Sports marketing Six extras are currently fighting over an empty chair in cinemas on behalf of Nike Switzerland. You're sitting comfortably in a sold-out movie theater, having just seen the latest Nike commercial "Musical Chair" and waiting slightly impatiently for the film to start. Suddenly you see six guys who have arrived too late looking for a seat, while the music from the previous Nike commercial continues to play in the background and then ends abruptly. Shouts in the silence: "Hee...over here...there's still a seat here." Whereupon the six run off, jump over spectators, scurry up the side aisle and stop disappointed because only one of them can get the free seat. What happened a few minutes earlier in a similar form on the screen in the latest Nike commercial is now playing out in the movie theater. Live and seemingly real. Apparently. Because the whole thing is just a promotional appearance, staged by Stefan Heinrich. The marketing manager of Nike Switzerland booked the six moviegoers, who put on a professional performance, with the event agency Spool. The empty seat is reserved by Nike. The extras do not wear Nike clothing. "We want everything to look as real as possible," says Heinrich. Applause for the Nike gag
A few weeks ago, the marketing manager came up with the idea of the unusual promotional event, in which Nike Play gadgets and flyers are handed out at the end of the movie screening. "It was a flash of inspiration," he says. The idea immediately appealed to the top management of the sports outfitter in Switzerland. Only the planning with a few cinemas didn't go exactly "as we had imagined", Heinrich sums up. In the meantime, Nike has managed to convince movie theater operators. The premiere of the advertising gag has already taken place in Bern. "There was even a round of applause a few days ago," says the marketing expert happily. They had not registered any negative reactions. "People understood the gag." This is not surprising, as they had previously been put in the right mood by the Nike "Musical Chair" commercial that flickered across the movie screen. In the ad, spectators and basketball players suddenly run towards the last empty seats in the stadium after being told to "grab a chair" in the middle of a professional game. In the end, a spectator and a basketball player engage in an entertaining duel for the one free seat, not even stopping at the toilet. The commercial will run in Switzerland until the end of October and was created by Nike's in-house agency Wieden+Kennedy, New York.
With "Musical Chair", the creatives continue where the Nike spot "Tag" left off. In "Tag", which won the coveted Grand Prix in Cannes in 2002, an unsuspecting commuter is given an appendage by someone else. But by the time he realizes that he would probably be better off if he got rid of it, countless other commuters have already realized what the guy has been stuck with and get out of his way. The way they do this is delicious and served Heinrich as a template for his Swiss promo piece.
"Musical Chair" is the name of the new Nike commercial currently running in Swiss cinemas, which prompted Nike Switzerland to transport the spot's storyline into the real world.
Annelies Friedli

Fashion marketing After a one-year absence from advertising, the Basel-based fashion house Spengler responds to increased competition with a comprehensive image campaign by Studio Achermann.The boom in the clothing industry is almost two decades ago. Nevertheless, the Swiss fashion market, which has stagnated since then, has clear winners: as in the surrounding European countries, internationally active discounters such as H&M, Kookai and Mango are making gains. The longing for textile individuality wants to be satisfied even in recessionary phases. Last year, not fewer, but above all cheaper items of clothing were sold over the counter. This is confirmed by recent evaluations of consumer studies. This affects domestic retail chains just as much as mail-order companies, which are being squeezed by increasingly strong foreign heavyweights such as Otto or La Redoute. According to Retail Switzerland, Swiss mail order companies are dwarfs, "which puts them at a considerable disadvantage when it comes to buying goods." Not only that: the wide range of products makes it difficult to convey a clear positioning. Spengler also felt the effects of this development. The market research institute IHA-GfK estimates that sales in the 19 Spengler stores remained stable in 2002 at around 200 million Swiss francs. But in the mail order business, which once boasted glittering margins, sales fell from around 134 million francs in 1995 to just under 100 million francs last year. While competitors sought a way out in diversification, the Basel fashion house remained true to its core competence and is trying to revitalize its brand and sales with an image campaign.
The earlier face mask campaign, which was independent in the fashion environment but achieved only modest recall values for the brand, was followed by a one-year advertising hiatus. The Spengler owners bridged the advertising sabbatical exclusively with mail-order catalogs and promotional advertising. Chief and owner Christian Spengler waited to communicate the new appearance with a bang: The Spengler brand is to be updated, modernized, and individualized in all segments - and even more: it
wants to convey an attitude toward life. Spengler hopes "that we'll be able to make a difference with the
viewers achieve a higher level of identification with the brand."
Vital Spengler Feeling
For the joint development and implementation of the concept, he and Madeleine Corpataux chose the Zurich-based Studio Achermann, which has already earned a good reputation with its work for international fashion labels. For Beda Achermann and Markus Bucher, it was
clear that they wanted to put people at the center so that the Spengler feeling of vitality and diversity could be conveyed more authentically. "The testimonial campaign shows the most diverse personalities in their private surroundings. Nevertheless, they have one thing in common: They stand - in the truest sense of the word - for Spengler," says Bucher. The new claim "Spengler...me too!" serves as a bracket for the 15 motifs in the first wave of ads. Style elements such as the signature emphasize the personal aura. "The people pictured can sign the message, so to speak," explains Achermann. The wide range of testimonials - from teenagers to "normal people" to celebrities - is intended to suggest to the viewer that they belong.
Achermann is convinced that the campaign "has what it takes to become a classic. Because it can use images of celebrities to exploit their status or because, together with a media partner, it can serve as the basis for events - for example, a doppelganger election. What's more: "Over time, this creates an almanac of Swiss style history that could also be presented in the form of exhibitions," enthuses the advertiser. Parallel to the campaign, the team developed the umbrella brand "Spengler Live," which serves all types of communication, from product campaigns to inserts to employee events.
Studio Achermann rounded up a team of top stylists and photographers who usually only work for high fashion.
Luca Aloisi

Timo Kirez, new CCO at McCann-Erickson Switzerland, wants to bring the agency back into the circle of hotshots.
What does a philosopher think about advertising that looks like advertising? Nothing, perhaps. For Timo Kirez, the "normal" in advertising causes "physical discomfort", says the new Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at the Swiss branch of the McCann-Erickson agency network. He therefore wants to create advertising "that has a surprise effect." The new member of the McCann-Erickson Switzerland management team is not yet willing to reveal the details of what this could be. However, the CCO, who commutes between the two agency locations in Geneva and Zurich, is thinking more intensively than before about the creative potential of his new employees from three continents. "My job will be to support these people in their creativity." The clear objective: "To get the agency back into the top three in the creative rankings."
Kirez does not want to achieve this goal "with handicrafts" at award shows. If anything, he wants to win creative prizes for major clients. "We have budgets from Opel, Microsoft and Camel - you have to be able to do good advertising with them too," he says with conviction.
It was not written in the stars that he would one day realize creative advertising campaigns. Kirez actually wanted to become a philosopher. In any case, he attended lectures on the subject at Hamburg University. But because the subject was taught "too dryly" for his attitude to life and he soon ran out of money, he turned his back on Kant and Schoppenhauer and turned to selling furniture and giving stock advice over the phone.
That was enough for an after-work beer, but not for the mind. "What else can I do professionally?" the university dropout asked himself. In this crisis of meaning, a friend put a phone number in his hand. Jean-Rémy von Matt answered at the other end of the line. That was in Hamburg in 1994. "Then everything happened very quickly and very well." Kirez became a copywriter before he even knew "what it was".
For four years, the career changer developed steadily at the agency. Until he once again held a telephone number in his hand. Her name was Géraldine, she was an "artist with a diploma" and French. But the lady of his heart felt increasingly uncomfortable at the Waterkant and one day presented the copywriter with a choice: either a woman or a job.
What does a philosopher do in such cases? He chooses both. They moved - to Geneva. They still feel at home there, even though Kirez will continue to spend half of his time in Zurich and half in French-speaking Switzerland. "There should be an intensive exchange between the two agencies."
Kirez came to McCann-Erickson in Geneva via Frank Bodin. In addition to Kirez's references, Bodin also liked the fact that he wanted to change jobs for family reasons. In the meantime, Kirez had become a celebrated copywriter at Jung von Matt.
Looking back, he believes that he only learned the art of seduction so well because he always worked with lots of interesting people. "You learn something from everyone if you've been around long enough." The important thing, however, is that you end up developing "your own style".
The CCO draws his motivation from everyday life in advertising: "You are confronted with something new every day." Everything is done quickly and purposefully. "It suits me to develop ideas within a tight timeframe." When you hear him say this, you immediately think that the antithesis of philosophy has become man. That's not wrong, "because philosophy hasn't helped me at all in advertising, on the contrary. It can get in the way." Which for Kirez does not mean that he spends 24 hours thinking about what others might buy that he has advertised. "You have to break out once a week and talk about something else," he admits. About philosophy, perhaps?
Timo Kirez from McCann-Erickson is probably only the second Swiss advertiser to hold the title of Chief Creative Officer.
Andreas Panzeri

Cigarette industry The German company Wrapsy has launched a new advertising idea: It produces cardboard sleeves under which the warnings on cigarette packets disappear, but they only cover the warnings and not the brand logo. Companies can affix advertising messages to the sleeves and use them as giveaways. Wrapsy also offers its own collections with erotic images, trendy motifs or funny questions. The wraps will be available for 40 cents each in Germany and Austria wherever cigarettes are sold. According to Pressetext Europa, 2.4 million units have already been sold. Since the beginning of October, 30 percent of the front and 40 percent of the back of all cigarette packets in the EU must be covered with information on the harmfulness of smoking.

The Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB) has commissioned Schneider Berthoud to advertise its mortgage business, and the Basel-based agency won out over two competitors in a competitive presentation. The first works can be seen in the bank's catchment area from November. BLKB has already been one of Schneider Berthoud's clients. Among other things, the agency communicated the bank's sponsoring commitment and its AAA rating from the US rating agency Standard & Poors.

Advertising bans The association of health insurers Santésuisse is against advertising and price comparisons of medicines The federal government wants to allow the publication of price comparisons for prescription medicines in the second package of ordinances on the Therapeutic Products Act in order to help reduce costs in the healthcare system. In its consultation, Santésuisse fears that the increased media presence could lead to steep sales of medicines. The SP also warns of the danger that price comparisons for prescription medicines could be misused as an advertising platform, but welcomes the transparency this would create. ...

The Edis will be awarded on November 6.47 commercials, video clips and commissioned films have been shortlisted for the Edi Film Prize by a jury from the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA). With around ten percent more submissions (154 in total) than last year, the acceptance of the Edi Film Prize has "developed positively", as Peter Beck from the Swissfilm Association's organization team explains. eleven entries were shortlisted in the "commissioned films" category. Frame Eleven is represented with two films. In the newly introduced "Clips & Trailers" category, in which 15 titles are on the shortlist, Regardez Communications has high hopes with three productions, including the "Egon" clips commissioned by Werbewoche. There are 21 films on the list of commercials. Contexta is likely to be looking forward to the awards ceremony the most. The Bern agency has five spots in the final race. Four Edi contenders come from Publicis, three each from Wirz and Ruf Lanz. SFLB, Lowe, Ammarkt and Guye Benker are nominated once. Two shortlisted films were made without agency help. Among the production companies, Condor, Wirz+Fraefel and Pumpkin Film dominate the shortlist. It ßis available in full at www.werbewoche.ch/edi.
(pan)

ZoeSpenglerStudio Achermann has given the Spengler fashion label a new image.
dressed. Now ad raters can also play fashion critics, click by click: www.werbewoche.ch/adrating
ZoéDa got Exxtra badly: the TV commercial campaign for the skincare line really can't have been that bad.
Top 21,01%Flop 78,99%

Internet: The Bern-based financial platform First-stocks.com is ceasing operations. It had been launched just this summer by Hans Fischer and Nicolas Berg, co-founders of what is now the Ringier platform Borsalino. According to a statement, technical delays during the third round of financing led to higher-than-planned capital requirements. Despite intensive discussions with existing and new investors, the fundraising effort failed in early October. The free multimedia financial newspaper Firsttoday.ch, which First-stocks.com launched in partnership with St. Gallen-based Bluebull AG, is not affected by the shutdown.

Automobile With the 307 CC, Peugeot is attempting to repeat the great success of the 206 CC model, an affordable car that has captured the hearts of many coupé and convertible enthusiasts thanks to its retractable steel roof. The metamorphosis of its bigger brother is also worth seeing: at the touch of a button, the folding roof disappears into the trunk in just 25 seconds and the coupé becomes a convertible. This fascinating folding movement is now also the inspiration for the
Launch campaign from Euro RSCG Switzerland. Readers and passers-by are invited to lend a hand in the advertisement and experience how easily the 307 CC can be transformed back and forth: In the one-and-a-third-page ad, the transformation is accomplished by folding the page, in the submarine ad by pulling out a loose page. Even with the special folding poster, passers-by can transform the first C (coupé) into the second (convertible) and vice versa with a flick of the wrist. ...

Social tariff At the request of advertising manager Kilian Gasser, WochenZeitung is abolishing its two-year-old special regulation according to which advertising sales staff earned up to 1,000 francs more than the standard collective gross salary of 3,900 francs. According to Gasser, the reason for this adjustment was not internal resentment, but insinuations from external colleagues.

Budget wins for Wirz agencies: Following a pitch, the web service provider Assai Interactive was entrusted with the redesign of the website of Unique, the operator of Zurich Airport, and is also realizing a new website for the airport. Wirz Identity was awarded the contract for the Straumann Group's annual report. Straumann produces dental implants and employs around 900 people worldwide. In a pitch, the publishing agency Frontpage defended the mandate from Masterfoods for the magazine Welt der Katze.