Sales outlets Independent kiosk owners move closer to Valora in terms of purchasing and logistics As of January 1, 2004, the Swiss Kiosk Owners Association (SKIV) is further expanding its purchasing and logistics services for its members: The 250 or so affiliated independent kiosks will now be able to source their entire product range from Valora Wholesale. The collaboration, which was previously limited to the supply of press products, is thus being expanded into an actual full service. Anyone who thinks that the independent kiosk operators have suddenly become tame will have to be proven wrong. "Our members are still free to source their goods wherever they want," explains SKIV press spokesman Torsten Haeffner. "It is now our job to convince the kiosks to opt for our offer." The move would certainly be financially worthwhile, as the purchase prices would be "cheaper than before" for members. But the SKIV, which this year accelerated its transformation from a former industry association to a service company for independent kiosks, will also benefit directly from the Valora deal. According to Haeffner, the new offer to kiosks should contribute to the association's expenses. Valora Wholesale is looking forward to the additional sales that the new customers will bring. This is because the deliveries can be optimally integrated into the existing distribution system. "With the same routes we already use to deliver press products, we will also be able to deliver tobacco products, sweets and drinks in future. This is a sensible use of expensive logistics," explains Stefania Misteli, spokeswoman for the Valora Group.
Are the independent kiosks, which are considered unruly, now on the way to giving up their freedom step by step with the new cooperation? SKIV spokesman Haeffner waves them off. "Valora Wholesale is not in competition with the independent kiosks. The competitive relationship exists only with Valora Retail, and this has not changed at all." He categorically rules out any further rapprochement with the Valora Group in the future. "Our members are all owner-managed companies that don't want to be tied in," explains Haeffner. Valora is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to expand its network of locations. But even the Bern-based consumer goods company does not see the new collaboration as a free ride for kiosk takeovers. "There is no strategy of successively taking over independent kiosks," explains Peter Ruthishauser, CEO Valora Wholesale.
Independent kiosks now benefit from Valora logistics and lower purchase prices - without compromising on freedom.
Daniel Schifferle

When the "old aunt" from Falkenstrasse coyly lifted her skirt hem up to the garter belt at the beginning of 2003, she received some sympathy from the competition in addition to the obligatory malice. "After all, the NZZ also has to plug its advertising hole somehow", the Mittelland Zeitung, for example, doubled down on the new sex salon advertisement page in the Ausgeh-Agenda Ticket. Publishing director Tobias Trevisan, however, steadfastly denied such base motives and instead referred to the "pure service character" of his honorable escort guide in a completely irony-free manner.in the pre-Christmas editions of Ticket, the Lustengel are now particularly eye-catching, offering their unchristian form of charity for the first time across an entire panoramic page. In return, the content, which had already become all too clear, was further reduced. In early summer, NZZ chief service provider Hugo Bütler went on record to say that the highly loss-making Line Extension was "still in the development phase". Of course, he was only referring to the advertising business. However, the cultural calendar is also in urgent need of journalistic expansion. Because remember: without journalistic meat, there is no commercial fat on this (or any other) newspaper bone.
(oc)

Publicis CCO Jean Etienne Aebi is not the first advertiser to squeeze his professional memoirs and collected wisdom between two book covers, but what makes his 400-page work "Einfall oder Abfall" stand out from the crowd is the unpretentious style with which the professional advertiser, who has won the most coveted awards, sends readers on a comprehensive and entertaining tour of advertising. Not only does he describe all the important aspects of the industry, such as content and concepts, implementation, goals and criticism. He also takes a relaxed look at the relationship between the client and the agency. With an eye sharpened by countless jury meetings, Aebi takes a refreshingly self-critical view and looks at both successful and unsuccessful work - his own and that of other famous creatives - through the overstimulated eye of the consumer. With tips and examples, Aebi underpins his thesis that advertising must be intelligent in order to be successful. (la)

Advertising bans The advertisement with which the telecoms group Swisscom took part in the "Stop advertising bans" campaign no longer appears, but there is no connection with the attack on the campaign by the Foundation for Consumer Protection (SKS), Swisscom spokesman Sepp Huber told the news agency SDA. Swisscom continues to stand behind the campaign's basic concerns. The ad had been withdrawn because the motif used was already several months old and the public no longer remembered it. At the end of November, the SKS criticized the fact that companies are participating in the alliance against advertising bans, some of which are owned by the federal government or receive subsidies.

Online The editorial team at the online portal Bluewin.ch is to be cut from 360 to 180 to 200 percent, according to information obtained by Werbewoche. Bluewin did not wish to provide any details of its redundancy plans. In mid-November, the Internet provider announced that it intended to cut 26 jobs. Spokeswoman Deborah Bucher said that Werbewoche's information was incorrect, as Bluewin.ch does not have a traditional editorial team.

The economic situation and the slump in the job market are the main reasons for the crisis in daily newspaper subscriptions, according to industry experts surveyed by the research institute Publicom for its Delphinarium study. However, 23 out of 30 experts also see the lack of appeal for young people as an important or very important cause. 15 see a problem with the change in usage. As a countermeasure, 24 experts recommend increased cooperation. Cost-cutting measures and new business models each received 18 votes.

Accident prevention Lesch+Frei deliberately drove beyond the roadside for the RoadCross association. 600 deaths and more than 26,000 injuries are caused by road accidents on Swiss roads every year. Although the figures are falling slightly, the RoadCross association is convinced that this is still too high a price to pay for mobility. The non-profit organization based in Zurich is committed to preventing road accidents and thus making Vision Zero a reality (see box). In addition to measures to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of accidents, RoadCross also supports those affected. This includes psychological emergency assistance, support in medical matters and legal advice. The association had a Christmas campaign designed by Lesch+Frei in Zurich just in time for the coming festive season. However, this is not intended to make the viewer feel festive, but thoughtful. Two subjects with different road signs are intended to dramatize the distorted reality of alcoholic perception. According to this, one road ends in a house wall, another in the opposite lane. The star-shaped cones of light from the street lamps are the only thing that could put the viewer in a Christmassy mood. And with good reason: what would Christmas and New Year's Eve be without a toast, and what would a toast be without a good drop of wine or sparkling champagne? However, according to the Federal Office for Accident Prevention, the fact that many drunk drivers still feel able to drive causes one in three accidents.
Lesch+Frei visualized the perceptual blurring of drunk drivers for RoadCross.

Accident prevention There was no alcohol involved: Lesch+Frei scraped a house wall for the RoadCross association >> Page 7Vision Zero is also coming to Switzerland
In 1997, the Swedish parliament set new guidelines for road safety policy with Vision Zero. The aim is to avoid fatalities and serious injuries. The new approach is based on the insight that people make mistakes. As a result, the traffic and rescue system must be designed in such a way that mistakes no longer have fatal consequences. Here in Germany, the project is known as Veispo (road safety policy). To get closer to the vision, the Federal Roads Office (Astra) wants to at least halve the number of road casualties by 2010. Last October, the media circulated misleading statements by Astra Director Rudolf Dieterle, according to which the project would be put on ice - which Astra denied. A package of federal measures is currently being examined. (sk)
Simone Keller

With his charismatic personality and proactive approach to publishers, the "Lord of the Kiosks" has not only given the print media's most important distribution and promotion channel a likeable face. It was thanks to him that the Bern-based consumer goods group came into the limelight as a combative force in the print media business in the first place. But in June there was a bang. Hartmann was dismissed with immediate effect for "seriously exceeding his authority". The Valora CEO was alleged to have conducted takeover negotiations with the investment company GP Investimentos behind the back of the Board of Directors. The stock market greeted the abrupt departure with a fireworks display. Valora shares rose by 18.7 percent. The response of the publishing industry to the resignation cannot be expressed in figures. But the fact is that complaints about poor service at the kiosk have not become any quieter during the Hartmann era. Gone with a bang: former Valora CEO Reto Hartmann.
(dse)

After twenty years of Swiss private radio history, the signs of fatigue came first and were most pronounced in the most important radio agglomeration, the greater Zurich area, where the number two in the Swiss radio market, Hitradio Z, has seen its audience flee in droves in recent years. However, listeners did not migrate to competitor Radio 24, which also suffered losses, albeit on a much smaller scale. The winner across the board was DRS 3. In the first half of 2003, the Zurich station even suffered a particular setback: The public service station catapulted to the top spot in its market in terms of listenership. The retaliation came immediately after Hitradio Z relaunched itself on August 15, 2003 under the new name Energy Zürich and together with the radio multinational NRJ Groupe, targeting a younger audience. This gave the Zurich radio landscape a much-needed makeover, as shown by the listening figures just three months after the launch of the new station. For intruder DRS 3, the growth abruptly turned into a significant loss. In contrast, all private radio stations in the greater Zurich area, above all Radio 24, were able to make strong gains in terms of listenership. Only Radio 24 can rest easy: The Tamedia station attracted the most listeners this year, taking them away from NRJ and DRS 3.
(dse)

SonntagsZeitung Ringier has appointed Christoph Grenacher as Editor-in-Chief of SonntagsBlick, a newspaper that will take up his new post in the first half of 2004. Grenacher is currently deputy editor-in-chief of the SonntagsZeitung. He previously managed the SonntagsBlick from 1994 to 1995.

Disco TV From January 2004, the private stations Intro-TV and Züri Plus will be broadcasting a new late-night program called "Clubnight TV", which will be joined by Tele M1 and Tele Tell from March. "Clubnight TV" organizes techno and house parties in various Swiss clubs and films the dancing guests. Around two new 22-minute clips are to be produced each month and broadcast around 250 times.

Local TV Züri Plus, the young local television station in the city of Zurich, is on the rise: when it was launched in spring 2003, the station reported an average daily reach of 20,000 viewers. Today it is already up to 50,000 daily. The move to new and larger studio premises has enormously improved Züri Plus' possibilities, and new programs are planned for 2004.