Media agencies With Vizeum, the Aegis Group is launching a second media network alongside Carat - and is bringing Andy Lehmann on board. At the beginning of March this year, the Aegis Group (London) announced plans to launch another independent media network called Vizeum alongside its leading European media group Carat. A corresponding offshoot is also to be installed in Switzerland. The launch was announced for the third quarter of this year, and Carat contacted Andy Lehmann last December in connection with these intentions, explains Jane Borgstrøm, Managing Director of Carat Switzerland. Intensive discussions with Mediahaus Seefeld, which was founded in the fall of 2001, revealed "that a merger would offer both sides an optimal starting point for a joint future". According to the press release, Mediahaus Seefeld will be integrated into the existing network with immediate effect and will become part of the Vizeum network as part of the international launch. Borgstrøm and Lehmann will be jointly responsible for the new agency group in Switzerland and will continue to manage the two agencies Carat Switzerland AG and Mediahaus.Seefeld respectively.
360-degree communication "We see the opportunity to work with
to generate further growth in Switzerland with a second brand," says Borgstrøm, explaining the launch of Vizeum. And she
adds: "The various mergers of large media agencies in recent years - such as CIA and Mediaedge - are creating space for new brands."
While Carat is more focused on traditional media due to its existing customer structure, Mediahaus Seefeld will bring additional consulting expertise (e.g. sponsoring) to the company.
The new group will be in line with the Carat Network's 360° communication concept. Details about the orientation and structures of the agency group currently being founded will be announced in the coming weeks. "The positioning of Vizeum is still in the middle of the development process at the moment," explains Lehmann. The question of a
It is not yet possible to say where they will be located together, but this will certainly make sense in the medium term.
However, it is already certain that Vizeum and Carat will be managed as autonomous and independent agencies - and both will serve international and national clients.
Independence as a philosophyBorgstrøm shares a philosophy with Lehmann: "The independence and autonomy that both Carat and Vizeum will have are very important to both of us." Lehmann, for his part, explains that the independence of the network was an absolute prerequisite for him. "We don't have to give up our basic philosophy and positioning in the market."
According to Lehmann, the Aegis Group has bought Mediahaus Seefeld. As a logical consequence of the Vizeum launch, the Mediahaus Seefeld brand will disappear, says Lehmann. "That is the consequence. We have learned in recent months that international connections play a decisive role for a media agency - Swiss clients are also increasingly geared towards international standards and are thinking more globally. Carat's purchasing and planning expertise is also crucial," says Lehmann, explaining his move. The fact that he will now be working as an employee again has no disadvantages for him. "The decisive factors for me are entrepreneurial freedom and a proactive and positive view of the market - and that's what Carat and Vizeum offer."
Jane Borgstrøm and Andy Lehmann: "Space for new brands."

Daniel Schifferle

The Züritipp dares to make the leap from a culture agenda to a committed city magazine - and already accompanies the weekend on Thursdays.Züritipp, the supplement of the Tages-Anzeiger, sets out to liberate itself: On June 19, the culture agenda in tabloid format will mutate into a trendy city magazine. From now on, it will be available as a newspaper supplement on Thursdays and will be in the hands of Zurich's nightlife enthusiasts. Everything is new: the magazine's architecture, layout and content have literally been turned upside down. These radical changes were preceded by competition from NZZ (Ticket), 20 Minuten's going-out magazine (Week) and the changing reading habits of a young target group. For more than 20 years, the basic concept of the supplement, which provides information about the broad range of cultural events in the greater Zurich area week after week, was hardly changed in terms of content.
"We want to focus on
We want to cater even more to the needs of people living in Zurich's millions," says Peter Haerle, head of Zürich-Bund and Züritipp at the Tages-Anzeiger, explaining the new look. For almost a year now, he has been working on more than just giving the going-out calendar a fresh coat of paint. He was supported in this by Reto Gehrig, who as the former owner of Zurich's in-club Luv has breathed the air of the scene himself. The current owner of the Zurich agency Code has designed an airy new layout for Züritipp.
The cover with a headline in trendy typography already shows that a fresh wind is blowing - and the added claim "Stadtmagazin für Zürich" (City Magazine for Zurich) also announces the new content orientation. On the first 30 pages - a third of the average 88 pages per issue - Züritipp opens a completely different window on the city of Zurich and gives its interior a good airing.
More Zurich feelingThe new magazine core, entitled "Stadtleben" (City Life), is intended to draw readers more into the paper "by showing the diversity and liveliness of Zurich," explains Haerle. As a result of this repositioning, he also expects greater added value for the city magazine. In his opinion, the new Züritipp should "also provide new and useful information to die-hard Zurich residents. In the end, the aim was also to make the dialogue-free one-way street that Züritipp has been up to now interactive.
This claim is met right on the first page after the table of contents: An oversized search picture - usually a snapshot of a Zurich curiosity - wants to be correctly classified by the reader. The next section, entitled "Rendez-Vous," focuses on original people in the city on the Limmat. In it, not-so-ordinary contemporaries in Zurich introduce themselves to readers.
Delicacies are also promised in the "Gastronomy" section, which will be prepared by Peter Brunner, host at Kaiser's Reblaube. A special treat will be the reunion with Josef Estermann, who as a gastronomic critic will judge what is on offer from Zurich's kitchens and cellars. The principle of dialog also applies in this section. In a "mailbox," amateur chefs will receive answers to questions about their favorite pastime.
Scoring points with young readersAfter a brief excursion into "nightlife" - the selection of events and locations discussed is naturally intended to be trendier and more trendy - it's back to daylight. On the "Discover & Enjoy" page, the focus is on Zurichers' favorite pastime: beautiful things and interesting consumer goods are presented. "Because," Hearle emphasizes, "shopping is also one of the beautiful things about Zurich." However, he immediately adds that this section is a journalistic contribution of his own; no PR texts are used.
The "Tips" section emphasizes expertise and independence: Here, a bookseller, a shopkeeper for sound recordings and a DVD dealer present their personal hits in the book, CD and DVD market. And almost at the end of this new focus on "city life", the "cover story" is inserted - with "big" topics that concern all Zurich residents.
Few changes will be made to the "Cultural Life" - the agenda will be a slightly shortened version of the old edition - with the proven service around cinema, stage, music and art.
One of the main goals of the relaunch was "to make Züritipp interesting for younger readers as well," explains Haerle. That's why the nightlife magazine has been positioned in the 20 to 45 age group - slightly younger than the supporting paper Tages-Anzeiger. But the idea was also to make Züritipp attractive to new advertisers, and not just from the classified section. "The advantage for advertisers is obvious: because the Züritipp is already with readers on Thursdays, it is also used for longer," says Haerle.
Despite all the courage to redesign, the new Züritipp makers - and probably also their readers - did not want to do without an endearing self-reflection: "Zürich by Mike" remains on the full page of the new Züritipp.
Trendy typography for the cover of the Züritipp nightlife magazine redesigned by Reto Gehrig for Tamedia.

The new Züritipp: More white space, large images and topics for a younger target group - and already with the reader on Thursdays.
Daniel Schifferle

Samuel Helbling on the constant preference for below-the-line measuresIn an industry that thrives on optimism, hope seems to die last: despite the global advertising crisis - with the exception of emerging countries with steep economic growth - 16,000 works were once again sent to the competition in Cannes this year. That is only five percent less than last year. Over 8000 visitors are expected at the advertising festival on the Côte d'Azur. What began 50 years ago with the screening of 80 commercials in front of 200 visitors has developed into the most important and largest advertising festival in the world. The legendary Cannes reel with the best television commercials enjoys international cult status - far beyond the advertising industry.
But Cannes is no longer just a festival for advertising films. Since the 1990s, prizes have also been awarded here in the areas of press & outdoor, direct marketing, internet advertising and media. With this diversification, the festival has prepared itself for the eventuality that advertising-financed television should one day become a discontinued model. This is exactly what the German Mercer Management Consulting (www.mercermc .de) recently predicted. The German consultants assume that a new generation of end devices for skipping and bridging commercial breaks will become standard in the near future.
This reduces advertising efficiency and forces advertisers to use new forms of communication.
Market researchers estimate that of the three billion euros lost by the traditional advertising market in Germany since 2001, one billion has been used in favor of more direct and individual advertising formats. The statistics on submissions in Cannes also provide an indication of the beginning of this development: while fewer and fewer works are taking part in the competition in the traditional disciplines, the below-the-line segment is growing from year to year.
Samuel Helbling, Editor-in-Chief

Private radio The launch of Radio 105 Classics, planned for this summer, has been postponed to 2004.105, the youth cable station, has announced that it is currently developing a sophisticated concept for an FM youth radio station in Zurich, which is why it has asked the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) to extend the deadline for the launch of 105 Classics. Bakom extended the launch deadline for the station, which is aimed at an audience aged between 25 and 40, until the end of 2004.

The pharmaceutical company Nycomed in Wädenswil has commissioned Fisch Meier Direkt to launch the new magnesium preparation Magnegon, which, according to Fisch Meier, is the first chewable tablet of its kind and can be taken anywhere. In the first phase, it will be introduced specifically to pharmacies with a two-stage mailing and a reminder as well as an insert in the pharmacist's newspaper.

Cosmetics I Obsessed with their outward appearance, both men and women hardly save any money on cosmetics and body care products. But despite high growth rates in the beauty industry, its advertising spend has remained unchanged here in Germany for years, and the self-respecting young Californian woman has her parents give her breast implants as a graduation present. Perhaps also because beautiful people earn an average of five percent more than everyday people in equivalent positions, according to an American study.Certainly, people in Europe are not yet as careless with the scalpel as in the land of unlimited beauty mania, where - according to The Economist - spending on beauty exceeds that on education. But even on the old continent, the dream of eternal youth and flawless beauty is increasingly shaping society. 60 percent of global cosmetics sales are generated on these two continents - i.e. by twelve percent of the world's population. With around 30 percent of the global market, estimated at 180 billion US dollars, Europe and its beauty care companies have made a significant contribution to this industry becoming one of the most important in the world.
An example of the success of the highly fragmented cosmetics industry is the Global Leader
L'Oréal, which has recorded double-digit profit growth rates for over ten years and recently increased its dividends by 18.5 percent. However, the cult slogan "Because you are worth it" does not apply to the shareholders. Beauty icons such as Claudia Schiffer, Laetitia Casta,
Andie MacDowell or Gong Li purr it to the fascinated TV audience in their cultural circles, suggesting that the luxury of beauty is affordable for all social classes. In fact, the market leader is the only cosmetics company to position itself in the mass and prestige product segments. The connection between beauty and self-esteem, which is clever in terms of brand strategy but questionable from an emancipatory point of view, is an important element of L'Oréal's success. In this way, the Group satisfies the hunger for beauty and increases it at the same time.
In 2002, the French company, which is closely intertwined with Switzerland - around a quarter of its shares belong to Nestlé with an option on further shares held by the majority shareholder, the Bettencourt family - rose to the Olympus of Fortune's "All Stars". The cosmetics group ranks 23rd among the 50 most important international companies - and fourth among European companies. In this list
The comparatively slow pace of consolidation in the sector means that further pure cosmetics manufacturers are unlikely to be added any time soon.
But this hardly clouds the prospects of the competitors, as they can
everyone can look forward to great development potential. In addition to the demographic development in the industrialized countries, which is further increasing the demand for care products, there is the prestige factor in the emerging markets, where growth rates of well over 20 percent are the norm. Beiersdorf Group spokesman Klaus Peter Nebel puts it in a nutshell: "If we had the same per capita consumption in China as in Switzerland - the most important market in this respect - then...". Other factors contributing to the growth spurt are the expansion of potential customer segments (men and younger women) and the constantly renewed product ranges with which manufacturers are avoiding the pressure on margins.
The "inner" Swiss valuesIn Switzerland alone, almost 1.1 billion Swiss francs were spent on cosmetics last year - excluding pharmacies and drugstores, as reported by ACNielsen. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 3.2 percent. According to the Swiss Cosmetics and Detergents Association (SKW), growth was almost four percent. However, it varied depending on the body area (see chart with extreme values): While Mr. and Mrs. Swiss spent the same amount on hair care products as in the previous year, they paid more attention to body and facial care. Although "must-have items" such as shower gel, deodorant and toothpaste increased slightly at a high level. However, body lotions (+24 %), hand and nail care (+11.8 %) and lip care (+8.7 %) were among the absolute sales rockets last year. Interesting to know: According to experts, the highest average profit margins in the vanity business are to be found in skincare products in particular - for luxury brands, they are often over 20 percent. In the middle profit margin range - before perfumes - it is make-up and hair care products.
The beauty of such figures lies in the eye of the beholder, i.e. the advertiser. According to an industry formula, cosmetics companies invest just two to three percent of their turnover in research and development, whereas this figure is many times higher for the commercial communication of mass products. For luxury brands, between a fifth and a quarter of turnover is invested in advertising.
Balm for the currently battered advertising industry in its importance as a brand ambassador. However, in Switzerland it is mainly media agencies that benefit from the spendings, because the conception and creation of the campaigns are usually developed abroad. For the local creative agencies, this usually leaves "only" the adaptation or redesign of the basic concept - due to different laws. In addition, there are orders at a local level - from POS material to radio spots and events.
The advertising franc is very selective in cosmetics and body care. In 2002, Media Focus measured growth of eleven and six percent respectively in the two product groups with the highest advertising expenditure - bath and body care and skin care cosmetics. In comparison, the two other well-known groups, hair care and dental care, fell by 6.4 and 2.2 percent respectively. Overall (excluding perfumes), advertisers in the cosmetics sector - the largest of which include Lever Fabergé, L'Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Beiersdorf, Migros and Cosmetique Active - spent around four percent more on classic communication in 2002 than four years ago. If all sectors were added together, the industry would be among the top ten big spenders.
The subjective impression of many advertisers and media consumers that the cosmetics industry has placed more advertising can be explained more by the red pencil of other industries than by the relatively stable advertising investments of the cosmetics companies themselves. "Those who continue to make stable investments are making above-average investments in today's world," says advertising expert Peter Felser (SFLB). Roger Giger, member of the management board of the Geneva Euro-RSCG office, which is responsible for Vichy in Switzerland, sees the expectations of users as another reason for the robust budgets: "Consumers want products to change faster and faster. In this industry, a product usually burns out after three years. This means you have to change the name and formula slightly and aim for a new positioning."
Market analysts and marketing managers agree: consumers are unlikely to turn away from prestige products to the cheaper but high-quality mass market. Migros reacted accordingly and introduced several complementary A-brands in its beauty range, which achieved sales of CHF 218.5 million in 2002. Monika Weibel, Corporate Communications at FMCG: "Cosmetics shoppers are increasingly choosing prestige items and basic care products in
the same shopping basket."
Christian Barth, Head of Department at Schwarzkopf & Henkel Switzerland (S&H), also sees the trend towards hybrid buyers prevailing. The higher price is perceived as a guarantee of higher quality and expertise. And as consumers increasingly see spending on personal care as an investment, suppliers are constantly developing new products with which they try to boost the brand's image with intensive advertising. "In the current year alone, we will be renewing around 200 articles. 70 of these are new products for the Swiss market, some of which are technologically groundbreaking innovations," says Wolfgang Wünsche, Managing Director of Beiersdorf Switzerland. To achieve this, Wünsche relies on five dominant marketing instruments: a convincing product (good value for money), convinced employees, honest advertising, good distribution and consumer-friendly sales promotion. The challenge: "We have to anticipate consumer requirements and always choose between probabilities. We only know what is a fact afterwards," says Wünsche.
In keeping with the moodHowever, like its competitors, it does not control brands in a vacuum. The trends - preference for natural ingredients, functional design and the individualization of consumer needs - are open secrets. "What we are looking for today is a product for a specific time of day and mood," says Bernd Michahelles, Marketing Director of Lever Fabergé Switzerland.
As many manufacturers have grown faster than the market average in the limited Swiss market in recent years, competition is fierce. "However, it is still possible to expand the market with consumer-relevant innovations," says Michahelles, adding: "Either in terms of value, as with the launch of Axe's new shower line, or by expanding penetration with the introduction of Dove Hand Care's day and night concept." Christian Barth from S&H points to another strategy: "In addition to constantly increasing product quality and performance and addressing new target groups - such as with our hairstyling for men - there is great potential for growth by entering new categories."
However, these strategies are countered by advertising campaigns that do not exactly shine with their innovative spirit. Product is king is the motto here, which is sometimes implemented with models, sometimes without. There are a few exceptions: L'Oréal, for example, relies on realistic online games in which students are given the opportunity to gain their first strategic experience as product managers and compete against international university and business school teams. "In this way, the managers of tomorrow can put their strategic and analytical skills, creativity and conceptual ability to the test," says Caroline Hofmann, Head of Corporate Communications at L'Oréal, without concealing the fact that the competitions also act as excellent recruitment channels for the French cosmetics giant.
Anything that enhances external (and internal) well-being is also booming in recessionary times: the cosmetics market in Switzerland grew by 3.2 percent last year.

Ads for cosmetics rarely win beauty prizes in creative competitions: Sometimes they advertise with a model, sometimes without, and the product information always takes precedence over the aesthetic design.
For "need-to-have" product groups, image is everything - but this can only be built up to a limited extent at the point of sale, which is why advertising spend is highest here.
I eat myself beautifulThis pill could change women's lives, promises the very modest slogan for Innéov Fermeté. This is the name of the beauty pill that L'Oréal launched in several European countries at the beginning of April and is expected to be available in Swiss pharmacies in the fall. With the "edible" cosmetics, the first result from the
joint venture between the French cosmetics group and the Swiss food multinational Nestlé, the aim is to open up a new market, explained Laurent Attal, Managing Director of L'Oréal's pharmacy cosmetics division at the market launch. If the results of various opinion research institutes are to be believed, Attal's hopes seem justified. According to the manufacturer, the tomato and soy derivatives contained in the pills prevent skin ageing and alleviate the effects of the menopause. And, of course, the skin will remain firmer for longer. (la)
Seagull in steep flightDove was launched as a soap in the USA in the early 1950s. In 1989, the seagull (dove) flew to Europe and also made its home in Switzerland. First as a body wash and bath/shower product and later in other categories such as skin care, deodorant and, most recently, hair care. "The development worldwide as well as in Switzerland is certainly one of the most successful that can be found. In Switzerland, growth rates of 40 percent and more have been achieved in recent years," says Bernd Michahelles, Marketing Director of Lever Fabergé Switzerland. Currently, one in three Swiss households already uses a Dove product. Michahelles explains the formula for success as follows: a clear brand positioning to which the company has remained true, strong product differentiation - 'Dove is different' - with better quality, expansion of the brand only in areas where it can generate new, additional benefits for the consumer and, finally, continuous and consistent support. (la)
Cosmetics sales

Switzerland 2002
CHF 1054 million (+ 3.2%)
Hair221 million CHF (+/- 0%)
Face364 million CHF (+ 4.7%)
Lip care ( +8.7%)
Razors (- 15.1%)
Mouth CHF 163 million (+ 2.7%)
Body303 million CHF (+ 4.3%)
Baby care ( -4.3%)
Body lotion (+ 24.1%)
Luca Aloisi

Regional newspaper Thurgauer Zeitung (TZ) will continue to be printed at its two sites in Frauenfeld (Huber) and Weinfelden (Ruckstuhl), explained TZ publishing director Urs Bucher on request. In the spring, TZ publisher Thurgauer Medien AG obtained printing offers from various publishers, including its competitor St.Galler Tagblatt AG, which is why there had already been speculation about merger options.

According to the press release, the new layout concept for the lifestyle magazine Faces is intended to harmonize form and content and consolidate the magazine's "artistic independence". Koller visuelle Kommunikation in Goldach SG is responsible for the design of Faces. The magazine is published quarterly with 55,000 copies and is published by the Fairlane agency.

Print The Aargauer Zeitung is streamlining its supplements, relocating the "Piazza" and dropping options courses from the paper.The changes at the Aargauer Zeitung could not be overlooked. Even the front page of the Whitsun edition informed readers that they were no longer holding the usual paper in their hands. On page 2, the new features were introduced by Editor-in-Chief Markus Gisler with witty words. In order to please Mrs. Rüdisüli from Schwaderloch or Professor Hilfiker from Besenbüren, a newspaper has to change along with the readers' needs, the new editor-in-chief explained the redesign - Gisler was also celebrating his first 150 days in office. The most important change concerns the service section. The supplement "AZ am Weekend" is now only called "Weekend" and is aimed at a younger audience. Not only the supplement name, but also the content has been slimmed down. In the future, background information and opinions will take place in the paper itself, while the supplement will report on music, film, literature and everyday culture on three pages. Prominent figures have been engaged as columnists: Radio presenter Mona Vetsch, writer Gion Mathias Cavelty, designer Ariana Pradal and screenwriter Jürg Brändli will alternate with journalist Marc Bodmer. The Saturday supplement is headed by Marco Guetg, previously head of the culture department at SonntagsZeitung.
On an additional double-page spread, "Weekend" presents the TV highlights of the coming week. This service replaces the TV Week supplement, which will be discontinued on June 24. Subscribers who do not want to do without a program guide will soon be able to subscribe to TV täglich at a preferential price.
In order to use the money they have saved wisely, readers should be able to find out about investments and retirement planning on the new "Your Money" page. However, not about options: These have been removed from the stock market section, which now has to occupy a single page.
The "Café Argovia" page in the Aargau-Bund is also new. It presents people news and columns that were previously placed on page 2 of "Piazza". Under Gisler, the prominent page had to make way for current topics. For the time being, "Café Argovia" is only open on Saturdays; an expansion to Wednesdays is planned.
Stefano Monachesi

Cosmetics II More and more men are spending more and more money on cosmetics. The beauty industry is responding to this by expanding its range. "In today's media society, anyone who doesn't take care of their appearance is badly advised," says Andreas Steinle, Managing Director of the Hamburg Trend Office. People only pay attention to those who are attractive, and this commodity seems to be the most important currency today. It's no wonder that young people's career dreams have changed: Whereas in the past many wanted to become a pilot, doctor or entrepreneur, today the focus is on professions whose prospects of success are defined by appearance: Model, superstar, athlete. All consumer industries have helped to shape and support this change in mentality. "Even products that at first glance have nothing to do with beauty are increasingly focusing on this aspect," Steinle is convinced and backs this up with a new Lätta commercial in which a young woman lolls naked in bed with two men.
Products have to make their users attractive. The tabloid Bild hit the nail on the head with the headline "Half-fat margarine makes you hornier than butter". The researcher sees a further trend in the integration of the cosmetics industry with other sectors at both product and communication level. Just as the attitude towards the body itself has become more technical - it is seen as a biomass that can be shaped and formed - the effect of a high-tech promise is also becoming the focus of attention. If product communication succeeds in underpinning the belief in the effect, even the most expensive wrinkle creams will sell.
The feminized manSteinle sees the changed relationship between man and woman as the most important reason for the increasing use of cosmetics by men. Whereas in the past the bond was based on the fact that the man provided for the existence of a family, in the age of gene shopping the basis for a partnership has changed: Love and attraction take center stage, which depends on looks. This creates a paradox: men are feminizing themselves in order to become more masculine. "Today, men's products are no longer perceived as cosmetic care, but as enhancers of virility and all the qualities that go with it," emphasizes Steinle.
The trend researcher is convinced that the cosmetics industry will discover more male problem areas in the coming years and develop the appropriate products and associated marketing strategies. Daniel Staib from the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) also sees the emancipation of women and the liberalization of gender roles as the reason why the health and care market will become increasingly important for men.
Staib refers to the portrayal of gender in advertising. Naked male bodies are just as much a part of this as they have been for women for a long time. "As competition in the workplace has become tougher, the pressure to look good is also increasing for men. Attractive men are more successful and are viewed more positively by other people," says the GDI researcher, drawing parallels with the wellness motto of antiquity: mens sana in corpore sano. Liposuction or other high-tech interventions in male nature are likely to become even more important. As a result, products that help alleviate the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle will come onto the market in the future. One example of this is the recently launched anti-hangover shower gel, says Staib.
Only one in four men buy their own cosmetics

In 2002, every Swiss household spent an average of over 140 francs on cosmetics, ACNielsen calculated. This means that the value of the corresponding products per purchase has risen by 8 percent over the past three years. Women account for the lion's share of consumption (75 %). They spend most of their money on eye cosmetics, nail polish and lipstick. For the most part, women also buy their male partners' cosmetics - even when buying shaving foam, razor blades and razors, they reach into their wallets on their own. Only the after shave product group is mostly purchased by men. The latter are more picky when buying their personal care products and benefit less than women from special offers. Bargain hunters buy a quarter of their cosmetics during promotions. (la)
Luca Aloisi

British Telecom (BT) Switzerland has commissioned the agency In Marketing with its public relations work.BT offers complete solutions and consulting in the field of information technology and telecommunications for large companies in Switzerland. The branch in Glattbrugg was set up in spring 2001 after BT gave up its stake in telecoms provider Sunrise. With the support of the communications agency from Schwerzenbach, BT intends to expand its position in the market.

Print The Basler Mediengruppe (BM) is not interested in cooperating with the loss-making Bernese daily Der Bund, and now that the Zurich adventure has been concluded with the sale of the Jean Frey publishing house, "we won't be looking across the Jura again," says CEO
Beat Meyer. With his answer, Meyer rejected the Mittelland Zeitung's ideas that the Bund owner NZZ might prefer a partnership with the BM over the Berner Zeitung in order not to further strengthen its competitor Tamedia.