Advertising research is now also established academically. A symposium in Bern showed just how much so.
What is it when the world's largest company poster floats in the air in front of the north face of the Eiger or when branded products are shown in the best studio light in a Swiss TV soap? "Advertising", says the layman. "Public relations" and "product placement", say industry specialists. And media scholars speak of a "hybridization of communication offerings" and "multidimensional persuasion processes", by means of which further attempts are made to bring even more messages to the information-overloaded people.Even more remarkable than this elaborate choice of words - which sometimes turns out to be simpler - is the fact that academic researchers and lecturers deal with advertising as part of business communication at all. Matthias Steinmann, CEO of the Telecontrol Group and Co-Director of the Institute for Media Studies at the University of Bern, knows that for a long time there was a "strong fear of contact" between those working in the humanities and those working in communications. The fact that these reservations have now given way to a lively curiosity was made clear at a conference of the Swiss Society for Communication and Media Studies (see box) in Bern.
The separation of commercial and editorial content was once one of the iron laws of the media. However, advertisers are finding it increasingly difficult to attract attention in the rising tide of textual, acoustic and visual stimuli. Especially as the reader can simply turn the page and the TV viewer can zap away. The result is also the counter-strategy: an increasing integration of advertising into editorial content. Or as Zurich journalism professor Gabriele Siegert puts it: "Advertising is coming into the program."
Initial research results When the previously insurmountable wall is breached by clients or agencies, media scientists have to deal with the resulting problems and questions. The University of Zurich, for example, is investigating how advertising professionals view the various new "special forms of advertising". The initial results are quite astonishing: Newer forms of advertising such as sponsorship, gameshows or tele-shopping are seen by producers as having only a limited future. Some are even more direct in their judgment: "Any such mixing is ultimately counterproductive and also simply dishonest," according to one of the advertisers' statements.
In addition to qualitative results, communication science also provides quantitative results - in some cases with opposing trends. For example, two Zurich journalism students examined product placement in the formats "Fascht e Familie" and "Lüthi und Blanc". They not only diagnosed eight different types of placement - from "corporate" to "image" to "music placement" - but also a tripling of this form of advertising compared to (earlier) sitcoms and (later) soap operas.
Sometimes media science is also social research: Noëmi Ranft from the University of Bern examined intertextual references in advertising. One of the examples she analyzed is the Swiss Mobiliar insurance campaign with damage sketches in the form of children's drawings. Ranft interprets this reference to a form of representation that we are all familiar with as an attempt to position insurance in general and Mobiliar in particular as something likeable and simple.
Such tactics are referred to in the definition-happy science as "lubricants for advertising messages".
But which forms of advertising will dominate in the future? And who will be responsible for future innovations: the advertisers or the advertising media? Looking back is still easier for media scientists than forecasting trends.
Matthias Steinmann, Co-Director of the Institute for Media Studies; Professor of Journalism Gabriele Siegert.

Patrick Steinemann

Tourism The Zurich-based advertising agency Effact has made a successful start to the new year. The agency, which is responsible for Switzerland Tourism's image among other things, was able to win over the Switzerland Travel Center, Montreux-Vevey Tourisme and Alpine Wellness. It is also now responsible for the catering division of Freddy Burger Management AG.

Packaging For years, French winegrowers have been sitting on large quantities of Chasselas, but now they want to revive the market with a new sales offensive. The wine merchants are being progressive and breaking with old traditions. Chasselas is now being bottled in small bottles modeled on those used for alcopops. The label could also be for an energy drink. The new name "nof", which is the abbreviation for "no filtration", sounds accordingly. The label encourages the drinker to shake the bottle so that the yeast can disperse in the grape juice to promote enjoyment. Instead of a stopper, the "nof" is sealed with a tin lid bearing the name of the winemaker.

Since April 1, the advertising sales staff of the Aargauer Zeitung (AZ) have no longer been on their own. They now sit in the same office as the advertising sales staff of the sports magazine or the magazines Kochen and Natürlich. A similar picture can be seen in the prepress areas of AZ Medien and in reader marketing. These are the concrete consequences of the merger of newspaper and magazine publishing in the print sector of the AZ Medien Group. Ueli Eckstein, Head of Print Media: "We want to work the markets better and be able to offer integrated solutions more flexibly. In addition, we hope that the exchange will stimulate our products."
In the past, the AZ Medien Group primarily differentiated between magazines and newspapers; now the structures are divided according to product responsibility and specialist areas. Overall responsibility for publishing at AZ Printmedien remains with Ueli Eckstein; he is also head of "Prepress Newspapers and Magazines". He is also responsible for the publishing houses Limmattaler Tagblatt and LIZ, the weekly newspapers, Weiss-Medien and AT-Buchverlag. Christoph Marty will take over the two areas of "Product Management Magazines" and "Advertising Marketing AZ and Magazines", while Sabine Galindo will in future be Head of "Reader Marketing AZ and Magazines".
Markus Knöpfli

Fashion Do you know "Eight"? The sequel to David Finch's classic thriller "Seven" can currently be seen on billboards and shop windows in Zurich and the surrounding area. However, the leading roles are played neither by Brad Pitt nor Morgan Freeman, but by a tree and an unknown molester. This is the latest confirmation of the rule that sequels are usually inferior to the original in every respect, but that's not all. For the realization of the eighth biblical deadly sin - self-indulgence - the serial killer has entrusted the continuation of the plot to barbaric serial advertisers, who now bear witness to all the abysses they have searched through: as subterranean as the concept is - if you want to do yourself good, buy your clothes in this chain store - as prohibitive is the denglish slogan "I Love mich". In any case, there were no signs of spring fever among the fashion victims and moviegoers.
On the contrary: the latter recommend that the makers hold out for a while in the dark jungle of trivialities, otherwise their heads will be sent to their loved ones in a box.
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Oliver Classen on reader opinions as a revolutionary basis for the relaunch.Peter Hartmeier has long been an avowed fan of the Tagesspiegel. At every opportunity, the editor-in-chief praises the Berlin-based educational newspaper as "exemplary in both form and content" for his Tages-Anzeiger. When it comes to market research, however, the Tagesspiegel is unfortunately not (yet) a role model. Otherwise, the half-hearted Tagi retouching could have been turned into a genuine and, above all, audience-oriented relaunch. The Berlin capital's newspaper received a fantastic 15,000 responses to its avant-garde, 22-point "Tell us what you think" survey. And that with a current circulation of just under 150000 copies. In other words, one in ten subscribers or buyers willingly provided detailed information about "their" newspaper - both the real and the ideal one.
Distilling the latter from this soup of opinions as part of the planned relaunch is no easy task, and
nor can it be done efficiently according to modern management criteria. Nevertheless, it is much more promising and exciting than the usual market procedure of editorial self-questioning or self-congratulation. In addition, this
pilot experiment, which is particularly vital for traditional daily newspapers.
What Switzerland's largest subscription newspaper has criminally neglected, the competition has recently made its program. "400,000 editors-in-chief" would be involved in the reanimation of the Basler Zeitung, exults its new editor-in-chief Ivo Bachmann in the current edition of the newspaper. Of course, this figure is not based on survey results, but for the time being on pure but inspired wishful thinking.
Conclusion: When reinventing press products, the following alternative should apply in future - loosely based on Brecht: If you don't look your (newspaper) people in the mouth, sooner or later you'll fall on them.
Oliver Classen, Editor

Senior marketing The Zurich advertising agency Zogg Kettiger Gasser (ZKG) has discovered the target group of over-50s.Senior marketing The Zurich advertising agency Zogg Kettiger Gasser (ZKG) has discovered the target group of over-50s.
In future, it wants to offer advertisers customized solutions for this market segment. To this end, it is developing a tool called "Power 50plus", which will enable a precise target group approach. "We recognize enormous potential in advertising to these people. This is the future," says project manager and ZKG co-owner Oskar Gasser. He must know what he is talking about - at 61, he has been part of this target group himself for some time.

Private radio The Christian media company ERF Schweiz has submitted a license application for a regional radio station on FM. The target audience is people aged 30 and over, and the station is intended to provide inspiration for life and offer information, entertainment, interaction and services. In terms of music, Radio ERF aims to offer a large proportion of contemporary Christian music, interspersed with songs from the current pop scene. ERF already produces programs for various local radio stations. The new program will apparently be largely financed by donations.

Private broadcaster Hesskiss’s new branding campaign positions Radio 24 as Zurich’s last true city radio station. With 35,000 visitors, the former pirate station celebrated its 24th anniversary last year on the Bellevue lawn. In the first year following «24 Years of Radio 24,» station executives believe the time is right to launch a new branding campaign alongside a subtle logo refresh. This campaign owes its inception in no small part to the changing competitive landscape in Zurich: Since NRJ’s acquisition of Hitradio Z and its rebranding as Energy Zürich, Radio 24 has become the «last true city station.» This regional focus is one of the three aspects the new brand identity is designed to highlight. «We also want to emphasize the
»low turnover rate among our hosts,« explains program director Peter Brun. The third focus, Brun continues, is the musical aspect. For pitch winner Hesskiss, the challenge was to balance these three elements. To achieve this, the creative team from District 4 had the hosts take a stroll through Zurich themselves. Wearing T-shirts featuring song titles, the voices of Radio 24 »comment« on everyday life in the city on the Limmat. Depending on the situation, David Karasek and his team change their shirts—for example, to provide an auditory backdrop for a passionate kiss with the song »Summer of Sixty-Nine” by Bryan Adams.
Differentiation from the Competition
To better highlight the station’s local expertise, «De beschti Mix» also had to give way to the new slogan «Das isch Züri»—which was also created by Hesskiss. However, this change was not directly part of the assignment, according to Brun. During last year’s pitch, there were also agencies that did not submit a corresponding proposal.
With 255,000 listeners and a market share of about 3 percent, Radio 24 remains at the top among Swiss private radio stations. The current rebranding is intended to further distinguish the local radio station from its two main competitors, Energy Zürich and DRS 3. According to Peter Brun, the measures have already received a positive response: Many listeners wanted to know where they could buy the T-shirts. The program director assures that the possibility of selling them is being explored. This could allow the campaign to gain momentum on its own as listeners begin to associate locations with songs, Brun says.
On a city tour with hosts Riccarda Andri and Nick Laederach.
Simone Keller

Television Advertising is creeping more and more into the editorial section of the media. Editors are also increasingly using PR material from the business world. This was revealed at an event organized by the Swiss Society for Communication and Media Studies (SGKM). There is scientific evidence that 1858 product placements can be found in 50 episodes of the series "Lüthi & Blanc". There are 611 hidden advertising messages in 50 episodes of "Fascht e Familie".

Internet The PWA Index rose by 5.1 points to 109.4 points in February. Calculated by the online media consultant Publimedia Webadvertising, it shows the development of Internet advertising expenditure in Switzerland.Internet The PWA Index rose by 5.1 points to 109.4 points in February. From the online media consultant Publimedia Webadvertising
it shows the development of Internet advertising expenditure in
in Switzerland. Last year, the highest monthly
Increase of 1.1 points. This confirms the positive trend that began in January with an increase of 4.3 points. The last time the PWA index jumped by more than 5 points was in December 2000.

Trade press TVG Touristik Verlagsgesellschaft, publisher of the trade journal Schweizer Touristik, is launching a new magazine.Xtra-Travel covers the MICE sector (meetings, incentives, conventions, events) and is aimed at business travelers and event organizers looking for ideas and trends. The editorial focus is on event locations and their tourist environment. The trade magazine is published quarterly from May and is bilingual German/English.