Publishing On March 1, InDesign-User was launched as the first user group in the German-speaking world to focus on Adobe's layout software, with the aim of offering both newcomers and experienced InDesign users a platform for exchanging information and a wide range of activities. At the center of the offer are workshops and seminars and, on September 7/8, a large InDesign conference on the Gurten near Bern. www.indesign-user.ch

Out-of-home advertising The delegates of FEPE International have elected Christian Kauter as the new President. The Affichage CEO is the third Swiss to preside over the World Federation of Outdoor Advertising, which was founded in 1959, and the new FEPE Secretary General will be Othmar Casutt, Head of PR at APG.

Column Journalistic originals worthy of the name cannot be copied. Hunter S. Thompson was one of them. Farewell to Gonzo! He wrote such beautiful and vivid sentences as: "Going on the campaign trail with Hubert Humphrey was like being locked in a rumbling truck with a hungry, red-eyed 500-pound rat." And he invented the motto of serious journalism: "Free Food. Free Drinks. Free Press." He wrote as he lived: with cocaine and a 44 Magnum. Now, at the age of 67, Hunter S. Thompson has shot himself.There are few famous deaths in journalism, Mbwana. Most of them die during their lifetime: Week after week in the waste paper. Thompson, however, was difficult to overlook. He invented a completely new genre, gonzo journalism, of which he himself was the hero: a drugged-up, frightened, angry reporter on a shark hunt, with the Hells Angels or Nixon on the campaign trail.
Hundreds of anecdotes appeared after his death: For example, how he surprised his friend Jack Nicholson for his birthday at three in the morning - with a 2000-watt spotlight and a grenade launcher. (The surprised Nicholson hid in the cellar with a poker.) But that's just the icing on the cake. What would remain of him after all the harmlessness of shootings and drug binges, Thompson wrote, was "the monster I always was - the writer".
What made Thompson unique was that he broke with the central dogma of American journalism: the strict objectivity of the American "he said she said" routine. Objectivity sounds wonderful in theory, but it is not the same as truth, nor does it automatically capture reality. In the 1950s, for example, Senator McCarthy prevailed with his crusade against un-American activities not least because McCarthy's suspicions and the protests of the other side were given equal weight in the press.
Thompson's expressive first-person reports as an unreliable reporter were the sharpest possible attack on one-side-versus-the-other journalism. Gonzo brought to the press the same irritation that Heisenberg brought to physics: the observer changes what is observed. Often only distortion brings recognizability: for example, when Thompson wrote of Nixon as a "fraud", a "pig of a man" and "he should be buried in a dustbin". An unforgettable portrait in which Thompson calmly remarked: "Some say that words like scum or rotten don't fit with serious journalism - but that's not the point. It was precisely the built-in blind spots of serious journalism that allowed Nixon to slime his way into the White House."
No wonder, generations of young journalists loved and copied him - most of them, however, by going on reportage with chemistry-filled heads and insulting people. They overlooked the fact that Thompson had been perfectly prepared: he had spent years typing up the best of the classics - the Bible, Hemingway and Fitzgerald - for practice, had written two novels, in other words had learned the trade. His weapons were not whisky and cocaine, not the curses, not the .44 Magnum. What made him dangerous was his style, which only suited one man: himself. The only thing that can be copied by the rest is the central point: the decision to trust no one but your own eyes.
After 15 years of great reportage, he was hit by the tragedy of almost all successful people: He began to embody his own image. His insults became formulaic, his style bombast, he himself an eccentric. Thompson concluded: "Writing is a hateful job. Writing is a bit like sex: only funny for amateurs. Old whores no longer laugh at it."
Success poisons, failure poisons and routine will kill us all. But that, Mbwana, is a problem for later.
Constantin Seibt says goodbye to his (un)secret role model.

> Constantin Seibt is an editor at the weekly newspaper.

Administration The Zurich water supply company wants to anchor its activities more firmly in the public's consciousness and has commissioned the Zurich agency TBS Identity to expand and implement its corporate design program. The mandate includes the realization of various media in marketing communication such as brochures, customer information and employee newsletters, as well as signage and the conception of a water trail along the Limmat.

Regional editions Since 1997, the Zürichsee newspapers have been advertising with the slogan "After all, the world starts on our doorstep". The idea was illustrated by the Linth Zeitung with a photo montage of elephants walking through Rapperswil. The Zürichsee-Zeitung from Meilen illustrates the cosmopolitan appearance with a photomontage on the subject of wind energy in Meilen. "Apparently our long-standing statement that the world starts on our doorstep is so convincing that the Tages-Anzeiger also uses it," writes Erland Herkenrath, Managing Director of the Zürichsee-Zeitung. However, he does not believe that the Tagi wanted to provoke a plagiarism for its regional split with the exact same slogan. "They have no idea what we've done so far. We hope that the Tages-Anzeiger did its research before trying to force its way into a new market."

Cooperation In order to offer its customers a more comprehensive service, Print Assist is entering into cooperation agreements Just a few days after the boards of Eastman Kodak (Kodak) and Creo approved the takeover of Creo by Kodak, an announcement from Höri ZH caused a stir: Print Assist, a subsidiary of printing press manufacturer Koenig & Bauer (KBA), intends to cooperate with Creo Switzerland.Creo, the parent company of Creo Switzerland, has only recently changed its strategy (see WW 5/05) and could, if the shareholders agree and the official and legal approvals are obtained, become part of Kodak by the end of March. Since the beginning of this year, Creo has independently strengthened its direct sales in Switzerland and increased its sales team.
Print Assist and Creo The partnership between Creo and Print Assist is therefore surprising due to the announced realignment - at least at first glance. On the other hand, the KBA and Creo groups have been working closely together for years and are both partners in the NGP (Networked Graphic Production) network initiated by Creo. In Switzerland, KBA's 46 Karat and 74 Karat direct imaging presses have long been sold by Typon, which has itself been a distributor of Creo products in Switzerland for many years.
However, not only Creo, but also Print Assist has changed in the last six months. The direct imaging machines mentioned above have been sold by Print Assist since January 1, 2005. There was a reason why these machines were previously sold by the Burgdorf-based company Typon: Printing machines with direct imaging require corresponding know-how from the prepress sector. However, Typon - Print Assist does not yet have this. By joining forces with Creo Switzerland and hiring a prepress expert, Print Assist has made up for this shortcoming and can therefore act as a comprehensive partner.
Print Assist can now sell Creo hardware, software and service products. In future, customers can be offered complete solution packages with coordinated prepress solutions and the corresponding printing system. The range now extends from prepress to workflow solutions and CtP to the printing press.
Print Assist and OFS
But that's not all. As part of an overall solution, the area of consumables (printing plates and platesetters) will also be included in close cooperation with the OFS Group (OFS) based in Pfaffnau, Lucerne. Both Print Assist and OFS expect this new cooperation to provide further impetus. Customers throughout the Swiss printing industry should even "benefit sustainably" from this step.
With the takeover of Creo by Kodak, the situation has changed again. The OFS Group, led by Daniel Müller, which distributes products and consumables from Kodak Polychrome Graphics (which is wholly owned by Eastman Kodak following the dissolution of a joint venture with Sun Chemical), and Creo's recently expanded sales team are now - if you take it correctly - in the same Kodak "boat".
A close alliance with advantagesPrint Assist is now able to offer not only the widest range of printing presses (from KBA) but also computer-to-plate systems (Creo) and the previously sold printing consumables from a single source, so to speak. However, KPG's printing plates are not part of Print Assist's product range; the two companies are now working more closely together on projects in this area.
The OFS Group, and Creo Switzerland in particular, will benefit not least from a stronger trading partner with nationwide operations.
Kodak is growing and thrivingEastman Kodak has developed into a giant in the graphic arts industry in recent years. The companies Encad (LFP and large format printing), Scitex Versamark (industrial inkjet printing) and Nexpress (black-and-white and color digital printing systems) have been integrated into the newly founded Graphic Communication business unit. The company is focusing on independent business units under the Kodak umbrella brand.
With Kodak Polychrome Graphics (previously a joint venture with Sun Chemical) and Creo (acquisition not yet completed), a leading company in the areas of consumables (primarily CtP plates), prepress technology and workflow solutions is being created. (jf)
Print Assist can now also offer Creo products and solutions.
Jürgen Franck

TV advertising The EU wants to allow TV broadcasters even more advertising breaks. With a new directive, EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding wants to abolish the current advertising limits on TV, which currently allow a maximum average of twelve minutes per hour of television. The Luxembourg politician told Focus: "It no longer makes sense to prescribe upper limits for advertising minutes per hour on traditional television. In future, viewers should decide with their remote control."

Formula 1 A new Formula 1 season begins next Sunday in Melbourne. This year, world champion Michael Schumacher will once again make 52 million euros richer.1.8 million €/h His income, which in sport is only surpassed by golfer Tiger Woods (100 million euros per year), is made up of 35 million from Ferrari, 10 from sponsors and 7 from merchandising. The world champion will receive 2.7 million euros for each of the 19 Grand Prix races this year, or 1.8 million euros per hour of driving time. In total, 36-year-old Michael Schumacher has earned 600 million euros in his career to date.

Retail Few believed that the New Denner concept could lead the discount chain to a comeback. Even fewer believed that the supplementary channel would become a full-range supplier. ViznerBorel stages the turnaround If CEO Peter Brabeck claims to be Nestlé personified, a similar claim by Philippe Gaydoul for the Denner discount chain, which he has managed for five years, would be at least as appropriate. His name has been mentioned in over 200 texts in the Swiss press over the past twelve months - sometimes due to the increasingly fierce price war among retailers, sometimes due to the completed renovation of the stores. And above all because Denner, although smaller in terms of volume, has clearly eclipsed the sales growth of Migros and Coop. According to the study by Bilanz and Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux, the "Branding by CEO" seems to have "not yet" affected the brand value of CHF 39 million. Nevertheless, 44th place in the first ranking of Swiss brands is probably only a provisional one, with high upward potential. Because although Gaydoul's dynamic appearances convey the spirit of optimism, the new look and business style well, in the long term it is much more the higher sales and increased self-confidence that will shape the image to the outside world.
The fight against the cartelsHis predecessor Karl Schweri only achieved this level of media presence in connection with his political activities, i.e. the popular initiatives for which he was happy to activate the store network, suppliers and customers. A chain of stores - a political program. Although Schweri scored some victories for himself and the Swiss economy in the fight against the cartels - there were also defeats - his strategic direction for Denner was questionable and plunged the company he had founded into a crisis.
Despite market research studies, the product range was reduced to an essential assortment that, like some stores, appeared unkempt. Staff recruitment and motivation added to this negative list. When Philippe Gaydoul took over the management of the entire group at the end of 2000, Denner's discount positioning was complete and the tight corset was tightened at all levels.
But Gaydoul's modernization push was not long in coming. The "New Denner" marketing concept was intended to win back lost market share and secure competitive advantages in the long term.
One of the first changes to the company's orientation was to upgrade the personnel factor and, as a result, to consistently focus on customer needs. The modified and expanded product range (75 percent branded products, fresh meat and 25 percent own brands at permanently low prices), which recently also included fruit and vegetables, was intended to set Denner apart from other discounters as a full-range retailer.
With a new corporate design and logo as a visual bracket
the tidy and clearly laid out stores (319 branches) of the family-owned company were given a more modern look. What was already apparent in the pilot phase was gradually confirmed in the spruced-up stores: Within months, footfall and customer loyalty increased significantly. "We have clearly succeeded in attracting numerous new customers with this concept," Gaydoul said in an interview with the market research institute IHA-GfK.
In the "Retail Trade Switzerland" issues of the Switzerland. Marketing Forum, the key figures read better and better: not only rising sales, but also higher sales area productivity despite increasing sales area. In a five-year comparison, Denner increased its sales by around 50 percent.
Finally, Denner's advertising and communication concept was completely redesigned. Apparently, however, it took a media and publicity-effective TV commercial for this change to actually be perceived as such. With the exception of the occasional comic figure Denny, the discounter's advertising lacked almost every image component. Until spring 2004, Denner stood almost without exception for pork belly advertisements and old-fashioned throwaways.
A controversial Denner TV ad, which was aimed at potential customers, but above all at the media, showed two truck drivers from competitors Coop and Migros stocking up - or even their stores? - stocking up on bulk purchases at Denner as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Denner was not known to be so humorously lively - especially not as an umbrella brand that advertises itself instead of a cheapest offer. Although the choice of theme for the discounter seems obvious, everyone - from the low-price-sensitive to the higher-earning consumer segments - seems to rate the commercial positively straight away. Denner's new self-confidence even seems to have amazed the business magazine Cash, which awarded Philippe Gaydoul two Oscars.
Denner's soul as an argumentA large part of the credit also goes to the creative agency ViznerBorel, which developed and implemented the appropriate advertising concept for the change in strategy. Just as the Swiss discounter of the first hour is now increasingly targeting middle and higher social segments, agency co-owner Lajos Vizner wants to correct the image of the larger target group with new impulses - on all channels, from the carrier bag to the image TV spot. "In our communication campaigns, we draw on the strengths and soul of the Denner brand: 'The discounter with heart and soul', which is committed to fair prices with the best price-performance ratio across the entire range," says Guillaume Borel, co-owner of ViznerBorel.
It goes without saying that the competition sometimes has to lose ground. Until recently, however, this was only done using headline subjects in print and posters. In this way, they tried to convey the Denner message in a likeable, credible and intelligent way. Be it in response to price comparisons from competitors or with occasional advertisements on social issues. The many positive reactions have proved them right in their endeavors, says Borel.
Stefan Maegli, responsible for marketing communication at Denner (see interview on the right): "With a broad-based campaign - print, posters, POS - we informed the Swiss population in the summer of 2004 and again in January of this year about significant price reductions on many branded articles and own brands." Denner is thus once again underlining its pioneering role as a "price watchdog" in the retail trade.
Denner is celebrating the completion of the renovation phase of its stores in style. Maegli followed up the comparison spot with further image strips on TV and in cinemas to make it clear to the target audience that you get more for your money at Denner. The low-budget quality that one would have expected from a discounter was deliberately avoided. Instead, the realization of the films looks very valuable, modern and of high quality. "We are convinced that these films will appeal to a new and younger, more affluent, yet price-sensitive target audience," says Guillaume Borel.
Nothing was left to chance in the production of the image TV commercials. With Michael Fueter, the agency was able to inspire one of the most talented Swiss directors. And Hansjörg Zürcher was brought on board as the "TV guru". The films "Mamma mia" and "Car" tie in with Denner's new tonality - provocative, likeable and entertaining. In "Car", for example, the shopping at Denner exceeds the permissible freight weight of the SUV. The many bags not only cause the car's axles to burst, but also cause the asphalt to collapse and the car body, along with the shopping and the grumpy woman, to disappear into the ground.
A change in strategy with consequencesThe 2004 financial year was more successful than ever before: Denner, with its 319 stores and 265 satellites, increased total sales by 11.8 percent to a record 1.843 billion francs. In the same period, sales per square meter increased by 11.6 percent to 11620 francs. The average customer purchase increased by 3.3 percent, while customer frequency rose by 8.6 percent. (la)
Slippery and misleading: It took a TV commercial for the positive innovations at Denner to be noticed.
Image change: The Denner posters are still as garish as ever, but a touch of mischief gives them more class.
Discount doesn't make you stupid - on the contrary: ViznerBorel demonstrates for Denner that Rappenspalten should be a school subject >> page 8
Luca Aloisi

Shopping center Switzerland's largest furniture center opens this weekend in Emmen. BH puts its proximity at the center of the campaign.
Shopping, building, furnishing, living. The tenants' offerings in the Emmen residential center bring together a mix that is unique in this form in Switzerland: consumers will find the largest Swiss interior designers (Möbel Pfister, Interio, Conforama, TopTip) as well as Coop Bau + Hobby and, to round things off, Fust, Migros and a pharmacy under one roof just outside the city of Lucerne. Although it took eleven years for the project to be realized, those responsible for the 49,000 m2 "shopping mecca" seem to have clear ideas about footfall. After all, it is located in the immediate vicinity of the large Emmen Center shopping mall, which attracts customers from the 250000 households and 600000 people in the Central Switzerland catchment area. There are also plans for an Ikea center in Rothenburg and the
futuristic and visionary EbiSquare in Ebikon, whose development plan was approved by the local electorate last weekend.
As big as the GlattzentrumHowever, the Emmen residential center still wants to claim the spotlight for itself. After all, the new
The new shopping center in Emmen will gain in attractiveness compared to other centers with a high concentration of furniture stores, such as Spreitenbach or Wohnland Dübendorf. After all, the Emmen residential center is aiming to be on a par with the Glatt shopping center, i.e. the second largest shopping center in Switzerland.
To ensure an integrated communication effect, the Bischof Meier agency was commissioned with the overall management and media work. Their pitch was won by the agency Bohnenblust Haas (BH). Their campaign showcases the center's landmark, a rocking chair - the logo was designed by Actis-Datta from Western Switzerland. The image montages are intended to focus the message on the proximity of the new furnishing center.
In addition to posters and advertisements, BH's launch campaign, which "will certainly achieve a supported level of awareness of ninety percent", according to consultant Marc Bohnenblust, includes an opening brochure and radio spots.
The new residential center, whose logo is a rocking chair, will become a natural part of Emmen.
Luca Aloisi

Guest commentary Regardless of the outcome of the SRG financial audit, Günter Heuberger hopes that Armin Walpen will be denied direct access to the Federal Council chamber in the future.The expense allowances of SRG Director General Armin Walpen that have come to light in recent days have once again made me aware of the power that SRG wields and how dangerous it is if this power is not used carefully. As I myself have been in the media business for twenty years, I have been able to follow Walpen's rise from head of the radio and television service of the EVED via a brief excursion into the private sector (Tamedia) and the General Secretariat of the FDJP to Director General of the SRG, and I have long been aware of his personal strengths and weaknesses. As President of the Private Radio Association, I experienced him - whenever the SRG needed the private radio stations - in joint initiatives with the Uvek or Bakom. We were useful in defending against excessive claims by copyright societies or against quota requests from the domestic music industry. When it came to dossiers that were much more important to us (2nd channels, distribution, digitization), Walpen showed us time and again who was in charge of the Swiss electronic media.
But this position is now eroding. Walpen and his predecessors were still able to march into the Federal Council chamber without registering and present their concerns directly to the magistrates. Federal Councillor Leuenberger, with his sense of decency and excessive concentration of power, has already shown the SRG Director General the yellow card several times. He then addressed other federal councillors - in a rather clueless manner - which is no longer so easy since the reduction of the CVP delegation. Armin Walpen fought tooth and nail for the new RTVA. And he once again succeeded in changing liberalization articles such as those on radio sponsorship and special-interest programmes in his favour.
Sometimes I ask myself: Has this man not read or understood the draft law? Not a single decision has gone against his SRG! The fear of foreign influence continues to prevent any domestic competition. As president of the association, I accept the political realities. But I also know that the new technologies are coming faster than many people think. Bandwidths and mobility are the keywords for future success. SRG will feel this more than it would like. Because it won't be possible to build any new defenses against the big telecom companies.
Walpen is happy to continue driving from VIP event to VIP event with a chauffeur. He doesn't see the market developments there. But I - on behalf of the 45 small radio bosses in Switzerland - will quickly realize in the second-class compartment of the SBB what can be implemented in the market.
> Günter Heuberger is Managing Director of Radio and Tele Top and President of the Swiss Private Radio Association.

Product placement cars play an important role in Hollywood films. The stars of product placement are Ford, Mercedes and Audi, and this year's "Oscar" for product placement goes to Pepsi. The soft drink features conspicuously often in seven out of 37 number one films in the US cinema charts. Competitor Coca-Cola only makes six effective advertising appearances. This was determined by the world's leading consultancy agency Interbrand in New York for its Product Placement Awards. In this ranking, the Ford brand is the leading car on the big screen with five important films. Mercedes is in eighth place with four paid appearances in "Collateral", "Man on Fire", "Spider Man 2" and "The Bourne Supremacy" with Matt Damon and Franka Potente. In this movie, a BMW also races through the streets of Berlin and Moscow. BMW is no longer in the top ten most frequent appearances, as is the Audi brand. Instead, a car from Ingolstadt was awarded the special prize for the best media presence.
Audi's cult model RSQAudi landed this coup of the year thanks to an eye-catching appearance in the movie "I, Robot" starring Will Smith. The German manufacturer created the Audi RSQ sports coupé with gullwing doors and spherical wheels especially for this film. This concept car fascinated viewers so much that the term Audi RSQ was "googled" over 37,000 times. The unique vehicle is "conditionally roadworthy" and has been touring the world as a popular exhibit ever since.
Audi did not pay anything for his guest appearance in "I, Robot" "as a matter of principle", but merely provided the cars and technical support. As it is known that product placement is becoming increasingly important, it is not only in Ingolstadt that scripts are regularly read. The car dealers check which characters suit their brands. Naturally, they prefer the positive heroes. According to Interbrand, Ford paid "several million dollars" for a successful appearance in the James Bond film "Die Another Day". But even "bad guys" don't have to walk the walk as long as they have sufficient cult status. For example, an Audi also appeared in the action film "Matrix Reloaded". In "Mission Impossible 2", Tom Cruise drove a Porsche in a duel against an Audi driver.
Behind Pepsi and Coca-Cola, the other top ten brands in the cinematic brand rating determined by Interbrand are Motorola, Nike, Apple, Ford, Panasonic, Mercedes and San Pellegrino, as well as Sony in 10th place. Andreas Panzeri
Product placement cars play an important role in Hollywood films. The stars of product placement are Ford, Mercedes and Audi.