Distribution K-Group helps in the search for alternatives Parallel to the newspaper publishers' initiative to subsidize press distribution with federal funds, an internal association working group is working on a concept for a cheaper alternative to the post office. "By the end of the year, we should have a relatively good idea," says the new publisher president Hanspeter Lebrument, who heads the association's distribution department. He confirms for the first time that the K-Group is also involved in the project alongside publishers and early delivery companies. The latter has not yet wanted to confirm its involvement or report on a home delivery trial in the Zurich Oberland. However, this experience will be incorporated into the project. Lebrument emphasizes that it is still unclear whether Swiss Post will be dispensed with in future or whether it will continue to be used for distribution in remote locations, for example. "What is certain, however, is that there will be an alternative to the current system." (mk)

Wirtschaftspresse subscribers also receive the October issue of Bilanz as a digital
audio magazine. Whether the Sunrise-sponsored
pilot goes into series production is for readers to decide.
Those who can't read should listen. However, the first Swiss business magazine for listening is not aimed at the blind or illiterate, but on the contrary at managers who no longer want to do without multi-page background articles (such as the monthly "Man of the Week") despite time constraints. For publishing director Uli Rubner, the new Bilanz CD is also "the ideal accompanying medium for the car or train journey between two appointments"; and for sponsor Sunrise, whose "corporate jingle" separates the individual articles, obviously a welcome image polish. 37,000 copies of the free silver disk, sonorously discussed by ex-Tele-24 presenter Christian Handelsman, are enclosed with the subscription edition. A further 8000 sound carriers will be sent to Sunrise's business customers, together with their customer magazine and an advertisement for the balance sheet. With this acoustic added value, Rubner hopes to expand the subscriber base and reduce the "currently somewhat high LpA value". To this end, in addition to selected, large chunks of text such as the Centerpulse story "Operation Hüftschuss", the first Hör-Bilanz also entices listeners with a small bonus track: former editor-in-chief Medard Meier presents himself and his editorial in interview form for once.Apart from the unmistakable presence of Sunrise Business Solutions, the one-hour gadget, designed by the below-the-line agency Additiv, is an advertising-free zone. Rubner is unwilling to say how much the first edition cost Jean Frey Verlag, but adds that she is "very satisfied" with the financial contribution from her telecoms sponsor. And that whether and how this experiment will be continued depends on the results of a reader survey immediately following the mailing.
NZZ Folio not a role model
Two years ago, the NZZ Folio already gained experience with the dubbing of journalistic quality content and its distribution. At the suggestion and expense of a (now defunct) CD production company, four digital acoustic editions of the monthly supplement were produced and advertised in the parent newspaper via its own website and a few advertisements - albeit at retail prices. According to publishing director Ueli Oswald, the fact that the exercise was quickly called off was not due to the price or the modest advertising. "The Folio is aimed at avowed readers, so an additional product like this simply doesn't fit into the concept."
It is therefore no real omission if the Bilanz boss "did not study this immature attempt by the NZZ more closely", as she freely admits. Rubner, on the other hand, closely observed the audio offensive of the Hamburg weekly Die Zeit (WW 24/03). For the past three months, its highlights from all departments have been available to download as MP3 files from the Internet. This offer, which will soon be subject to a charge for non-subscribers, has recently been supplemented by monthly best-of CDs, which currently cost twelve euros individually and 50 euros for a six-month subscription.
Weltwoche in MP3 format?
Rubner, who is also commercially responsible for Weltwoche, believes that both models are "in principle quite transferable" to the reinvigorated intelligence organ of the Jean Frey publishing house. However, she will only consider expanding or differentiating the audio commitment after positive feedback from the reader survey, which starts next week. Of course, the publisher should bear in mind that the balance sheet shows a much older and less
more experimental audience than Weltwoche. On the contrary, its drastically younger and trend-conscious readership seems predestined for the zeitgeist and community effect of an elite magazine in MP3 format. And as the Hamburg example shows, the distribution of mobile players could also earn additional money on the side.
NZZ Folio failed the reader plebiscite on the audio magazine: The Bilanz CD has yet to pass the market test.
Oliver Classen

Insurance company AY&R is placing Swiss Re's experts at the center of a new, worldwide series of advertisements. Whereas in the past Swiss Re communicated its services using surreal imagery in the style of Salvador Dalí, this year the reinsurer is using motifs from romantic painting for the visual language of its advertising. For the planned global communication measures, the in-house agency Advico Young & Rubicam (AY&R) was inspired by artists such as Caspar David Friedrich. Inhospitable workplaces
The four new advertisements, which will be placed in leading business publications and trade journals in the insurance industry, show Swiss Re experts in their respective working environments. With the new concept, the reinsurance company refers to its core competencies, the expertise of its employees. The claim "Expertise you can build on" and the dramatization of the topics of climate change, earthquake, flood and storm risks are intended to concretize this expertise.
In the visual implementation of the message, the Advico team led by CD Markus Tränkle refrained from pure testimonial ads. After all, they wanted to remain true to the agency's motto - to implement a benefit as dramatically as possible, as CEO Edgar C. Britschgi explains. He is convinced that this was achieved by depicting Swiss Re employees in their professional environment. Alfred Seiland was engaged as photographer, who - as in his FAZ campaign - accompanied the protagonists to the Rosegg Glacier, the North German Wadden Sea, Hong Kong and the St. Andreas Trench. The places portrayed also correspond to the three core markets of Swiss reinsurance, namely North America, Europe and Asia.
For the time being, the four advertisements are the only communication measures based on the new concept. However, the Advico CEO confirms that further advertising media are being planned.
Ads only for the time being: AY&R's new Swiss Re appearance in the style of Caspar David Friedrich.
Simone Keller

The commuter newspaper 20 Minuten has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Altdorf-based company Webtech, which operates the further education network Seminare.ch.The commuter newspaper 20 Minuten has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Altdorf-based company Webtech, which operates the further education network Seminare.ch. In future, every Tuesday in the section
"Career" section of 20 Minuten has published a "further education agenda". The entries, which can be booked individually at Webtech as well as in subscriptions of five or ten, appear not only in the newspaper but also on 20min.ch and eleven other platforms, including Search.ch, MSN.ch and various job portals.

The Zurich-based advertising agency Publicis will be promoting energy-saving driving in future. It has been entrusted by the Quality Alliance Eco-Drive with its advertising activities.Quality Alliance is an association of course providers, transport associations and federal agencies. They promote the "energy-conscious" Eco-Drive driving technology on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. The first implementation of this campaign by Publicis will already be seen this year as a national poster campaign.

Guest commentary Shortly before his suicide, which today marks its tenth anniversary, Niklaus Meienberg gave a last interview. Dominik Imseng, the interviewer, remembers.as he sits there, at half past three in the Kropf restaurant: a chatterbox. He is dizzy, he says, and will not take off his hat during the interview. Anecdotes, anecdotes. Stories about stories. Especially about journalists is blasphemed. Shitheads all. The tape runs and wraps itself around us. Once again salt pretzels and beer. That helps: his answers begin to relate to our questions. Half past eleven. We stroll through the old town and look for Schawinski's doorbell in the Stadelhofer Passage ("Don't hold it in your head that he's sitting in Frisch's apartment now").
Two days later, it is Sunday, he calls. We meet in Oerlikon, and he tells us about the North Africans who were still kicking him in the eyes when he was already lying on the ground as if dead ("Someone took revenge for an article"). Next topic: his motorcycle accident near Toulouse. Someone had thundered into him. Some big government animal had done it. Tomorrow he has to go to the doctor again. He touches his forehead.
We sit in his apartment and drink wine. Then he spreads out correspondences. Even his own. Copies or the originals. For hours we go through folders ("Here are the love letters, one and a half kilos, all addressed to me"). Then he brings a box full of newspaper clippings ("Someone sent them to me"). "Meienberg, the star writer". "Meienberg, the enfant terrible".
He continues to troll. Like a cat proudly presenting killed birds and mice. "Here's the letter from McNamara, there's the fax to Havel." In the corner is his business card from his days in the Stern office in Paris. Last, he recites poetry. Apollinaire and his own. As I leave, he murmurs, "A friend of mine, an old man, he's seriously ill. Do you know anything?" Shortly after, an acquaintance hears a similar story from him. Only now the friend is younger and has a different ailment.
Playhouse, three weeks later. Around one o'clock he comes down to the basement. Sits down with the boys, with the women. Thomas Hürlimann had shivered past him, had sweated past him and had given him four wet fingers. He sits there and tells. About his bike accident. About his wound on the head. There is nothing to see. As we say goodbye, I ask him how many voucher copies he needs. "One and a half."
On the eve of the publication of the book "Tinder. Raids, Assaults, Leftovers," Niklaus Meienberg swallows sleeping pills and puts a plastic bag over his head. "My ashes in the upper reaches of the Seine. No gravestone. Nowhere!"
> Dominik Imseng has written for Weltwoche and the Tages-Anzeiger magazine, among others. Today he is Creative Director at McCann-Erickson Switzerland.

Agencies Geri Aebi, CEO Wirz Werbung, on budget gains and the new mood on Zurich's Uetlibergstrasse.WW Where Wirz Werbung stands today?Geri Aebi: After a really difficult year, we also found it difficult to advertise for New Biz. Potential customers were asking themselves: Will this company still exist the day after tomorrow? So we concentrated on existing customers, cut costs and simplified structures. That was the big job for me in my first year as CEO at Wirz.
Did the calculation work out?
We have taken part in five pitches in the last four months and won four of them, as well as two new customers without a pitch. The biggest are Helsana and AZM Aargauer Zentralmolkerei, including Floralp. Our latest coup is Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). Four agencies pitched for a new umbrella campaign. In the final round, we presented in the morning and received the positive decision in the afternoon - a real winner.
Is the agency out of the woods?
I am cautious with buzzwords like turnaround. But at least for next year, we can look ahead with confidence.
Have the staff cuts now been halted?
For the first time in a long time, we are looking for staff again - and not just to replace employees who are traveling the world. We still need a strong BGL, a young consultant, a great graphic designer. Wirz is a force to be reckoned with again.
Last year, Wirz lost 25 percent of its turnover. Jost Wirz and some partners had to inject over three million francs to keep the agency afloat. How has this process affected morale?
Several partners - including myself as a new partner - have subscribed to additional share capital. The moral? I can primarily speak for Wirz Werbung as the successor to Hansueli Schweizer. Some things were not quite as I had hoped or expected. But even though we cut back from over 100 to 70 employees in a year and a half, the mood remained surprisingly positive.
What is your most important asset in these turbulent times?
It was certainly important that, after a phase of unclear leadership, there was once again someone to take the lead and tell us what to do. As the new CEO, I recognized one or two weak points and was able to find solutions. Leaner structures also mean that I want our people in consulting and creation to take on more personal responsibility. Employees and customers appreciate that.
But ultimately you had to take a firm hand to secure the agency.
I signed my contract when the industry was still in a very euphoric mood. Before 9/11, before the new economy bubble burst. Logically, I was suddenly asked to do completely different things. And in an agency that had always been regarded as very humane and generous, some tough cuts and unpopular measures were necessary. However, this was easier for me as the new CEO than for someone who had built up his internal contacts and relationships over decades.
The new office building was also built during this time. What about the letting?
The decision to build a new building was an absolutely sensible investment in the long term, but the move came at a rather unfortunate time. Higher rental costs were compounded by the economic crisis. Some of the space has already been sublet. At the moment, Wirz PR and Identity are moving in together, freeing up space in the high-rise building.
How do your customers react when they are shown through your luxurious entrance hall?
There isn't really anyone who doesn't like the new building. But customers are only interested in one thing: does our advertising make a difference in the market? With 70 people, we are considered a large agency in Switzerland, but ultimately we are an SME. In an international comparison, we would be somewhere in the midfield, perhaps in 37th place. But unlike a ten-man agency, we can also deploy several teams in internal competition at high pressure. It is also an advantage to have the specialists in-house: whether they are our own, such as our strategic planners or art buying - or those of our sister agencies from online and direct marketing or PR and identity.
Interview: Andreas Panzeri

Market research IHA GfK is working on competing systems Will the market research institute IHA GfK soon find itself in a conflict of interest between two poster research approaches, Swiss Poster Research (SPR) and the new Mediacontrol watch (WW 31/03)? The SPR recently posed this question to the Hergiswil-based institute. The reason for concern: IHA GfK, which carries out the fieldwork for the SPR, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the GfK Group in Nuremberg. The same applies to the Telecontrol Group, which develops Mediacontrol. GfK carries out the SPR orders with one hand and works on a competitor system with the other. But Thomas Kenel, responsible for SPR at IHA GfK - and also for Radiocontrol! - is dismissive. "We are used to working with different methods." He also considers the fact that GfK will be offering a method itself with Mediacontrol to be unproblematic. "Mediacontrol requires cooperation with the poster companies," he says. (mk)

Internet The Internet portal Yahoo Germany has entrusted Goldbach Media with advertising marketing in Switzerland and Austria, with Tele 2, H&M and Swisscom as its first clients in Switzerland and Siemens and Swiss in Austria.

Parents' magazines
Two years after its launch, Ellen Ringier's Fritz and Fränzi
financially far from being in the black. But the magazine could be
also sell well, says the publisher.WW For
Spick, which has not been sold after all, Tamedia is looking for people who
to be appointed to the editorial advisory board. As you are already involved with
Fritz and Fränzi for adolescents, that would be an obvious choice.
challenge. Will you make yourself available?
was not asked so far, did not even know that an advisory board
is ordered. In fact, some time ago we took care of Spick
applied. Although a takeover is not an option for us for financial
was out of the question for us. But we wanted to encourage Tamedia,
Spick into a foundation, as was the case with Fritz and Fränzi
is the case. We would then have taken on the task, together with the
Swiss youth organizations have turned it into a real magazine for
young people - as an alternative to Bravo and the like.
WW How far have the negotiations progressed?
stuck to our proposal, there were no negotiations at all - and
Spick has now been given a new chance with his chosen partner.
WW But you still have a lot planned with Fritz and Fränzi. New advisory forums are planned. With whom are these being organized?
Ellen Ringier Goal
of the magazine is to further expand such advisory forums on a massive scale.
In doing so, we rely exclusively on our numerous content partners
such as Pro Juventute or the Marie Meierhofer Institute. Because the
A total of five members of our editorial team
could never manage this themselves. And for the time being
is unthinkable. As far as the budget is concerned, we are nowhere near there,
where we should actually be.
WW Where is the gap?Ellen Ringier Not
advertising revenues, where we have reached the target of one million
francs by just over CHF 150000. We have a large gap
on the other hand, in terms of sponsorship. We had budgeted - before September 11
2001 - CHF 800,000 to cover the start-up costs and the first 15
months. The economic slump has thrown a spanner in the works
with the result that we have raised over one million francs to date.
have accumulated a loss. Originally, we wanted to use the
the money generated by the booklet to projects such as nurseries or new
co-finance teaching materials. From today's perspective, such plans appear
too optimistic for the long term.

WW Who covers the deficit?Ellen Ringier This
I don't like to answer questions, but if I absolutely have to, then
a lot: without the use of my own assets, there would be Fritz and
Fränzi hardly, but that was clear to me from the start.
WW To more
Advertising bookings could be helped by more comprehensive media data, because advertising
and sponsoring partners want to know which target groups you want to reach with Fritz
and Fränzi. Why was the magazine missing from the latest Mach
Basic?Ellen Ringier We
would have liked to take part, but Wemf only accepts publications there.
which are published at least ten times a year. However, we produce
only six issues a year.

WW A reader survey is planned for the next issue. As a kind of replacement for Mach Basic?Ellen Ringier Exactly.
Together with media and marketing professionals, we have developed a catalog of questions
compiled. We are now considering the result of this
to have the interview notarized and the media data of Fritz
and Fränzi. In this way, we advertisers can prove that our
magazine is not just a charity story, but also a newspaper,
with which attractive target groups can be reached.

WW However, the one with
70231 copies certified circulation significantly lower than the 100000
copies that Fritz and Fränzi specify in the media data. Why
do you use this uncertified number?Ellen Ringier 2002
we have the edition for reasons of economy that I misunderstood
reduced twice to 70000 - this had a dramatic effect on the
certified edition. We also had various editions with
180000 copies, and the others were also all well above
100,000. It is also important to know that we regularly receive substantial
reorders to teachers and associations, but Wemf
not taken into account. For this reason, the documentation
100,000 copies were truthfully stated. Since we have been
print at least 100,000 copies on a regular basis for years to come, I'm sure,
that next year we will provide Fritz and Fränzi with at least 90000
will be notarized.

WW The magazine We
Eltern is a profit-oriented magazine for parents at the stage of life
between pregnancy and preschool children. Did you want to
Fritz and Fränzi also make a profit-oriented magazine?Ellen Ringier All,
that are profit-oriented rely on the toddler box. Why,
is clear: this age group generates the most advertisements.
Because every mother spends a disproportionate amount of money on her baby.
However, our magazine deals with those phases of the life of the
Adolescents, where the real problems begin. And with bulimia,
violence at school, youth suicide or all the other ugly
It's hard to get advertisers excited about these things.

WW Also only little money
comes in via paid subscriptions. A year ago, the magazine had only
10,000 subscribers who paid the amount of 24 francs. How does
Ellen Ringier Im
At the moment we have almost 14000 privately paid subscriptions worth
of over 300,000 francs. Every month, several hundred additional
orders come in. But we would need at least 30,000 paid subscriptions
at the annual price of 24 francs in order to cover its costs and
to substantially reduce the aforementioned deficit. But the paid
Subscription is only a stopgap. As with all non-profit organizations
For us, too: sponsorship is the track I prefer to ride.
would like. It is the most honest way of financing a foundation idea.
WW At the start of Fritz
and Fränzi, you said that only if the budgeted income
the future is secure. Is the magazine already in danger in view of massively lower revenues?
the magazine has established itself so well that we will probably also
could sell. But that's the last thing I'm going to do. Because with
a commercial operator would be a mixture of the editorial
Content with product placement, for example, can hardly be avoided. With Fritz
and Fränzi, on the other hand, you can immediately see that it differs significantly from all
other magazines. In my opinion, this can
only the foundation can guarantee this in the long term.

WW Two sponsors are mentioned on Fritz and Fränzi's homepage: Orange and Tamedia. Why isn't Ringier there?Ellen Ringier Weil
I would like to avoid at all costs asking the Ringier media house for a
to ask for a substantial patronage contribution. It is not new that
I also signalize with the choice of print shop or subscription service
wants Fritz und Fränzi not to be a Ringier product. I
have always said that I will only go to Mr. Martin Werfeli if and only if
for financial support if the magazine cannot be produced on its own.
can get any further. This is currently - not least thanks to
the great commitment of the advertisers and their media and
advertising agencies - not the case. Ellen RingierThe
Fritz and Fränzi, which is published six times a year, was
launched by publisher's wife Ellen Ringier in October 2001. The magazine
is intended as a guide for parents with school-age children, but
also as a forum for all institutions and associations involved. In addition
In addition to schools and authorities, these include institutions that
are at home in the subject areas addressed: Pro Juventute,
Marie Meierhofer Institute for the Child, School and Parent Association
and the Swiss Association of Parents' Organizations (Sveo).
Design and production of the magazine are in the hands of Sabine
Danuser Editorial Services (Zurich). In April 2002, the magazine
certified at 70231 copies - too low, in Ellen Ringier's opinion.

Interview: Daniel Schifferle

The PR agency Dr. Peter P. Knobel AG has been looking after the medical device manufacturer Medela Switzerland since September, when the Zug-based agency was entrusted with communications for the breastfeeding aids sector following a presentation by a competitor. The aim of the mandate is to make breastfeeding more of a public issue, Knobel announced. The agency is developing media relations for Medela and informing the media about the issues young mothers face when breastfeeding and the options available to them.

Promotional items I With increasing professionalism, the "stand-alone solution" became a popular promotional item. From the marketing mix
it has become indispensable.
The countless promotional product retailers in Switzerland are convinced that gifts keep friendships alive - and the brand top-of-mind. Marketing managers derive the fact that this theory has proven itself, especially in oversaturated markets, from the fact that the hybrid consumer particularly appreciates dialogical communication. As promotional products are perfect for relationship marketing, they have become one of the most important tools. And this despite the fact that promotional gifts appear superfluous and cheap to many recipients at second glance. Nevertheless, there is hardly any other signal stimulus in communication that raises awareness and can control attention more directly than the promotional "gift".
While many experts in Germany now see giveaways as the third most important advertising medium behind the daily newspaper and the television, here in Switzerland such positions are viewed somewhat more cautiously. For example, Sibylle Siegrist, Managing Director of Langenthal-based Siegrist Werbeartikel AG: "Even if reliable figures are not available in Switzerland, we can assume that the trend is rising and that promotional products are among the top ten." The uncertainty is due to the fact that promotional items are difficult to define: does workwear already fall into the category of promotional items or does it only include customer gifts? And can all promotional items be included, even if they only have a gag function like a dog cookie? The thieving behavior of an increasing number of hotel guests who steal labeled "hotel souvenirs" is also evidence of an advertising medium that is difficult to differentiate.
Boom in gadget mailings
Despite the increasing professionalization of the industry, this diffuse situation is also reflected in the qualitatively different surveys and market analyses, which lead to extremely divergent results. The vague definition is compounded by the lack of transparency in the market. It is no wonder that the Promoswiss trade association, in which 28 promotional product distributors are organized, arrives at different sales figures than the AG für Werbemedienforschung Wemf. While the latter last reported net sales of 121 million Swiss francs in the "promotional products" category in 1999, Promoswiss President Fabio Dal Molin is working from completely different, more up-to-date figures: "Our fairly reliable estimates assume a volume of between 550 and 600 million Swiss francs." A remarkable discrepancy, which is not surprising given the fact that hundreds of small to micro businesses are active in this market. According to Promoswiss estimates, after the telecommunications and IT hype, this market has been growing at a more moderate rate of one to three percent for several years - mainly thanks to the above-average use of mailing inserts.
Experts believe that hardly any of the ten or so large companies in the highly fragmented Swiss market reach the 20 million turnover mark. There is no such thing as a market leader. However, the association, which bases its statistics primarily on German figures, is now pushing for clarity and reliability. "We are now in the process of redefining the statistics," Dal Molin clarifies.
The idea that the promotional product business is highly seasonal and is particularly at its peak now, before the end of the year, also needs to be refreshed, this time among laypeople. "In the past, promotional gifts were more of a reward. At the end of each year, the best-selling and most loyal customers were given
a promotional gift as a thank you and a token of appreciation," says Sibylle Siegrist, looking back. "Nowadays, promotional items are increasingly used as an accompanying advertising measure in the communication mix to make the message tangible." Harry Hes from Hes Idea AG adds: "Promotional items are important for advertising success today. They have become a must in the advertising mix and are therefore in constant demand."
Since his company has been working for advertising agencies and industrial companies with their own advertising department, he has been using promotional items in as many different ways as possible: from promotional items, giveaways and VIP gadgets, to mailing inserts as reinforcement, gifts for children when shopping and gifts for new openings, to event or sponsorship items, trade fair giveaways, fan club items and merchandising. Promoswiss President Dal Molin says that the use of promotional items is no longer based on the watering can principle: "The focus is on the communication strategy, the target group and the message to be conveyed."
The wide range has practically leveled out the seasonal fluctuations. Just as the range has been expanded in line with the motto "if it has a logo on it, anything can be used as a promotional item", a change in values has been observed among customers. The high standard of consumption in industrialized countries is forcing them to adapt their purchasing behavior. "The time of unimaginative and interchangeable promotional items is over," explains Thomas Vollmer, founder and Managing Director of St.Gallen-based Polypins.
Nothing is impossible
Retailers can get an overview of new products and opportunities at international trade fairs. In January at PSI in Düsseldorf (one of the largest trade fairs) and at its offshoots in Paris and Warsaw. The latter is attracting large numbers of visitors due to the booming manufacturing industry in Eastern European countries.
It is not easy to identify trends in the masses. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that in addition to mailing boosters, which are particularly eye-catching due to their high volume, individualization is the big topic. "You are definitely on the right track with high-quality items that have the right design and appeal emotionally in addition to their advertising message," says Kaspar Benz, Managing Director for Premiums at Pandinavia in Bassersdorf, summarizing the main trends. This explains the increased expenditure per advertising item recipient that clients have made in recent years. "With its high standard of promotional products, Switzerland is definitely one of the world leaders, while it is more of a traditional country when it comes to innovation," says Dal Molin.
The list of requirements for promotional items has grown. "Originality, uniqueness with a high fun factor and a memo effect have long been taken for granted," says Sibylle Siegrist. The increased pressure to succeed is reflected in the expectations placed on retailers. "Major customers are also paying more attention to the type of production, which should meet stricter EU standards and take ethical and moral aspects into account," says Harry Hes (see also article above). Irrespective of these image-boosting requirements, the promotional gift brochures, which weigh several kilos, contain a range of products to suit every taste: Classics such as lighters, calendars, umbrellas and writing instruments - or more unusual gadgets such as inflatable piggy banks, which were recently used in a mailing in a Swisscom campaign for SMEs, or computer mice with
3-D floating elements in the shape of a logo to elegant golf equipment or cigar boxes.
"Of course, the promotional products industry has also felt the effects of the economic downturn. Nevertheless, high-quality promotional products have shown considerable resilience during this phase," says association president Dal Molin. Advertising clients have realized, especially in the current climate, that promotional products cause less wastage and can be used more specifically for target groups. As this guarantees an efficient allocation of the advertising budget, promotional products have generally been able to maintain their share in the communication mix, and in some cases even increase it. Hes makes this trend dependent on whether the gadget continues to succeed in triggering a positive moment in the recipient. If this is the case, then it can be considered a popular gadget. His tip: "The client should avoid spending money on an anti-sympathizer as much as possible - and not just in tense times."
Promotional product manufacturers estimate the Swiss market volume at up to 600 million francs.
The demands on promotional products have increased, but the function remains the same: to trigger positive moments for the recipient.
Promotional item building blocksWhat are the aims of the campaign?
Regardless of whether it is used to increase sales, create a memo effect, invite customers or establish contacts, the promotional product is a powerful reminder and activator for consumers.
What are the target groups?
These should be defined according to age group, profession or lifestyle, for example. From the recipient's point of view, promotional products are a modern advertising tool with high contact quantities and qualities.
What are the expected measurable outcomes?
Whether contact volumes, additional sales or visitors to trade fair stands, it is important to know that the effect depends heavily on the creative idea of the promotional item. Useful items with symbolic value are in demand.
What funds should be invested?
Whichever basis is used for budgeting, whether total budget, budget per run, amount in francs per head of the target group, amount as a percentage of sales or expected additional sales: It is not the material value of the promotional item that is decisive. Even relatively inexpensive items can have a big impact on recipients.
How long should the effect last?
Every promotional item has a maximum lifespan and therefore achieves a certain multiplier effect.
Although standard promotional items such as notepads or ballpoint pens are less popular, their utility and recall values are still high.
satisfactory.
How does the handover take place?
By mail or in person at an event, with or without a verbal message. The process of distributing promotional items alone has a high attention-grabbing effect, especially at events. (la)
Source: Promoswiss and Professor Peter Hammann
Luca Aloisi