Women's magazines The first German-language edition of Edelweiss has just been launched, and the new product from the Ringier publishing house aims to take on the big competition in women's titles right from the start. Next Sunday, the magazine will be offered in a double pack for just six francs together with SonntagsBlick. The German-language edition will cost CHF 6.50 at newsstands, the French-language edition CHF 6.

Ambient advertising A company offers not only WC advertising space, but entire urinals that count their own contacts - and work without flushing. How fortunate that FC Basel will not have to play a ghost match at its championship home game against FC Servette on March 8 after all, but will only have to lock out a small number of its fans. The FCB treasurer is not the only one to be relieved. It has also been received with joy at Bluewin. For the Internet provider, every fan who is locked out is one contact less, and Bluewin has decided to address as many men as possible at 66 of the 200 St. Jakob Park urinals for six months starting in March: By means of a display on the upper urinal rim. The scramble for advertising in the quiet restroom is inventive: during the average 40-second pee phase, Bluewin has the opportunity to bring an advertising message to the relieving man. To ensure that the advertising really catches the eye, the display lights up thanks to a sensor as soon as the user approaches the urinal. "The attention for your advertising message is enormous! Zapping and looking away impossible!!! No one can avoid the advertising on the Urimat-Info," advertises the urinal manufacturer Urimat Schweiz AG, based in Tann, Zurich, on its homepage.
130 McDonald's stores
Advertising in restrooms is nothing new; other companies have been doing it for some time (WW 1/03). But Urimat doesn't just offer luminous advertising panels whose contacts can also be counted thanks to the sensor. No, the company sells entire urinals that work without flushing or chemicals. This is not only ecologically but also economically interesting: McDonald's Switzerland, for example, has equipped its 130 branches with Urimat urinals and now saves around 30 million liters of drinking water per year. That alone is a lot of money. But the fact that revenue can also be generated with each rented display is a welcome tip for the fast food chain - and an additional selling point for Urimat, the company founded in 1998 by graduate engineer Hans Keller.
Apparently a successful one: In Switzerland, 1700 systems with advertising displays have already been installed in airports, freeway service stations, hotels, fitness centers or stadiums.
Urimat aims at the EM 2008
In addition to St. Jakob Park, the new Basel ice rink and the Stade de Genève, which opens on March 16, are also equipped with such urinals. And that's not all. Negotiations are underway with the developers of various other new stadiums in Switzerland and Austria. There is a strategy behind this: "Urimat wants to offer a pool of urinals in all Swiss and Austrian stadiums for the 2008 European Soccer Championships," says Marcel Näpflin, who is responsible for marketing and sales at Urimat Switzerland.
Compared to other providers of WC advertising, occupying the existing Urimat advertising spaces is not cheap at first glance: the 250 displays at McDonald's, for example, cost 200 francs per month each. But with 1.125 million 40-second male contacts, the customer then comes to a thousand-contact price of 44.40 francs. The downside to the setup is that only peeing men can be contacted - but not for long. Because Uridam is already in development - a model for women that also works without flushing.
Urimat is also active abroad. Apart from Austria, it is also active in Germany, Mexico and Dubai. In addition, negotiations are currently underway with McDonald's Europe for the total conversion of all branches throughout Europe. In Germany and Austria alone, 2500 additional urinals are being installed.
Expansion into non-German-speaking countries is also a headache for the company, which expects sales of 4 million Swiss francs this year and aims to be in the black for the first time. For one thing, Urimat only wants to install its systems in countries where it can also guarantee impeccable service. To ensure that the current eight employees are not faced with a logistical tour de force, they want to expand only slowly, despite their success. After all, all the advertising sales still have to get off the ground. "We are looking for suitable canvassers for Germany and Austria - and later for other countries," Näpflin confirms.
In Basel's St. Jakob Park, Bluewin is now advertising on the toilet surface for six months.
140 euros a monthAt Urimat, advertising sales are still in their infancy. "At first, we sold urinals with advertising space that each owner could rent out himself. Now we sell advertising space in the form of environmentally friendly urinals. And we now want to bundle these into a network. If we acquire advertising centrally, it's easier than if each individual Urimat urinal owner does it," explains Marketing Manager Marcel Näpflin. An advertising department has been set up since August. In addition, the company works exclusively with Mediabox in advertising sales. Those who lease Urimat the space receive between 35 and 140 euros per month, depending on the location. National campaigns from Swisscom Mobile, Walt Disney, Buena Vista and Bluewin have already been won for the urinal displays (mk).
Markus Knöpfli

90 million US dollarsSponsorship Alinghi officially states its project costs for the America's Cup at 90 million dollars. Two thirds of this comes from 38-year-old Geneva entrepreneur Ernesto Bertarelli. The remaining 30 million dollars come from two main sponsors (UBS and Infonet), two co-sponsors (Audemars Piguet and Riri) and a majority of official suppliers. Measured by the global media presence, this is certainly a profitable investment.

Photography Marlies Lanker founded an agency for photographers. From 1992 to 2000, she was highly regarded in the scene as the busy press officer of the Schauspielhaus Zurich. However, her great passion long before that was photography. Lanker completed two traineeships at Magnum Photos in New York and was most recently responsible for international sales and corporate relations at the Lookat Photos agency in Zurich. She now represents photographers as an independent representative and guarantees the organization and handling of shoots as a producer. "Some members of our agency are top shots in the field of reportage photography. Their experience gives new impetus to the advertising world," Lanker is convinced. For example, she represents one of the important, award-winning still-life duos Staudinger + Franke from Vienna as well as Magdalena Caris, Robert Huber, Andreas Schwaiger, Tomas Muscionico and Claus Rudolph, among others.
The agency (www.marlieslan ker.ch) also wants to focus on the crossover between reportage photography and advertising photography. "As reportage photographers are usually in contact with 'real people', they contribute their creative knowledge and experience gained around the world," says Lanker.
(pan)

The Radio and TV Media Data Handbook 2003 is now available from The Cover Media.The Radio and TV Media Data Handbook 2003 is now available from The Cover Media. The approximately 50-page
This brochure provides an overview of tariffs, discounts, pools, broadcasting areas and much more for private radio and TV stations. It can be obtained free of charge from info@covermedia .ch or fax 01 430 06 11.

People Time is moving faster and faster: whereas it used to take an entire life's work and a few years of "rest in peace" for a character to be considered historical and perhaps immortalized in a drama, today a few months of headlines and a logo are enough for a character to be ready for the stage. "That's Tyler Brûlé," murmured everyone in the audience as a young guy with an unmistakable advertising hairstyle wandered through Christoph Marthaler's latest play last Saturday. At the Zurich Schauspielhaus, the Brûlé parody was allowed to mime an art director and explain in a presentation at the heavily applauded revue "Groundings" why he would prefer to put up posters with nothing but a gray surface as advertising for Swiss. To this end, the stage brûle twitched in a very peculiar way several times and, with the help of a stage trick, vomited three times on the boards that, as we all know, mean the world. "He's doing coke," murmured the audience. But the program booklet reassured them: "Any resemblance to similar characters is purely coincidental."

Flims Laax Falera is working with the Zurich advertising agency Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett (SFLB) with immediate effect, and the ski resort, which operates under the Alpenarena.ch brand, is another client of Advico Young & Rubicam to switch to the new agency of the former Advico management team. SFLB will be responsible for the entire brand identity as well as for specific Alpenarena offers. The first measures are to be seen at the beginning of March.

Advertising market Publipresse General Manager Otto Meier is currently having a hard time with his newspaper unit. But for the second half of the year, he foresees a slowdown in the bleeding of print media advertising revenues.WW Daily newspapers are in a deep crisis. It looks as if they are losing a substantial part of their importance - both in the advertising and reader markets. How bad is the situation really? Otto Meier This is not the first time that daily newspapers have faced such a situation. In the early nineties, there was a lean period. And in the mid-nineties, we also experienced a slump, although not as severe. Back then, the situation wasn't particularly comfortable either. At the moment, newspapers are having to get by with much lower revenues. That's why practically no publisher can avoid making savings and looking for synergies.
However, newspapers are facing a double loss of importance. On the one hand, in the advertising market - but even more serious appear the losses in the reader market, from which the Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung, for example, are suffering particularly badly. In addition, the recently published Univox study for daily newspapers showed a continuing loss of reach. Doesn't that make you afraid?
This situation would then inspire fear if one did not know why this is the case. The loss of circulation and readership suffered by Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung is largely due to the existence of 20 Minuten. These newspapers are probably forced to take appropriate measures. The Tages-Anzeiger has already drawn up a battle plan with the "Express" project.
But the "Express" will not really be able to solve the problems of the Tages-Anzeiger.
That is correct. But Tamedia can cover this market with its own product in the future. This means that competition from the Tages-Anzeiger will then at least remain in-house.
And what if the new commuter newspaper does not generate the desired advertising revenues? As we know from 20 Minuten, this newspaper - despite great success in the audience market - is not yet in the black.
Personally, I'm not at all sure that the commuter newspaper business model will ever be successful. On the other hand, the advertising market generally reacts with a certain time lag, that's nothing new. So I can well imagine that the situation for 20 Minuten could be different for years to come - if the commuter paper lasts that long at all.
Do newspapers really only have problems in the area of young readers?
No, the problem also affects - to a lesser extent - the middle age groups. They, too, are served a medium in the form of 20 Minuten, which can certainly cover certain reading needs. Nevertheless, the young seem to me to be the most important and at the same time the most difficult area for daily newspapers. If you can no longer win over the young, then you have a big problem in the future.
Media scientist Heinz Bonfadelli and futurologist Josef Trappel recently argued in unison in Werbewoche that newspapers have no choice but to develop new business models for the future. Do you agree?
Newspapers have to adapt to changing reading needs. But if I'm interpreting the Univox study correctly, then other
mass media such as television have lost in importance. And this in favor of individual communication on the Internet. This trend is likely to increase.
Futurologist Josef Trappel even fears that by 2006 newspapers will not have found any recipes to compensate for their loss of importance.
I have a different opinion on that. In German-speaking Switzerland, we have a Sonntags Zeitung and a SonntagsBlick that function excellently. Despite a third Sunday paper, the NZZ am Sonntag, these two have lost absolutely nothing of their status in the reader market. There are similar successes in French-speaking Switzerland. For example, with Le Matin Dimanche, which is already sailing at a lonely height and is nevertheless continuing to develop positively. Or Le Matin Semaine in tabloid format - this is also a new newspaper model that is working very successfully. The whole area of local newspapers should not be forgotten. They suffer little or not at all from the current crisis in both the readership and advertising markets. This has to do with the fact that these papers provide exclusive services in the local sector and are therefore still excelling in the market.
Newspapers suffer most in urban agglomerations - is this really only due to 20 Minutes? Isn't there a fundamental malaise behind it?
The commuter newspaper contributes a lot to the problem. On the other hand, in urban areas, the variety of media and thus the mutual competition is naturally much greater. But the most important thing seems to me,
that local newspaper markets are fundamentally less cyclical. They benefited much less from job ads and dotcom companies during the boom years. Accordingly, the local press has not built up structures that eventually became too big. It has always operated more leanly, and that naturally helps it make ends meet in the current situation.
Publipresse, of which you have been general director since October, is suffering from
is suffering particularly from the newspaper crisis. In 2002, it lost 13 percent of its sales, having already lost 4 percent the year before. And for the current year as well, "P" is expecting a decline of
5 percent. When do you think the downward trend will come to a halt?
I wish I knew! But at least I expect the downward trend to slow down from the second half of the year. You have to see that those ad segments that were responsible for the minus in the past 18 to 24 months - financial advertising, dotcom companies, insurance companies - have now slowly arrived at the bottom line. On the other hand, ad segments that have been stable will continue to be stable. Nor should we overlook the fact that wholesalers, department stores and the entire automotive market have not cut back on their advertising investments. I am only cautiously optimistic, however, provided that we are not played an absolute trick by global politics. If the war against Iraq gets underway, that won't be so dramatic for our advertising business. But if this war were to possibly trigger a wave of terror in Europe, then we would have a significant worsening of the crisis.
It must be a bit frustrating for you that you took up the post of Publipresse CEO just as the long party of the print media was coming to an end. Is Publipresse facing a redefinition or redimensioning of its business plans?
We are not changing the business model because of this. But we have to adapt our structures to what the market is offering. On October 1, 2002, we launched a fitness program that will continue until the end of this year. This will enable us - at least in some areas - to compensate for falling revenues. As far as my personal situation is concerned, it is often said that it is wiser to enter when business is down. Then you can shine when things start to go up again.
Publipresse already cut 8 percent of its workforce in 2002, and this year the reduction is expected to exceed 8 percent - that hurts.
We can't completely avoid layoffs either, but the reductions can largely be absorbed through fluctuations. Publipresse has a young, professionally mobile workforce, which is why even in times of crisis like the current one, our fluctuation rate is around ten to fifteen percent. Of our total of 1,500 to 1,600 employees, that is at least 150 - about the same number as we are reducing by the end of 2003.
Print advertising accounts for a good three-quarters of PubliGroupe's sales (2002: 76.5 percent). Now this share seems to be shrinking sustainably. Do you think it's possible that the share could drop below three quarters in the next five years?
That is absolutely conceivable. But only because new PubliGroupe business areas will gain in importance, and not because Publipresse could shrink in the medium or long term. PubliGroupe is constantly looking for new business areas. But this is happening more abroad than in Switzerland.
What role does Publipresse see for itself in the renewal of newspapers? After all, "P" holds stakes in many newspapers and thus also bears a direct share of responsibility. For example, it could set up a forum for the newspaper of the future.
Part of the philosophy of our holdings is that we do not interfere in publishing or even editorial matters. No matter how big or how small the respective participation is. On the other hand, thanks to its international network, PubliGroupe has knowledge of how newspapers are developing in other markets. This know-how is certainly also valuable for Switzerland. You can and must continue to develop the newspaper medium, but in my opinion you don't have to reinvent it. Developing it further can also mean, for example, putting newspapers one-to-one on the Internet. Just like the new
e-paper - and thus generate new readers.
In these difficult times, of all times, PubliGroupe is facing additional adversity: In November 2002, the Competition Commission (ComCo) opened an investigation into the market power of "P". When do you expect a decision?
This will certainly take months. The Weko has sent out questionnaires to the independent publishers and the intermediaries. Logically, we have also received one. Our goal is to make a positive contribution to this investigation. We also have nothing to hide at all and see this investigation as an opportunity to make our role more transparent than it may have been before. And as an opportunity also to present our contribution and our important function for the Swiss press.
Otto Meier: Suffering in the print market is easing.
The PubliGroupe share also keeps testing new lows: on Monday, it fell by more than 8 percent, and it also trended negatively on Tuesday.
PubliGroupe shares have lost 90 percent of their value in three yearsNearly 2000 francs was the value of the PubliGroupe share in the first half of 2000. The quotation was considered a historic high. When the price fantasies in the media industry collapsed, the PubliGroupe shares were also
shares were dragged into the downward spiral. By the end of 2000, the shares had fallen by more than half to around 800 Swiss francs. And the downward spiral continued thereafter. The PubliGroupe share reached its lowest point to date on February 10, 2003, when it was still trading at 180 francs. After that, the share price went up again somewhat, but was still worth 10 percent less than at the beginning of the year, at 200 francs, last Tuesday morning. (dse)
Interview: Daniel Schifferle

Advertisements The Publicitas index, which measures the development of advertising expenditure in the daily press, fell by 1.2 points to 104.9 points in January, a level last seen in August 1997 at the turning point of a slump that began in early 1996 (104.8 points). Publicitas explained the renewed decline with restraint on the part of major customers in the tourism and clothing sectors as well as a decline in political advertisements and obituaries. The job index fell by 7.7 points to 168.8 points.

The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is now accepting applications for financial contributions for media research and the training and further education of radio and television professionals. OFCOM grants support to research projects which are started in 2003 and are preferably dedicated to media concentration in Switzerland or media, communication and cultural areas in Switzerland (with regard to radio and TV). Further information can be found in the submission documents, which are available either at www.bakom.ch or by calling 032 327 55 32.

Samuel Helbling on economics and top-class sportTV stations generate the highest viewing figures worldwide with sports programs. It is understandable that sports managers demand astronomical sums for their TV rights. In addition to the expensive rights, production costs are also high. Anyone who acquires the broadcasting rights for a top event has to stage it in a way that is suitable for television, and after the boom years characterized by excess, a stiff economic wind is blowing against the marketing of top-class sport. Following the bankruptcy of the Zug-based sports marketing giant ISL and the demise of the Kirch media group, the industry is suffering from a prolonged slump (see page 9). However, unlike cultural sponsorship, investors in sport can assume that they will reach the masses with top quality. The commercialization of many areas of life is often lamented by cultural critics with the argument that it encourages the production of inferior quality. This may perhaps be true for culture, religion or tourism. This does not apply to sport: where a lot of money is involved, the standard of performances rises, records are broken and the dynamic increases. It is only logical that sports officials emphasize that the economy does not instrumentalize sport. In fact, the opposite is true: sport uses economic resources to improve.
> Samuel Helbling, Editor-in-Chief

André Engert Morales sees 2002 as the "year of the little ones" for himself and his AdZürich agency: his mother is German, his father comes from Mexico and he was born in Brazil. He received his basic training as an advertiser at the film school in Munich, and for his agency AdZürich he lives - nomen est omen - in the city on the Limmat. But that's not all. André Engert Morales speaks six languages and holds several passports. He just didn't want to accept the Mexican one because the prospect of military service there "wouldn't have been fun". Morales studied industrial design in Brazil. But in the South American country, this means as much as adapting foreign products "so that patents can be circumvented". A job in Mexico brought more development. There he helped to develop a modular construction system for the state, which was intended to benefit the poorest of Mexico's population. Back in the TV Eldorado of Brazil, he discovered his flair for images and TV commercials. As a CD at the Almap/BBDO agency, he produced almost ten commercials a month. And with this on-the-job training, Morales flew to Germany. His topic for the entrance exam for the film academy in Munich was "Refugees as a human problem". He also filmed a key scene from it in Switzerland.
As a former pupil of the Swiss School in Rio, he quickly found a connection to the local culture. So in 1990, he finally got stuck in Zurich. First as AD at Scotti. Then he became one of four CDs at McCann, commuted between Zurich and Geneva and was mainly responsible for the budgets for Reynolds.
"Smaller, with experience in large agencies" was his recommendation when he founded his own agency AdZürich in 1995. One of his most important clients is the Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). With advertising for the Literaturhaus, Bernhard Littéraire, Theater Spektakel and other ZKB sponsorship projects, AdZürich slipped more and more into the cultural sector. Morales has also been working for the French government for seven years. His campaigns are designed to persuade Swiss industrialists to invest in France. He remains connected to Brazil through the ADC in Rio, for which he reports on the advertising scene in Europe in articles.
As far as being Swiss is concerned, he has always tried to adapt in the past. But "a breath of fresh air is actually needed here. It's a good time to think differently." In the same way that people are once again keen to shop in small local stores in addition to the large shopping centers, things could perhaps also change again in advertising. "2002 was the year of the little ones who believe in themselves and their own achievements," he is convinced.
Morales was married to a Swiss woman for twelve years. Because his wife used to work for Swissair, he often jetted off to Cape Town or Beijing for a weekend during this time. On these short trips, he also made a documentary about hotel porters and a report on clubs in Cape Town. As a music lover, he is working on a documentary about music. He wants to accompany concerts with pictures. "Music is half of life, the rest is a good storyboard to illustrate it."
Andreas Panzeri