Diplomas On January 23, the successful graduates of the federal marketing manager examination received their diplomas. Of 149 candidates, 101 passed (79 men and 22 women), the highest number of diplomas awarded since the examinations were launched in 1981. The pass rate is 67.8 percent, with an average grade of 4.4. A list of all diploma holders can be found at www.werbewoche.ch

Catalog What was a success on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse became a triumph on the Place de l'Europe in Lausanne: the group photo shoot by fashion house La Redoute for the launch of its summer catalog mobilized over 250 fashion addicts in mid-January in freezing temperatures. They sat or lay down in the snow in bikinis or swimming trunks in front of the journalists' lenses and under the eyes of hundreds of onlookers. Lausanne thus won the Bikini-On-Ice city duel organized by the Numéro 10 agency against Zurich by a margin of over 100 participants. While fashion photographer Stephan Schacher conjured up the figure of a bikini in the San Bernardino snow in Zurich with a good 140 volunteers, his colleague Steeve Iuncker was happy in Lausanne a week later that a second load of fresh snow could be carted in shortly before the start of the event.

Specialty retail The optician chain Import Optik AG has entrusted the Olten-based advertising agency Ideenwerk with its communication. Ideenwerk is realizing print and POS measures and revising the website, and has been awarded the contract for an image campaign by Bartlomé Optik in Olten: Print measures and events for the company's 25th anniversary.

Guest commentary Public relations does not yet have what it takes to become an academic canon, says Stephan Russ-Mohl after the
Study of two field studies.
Is the PR industry professionalizing? How influential are heads of communication really? Is there even a PR science? Answers are provided by two studies that examine the art of PR in Switzerland and Germany in almost unprecedented detail.* There is clearly a considerable gap between day-to-day business and the claim of many PR experts to play a strategic role in shaping communication: Many PR executives simply do not have secure access to decision-making bodies. In Switzerland, the first broad-based survey of PR experts revealed that those who are involved in strategy development at the top level and at the same time in communication tasks tend to perform their PR duties on the side and with little professionalism. On the other hand, those who work full-time in communications management are usually not present when the course is set.
The German study states that many PR departments do not even have the necessary "information monopoly" vis-à-vis the media to be able to shape their external self-presentation. It also dispels the myth that corporate PR is something completely different from the public relations work of public authorities and non-profit organizations. Furthermore, despite recognizable tendencies towards professionalization, PR cannot develop into "a profession in the classic sense". This would require, among other things, access rules to the profession, a secure knowledge base, self-monitoring bodies and professional autonomy.
Klaus Kocks, former head of PR at Volkswagen, contributes a nice punchline in the foreword to the study. He asks whether there can be a "PR science" and compares his (flighty?) guild colleagues to butterflies. The researcher who collects them "assigns the colorful creatures a place that allows him to treat the entire insect world discursively; he knows that his identification book is not reality itself, but he also knows that he cannot leave the intellectual order to the butterflies themselves."
Kocks mocks the fact that the public relations workers assumed an important subject of their own in a "professionally notorious emphasis", which may interest the scientist "as a phenomenon", but does not justify an academic discipline of its own.how right he is - and how nice that PR research seems to be gradually freeing itself from those PR experts who only wanted to instrumentalize it for the purpose of PR for PR.
* Public Relations in Switzerland. An empirical

Study on the professional field of public relations by U. Röttger/J. Hofmann/O. Jarren. UVK Verlag, Constance 2003.
Public relations as a profession. Critical analysis of a
emerging communications profession from Edith
Wienand. Westdeutscher Verlag, Wiesbaden 2003.
> Stephan Russ-Mohl is an author and professor of communication science at the University of Lugano.

According to Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger, the abolition of indirect press subsidies as of 2007 is irrevocable in view of the federal finances. However, in a speech to the French-speaking Swiss publishers' association Presse Romande, Leuenberger supported the idea of a foundation. This was launched by the Swiss Press Association in the fall. The purpose would be to support newspaper distribution and promote journalistic training. However, Presse Romande's publishers are not yet convinced by the idea of the foundation. They prefer the status quo, i.e. the subsidization of newspaper distribution by Swiss Post.

Newspaper From next Sunday, Cracks for Kids will no longer be distributed free of charge, but will be sold for 2.50 francs at kiosks.the Sunday newspaper for children will be available until Wednesday and will also be delivered to kiosks that are closed on Sundays. It is not yet clear who will replace the seven editorial team members who have already resigned.

Tourism The British Tourist Office, which has a "Swiss Office" at Stauffacher in Zurich, commissioned Hesskiss to develop a series of postcards to promote the brochure material with a competition.The creative minds solved the task with the help of a simple idea: a series of postcards with subjects that always show something quintessentially British. And because there are two flights to be won, the cliché image can be seen in duplicate. The competition, which will help to build up a database, will take place regularly over the course of the year.

Advertisers and gender equality officers discussed sexism in communication. "What does a woman do in a singles bar to find her man for life?" asked Dorothee Wilhelm from the Office for Gender Equality of the City of Zurich. The answer: if she dances naked on the bar counter, she is sure to attract attention and a massively increased profile. However, she is unlikely to find a man for life with this advertisement. "It repels the target group. It's the same with advertising," says Wilhelm. Can advertising do anything or are there limits? This was the topic of a conference hosted by the Office for Gender Equality, the copywriters' association Script and the Swiss Advertising Alliance (ASW) in Zurich's Stadthaus.
"Not every depiction of naked skin in advertising is sexist," said Mayor Elmar Ledergerber in his welcoming speech. The key question of the discussion is rather: "Does it hurt? Does it belittle?"
When a peacock strikes the wheel, it is not trying to advertise feathers, but to prevent it from dying out. "If you don't advertise, you die," concludes Andy Ruf. The Vice President of ASW therefore demands: "An eye-catcher must have a connection to the product." A piquant surprise in the subsequent panel: the panel from the Gender Equality Office and advertising agreed, with only a few reservations, that the famous Sloggy advertisement, for example, should not be classified as sexist. "A thong must and may be shown on the bottom, because that's where the product ultimately belongs."
"Touched a thousand times, nothing happened a thousand times," Andy Ruf quoted Klaus Lage on this "pick-up line". The bottom line: sometimes you have to be a little aggressive, because if you have no further-reaching ideas, you soon come across as boring.
"You have to shout"
Only two percent of advertising reaches its target audience. And even then, it is not certain whether it has a positive effect. Speaker Eveline Bornträger Stoll, psychologist and pretester of various campaigns: "You have to shout to be heard." She distinguishes between three effective advertising methods: Physical stimuli are addressed in loud advertising. Surprising stimuli can be found in subjects such as the "purple cow" and other ideas with quirky humor. There is a danger here that the joke will quickly wear thin. "Too much surprise disturbs the message." Eroticizing stimuli are key stimuli that men and women are naturally programmed for. If advertising plays with erotic effects, it is important that the eye-catcher can be clearly associated with the product. "In principle, people remember advertising with eroticism better. However, people no longer remember the content," says the psychologist. And if there is no connection between the advertisement and the product, "the memory is at its worst". The Fairness Commission receives around 300 complaints about advertising every year. Around 20 of these concern gender-discriminatory advertising, as Marc Schwenninger, lawyer for the Fairness Commission, explained. The standards by which infringements can be assessed in advance can be viewed at www.lauterkeit.ch.
"Poor souls"
But it doesn't just have to be falsely portrayed eroticism that is perceived as sexist in advertising. Advertising for washing-up liquid that stylizes women as doofuses in the kitchen is much more discriminatory.
as a "spreading angle and delusions of stupidity". This type of advertising "exposes a pathetic soul", warned university lecturer and columnist Ludwig Hasler.
"There are no ready-made solutions, the boundaries are fixed," said Stephanie Hugentobler, President of Script, summarizing the discussion rounds of the concluding workshops. Incidentally, these revealed that it is not uncommon for men to find an advertisement sexist, while women consider it absolutely tolerable and even sexy.
Left: The ASW board in a parody of the Sloggy poster (original below). Also: Controversial campaigns by IWC and Rossignol.

Andreas Panzeri

Food Zogg Kettiger Gasser will be advertising the Wernli biscuit brand in future. The Zurich-based advertising agency came out on top in a pitch against two competitors. Managing Director Peter Kettiger is particularly pleased: "23 years after our company was founded, Wernli is our first client.

Newly founded "One small step for mankind, one giant leap for Krieg and Schlupp", quip Daniel Krieg and Uwe Schlupp, modestly referring to the moon landing, the two Publicis-CDs comment on the first work for their new agency Krieg Schlupp Springer & Jacoby. The business cards, hot off the press, were circulated at Kaufleuten on the occasion of the "Advertiser of the Year" award.

M-Budget For the expansion of Migros' low-cost line, Exxtra is relying on quirky low-cost spots. Deep into the infinite abyss of the January recession, where hard-pressed consumers turn the franc over three times, a happy, green message is spreading: M-Budget, the discount range from retail giant Migros, promises relief for those in need of money. In 1996, the first budget products appeared on Migros shelves - today there are around 200 of the typical green-packaged items. This expansion of the product range is now being widely communicated. House agency Exxtra created a campaign with PR, POS measures, radio and TV spots and promotions. The unique fillet - or rather boiled meat - is the new commercials, which are so consistently trimmed for economy that they are already a hit.
"The commercials will certainly not go down well with everyone," admits Claudia Haueter. But the Deputy Head of Marketing Communications at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FMC) seems to be able to live with that. Switzerland's largest retailer didn't even want to use pre-tests as a safeguard. The nine low-budget TV commercials, which cost just CHF 120000 to produce, are likely to polarize the public. After all, the last time the Lipo furniture commercial with the cheroot-smoking Prolo offshoot looked this unabashedly cheap.
As if Exxtra's creative team had not already been challenged enough with its strict cost-cutting approach, it also pushed the limits of advertising asceticism by choosing the relatively expensive medium of television. The modest budget had a decisive influence on the advertising idea, says Client Service Director Michael Gassler looking back.
Lousy, amateurish - iconic?
The plot: In the commercials, the creation of the low-budget production is shown as a movie within a movie. The style of the strips conveys inimitably that M-Budget also saves money in advertising. "It's about a film crew made up of dilettantes who try to shoot a commercial under the most adverse circumstances with the sparsest of props and a ridiculous budget," says CD Dieter Hofmann, describing the content. Everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong: The sets are terrible and the presenters are just as untalented as the film crew. The whole thing is underlined by the poor lighting, the lousy plot and the unusual picture quality, as the commercials were shot on video. The advertising is therefore stingy in favor of the consumer: "M-Budget. More budget for you."
According to Gassler, the parody fireworks, which were produced in an old, state-owned studio in Kiev and are fired off in selected environments during prime time, are likely to be continued soon. If the next season succeeds just as well in poking fun at the atmosphere and symbolism of discounter advertising, Migros' budget program is likely to achieve cult status with further segments.
"The commercials will certainly not go down well with everyone."

Claudia Haueter, Head of Marketing Communication FMC
I believe that we should focus more on our performance and advocate lower prices with corresponding quality and better quality at higher prices. There should be a vacuum in the middle," says Jörg Brun, Head of Marketing Food/Non Food at FMCG. His success seems to prove him right
give: While Migros' retail sales only improved by 1.8 percent, the low-cost line grew by six percent to 209 million francs.
The potential remains huge: M-Budget comprises around 200 products compared to 200,000 articles, with which the retail giant turned over 16.8 billion francs in 2003. This is another reason why Jörg Brun is hardly worried about the risk of cannibalization: "Let the consumers decide which articles they want and in what quality. There are also budget products that don't sell well." (la)
Exploring the pain threshold of bad taste: TV commercials for M-Budget.
The small advertising budget provided Exxtra with the advertising idea.
M-Budget Nothing is too cheap for Migros' low-price range - Exxtra's new campaign is so lousy that it is sure to achieve cult status >> page 7
Luca Aloisi

Outdoor advertising The Swiss Poster Research (SPR) poster research project, which uses satellite technology (GPS) to determine the chances of contact with posters, is turning its attention to poster sites in the Zurich conurbation, with fieldwork starting next week and the first test subjects being equipped with SPR mobility meters in mid-February. During this time, the device will store signals from at least four satellites, allowing the routes traveled by the test subjects to be tracked. For a representative survey in Zurich, 1800 measurement weeks are required, 325 devices are used, and the SPR - a research project of the outdoor advertisers APG and Clear Channel Plakanda - will also be able to complete its ongoing project in Winterthur in February. This is the first representative survey of a conurbation using this system. This required 630 weeks of measurements.
(mk)