Special-interest TV From April, various TV channels can be accessed online at www.internettv.ch. The site is operated by Webcast and Decatron. Star TV has also entered into a cooperation with Webcast for the program "netto netto". More than 120,000 viewers watch each time Daniela Baumann and Habib Amini sell knick-knacks, fashion or furnishings from the Far East from their bazaar. Webcast now wants to take over the streaming of "netto netto" in cooperation with Star TV. Webcast will also broadcast Star TV's "Cinema Trailer Highlights" on the Internet in future.

Electronics discounter Media Markt Switzerland remains true to its line in its anniversary campaign with "Geiz ist geil" ("Stinginess is cool"), Media-Saturn boss Ludwig Stiefel hit the nerve of the times. His Media Markt concept proves this in black and white: since the opening of Europe's first Media Markt store in Munich in 1979, the discounter has generated annual sales of around 11 billion euros. With its permanent low price strategy, Europe's largest retail chain for consumer electronics, electrical household appliances, computers and telecommunications promises quality at fair prices all year round. Success with pork belly
An argument that also resonates with Swiss consumers: More than 30,000 customers visit one of the 14 Swiss stores every day. Last year, Media Markt Switzerland generated sales of around 890 million francs. And this despite the fact that the first two Swiss stores in Dietlikon and Dietikon started from scratch only ten years ago. "We were the first to inspire customers with large stores, a huge selection of products and attractive prices," says Guido Renggli, CEO of Media Markt Group Switzerland, explaining the success of the concept.
Thanks to its dominant advertising presence, the discounter has long since created a favorable price image for itself. Almost every child here knows the slogan "Media Markt - I'm not stupid". The Viennese agency Demner Merlicek & Bergmann was responsible for the previous red and black pig-belly appearances. However, the Media Markt Group Switzerland put the budget for the recently launched anniversary campaign out to pitch - and gave preference to the Zurich agency Inhalt & Form.
Weidmannsheil
However, the company wanted to remain true to its successful strategy in its anniversary year. After all, Media Markt wants to entice customers into its stores with even better anniversary offers. In keeping with the bargain hunt, the creative team at Inhalt & Form invented the Püntelen hunting club. For the club's eightieth anniversary, it will only receive a stuffed stag. For Media Markt customers, on the other hand, the campaign message is that there is really big prey. The hunting jargon runs through the advertisements as well as the TV and radio spots. "For the first time in the history of Media Markt Switzerland, the TV commercials were not only used as image carriers, but also supplemented with changing product advertisements," explains consultant Jürg Meyer.
By the end of April, the launch should bring even more bargain hunters into Media Markt stores - and thus bring the discounter even closer to the one billion sales mark. Renggli is optimistic: "We are planning to open around three to four more stores in Switzerland."
The Zurich agency Inhalt & Form blows the trumpet for the hunting club - and for Media Markt.
Media Markt in SwitzerlandOn March 24, 1994, the first two Media Markt stores opened their doors in Switzerland. Today, Media Markt has 14 Swiss
Branches. All locations are separate stock corporations in which the respective managing director holds a stake. Last year, the Media Markt Group Switzerland generated sales of around CHF 890 million. Media Markt Switzerland is part of Europe's largest retail chain for consumer electronics, electrical household appliances, computers and telecommunications. The German parent company Media-Saturn-Holding GmbH is in turn a subsidiary of the Metro retail group. (sk)
Simone Keller

Ringier's Head of Communications Eva Keller partially confirmed a corresponding report by NZZ am Sonntag. However, a decision is still a long way off.

Press Since the war in Iraq, reporters embedded in combat units have become part of everyday journalism, and the highly dubious innovation of the 21st century has now been taken as an example by the highly reputable Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper: In its Saturday edition, an advertisement appeared asking women to read the sports section of the FAZ on Sunday. This appearance was framed in the same edition by an editorial guide on how women can most elegantly join in with male football punditry, and by a teaser for a story in the holiday edition on the German striker crisis.This bland "sandwich" probably provokes uproarious laughter rather than smiles. And the fear that foreign advertising customers will also be fed such editorial steep passes at some point. Of course, this would ensure (in-house) drama between the publishers, who insist on independence, and the increasingly flexible management of the FAZ.
(oc)

Professional associations The Swiss Painters' and Plasterers' Contractors' Association (SMGV) is having a marketing concept tailored by Lesch + Frei.professional associations The Swiss Painters' and Plasterers' Contractors' Association (SMGV) is having a marketing concept tailored by Lesch + Frei. The Zurich-based advertising agency won the mandate in
a competitive presentation. It also includes the structure of the
Corporate identity and all communication measures. Lesch + Frei relies on the support of its subsidiary Mindquest, which specializes in communications consulting for associations.

Newspapers In the new reader campaign for the Basler Zeitung, cR DDB argues in favor of its diversity. A few months before the planned relaunch, the Basler Zeitung (BaZ) is celebrating its readers with an affirmation campaign in print and on the radio. Under the slogan "Lesen Sie aus", the new module in a long-running campaign by cR DDB emphasizes the advantages of the complete newspaper. The agency won the client last summer in a competitive presentation with the idea of a model campaign. The aim is to highlight different aspects of the newspaper in different time periods. Only from a complete newspaper can every "reader" put together their own Basel newspaper every day. This message is conveyed by the double-page and half-page advertisements, each featuring a pair of readers from north-western Switzerland, including celebrities such as tennis player Patty Schnyder, writer Zoë Jenny, Lovebugs singer Adrian Sieber and theater director Michael Schindhelm.
BaZ can be used individually
These celebrities not only reveal how many minutes they spend with BaZ every day. They also reveal their interests - and thus show that BaZ, as a complete newspaper, can cater to all these individual needs. For example, the reading habits of Basel theater director Michael Schindhelm are compared with those of tourism director Daniel Egloff. "Michael Schindhelm reads differently than Daniel Egloff," reads the text accompanying the advertisement. It then goes on to specify. For the theater director, who spends 30 minutes a day on the BaZ, the newspaper is the "resonance chamber of the Basel soul". He immerses himself in the cultural pages, the regional section - and always in the last one. Tourism Director Daniel Egloff is different. He looks forward to a fact-packed "update" on politics and society for 19 minutes every day.
In another subject, Patty Schnyder's demands on a newspaper are contrasted with those of Adrian Sieber. The singer of the Lovebugs reads
27 minutes and is mainly interested in politics, culture and news about FC Basel, while the international tennis player primarily enjoys the online edition of BaZ, which she reads for 13 minutes a day.
"And what's in it for you today?" asks the ad text at the end. This is followed by the double entendre claim: "Read out."
Of course, the minutes are also a witty dig at the commuter newspaper 20 Minuten. This is also reflected in the same layout. However, this detail is said to have never been at the forefront of the competition's strategic considerations.
When selecting the celebrities, Basel personalities immediately showed a lot of sympathy for the advertising idea, as CD Hans Tanner reveals to cR DDB. Future advertisements will portray other Basel figures of public interest as well as unknown readers.
In addition to print, the "Read out" campaign is also being
Radio supported. Four different radio spots dramatize BaZ's diversity of topics through their opposite: simplicity.
In the "Party" commercial, for example, a man meets an old acquaintance. They are happy, but have nothing to say to each other and are desperately struggling for words. Equally meaningless is a dialog in the "Weather" spot - where only meaningless banalities are exchanged - or a helpless "shop talk" without facts about Britney Spears.
These small-talk dialogs always end with the dry resolution: "Not everyone has something to say. But not everyone reads the BaZ either."
Minute by minute: some people pick out snacks, others take advantage of the wide range of information on offer. According to the advertising message, everyone can be happy with the Basler Zeitung >> page 7
Whether 13 or 30 minutes of reading: The Baz wants to be a complete newspaper for all needs.
Andreas Panzeri

Pharma Xenical is melting pounds, but not enough to make the cash register ring. Now Zogg Kettiger Gasser wants to reposition the drug for Roche. The legendary actress and author Mae West is said to have once said that everything beautiful in life has a catch: "It's immoral, illegal, or it makes you fat." Especially fat. Despite the ever-growing number of light products, nutritionists and fitness centers, the proportion of overweight and obese people in the population of Western countries continues to rise.
A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA shows that around a third of all Americans are obese and another third are overweight. These almost 130 million obese people often suffer from dissatisfaction, chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease, as well as certain forms of cancer. And they cost the American healthcare system over 75 billion dollars in 2003 - according to a market research study by RTI International.
The widespread disease of obesity also has legal implications in the home of the body cult: A few weeks ago, the US House of Representatives put a stop to claims for damages against fast food chains - with a law that invokes the freedom and personal responsibility of consumers. On the other hand, one food company after another is removing its maxi portions from its range and replacing them with smaller, but higher-margin pack sizes. And McDonald's recently even launched a salad offensive.
However, obesity is not just a problem in the USA, but in practically all affluent nations. According to a recent study by the Laboratory of Human Nutrition at ETH Zurich, one in five children in Switzerland between the ages of six and twelve is overweight, and four percent of children are massively overweight. A study by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and Nestlé states that 31 percent of the Swiss population is overweight, which means an increase of 25 percent in eight years. The FOPH attributes 13 billion Swiss francs, or around a third of all healthcare costs, to diet-related illnesses.
Anti-obesity medication has been available for several years. One of the best-known anti-obesity drugs is Xenical. With sales of 618 million Swiss francs, it was Roche's sixth best-selling product in 2003. But anyone who believes that sales of the power brand developed in line with the obesity boom is mistaken. Although sales of the drug group in Switzerland have risen by a whopping 36 percent since 1995 to 26 million Swiss francs (2002), the trend was anything but linear. In 2003, for example, Xenical's international sales fell by a full 13 percent; in some cases, the drop was even greater for the competition. The reason: apparently patients often have too high expectations of the drug, perceive it as a lifestyle pill or do not follow the dosage instructions correctly, resulting in unpleasant side effects. This often leads to them discontinuing the medication prematurely.
Acceptance problem with doctors
Not only are obese patients increasingly refusing to swallow such anti-obesity preparations. In its consumer and problem analyses, the commissioned agency Zogg Kettiger Gasser (ZKG) found that there is also a large discrepancy in perception among doctors, which is also responsible for the modest success of Xenical. Many doctors do not recognize obesity as a disease and therefore do not treat it with medication. "Many consider these patients to be lazy when it comes to diet and exercise," explains Max Winiger from ZKG. As a result, doctors like to assume that obese patients who ask for medication want to lose their unnecessary pounds in the easiest possible way. This is where Christoph Lögler, Group Product Manager at Roche Pharma Switzerland, found a need for correction: "With the repositioning of Xenical, we wanted to move away from the lifestyle image towards medically supervised therapy on the one hand and redynamize the brand on the other."
Change of strategy in Switzerland
As Xenical - unlike Reductil - is a drug that is covered by health insurance, the options are limited to specialist advertising, i.e. addressing doctors. The new communication concept therefore had to respond to the aforementioned prejudices among this target group and at the same time encourage patients. With the clear advertising message "I want", the campaign conveys the conviction that overweight people need to tackle their illness. Patients who opt for Xenical therapy are also accompanied by a support center that aims to change behavioral patterns with entertaining elements and a collegial tone.
With the same claim and differentiated content, doctors are to be confirmed and encouraged in their support and medical treatment. To motivate doctors, in addition to the patient brochures, Roche and ZKG are introducing the mailing magazine Volo (Latin for "I want") for doctors, in which a coach gives doctors tips on how to deal with obesity patients. In the advertisements, the two disease terms - obesity and type 2 diabetes - are clearly emphasized and the diet accompanying the treatment is clearly pointed out. The aim is to "medicalize" the syndrome.
However, the pharmaceutical company is gaining a more credible position for Xenical with the medical profession primarily through the realization that weight loss cannot be achieved with medication alone: In England, Roche carried out a project together with the Sainsbury retail chain in which it successfully motivated overweight and obese people to adopt a healthier diet.
ZKG's Xenical campaign shows obesity patients at an intimate distance in order to create trust and understanding.
Careful information guides patients towards Xenical therapy and motivating support helps them to persevere with the therapy.
How Xenical affects the metabolismThe Roche drug Xenical with the fat blocker orlistat has been on the market for
It was launched on the Swiss market on September 1, 1998 and is prescribed for the treatment of obesity. The mechanism of action is unique, but it is only really effective if strict dietary restrictions are adhered to. Unlike the competitor product Reductil, which is not covered by health insurance and which induces a feeling of fullness in the blood and prevents the absorption of serotonin and noradrenaline, Xenical works exclusively in the gastrointestinal tract. There it reduces fat absorption and causes around a third of dietary fat to be excreted undigested via the intestines. In Switzerland, health insurance companies cover the treatment costs of Xenical both for type 2 diabetics (adult-onset diabetes) with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 or more and for overweight people with a BMI of 35 or more. Last week, the European Commission
for Xenical has expanded the area of application. (la)
Luca Aloisi

Advertisements In February, the number of vacancies in the daily press improved significantly compared to January. This is shown by the Manpower Index, which rose by 1 point to 26.5 points, following a seasonal decline of 0.7 points in January, while the last two months of 2003 had already seen low growth rates. 10 of the 13 regions surveyed recorded an increase in February. Aargau and Solothurn performed best (+1.9 points each). In contrast, Biel (minus 0.1 points), Fribourg and Valais (minus 1.5 points each) recorded lower job vacancies.

Commuter newspapers LZ-Medien's free newspaper relies on an original name - and topicality.Zisch News - that's what LZ-Medien's new commuter newspaper will most likely be called. "I've already protected the name," laughs Jürg Weber, Managing Director of Neue Luzerner Zeitung AG (Neue LZ). The original title undoubtedly reflects the attitude to life of many young people as well as the atmosphere on the streets and at train stations. In this respect, it is a program like that of its competitor 20 Minuten. What's more, Zisch News also has a multimedia touch: The name refers to www.zisch.ch, the well-established internet platform of LZ-Medien, for which Net Audit reported 160,000 visits and an average time spent on the site of eight minutes in February (and rising). Accordingly, the in-house designed layout has a relaxed feel and, according to Weber, is intended to be reminiscent of the Internet.
The conceptual basis of Zisch News, however, is the editorial team of Neue LZ. Weber speaks of an "integrated solution". Organizationally, Zisch News will be attached to the LZ editorial team as an additional department and will therefore report to the LZ editor-in-chief. This will enable close cooperation with all other departments, in particular with the zisch.ch online editorial team and the LZ regional editorial teams. In addition, only a relatively small increase in personnel is required. Weber cannot yet say how many new jobs will be created.
But although Zisch News contains a similar mix of content to the Neue LZ, the new paper is intended to be more than just its table of contents. It contains special commuter news, provides the articles with Internet and SMS addresses and will also be ahead of the game in terms of timeliness. "Because we will always print after the Neue LZ at 4 a.m., we can delay the editorial deadline until 3.30 a.m. if necessary," says Weber.
This means that Zisch News will certainly be able to come up with primeurs compared to its parent paper or 20 Minuten. However, it is up to the editors to decide whether Zisch News will also publish primeurs that are not due to deadlines. Presumably, it will only place tear-offs in Pendlerblatt, which will then refer to the text in Neue LZ.
Evaluation of box locations
The main distribution of the new paper is planned via the boxes advertised by the SBB at around 60 stations in Central Switzerland (WW 9/04). Weber is also evaluating other distribution channels. At the moment, he is only revealing that boxes on city floors are not currently permitted and that colporteurs are only permitted for temporary campaigns. Another possibility is on buses operated by the Lucerne public transport company (VBL), where Neue LZ has newspaper holders. In addition to Lucerne, Weber has also "looked into box locations in other municipalities".
The question is how long Neue LZ can keep the project going. "We didn't have a bad result last year either. That's why Zisch News doesn't have to be in the black after just one year," says Weber, "we see this as an investment in the future." However, success should come in two or three years. After the shift in the reader and advertising market towards commuter newspapers, LZ-Medien hopes to be able to profit from this. Weber does not rule out the possibility that Neue LZ could lose subscribers as a result. In the longer term, however, he expects a reverse fertilization - whether through young subscribers or advertising revenue.
Young and fast: Zisch News, the free newspaper from LZ-Medien, will focus on additional benefits for commuters in Central Switzerland.
Profile of Zisch NewsZisch News, whose editorial director has not yet been appointed, could be
The launch is scheduled for the beginning of May, but may not take place until June. Either way, an in-house poster and advertising campaign will accompany the launch of the commuter newspaper, which will be published from Monday to Friday and in tabloid format. The planned circulation is
around 40,000 copies. The main target group is 16 to 32-year-olds. The paper comprises at least 24 pages. A full-page four-color advertisement costs CHF 1,600 gross, and combinations with Neue LZ and Anzeiger Luzern are also offered. Sales are expected to be handled by Publicitas. The Zisch News concept described here is based on the expectation that LZ-Medien will receive an exclusive box concession from SBB for Central Switzerland's railroad stations. If SBB does not comply with this request or even prefers 20 Minuten, then, according to Jürg Weber, the LZ Board of Directors will have to reconsider whether the project would also work via other channels. (mk)
Markus Knöpfli

Newspapers Zuger Media AG has not only given itself a new management structure (see page 3), but has also made five publishing and editorial staff members redundant.Newspapers Zuger Media AG has not only given itself a new management structure (see page 3), but has also made five publishing and editorial staff members redundant. According to Chairman of the Board of Directors Adrian Bauder, however, the loss of "a total of just 2.5 jobs" is by no means the beginning of the end. On the contrary, the company is getting ready for the relaunch of the Zuger Presse, which is scheduled for the end of May.
In order to increase its reach, Landis&Gyr heir Daniel Brunner's paper is to be published more frequently than just twice a week in future. After a loss of 3.2 million francs in 2002, the paper also posted a "significant loss" last year, Bauder admits. However, the fact that Brunner's four-year deficit guarantee expires at the end of the year only means that he no longer wants to keep the Zug press afloat on his own.
(oc)

Portfolio The newly formed Basel agency Dialog Lucky Lack reports a series of client wins, with the refrigeration technology company Werner Kuster AG and the software company Semantic Systems opting for the agency. Also new to the portfolio are Dynavita AG, which is active in rehabilitation technology, and Vitality Concepts, based in Tokyo and San Diego, which manufactures nutritional supplements. Dialog Lucky Lack was formed at the beginning of the year from the agencies Dialog BFK and Lucky Lack Advertising.

Media company Ringier Verlag will not announce its annual figures for 2003 until the end of April, but publisher Michael Ringier has already told the Financial Times Deutschland that sales amounted to just over CHF 1 billion - slightly less than in the previous year. Profit after tax, on the other hand, increased slightly to over 40 million francs.