
Océ Quality CenterThe "Océ Quality Center" seal of approval
is awarded to selected print service providers who offer a comprehensive range of services based on Océ digital solutions. The partners benefit from extensive support from Océ. With a new Internet portal and additional partners spread throughout Switzerland, Océ intends to further expand the Océ Quality Center program. Launched in Switzerland in 2005, the program has already been gradually extended to other countries. The Océ Quality Center award is given to companies that have a long and successful track record in the digital printing market and are willing to further expand their offering based on Océ solutions.
The first ten partnersBuchsMedien AG, Buchs SG
Copylink AG, Bäch SZGamma-Print Reprografie AG, LucerneImpress Spiegel AG, EgerkingenLänggass Druck AG, BernLüthi Druck AG, HerzogenbuchseeRepro Uhr, WetzikonR. Steinemann, SchlierenSuter Print AG, OstermundigenZumsteg Druck AG, Frick