Wemf Shortly before the start of the AIS, advertising clients give preference to competitor Media Focus. Shortly before Wemf publishes the data for its new Advertising Index Switzerland (AIS) advertising statistics for the first time, the Swiss Advertisers Association (SWA) announces that it prefers the previous statistics of its competitor Media Focus (MF) and recommends it to its 50 or so members as its "preferred supplier". The decision carries weight: according to SWA, its members account for around 70 percent of advertising expenditure in Switzerland, and SWA Director Jürg Siegrist explained how the decision was reached in a letter to members last week. He had presented Wemf and MF with a list of demands that included criteria such as international comparability, number of sectors surveyed, neutrality, timeliness, survey methodology and installed samples. "On balance, MF has responded to most of our concerns - especially the right to make suggestions and have a say when it comes to the concerns of SWA members and their interest in certain subject areas," wrote Siegrist. MF also grants SWA members an "exclusive discount".
Siegrist was active on behalf of the members. They learned about the methodology of the two statistics in the fall, but remained unclear about the advantages of one or the other system. They therefore asked for a recommendation. Following an internal survey (WW 45/03), Siegrist drew up the list of requirements.
MF Managing Director Lukas Zihlmann is pleased with the SWA's recommendation, but emphasizes that MF's independence will not suffer as a result. "We will set up an advisory committee that will include the publishers, other media and media agencies as well as the SWA."
AIS project manager Hans Jürg Gränicher did not wish to comment. Discussions are still ongoing with the SWA.
Markus Knöpfli

Moral indulgences work best with animal species that trigger good feelings and enable positive identification.Moral indulgences work best with animal species that trigger good feelings and enable positive identification. It is therefore no coincidence that relevant environmental organizations advertise with "sexy" animals such as dolphins, baby seals, cranes or pandas. Less aesthetic creatures that are far
more threatened with extinction and much more important for the global ecosystem - such as spiders, beetles or worms - are often forgotten. Even the chickens in South-East Asia affected by bird flu, which are being burned alive, cannot count on our compassion.
Against this backdrop, the South African Blouberg organization's promotion of less popular animal species such as vultures and snakes and its focus on the Cape vulture's favourite pastime, namely pecking out the eyes of dead sheep, seems downright bold. It will be interesting to see if the plan works. In any case, the nature conservation organization has only found 32 of the targeted 100 donors (120 francs per year), as it states on its homepage. If you don't appeal to the animal lovers' aesthetic and moral reflex to collect donations, you're simply in a difficult position.
(sh)

TV production Sat 1 Switzerland is handing over production of the Sunday football show "live ran" to a new partner: instead of SRG subsidiary tpc, Munich-based Plazamedia is producing the second half of the Axpo Super League football season 03/04 (around two dozen matches) for the Sat 1 program window. The first TV game produced by Plazamedia will take place on February 29 (GC against FC St. Gallen). Plazamedia, the largest German sports TV producer, will be on site with ten cameras and around 40 people.
The change is being made for cost reasons and, as usual, for half a season, according to Sat-1 head of sports Christoph Roost. A new evaluation will be carried out in the summer. With "live ran", the tpc is losing revenue of around CHF 1.5 million. In 2002, the tpc achieved revenues of 133 million francs. According to Hans Jürg Deutsch of Ringier-TV, all other programs from Sat 1 Switzerland and its partner Ringier-TV will remain with the tpc. The reason: studio productions in Munich would be much more expensive.
(mk)

South Africa On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of democracy, a full information package is being put together in Switzerland.
With the first democratic elections in 1994 at the latest, the "book of apartheid" was finally sealed in South Africa. On April 27 of this year, the young republic celebrates its tenth birthday. However, it did not seem appropriate for Nozipho January-Bardill to simply celebrate with an aperitif. The South African ambassador in Bern is taking the anniversary as an opportunity to deepen relations between Switzerland and South Africa. The South African embassy has entrusted the agency Aidentity Marketing and Communication with the conception and implementation of the extensive package of measures. As the scope of the project would have exceeded the resources of the small agency, the Bern-based firm sought support from its colleagues at the Virus Ideenlabor agency in Biel. The Virus team is primarily responsible for the visual implementation of the public campaign.
The result is testimonial posters and advertisements in which South Africans of all stripes pose for peace, freedom, dialog and, of course, democracy. The key visual is a flower that only exists in South Africa. However, this fact is only one aspect, says campaign manager Alex Milosevic from Aidentity. He adds: "For us, the flower as such stands for love, togetherness, but also for growth and development."
Promote direct contacts
However, these traditional advertising materials should only form part of the overall campaign. For the ambassador, personal dialog is the best way to break down stereotypes. The projects developed should therefore promote direct contact with the population. In addition to various guest appearances at trade fairs, events, museums and festivals, "A Safari in Switzerland" forms the heart of the campaign. To this end, Switzerland will be divided into nine regions, corresponding to the nine South African provinces. Groups of eleven people - corresponding to the eleven national languages - will go on the hunt in these regions. Their "safari" will take the South African delegations to the Bischofszell canning factory, for example, or to the Migros shelves. What they experience will be documented by an author and a photographer and later published in book form.
More than just an acquisition tool
Milosevic rejects the idea that the campaign is aimed at attracting Swiss tourists or investors, and January-Bardill says it is clearly a "people-to-people campaign". The primary aim is to celebrate ten years of freedom and express how the people of South Africa feel about "being ten years old". Switzerland, which is almost a grandmother to South Africa in democratic terms, could also learn something from the "child".
Another motivation, according to the ambassador, is to thank Switzerland and its people for their commitment and solidarity in times of oppression and in times of reconstruction. When asked about the controversial role of Swiss companies during the apartheid regime, January-Bardill replied: "In connection with the anniversary, we would like to look back on the positive aspects of our development over the last ten years." South Africa has also taken responsibility for its past. If the Swiss feel that there are still dark chapters in their country, then they should look back and find a way to deal with them. Nevertheless, the association with the past cannot be completely avoided when you look at the list of sponsors of the campaign
companies such as Credit Suisse, Nestlé, Novartis, Schindler and UBS. According to Milosevic, around 80 percent of the project costs are covered by contributions from more than 30 Swiss companies.
Although the South African government encouraged all ambassadors to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the republic, the scope of the measures in Switzerland is unique. The actual anniversary culminates on April 27th with Freedom Day. However, the various activities are spread throughout the year. The event kicked off in mid-January with the Bern Holiday Fair, at which South Africa was represented as the guest country.
Anniversary campaign: South African people pose for peace, freedom, dialog and - of course - democracy.
Simone Keller

Chief Creative Officer Jean Etienne Aebi will be leaving the advertising agency Publicis at the end of May. He plans to take on new projects and assignments under his own name in the future. He will be leaving Publicis in a
50% workload as a Creative Coach.
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Robert Wohlgemuth is joining the leading Vienna-based agency Demner Merlicek & Bergmann as Creative Director. Until now, Wohlgemuth worked for Studer & Wohlgemuth (S&W) in Zurich.
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Sascha Fanetti has joined the Zurich-based advertising agency Ruf Lanz as its new art director. The 31-year-old has worked at Matter & Partner for the past five years.
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Christoph Jäckle is the new CEO of Meier Waser Druck AG. He succeeds Hans Kunz, who will remain a member of the executive board. Jäckle most recently served as a co-owner of Linkgroup.
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Earlier this week, Hans Ott, founder and owner of the web services provider Update, took over as CEO from Gebi Bischoff.
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Karin Gut, a trained tourism professional, will be moving from the
Alpenarena.ch to the Zurich-based agency ID Event. There, she will be responsible for the
Provide support to clients Lusso Foods, Motorola, and Axe.
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In early June, television producer and journalist Mike Helmy will take over as CEO of Allcomm Productions AG. He will succeed Hanspeter Hasler, who is retiring. Helmy currently works on the news desk at Blick.

Fashion Housework is known to be one of the most frequent points of contention in a partnership with a shared household, and it is usually the Venusian's lot to persuade the Martian to finally pick up the broom. At least when it comes to laundry care, the female sex is now receiving support from the Zurich fashion chain Big. No, Big is not opening a laundrette, but it is offering such "hot" fashion that even the most stubborn household grouches will enjoy washing, ironing and sewing. Just so that her partner can wear the good pieces again quickly. Will the revolutionary idea from creative duo Danielle Lanz and Markus Ruf work? The field research will show.

Column: Dealing with occupational hazards is a skill that must be learned—even by journalists. Especially when they’re as inevitable and game-changing as dealing with your own boss. No names, Mbwana! Nor the names of those who expressed skepticism after the last column. That column put forward the idea that in newsrooms, you earn your share of power by having—or at least feigning—ideas. And you make yourself indispensable by regularly letting others steal them.The skeptics’ objection to this thesis is: All well and good, but unfortunately, our media are governed less by ideas than by minds—specifically, the minds of the bosses.
In fact, this country seems to be ruled by a sort of «editor-in-chief hydra»: No sooner is one of the well-known figures cut down somewhere than he reemerges at a rival publication. Another of the well-known figures then takes his place. Consequently, the personnel policies of national publishers often resemble those of local go-go club owners: The latter advertise for «new dancers» as soon as they arrive from the neighboring village; the publisher, for his part, poaches from the neighboring newspaper and proudly announces, “New editor-in-chief!”
No wonder the newspapers are starting to look more and more alike—just like one bald head after another. But enough of this cultural pessimism. After all, we have to live with the Hydra. And it’s a matter of common sense to regard editors-in-chief as we do cigarettes and all-nighters: a dreadful but unavoidable occupational hazard. So what can be done?
Ideally, whatever you want—with a few precautions. The fundamental problem is that you shouldn’t stand out too much in the presence of your bosses, but that’s unavoidable in newspapers. Especially since the editorials and lead articles by various editors-in-chief speak in no uncertain terms. «The boss is in charge here!»: That may well be the case in
In restaurants, it's a recommendation; in print media, it's the opposite.
The difficulty lies in the fact that you can only convey your brilliance (and we're all brilliant, aren't we?) in writing when
It can conceal a death sentence. Ideas that are disguised are no longer ideas. So it pays to be socially loyal to your boss. He must think that he is the sun, but you are the moon. Which explains why you occasionally shine without arousing suspicion.
The easiest boss to deal with is the friendly editor-in-chief—hired specifically for his distinguished gray temples. The only problem is not falling asleep on the job. Otherwise, all you have to do is pay him tribute for the ideas you’ve just whispered to him. When you applaud, he—like any real actor—will never suspect a thing.
Far more dangerous is the (slowly dying out) liberal maverick with a penchant for journalistic integrity. This person will either support you or persecute you, but in any case will want to mold you. Mix measured opposition with occasional agreement. And periodically ask the man of experience for advice. He will be like a father to you.
The leaders of the ’68 generation pose the toughest challenges to authority: years of relentless collectivism have turned them into autistic pit bulls. In their media outlets (whether left-wing, right-wing, high-profile, or obscure), they tear into anything that’s weak; in editorial meetings, they either kill or hype proposals within ten seconds. They praise and criticize, usually for no apparent reason. They’re walking random number generators. The only way to deal with this is: 1. Don’t take low blows any more personally than bad weather, and 2. When dealing with them, for every two compliments, throw in an ironic retort. This type of boss loves flattery, but hates flatterers.
So is flattery the only thing that works against the editor-in-chief’s razor blade? Yes, Mbwana, I suppose there’s no other choice. Ultimately, the only thing that matters is real freedom, not the price paid for it. Still, one last warning: There are occupational diseases that can kill you.
Constantin Seibt is familiar with various dangerous types of editors-in-chief.

> Constantin Seibt is a political and business editor at the WochenZeitung (WOZ).

DM competitionThis year, 302 entries were submitted for the Swiss Dialog Marketing Prize. This is around 11 percent fewer than last year, but still more than in 2002, when 285 entries applied for an award. This year's jury is chaired by Christoph Oggenfuss (Comit Group).
The trophies will be presented at the Award Night on April 30
at the Zurich Congress Center.

Magazine The Zurich region has a new lifestyle magazine. Since February 17, the number 1 issue of Heftli, as it is called, has been available in 300 stores, clubs, bars and other selected locations.Magazine The Zurich region has a new lifestyle magazine. Since February 17, the number 1 issue of Heftli, as the title is called, has been available in 300 stores, clubs, bars and other selected locations. The distribution area of the magazine, which is published ten times a year, focuses on the city of Zurich, but localities as far away as Winterthur and Baden are also included. The 44-page magazine is published by Lakefield GmbH, based in Zurich. Daniela Franz is responsible for advertising sales.

Supplements Ringier is launching a biannual magazine for hiking enthusiasts entitled "Trail - das Outdoor-Magazin". Trail offers topics related to hiking and is distributed as a piggyback of the magazine Gesundheit Sprechstunde as well as in a target mailing. The circulation is 120000 copies. Gesundheit Sprechstunde is published with 106,000 printed copies and around 83,000 copies sold.

Private TV No proceedings are pending against the Austrian Peter Kölbel, who represents the Liechtenstein company Mitsui Securities Eastern Europe Fund AG, at the Berlin public prosecutor's office, as confirmed in writing by the authorities on February 11, 2004, according to U1 Managing Director Thomas
Sadecky explains. Kölbel is also the project manager of U1 and finances
the transmitter via Mitsui.

South Africa: Is the campaign marking the 10th anniversary of the new South Africa credible—or is it just a way for corporations to ease their guilty consciences? Bright minds are speaking out at www.werbewoche.ch/adrating Volvo Switzerland
The mystery surrounding Volvo's "Sweden puzzle" has been solved: It's too mysterious for the ad guessers.
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