Press distribution The publishers' association is evaluating cheaper distribution options for newspapers Since the end of 2002, a project group set up by the Swiss Press Association (CHP) has been working on alternatives to sending newspapers and magazines by post. This was confirmed by the association's managing director Daniel Kaczynski. The group, which employs a paid external consultant, is investigating whether cheaper distribution is possible. It meets approximately every 14 days and will present initial results at the beginning of May. "This is a serious matter," emphasizes Kaczynski. He did not want to give any details about the direction of the search or who is part of the working group.
Advertising Week research shows that the Group has already
has carried out specific needs assessments, including for large-circulation newspapers such as the TCS member magazine Touring. This was confirmed by its publishing director Reto Kammermann. He also confirmed that TCS is generally interested in alternatives. It can be assumed that the customer newspapers of the major distributors Coop and Migros have also been contacted. However, no statement was available from them. The Kiosk Group is also likely to have been consulted, as it currently has the largest distribution network. A year ago, it also carried out a local and time-limited trial for the (daily) home delivery of newspapers with its sales subsidiary Distriforce and a medium-sized Zurich publishing house.
Postal Act as a trigger
Incidentally, the background to the CHP clarifications is the amended Postal Act, which comes into force at the beginning of 2004. This will reduce federal subsidies on postal rates for subscribed newspapers and magazines by a whopping CHF 20 million to CHF 80 million per year. This reduction in indirect press subsidies is a transitional arrangement until it is completely revised. Due to the loss of CHF 20 million, only print products with smaller print runs will benefit from subsidized postal rates in future. Where this limit will be drawn is currently the subject of negotiations between CHP and Swiss Post.
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The Zurich-based Internet company Mitlinks has won an international tender from the Rheinbahn in Düsseldorf to implement a web content management system for the German, English and Japanese versions of the Rheinbahn website. Mitlinks has experience in the public transportation sector. It has already implemented web projects for the Zurich transport authority, the Zurich transport association and the Swiss Federal Railways.

Market research Two weeks ago, the private TV association Telesuisse and the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) protested to SRG CEO Armin WalpenMarket research Two weeks ago, the private TV association Telesuisse and the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) protested to SRG CEO Armin Walpen against the fact that the SRG research service is to be restructured without the involvement of the private broadcasters. Telesuisse, VSP and the marketer IP Multimedia have now been invited to a clarifying meeting on May 2. Instead of Walpen, however, DRS Director Walter Rüegg will try to pull the coals out of the fire.

The real estate company Livit, a subsidiary of Rentenanstalt, has chosen the Zurich advertising agency Boxx in a competitive presentation and intends to work the market more actively with them in the future.in addition to a print campaign, the communication package includes brochures and a series of below-the-line measures.

Samuel Helbling on the impending EU ban on advertising slogansIf EU Commissioner David Byrne has his way, the advertising industry will soon face further trouble after the tobacco advertising ban. The Brussels Consumer and Health Commissioner wants to oblige producers of foodstuffs and luxury foods to only advertise with slogans whose claims stand up to scientific scrutiny in future. This could mean the end for numerous advertising slogans. Slogans such as "Red Bull gives you wings" can hardly stand up to a reality check. And the fact that "milk gives you strong bones" or that Hakle guarantees "absolute cleanliness" is unlikely to be empirically proven: Advertising language is more figurative poetry than sober analysis or even journalism committed to the facts. The slogan is a condensation of language that does not refer to reality, but rather conjures up a product. As a reflection of the advertiser on the mythical character of the product in our objectified world, the claim has a ritual meaning, it is an echo of the cultic objects of our ancestors.
Accordingly, the slogan precedes any rationalization of advertising through tests, surveys or market research. It is related to the Psalms, not to legal paragraphs. Advertising texts should use rhetoric to approach the aura of the product.
All sorts of owlish jokes are permitted: stick rhymes, corny jokes, word games, incomplete sentences, variations on well-known proverbs and sayings. It is gross nonsense to demand that advertising must be limited to product information. Nor would it occur to anyone to demand a scientific certificate for an ode to the Rhine Falls.
Brussels has not yet made its decision. But banning "popular poetry" from advertising would be tantamount to a declaration of the bankruptcy of civic maturity.
> Samuel Helbling, Editor-in-Chief

The Design Center North Rhine-Westphalia is once again presenting the Red Dot Award for Communication Design, an international competition inviting creative minds and designers to submit their best work of the past year from the fields of advertising, TV, multimedia, culture, sport, financial and corporate communication, public space, advertising print products and publishing. The jury awards Red Dots for outstanding work and selects one "best of the best" in each category. Entry forms are available at www.red-dot-award.com. The closing date for entries is April 28.

NZZ The Zurich media group is in the red and needs to take action. "With the current development in the advertising market, we have to optimize costs and look for the cheapest possible solutions." Hugo Bütler is aware of the need for action at the NZZ Group. As Chairman of the Group Management Board, he had to announce a loss of 49.7 million francs for 2002. A 27 percent drop in advertising sales at Neue Zürcher Zeitung tore a hole in the cash register, as did the launch of NZZ am Sonntag (NZZaS), the problems at Bund-Verlag and a weak financial result.individual products are not up for discussion at NZZ, as Bütler assures us. Especially not the NZZaS. It is true that it is the largest loss-making item in the annual accounts. However, with a loss of CHF 16 million, it closed the year several million better than expected. According to Bütler, income was higher and editorial, printing and distribution costs were lower than budgeted. He is keeping his cards close to his chest for the current year: "Depending on developments, we will optimize costs, but we have not announced a cost-cutting program for the NZZ am Sonntag."
Optimization alone will not be enough to turn around the Bund-Verlag. The Bernese subsidiary brought the NZZ Group a loss of eight million francs. This "cannot be absorbed to this extent in the long term", wrote the NZZ business editorial team. Bütler confirms this. Nevertheless, he is convinced that there is room for a second title in the Bern area alongside the Berner Zeitung. To ensure a viable future, however, the Confederation would have to be involved in cooperative ventures. Various options are currently being negotiated intensively. Bütler did not want to make any statements about possible partners, but he held out the prospect of decisions before the end of the year.
Satisfactory level for ticket
The Confederation recently saved money by discontinuing the Ansager magazine. For Hugo Bütler, this strategy is out of the question at NZZ. Even if NZZ Ticket costs more than it brings in: "Information about cultural events is a service that we definitely want to provide." NZZ Ticket is particularly popular with female readers and younger readers. In order to raise the volume of advertisements to a satisfactory level, new efforts have been made in sales.
The NZZ Group achieved black figures with NZZ Folio, NZZ Format and Presse-TV. The financial result, on the other hand, was poor. While capital investments delivered double-digit million profits to Falkenstrasse at the end of the nineties, they were responsible for 40 percent of the loss in 2002. At the same time, equity fell drastically because the goodwill of CHF 104 million arising from the investment in LZ Medien Holding (41.75 percent) was offset directly against equity. Without this measure, the LZ holding would have increased the 2002 loss by around CHF 12 million.
Bütler considers the Lucerne commitment to be "an investment in the future that may prove to be a wise disposition in a difficult year". However, he does not expect any significant contributions from the "second pillar" of the financial result in the near future. The days when NZZ was a bank and published a newspaper on the side are probably over for now.
NZZ Group Manager Hugo Bütler.
Key figures of the NZZ Group (in CHF million)
1999 2000 2001 2002
Total operating income 479.2 531.9 513.1 481.5
Change in % +6.2 +11.0 -3.5 -6.2
Operating result 46.3 51.4 5.9 -31.8
Financial result (net) 16.3 16.9 -1.8 -21.0
Cash flow 82.3 90.4 41.6 -14.0
Group result 45.2 50.3 1.3 -49.7
Equity 419.1 463.5 452.9 293.4
Advertising pages 2001 2002Neue Zürcher Zeitung 9974 7617
St.Galler Tagblatt 6089 4944
The Confederation 4016 2872
NZZ am Sonntag - 1488
Results of individual business divisions (in CHF million)
Sales Change in cash flow
Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG: 193.4 -5% -6.1
St.Galler-Tagblatt Group: 130.1 -7% +10.7
Bund Group 54.5 -13% -6.7
Business pressure 96.6 -4% +8.8
BuchsMedien 15.5 -8% +1.1
(Source: Neue Zürcher Zeitung)
Stefano Monachesi

The advertising agency Cinecom has expanded its online services for advertisers on the commercial broadcaster Sat 1. Within the ad block format, information about the content, cast, and hosts of individual shows is now directly accessible. In addition, www.cinecom.ch has recently become available entirely in French.

Björn Brinkmann has been the new Creative Director at Lowe Direct since early March. When an avid sailor moves from the coast to Lake Zurich, there must be a compelling reason. Björn Brinkmann has good reasons. Perhaps the most important one: the prospect of working closely with a traditional agency at Lowe Direct, and thus the opportunity to collaborate as one team. Lowe Direct’s new Creative Director had already served as Creative Director at Grey CC in Hamburg before he accepted the call to Zurich. «The »CC« at Grey doesn’t stand for »Chaos Communication,« but for »Complete Communication,’” jokes Björn Brinkmann as he takes an imaginary walk down memory lane through his professional career. It comes as no surprise that the career of this dialogue specialist from Germany is continuing in Zurich. In earlier years—while working for German agencies—he frequently collaborated with companies in Zurich, such as Euro RSCG and FCB Leutenegger Krüll. He would spend several months at a time there and admits that he became “hooked” on Switzerland and its friendly atmosphere.
Brinkmann discovered his love for working creatively with text as early as middle school—though at that point, it was limited to the school newspaper. But not for long.
He trained as an advertising executive «to lay the right foundation for the whole thing.» Brinkmann then worked as a copywriter at various agencies—deliberately including small ones—so that he could «get to know all aspects of advertising.» Despite his training, however, he always worked on the creative side at the agencies. Nevertheless, he is convinced that «to produce good creative work, you also need an understanding of the client’s business concerns and perspectives, especially in the field of dialogue marketing.».
For the die-hard advertiser, the trend is moving more toward dialogue—rather than back to traditional advertising methods. «But both must come together, because you can’t build a strong brand through dialogue alone.» He is drawn to the ever-expanding possibilities of his advertising discipline. «There are far more platforms where you can operate: email, promotional text messages.» Multilevel marketing offers more than just coupons, although coupons will always remain relevant. «But the coupon is just one of many new possibilities.» These are insights he has gained from his experience working for Quelle and Otto Versand.
In Germany, Brinkmann has worked for companies including Credit Suisse, AOL, Postbank, and T-Mobile. His knowledge of the telecommunications market is one of the reasons he was recruited by Lowe Direct. He is currently heavily involved with Orange. What appeals to him is the fact that the telephone providers« offerings are virtually indistinguishable from one another. »In this market, it’s rewarding to be able to stand out a bit more and make an impact through creative work.” He has won numerous awards at the German Dialog Marketing Awards for his work with T-Mobile and other clients.
In addition to his hometown of Hamburg, he appreciates the microcosm that is Zurich. «There’s a sense of security here.» Sailor Brinkmann hopes to quickly find someone who will hire him for a regatta on Lake Zurich or Lake Constance. The advertising executive from the coast has plenty of experience at sea. Brinkmann has even sailed across the Atlantic before.
Andreas Panzeri

Retail: With a new umbrella campaign, Publicis aims to better convey Migros« business ethics to consumers. »Migros stands for a respectful and forward-thinking approach to people, animals, and nature—in Switzerland and around the world. «It has been this way for a long time, and will continue to be so for a long time to come.» The Zurich-based agency Publicis is making this ethical commitment the focus of a new print umbrella campaign for the “orange giant.” The campaign aims to showcase the retail group’s comprehensive commitment and program for ethics, the environment, and sustainable development.“Doing the Right Thing” for Over 30 Years As early as 1970, Migros pioneered ethically sound food procurement with its Sano-Production line for fruits and vegetables. In 1975, an energy management program was added. The first life cycle assessments for packaging were introduced in 1980. In 1992, Migros became the first oil company to offer eco-diesel at its gas stations, and since 1995, Migros Zurich has been testing gas-powered refrigerated trucks. Further steps toward a new businessethic include the Eco-Label for environmentally and socially responsible clothing, as well as Migros’ involvement as a founding member of WWF Wood Group Switzerland, which has been actively promoting the sustainable and socially responsible use of wood with the FSC seal of approval since 1997. Among the most recent achievements are the guidelines of the Clean Clothes Campaign and the Max Havelaar Fair Trade label for organic bananas.
For consumers, these commitments become tangible whenever a Migros product bears the corresponding commitment label. The symbols provide customers with assurance and transparency that they have purchased a product with social and environmental added value. The ten specific labels introduced so far, along with their accompanying brief descriptions, provide information about the production methods. Or, as Publicis copywriter Daniel Krieg puts it: «If it says »Commitment’ on the label, it means fairness inside.”
Migros’ campaign highlighting its commitment to ethical business practices kicked off with a four-page ad spread that provides an overview of Migros’ entire commitment.
This introduction is followed by four double-page spreads, each of which uses a specific example and a label to illustrate what «commitment» really is and what it means in each individual case. The campaign features and describes portraits of various people around the globe—depicted in a way that gives them a human touch—who contribute to Migros’ ethics project through their work. These images were designed by Studio Achermann. Both the opening campaign and the follow-up campaign have been widely distributed in the national press since early April. In addition, a variety of point-of-sale (POS) and other supporting measures are being implemented.
The expanded concept also includes in-depth, detailed information available online about Migros« broader commitment, such as the »Non-Food Code of Conduct« initiative or the »Sustainable Palm Oil” project, as well as other Migros eco-initiatives.
Publicis's tastefully designed, double-page print ads portray Migros as an ethically responsible company.
Andreas Panzeri

In the WochenInterview with business journalist Heik Afheldt (WW 12/03), two regrettable errors have crept in. Firstly, Afheldt did not say that there was no room for two independent subscription newspapers in Berlin, but for three. In addition, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten and the Stuttgarter Zeitung belong to the same media company, but not to the Holtzbrinck publishing house.

Edipresse The Lausanne-based media group earned its money abroad in 2002 Cost control is the secret recipe of the Lausanne-based Edipresse Group. The discontinuation of unprofitable products, restructuring, reduced expenditure and 10 percent lower paper prices enabled the publishing house to achieve a stable result in the 2002 financial year - despite the advertising slump. Sales fell by 1.2 percent to 706 million Swiss francs. The net result rose by 1.4 percent to 30.4 million Swiss francs, after falling by almost half in 2001. However, Edipresse also had to cut back on advertising income. Overall, 5.5 percent less flowed into the company's coffers, with the Swiss activities even falling by 9.4 percent. Retail sales, on the other hand, increased by 7.5 percent and the printing business by 1.67 percent.
Edipresse owes the increase in turnover to its international business. A decline of 6 percent in Switzerland contrasts with a balanced development in Spain (-0.3%) and significant growth in Poland (11.4%). The Spanish subsidiary contributed 21% to Group turnover last year. Income from Poland is around half as high. Switzerland's share fell from 67.1% to 63.9%.
In view of the volatile economic environment, Edipresse did not dare to issue a profit forecast for the current year. The takeover of the Corbaz publishing group and the online financial service Infotec as well as an increase in the shareholding in the Portuguese Edimpresa Group should result in an increase in turnover of CHF 100 million.
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