Media The cinema magazines "Film demnächst" and "Avant première" from the Geneva-based Quorum Group have been completely revamped for the first time in over 20 years, with the February issue now having a fresher, more youthful look and a new logo. "It was high time for a relaunch," comments Product Manager Jean-Pierre Grey. However, the magazines are on a firm footing: The certified circulation of Film demnächst is 134210 copies, that of Avant première 97845 copies. Together they reach 490000 readers. Thanks to new multiplex cinemas, circulation is growing steadily. Both magazines are available free of charge in most cinemas in their respective parts of the country, but not in those of the Kitag Group (German-speaking Switzerland) and the Europlex Group (French-speaking Switzerland), which each have their own magazines, Close-up and Live.

On February 20, the Raymond Loewy Foundation Switzerland will present the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Award for the second time, with the jury nominating the ten most convincing design projects from around 70 submissions. They range from multicultural long-street guides to virtual packaging for music files. The nominated young designers are Francisco Torres (Lausanne), Susanne Egli (Lucerne), Marc-Antoni Huonder (Rickenbach), Gerhard Gerber (Thun), Nathan Aebi, Claudia Caviezel, Jennifer Haglin and Timea Zeley, Massimiliano Mariz, Ursula Schmidli, Daniela Zimmermann (all Zurich). Anyone wishing to attend the award ceremony in Zurich can register by calling 043 366 65 75 or visiting [email protected].

Commentary According to Oliver Classen, the home-made crisis in media journalism is (also) a threat to our information society. And it was only logical that it came from the "Old Aunt". After all, its editor-in-chief recently declared (WW 39/02) that the NZZ understands and treats its weekly media supplement - "in contrast to other papers" - not as a trend section of the nineties, but as a constant companion to the industry.This is probably particularly pleasing for the responsible NZZ department head, who can now observe even more calmly from the high seat of his anachronistic job security and read the riot act with more relish. He did the latter at the end of January when he called "the media journalists"
in corpore was suspected of contributing significantly to its own weakening through its penchant for navel-gazing and "spreading half-truths within the industry".
No question: Swiss media sites and services provide plenty of evidence for this vanity and tabloidization thesis. Last week alone, for example, the Tages-Anzeiger denounced for the umpteenth time "internal bans on thinking" at Weltwoche, while the Mittelland-Zeitung sold details about the Tamedia "Express" rights deal that had been known for some time and were also irrelevant to the MZ audience as prime news,
- Weltwoche staged an equally unimportant and unsavory cockfight with the Schawinski/Wigdorovits correspondence,
- and the Klein-Report even found the divorce of the Löpfe editors-in-chief worthy of a lead story.
Four examples, one question: Who cares? The wider public certainly doesn't. And the rumor mills of publishers and editorial offices are boiling even without such media fuel.
Instead of examining industry-specific vices such as the cult of celebrity, sensationalism and ideological resentment, media journalism itself is falling prey to them. The increased pressure on the job market and profiling at best partially explains and excuses this regrettable development.
However, the self-disavowal of second-order observers and the dissolution of many media departments (also) due to this is tragic for our media society. As its complexity increases, so does its need for transparency and self-reflection. It is doubtful - again with the NZZ - that media stories that are tied to current events and scattered throughout the newspaper can meet this need for orientation.
> Oliver Classen, Editor

The International Food and Beverage Creative Excellence Awards (FAB Awards) are being announced for the fifth time, with the British prize focusing on creative work for food and beverages in the categories of advertising, packaging and new media. The call for entries runs until February 28. Information and entry forms are available at [email protected] or by calling 0044 20 7751 0354.

IT media Despite a slump in advertising, the freshly revamped Computerworld ventures into new territory - not least thanks to the international IDG network. Since January 31, and just in time for the Internet Expo, Computerworld (CW) has been appearing in a more airy dress. The redesigned paper is already more colorful at the top and radiates something like confidence. But the euphoria of the Internet hype has given way to a calmer layout and softer headlines. The main thing, however, "was to take account of the convergence of the Internet and communications and to gear the paper more strongly to the Swiss market," says Gebhard Osterwalder, founder and Vice Chairman of IDG Communications (Switzerland), a wholly owned subsidiary of IDG Boston.Two things, however, were not changed: The CW, the "Swiss newspaper for information technology, telecommunications and the Internet," remains the only IT title in a newspaper format. The weekly publication frequency was also not up for discussion. "The CW has been a brand for 18 years, I don't think such changes would have made any difference," says Osterwalder.
Four new specials
Rather, he continues to expand the brand. Twice. This year, for the first time, four CW specials will appear instead of just two. Osterwalder wants to expand it to six starting in 2004 and make it independent as a line extension. "But that's not definite yet and depends on the advertising market," he says. The second expansion is to launch a seminar offering: The first CW symposium will be held in April on the subject of security, the current hot topic in the IT industry.
That's surprising, because the industry's problems are not bypassing CW. "The job market in our industry is dead," says Osterwalder. A look at the CW confirms this. The rest of the ad
volume has slumped by up to 50 percent. As a result, IDG (Switzerland) had to cut around three jobs. Unemployed IT specialists are also putting pressure on paid circulation. The CW was able to slightly increase the number of subscriptions in 2001, but only at the expense of retail sales. The CW regularly appears at trade shows and events with increased circulation. In addition, around 3000 copies are distributed free of charge to members of the Wiss.
But what makes Osterwalder so "confident about the future? Three things in particular: According to a Link study, the CW still reaches 50000 readers, almost two-thirds of all Swiss "hardcore IT professionals. And according to Wemf's MA IT-Business 2000, the CW, which does not report more up-to-date official readership figures, is number one in large IT companies. But the IDG network, with over 300 computer titles worldwide, provides the most security. Not only can technical articles be obtained there, the network also represents an international advertising combination. About 50 percent of the 2002 ad volume in the CW came from this pool. That's why the CW gained market share last year, despite a slump in advertising; last August, it alone accounted for 47 percent.
Gebhard Osterwalder, founder of IDG Communications (Switzerland): 50000 IT readers per week.
Thinned-out Swiss marketA good dozen mainly German titles are pushing their way into the Swiss computer magazine market. The most important: Chip, CT Computertechnik and IT Reseller. New Swiss titles, on the other hand, are rare, with Netzwoche being the only one. In contrast, titles such as Output, Computermarkt, Informatik, Macintouch, ibt and Bug 2000 have disappeared - including the Internet Standard from IDG. Others face similar threats: Sysdata and Infoweek have already reduced their publication frequency because of the advertising slump. Since the beginning of the year, Sysdata (Binkert Medien) has been published only six times a year instead of ten, with a tighter print run (10,000 instead of 15,000 copies). Infoweek (Compress Information Group), which had only changed from a monthly magazine to a weekly title in 2000, has changed to a fortnightly publication. (mk)
"We are quite confident "WW "PC market at diving station", "Internet-Expo with exhibitor low" - do these front stories of the freshly launched Computerworld (CW) reflect the mood in the industry?
Karlheinz Pichler: The mood is still bad. And yet it is better than it was a year ago. Because banks and insurance companies, the locomotive of the infotechnology industry, have been holding back heavily on investments for two years, it is obvious that something has to go again now.
The Swiss PC market shrank by 15.6 percent to CHF 5.4 billion in 2002. How does this affect advertising investment in this industry?
These have also slumped. But there are differences. In the B2B sector, where CW is positioned, very little is happening, partly because saturation has been reached in Switzerland. The consumer market is different: The penetration of society with IT technology is only just beginning, and the future potential is enormous. This is also reflected in the volume of advertising. The IDG consumer title PC-Tip, for example, had more advertisements from October to December than in the same period in 2001.
"In times when people are screeching back, we are going on the offensive," you wrote in the CW. Is that more than just optimism?
We have a basic optimistic attitude, and we believe that things will pick up again in the third or fourth quarter. That's why we revised our products during the lull. Now we are quite confident.
Where do you see bright spots?
I only see them in isolated cases, but there are some large companies in the industry, such as the network company Cisco, that are posting quite good figures again. Sales are rising only in isolated cases, but after restructuring, the companies are at least operating profitably. It remains to be seen whether UMTS can actually become a new locomotive.
So much confidence makes one skeptical. Doesn't the CW actually suffer from a loss of confidence today?
We tend to be accused of being too critical - just think of the headlines quoted at the beginning. There are even companies that don't book ads with us because of this. The Internet was also an issue for us, but we were primarily interested in the technical side, so CW tended to stay on the ground. Interview: Markus Knöpfli
Karlheinz Pichler: Editor-in-Chief of Computerworld
Markus Knöpfli

Advertising time marketer Barbara Kohler, Head of Marketing at Publisuisse, is leaving the marketing company as of March 31st The former Head of Communications for the Swiss Milk Producers Association was brought on board by Publisuisse boss Ingrid Deltenre. Now she is leaving Publisuisse, even before her superior has moved to the SF-DRS boss position. Kohler told Werbewoche that she had decided to take a sabbatical after many years of intensive work. She had also carefully considered whether moving up to the head of Publisuisse would be an option for her. But "instead of moving from one chair to an even higher one", she has now opted for a position "from where you can have a good view of the countryside and the blue sky", said Kohler. (dse)

Hans-Joachim Timm has been CCO of TBWA Switzerland since November "The driving force behind every creative is curiosity and the ability to learn and experience. The more these are fed, the greater the wealth of experience," says Hans-Joachim Timm. The Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of TBWA Switzerland has built his career on this "pool". It all began at the Alsterdamm art school in Hamburg. In the meantime, Timm has already received numerous awards for his advertising work. "Originally, I wanted to create worlds as a stage designer," says Timm, explaining his choice of studies. However, the appeal of creative staging did not lead the Hamburg native to the theater: during his studies, he grew into the advertising industry through projects and competitions. Timm has remained loyal to it to this day, although he is also passionate about writing film scripts, designing furniture or drawing up plans for buildings. The complexity of communication and its manifestations fascinate the qualified graphic designer. He is also passionate about the idea-finding process. Even after more than 25 years of professional experience, he still finds it "exciting and wonderful to develop solutions on a blank page".
This story began with William Wilkens (FCB/True North Hamburg). As AD, Timm then moved to McCann, for whom he worked as CD in Stockholm, New York and Barcelona. Subsequently, he was responsible for creative management at Ted Bates (Stockholm), Team/BBDO (Düsseldorf), Leo Burnett (Frankfurt) and Publicis (Germany/Scandinavia). With Heads' Communication, founded in 1985 in the former departure hall of Frankfurt Airport, the ADC member finally united like-minded advertisers in an agency concentrate. "After six successful years, the acquisition of one of our biggest clients and the associated alignment policy ended the relationship," he says looking back.
Timm became Executive CD at Saatchi & Saatchi (Germany/Central Europe), where he brought today's TBWA CEO Markus Pekeler on board as a strategic planner. A stroke of luck: "We harmonize on both a professional and a human level," says the CCO. Their contact continued two years later when Timm founded the virtual agency Timms' Communication in Frankfurt - a broker of talent and expertise that offers project-related solutions by orbiting teams around problems like satellites.
As far as advertising is concerned, the creative seems to have seen almost everything. What else does Switzerland have to offer? "As a network agency, the TBWA Group has an attractive mix of local and international clients," says Timm. He also believes the country has "great creative potential". With three newly assembled teams, he wants to create original and unconventional advertising that breaks existing boundaries: "Breaking the rules is an absolute must for me."
As CCO, the well-traveled advertiser Hans-Joachim Timm brings international know-how to the creation of TBWA\Switzerland.
Carole Koch

Column Advertising is all about us: A professor's three unacademic reasons why commercial is the best (or at least most professional) of all forms of communication.Advertising is best. At least that's what they say. And all advertising is the best, at least the product it advertises. And not just anyone says this, but a celebrity. We are therefore dealing with a circle whose participants confirm each other's excellence and thus to a certain extent form a self-congratulatory community. This "circular prestige pattern" is vividly described by a US communication scientist using a whiskey advertisement: "A distinguished gentleman congratulates a whiskey that, through the mouth of its manufacturer, congratulates the distinguished gentleman on being of such distinction that he may bear witness to the distinction of this whiskey...". In slightly less distinguished terms: some celebrity is bought by a brandy to publicly praise its excellence, and the distiller in turn praises the excellence of the paid celebrity. So why is advertising the best? Firstly, because it knows how to market goods and people in an advertising network.
On the other hand, advertising is best because it is more beautiful or at least more digestible than anything else in the media world. Just compare the trailers of programs with the programs themselves. How much more action there is in the former! Surprises and effects galore, which in the programs then enter the screen only hesitantly and in single file. With regard to series that also want to have humor, cabaret artist Werner Schneider says: "Why don't we broadcast the announcements, they're much better?". And when it comes to the relationship between advertising in the media and the world outside it, the Canadian communication philosopher Marshall McLuhan rhymed quite rightly decades ago: "Hell in the headlines, heaven in the ads."
The third reason why advertising is the best: because it is the most expensive! The most expensive commodity has long since become attention, and advertisers are now even vying for it in the quietest of places (WW 01/03). Finding attention even for less exciting products, wherever it may be hidden, or even tickling it awake and preventing it from falling asleep again: all this requires more thorough audience and even factual research and more imagination than any news or background journalism. After all, the special qualities of even the most banal everyday products first have to be discovered by advertisers themselves - often painstakingly enough - and then the potential customers have to be found out and finally their hoped-for receptiveness to the advertised product stimulated with creative design. Which editorial team can afford such an effort? That's why advertising is better than journalism.
Of course, it remains a mystery why, with so much effort, skill and
However, despite the fact that the public still has doubts about the cultural value of the entire event. In any case, skepticism is repeatedly voiced outside the advertising circles. And yet without the lubricating oil of advertising, the media industry is becoming less and less successful. Questions are therefore pressing
the recruited (specialist celebrity) columnists, which he will try to answer next time. Above all, and again and again: What is it about advertising that makes it so special?
> Ulrich Saxer was a professor of journalism at the University of Zurich until 1996 and then full professor of communication sociology in Lugano. He has held an honorary professorship at the University of Vienna since 2001.

The Swiss cosmetics group Juvena International has entrusted FCB Leutenegger Krüll (FCBLK) with the global communications budget for the Juvena of Switzerland brand, according to an agency statement. FCBLK's task is to further develop the communication presence and anchor Juvena of Switzerland as a top brand for beauty care.

Alcohol preventionWhether cRDDB Basel has looked too deeply into the glass for the Federal Office of Public Health is up to you, dear Ad-Rater - but be careful, please give your opinions without a flag at: www.werbewoche.ch/adrating
KPT
Cool. Simone Quast won over more than half of the ad raters for LGK with her KPT poster campaign.
Top 56.3%
Flop 43.7%

Last Thursday, Tamedia simply invited a lot of people to a big party in the "Kaufleuten". Only a few people noticed that this was an absolutely new event in the calendar. The Tamedia party for (almost) everyone actually took place for the first time this year! - According to Tagi sales manager Fridolin Holdener, customer advisors at publishing houses usually go to lunch or out with the bosses and managers of customer agencies. The idea was to do something for everyone, including the media planners and assistants and everyone else who helps to make the joint partnerships a success.
In the last advertising week, it was said that the Tagi Group would be cutting back on sponsorship this year. In the run-up to the "Kaufleuten" party, malicious tongues speculated that it would be a substitute for all the other events to which the managers of the individual Tamedia products invite people throughout the year. Regular partygoers can be reassured, however. According to reliable sources, the sponsorship cutback will not affect customer parties. Cheers to that!
Fridolin Holdener had good news to announce in this regard. After wanting to say goodbye to the Swisscom tennis tournament in Kloten last year, the Tagi is once again involved this year, including the match newspaper "Tennis-Anzeiger" in the Tagi layout and the invitations in the Tagi spectator box. Perhaps the SonntagsZeitung is even considering withdrawing from sponsoring the Spengler Cup, who knows? At least 60 ice hockey fans from the media scene would certainly be grateful.
Otherwise, the party took the course that such parties tend to take. The guests had a great time, and at the bar in the "Kaufleuten" gallery, also called heaven, the remaining guests gathered at a late hour for heated discussions. With the guys from AWZ (Adresswerbezentrale, not Abfuhrwesen der Stadt Zürich) we had a heated discussion about wastage. The latest AWZ campaign, which is currently displayed in the VBZ, was a topic of discussion. The moving question of exactly how many passengers on Zurich's streetcars feel the need for listbroking was at the forefront.
There was a nice surprise from Tamedia the next day. In the mail, the partygoers found a computer mouse (with USB connection, therefore also suitable for the widely used agency Macs!). So that one can surf the party pictures (www.tamedia.ch/tamediagoes kaufleuten). And probably also for all those party girls and boys who didn't find a mouse in bed the next morning. Because what is just as certain is that the 500 or so guests at the Tamedia party in Kaufleuten were flirting for all they were worth.
Beat Fritschdiscussed in "Kaufleuten" heaven just as intensively as the other guests about the advertiser's favorite topic: advertising. Conclusion of the party: The Tamedia-All-included-Party was a complete success and deserves praise from the highest place - a repetition next year was warmly recommended by all participants!
Where the communications, media and publishing scene meets for its events, we locate at the most diverse events. Do you already have something to report? Pick up the phone (01 296 97 98) or hit the keys ([email protected]). Event tips and more shortlist pictures are available online at www.werbewoche.ch.
Tamedia advertising managers among themselves: Dani Schnüriger, Annabelle, Daniel Pauletto, SoZ, and Gregor Eschle (from left), Facts.
Tennis fans: Tagi sales manager Fridolin Holdener, Monika Schneider, BZ, and Mark Soldini, Soldini Bienenfeld agency.
Happy about the new event: Nicole Zubler (l.) from Carat and Jenni Best from OMD Zurich-City had a great time.
Dani Strässle from Annabelle and Nicole Costa from Facts were instrumental in organizing the party.
Party guests: Florian Grützner, Sabrina Arthur and "El Jefe" Sacha Baer, who have all recently joined Jung von Matt/Limmat.
Sworn Facts crew: Claudia Gillardon, Oliver Haab and Nicole Thalmann (from left) have already experienced a lot together.
Treasurer Simon Flatt did face check; and laughs with raffle sponsor Jeannine Meier of British Airways.
Heated discussions about wastage: Roy Pfändler (l.), client advisor at AWZ, here with fiduciary assistant Andrin Steinmann.
Twins or not? Katja (l.) von Guye Benker and Nora von Marengo (both Ehrensperger) with Stefan Gerber, Tamedia.
Jürg Neuenschwander (l.) and Philipp Fürst from Laika Grafic Media Factory were also seen in "Kaufleuten" heaven.
Lowe's consultant Sandra Genge (r.) always knows the latest party news - and shared it with Chris Burkhard, freelance AD.
The two media studentesses Evelyne (l.) and Viviane Kappel also enjoyed the Tamedia party.
Cüplis, good mood, beautiful people - it's your own fault who wasn't there.

The Zurich-based advertising agency Guye Benker (GB) is now advertising for the Italian spirits brand Fernet Branca, a herbal liqueur that recently became part of the Campari Group, for which GB has been working for four years. The account includes overall communication for retail and gastronomy.