cR DDB introduces WWF's Goût Mieux organic food labelMigros has it. Coop has it too. Only the landlords don't have it: food produced in a natural and socially responsible way. This should now come to an end. WWF Switzerland is launching the Goût Mieux organic food label with a presentation by cR DDB, Basel. The environmental organization certifies restaurateurs for whom the health of their guests is as important as their own coffers. Speaking of cash registers, the two retail giants already generate billions in sales with organic labels. That must work in restaurants, too. After all, the restaurant trade is the second most important food marketer in this country. page 6

Advertising clients prefer to develop marketing communication strategies on their ownBy Luca Aloisi Until the end of the 1990s, the industry sang the praises of the young discipline of the strategic planner. Today, clients seem to be convinced that they can do without the advertising agency's top planner. A qualitative study entitled "Strategic planning from the perspective of advertising clients" reads like this.
Acceptance and establishment of strategic planning among Swiss advertising clients are on a shaky footing. What our gut feeling has been telling us for some time now is backed up by a qualitative study. Its author Florian Bausch, until recently Head of Marketing Communications at a telecoms company and soon to return to the agency side, based his findings on 30 individual interviews conducted in September. Even if the results of the survey of marketing decision-makers from nine of the strongest communication sectors do not claim to be exhaustive, they do provide an up-to-date picture of the difficult relationship between customers and planning.
One conclusion from the study: the demands of the customer side are becoming more complex, as planning will increasingly become a holistic marketing unit that encompasses not only the brand and the consumer, but also the functioning of the industry and the entire marketing mix. This view gains weight when one considers that the marketing mix ratio is shifting more and more in favor of below-the-line activities.
For two thirds of respondents, strategic planning involves strategy development (46%) or consulting (18%), while for 16% the discipline is closely linked to analysis. Industry expertise was only mentioned by 7%, while 13% of clients signaled their reluctance towards this department with the statement "little/not useful" in the first question on strategic planning.
The competencies awarded provide insight into this polarization: the discipline receives good ratings for brand and communication experience and trend research. From the client's perspective, however, industry knowledge, planning skills and marketing experience score below average. This also explains why planning hardly plays a role in strategic decisions.
The gaps between demands and service quality are currently being filled by product and brand management in terms of expertise, consulting, methods and analyses. This is not surprising, as almost all information tools - from consumer, channel and media data to volume analyses - are available on the customer side. In addition, many companies now have management-by-objectives or balance scorecard systems that require continuous brand management.
Three agency models will be able to survive on the market
Bausch sees human quality as another opportunity for agencies. But as long as they essentially pay lower salaries than the client side, the situation cannot be improved - for similar job profiles, the wage difference is at least 13%. "This is the agencies' own fault," says Bausch, without blaming them: On the one hand, they are under high competitive and cost pressure from the competition, and on the other hand, they are under high pressure to succeed vis-à-vis the client.
In order to keep the overall risk as low as possible, the agency is cutting costs, with consequences for human quality. According to Bausch, counter-cyclical action is required to remedy the situation, i.e. the purchase of industry experts. Only in this way can the agency maintain the necessary competence and offer the client the desired added value.
Bausch concludes that three agency business models will crystallize in the future: The strategic-creative agency, which advises clients on the entire marketing mix and thus actually offers integrated communication. He also sees the pure creative agency, which specializes in the development of creative solutions, and the complementary brand/planning agency, a consulting unit ideally made up of former industry marketers.
Bausch, who "at heart and from my background" is an agency planner with agency and industry experience, sees his study as far from complete; he is in the process of examining the perception of planning from the agency side too. He then wants to publish a book on holistic planning and offer workshops. Because: "If it says planning on it, there must be planning in it," says Bausch, summing up his experience.

cR DDB has prepared the presentation for the WWF's Goût Mieux organic food labelBy Ernst Weber More and more restaurant visitors want to know exactly where the products used to prepare their meals come from. To ensure that organic labels are no longer the exception in gastronomy, WWF Switzerland is launching the Goût Mieux gastronomy label. The Basel agency cR DDB has realized the launch campaign.
Ecologically and socially responsible food is a growth market. But so far only in the retail trade. In recent years, the consumption of organic products has increased rapidly in Switzerland. According to Coop, sales of Coop Naturaplan products rose from around CHF 100 million in 1995 to around CHF 900 million in 2001. Migros generated around 12 percent of its retail sales, or 1.7 billion Swiss francs, with organic products in 2001. This corresponds to an increase of 30 percent compared to the previous year.
However, the consumer demand for food that is produced close to nature has not yet reached the food service industry. However, according to the WWF, 44 percent of expenditure on food is made there. One exception is the Knospen-Küche label. This label certifies restaurant kitchens that are run in accordance with the requirements of Bio Suisse. This situation has convinced the WWF that "the time is ripe for the Goût Mieux gastro label".
Natural subjects without a grain-picker image
Launched by the WWF in May, the label offers participating establishments - 42 restaurants already have it - the prospect of image enhancement and economic benefits. The WWF is also supporting the launch with media partnerships with Schweizer Familie and the gourmet magazine Salz & Pfeffer as well as an advertising campaign.
While the magazines present a Goût Mieux restaurant to their readers in each issue, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the new Swiss gastronomy seal of quality at consumer level and encourage consumers to visit the certified restaurants.
A budget in the millions has been allocated to achieve the advertising goal. Four to five double-page advertisements are planned, which will be placed in two waves (fall and spring). Each tranche will focus on a specific theme. In autumn it will be the Alps, in spring the focus will be on the element of water. The campaigns will respond emotionally to the main themes by selecting appropriate images.
The subjects give the impression of being close to nature. "However, they do not tempt the viewer to dismiss the appearance as an intrusive attempt by alternative grain pickers," says Daniel Bürgi, strategic planner and campaign manager at cR DDB. For example, the motif of an alpine meadow strewn with cow dung creates broad acceptance. It is broken up and integrated into the campaign objective by the headline "Essential for a Goût Mieux restaurant".
In order not to place any unnecessary obstacles in the way of the label, the campaign lacks any reference to the WWF at first glance. cR DDB refrained from using the panda logo as an identification element. According to the agency, it would have been out of place to use an endangered animal species to promote culinary delights. With the Goût Mieux brand, on the other hand - the name is based on the GaultMillau restaurant guide - nobody is bothered by the fact that it focuses on culinary delights.
"An environmental protection organization doesn't trigger any associations with pleasure," says Peter Frey, owner of cR DDB.
The umbrella presentation is flanked by a witty small advertisement campaign. It operates with catchy headlines such as "A candlelight dinner where you know every sow?" The Goût-Mieux restaurants are listed in these advertisements.
As soon as at least 100 establishments take part in the campaign, the WWF plans to publish a restaurant guide. It is intended to provide eco-gourmets with an overview of the Goût Mieux scene. At the beginning of 2005, the environmental organization plans to transfer the marketing of the label to an independent organization.
Restaurants are contractually bound by guidelines
The environmental protection organization awards the seal of approval to restaurants that contractually undertake to offer and label three Goût Mieux menus every day. Only products from certain eco-labels may be used as the main ingredients. Controversial foods that contradict the philosophy of natural and social production must be removed from the menu.
In addition, the menu must consist primarily of regional and seasonal products. The requirements apply to the entire menu, not just to Goût Mieux menus. Restaurateurs can find a database of approved labels and suppliers at www.gout mieux.ch.
The restaurants are inspected at least once a year by the independent company Bio Inspecta, which is recognized by the federal government. In the event of repeated violations, organic offenders will have their seal of approval revoked.
The environmental organization began certifying restaurants in May. Since the label was launched at the beginning of September, a further 37 restaurants have registered their interest in participating in addition to the 42 contracted businesses. And from January 2003, 28 Manora restaurants will also be taking part in the campaign. "We realize that the project meets a real concern", says Jennifer Zimmermann, campaign manager at WWF.

The advertising time marketer is also offering numerous new offers in 2003The bad news first: advertising bookings with SRG TV stations will become more expensive from next year. Publisuisse is increasing its rates by an average of 1.5 percent from the beginning of 2003. The good news afterwards: in return for the increase, there will be more discounts from 2003. This is because the discount scale now starts at CHF 200,000 instead of the previous CHF 300,000, and Publisuisse has also made various fine adjustments. For example, last year's increase in the lowest rate group for TSR and TSI from CHF 50 to CHF 100 has now been at least partially reversed. A minimum price of 75 francs now applies at TSI. The tariff structure on SF 1 on Saturday evenings has also been changed. Instead of uniform pricing for the entire evening, as is the case for all other days of the week, a differentiated tariff structure is now applied for Saturday evenings. Publisuisse spokesperson Markus Hollenstein explains that this measure was necessary due to the strongly changing programs in this environment, which also leads to significant fluctuations in viewer numbers.
For next year, the SRG marketer is coming up with innovations and new customized offers. During the Ski World Cup (4.1. to 16.3.) and the Ice Hockey World Championships in Finland (26.4. to 11.5.), Publisuisse will be presenting "Powerbreak spots" for the first time. These are single-spot advertising blocks that can be occupied with a spot lasting a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 30 seconds. In the Ski World Cup, the "Powerbreak spot" is inserted after the 15th skier during a short break. At the Ice Hockey World Championships, two "powerbreak spots" are placed within each third - in addition to the advertising blocks during the breaks.
The other innovation is the "event spot", which can be used from next year to convey messages at short notice depending on the weather or results. The customer delivers two different spots in advance. They then have up to half an hour before the spot is broadcast to choose one or the other. A handling surcharge of CHF 500 per broadcast is payable for the "event spot".
Publisuisse is offering another new tool in 2003 to accompany new TV campaigns. "The Making Of", as the package is called, consists of the commercial, a specially produced 120-second "The Making Of" and a 10-second trailer for the announcement. It is recommended that the 120-second spot be placed in the advertising block before "Top Spots", as this is where the most early adopters among consumers of advertising programs can be found. While the normal price has to be paid for the spot and the 120-second "The Making Of", the 10-second trailer is shown one or more times free of charge.
Daniel Schifferle

At a talk hosted by the city of Zurich's Social Democrats, Head of the Department of Culture Jean-Pierre Hoby called for a radio station to address the concerns of kidsBy Stefano Monachesi Zurich's young people should be given a youth radio station, according to the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom). The cable stations Radio 105, Swiss Music Radio and Virus immediately filed claims. However, the target group would like to become radio-active themselves. This was demonstrated by a panel discussion organized by the SP of the city of Zurich.
"For me, the new frequency clearly belongs to Radio 105." George Wismer, head of Swiss Music Radio, surprised the audience right at the beginning with a backpedal. He said that 105 initiator Giuseppe Scaglione had been fighting for terrestrial broadcasting for five years and deserved it. Swiss Music Radio itself expects that further frequencies will be distributed.
Andreas Schefer from DRS 3 and Virus followed up with a second retraction: SRG is still waiting for the exact tender from Bakom. If, as indicated, this explicitly requires a local focus, Virus will not apply for the license - for regulatory reasons: Private, commercial broadcasters are intended for local stations, while SRG is responsible for national or supra-regional stations.
This left the internet station DJ Radio with CEO Egon Blatter as a competitor on the podium for 105. "Virus and 105 are not what I imagine a youth radio station to be," Blatter attacked his competitors. Young people want a station where they can realize their dreams of making music and creating media. "We are creating a platform for different projects and youth cultures."
Blatter had the audience on his side. There were a few dozen young people in the room who were interested in radio, although they were only just in the 15 to 25 target group. They were largely negative about "commercial stations" and included Virus and 105 alongside Radio 24 and Hitradio Z. They wanted a radio by young people for young people and opportunities to shape their own lives. Demands for political and financial support from the city became clear. The alternative stations Radio 3fach from Lucerne and Toxic.fm from St.Gallen served as possible role models. With a limited budget, largely financed by sponsorship, experiments should be made possible and commercialization prevented. By providing young people with radio training, wage costs are also kept low.
Giuseppe Scaglione opposed this idea of youth radio. He said that 105 does not give away program slots to untrained young people, because "young people's expectations of a radio program are relatively high. We are competing with MTV here!" With Radio Lora, the city of Zurich already has a participatory station. "What's missing is a commercial youth radio station!"
Commercials don't want pastoral radio
Zurich's culture commissioner Jean-Pierre Hoby did not share this opinion. He called on Bakom to include the possibility of non-commercial financing in the tender. The city wants a station that is alternative in every respect: "We don't want 'more of the same'." Zurich needs a radio station that addresses the concerns of the city's young people and can be used for youth politics, said Hoby. Problems such as housing shortages and drug addiction urgently need to be addressed in a youth-oriented way.
Hoby did not see the fact that this would amount to "pastoral radio", as one viewer remarked, as negative. He also did not disagree with the comment made by discussion leader Rolf Hürzeler, "So in future you should loosen the toaster instead of reading". However, the Zurich Culture Commissioner ruled out subsidies for such a project. Instead, he was open to models involving foundations or sponsorship, such as those represented by 3fach and Toxic.fm.
Hoby considered the question of what kind of music a youth radio station should play to be irrelevant, which triggered protests in the hall. For once, the audience and the radio producers were in agreement: "Content does create listener loyalty, but 90 percent of listeners tune in because of the music," emphasized Scaglione. A station is defined by its sound, said George Wismer, while the journalistic content is the same in all media.
Shortly before the end of the talk, Hans Strassmann, frequency specialist at SRG, took the floor. He pointed out that further frequencies could still be used in Zurich. However, the federal government is currently planning a reorganization of VHF frequency distribution, which it does not want to complicate with further allocations. The time horizon for this is five or six years. Then, according to Strassmann, the whole current discussion will be obsolete anyway.
SP-Talk on youth radio

"What kind of youth radio does Zurich need?" asked the SP Zurich and hosted a talk. In addition to Martin Dumermuth from the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) and the city of Zurich's culture commissioner Jean-Pierre Hoby, the panel included radio producers George Wismer (Swiss Music Radio), Egon Blatter (DJ Radio), Andreas Schefer (DRS 3/Virus) and Giuseppe Scaglione (105). The interview was conducted by Facts media editor Rolf Hürzeler.

Grendene Ogilvy & Mather in Zurich realize the new launch campaign for BarclayBy Andreas Panzeri An end to narcissism, business and materialism. The cigarette Barclay gives itself a socially acceptable image and was looking for a replacement for the famous "red sofa". Luigi Grendene found it in the "Light Sign". With this idea, the Zurich agency won the international pitch for Barclay and is now taking the lead for the whole of Europe.
The Barclay cigarette pack as a light projection: with this key visual, the family wants to
of light cigarettes will appear everywhere in the future with a distinctive feature. One day, this could possibly also serve as a distinctive mark if branding above the line is no longer possible in the course of further restrictions on cigarette advertising. However, according to Ogilvy's creative team, this is "a tightrope walk" from a legal point of view, and nothing definite can be planned yet.
In the international budget competition, in which the Ogilvy agencies in Germany and Holland also pitched, Zurich was able to convince with the "Light Sign", which "turns the package design into a projector", as Luigi Grendene explains his idea.
The second task was to introduce this new key visual to the market in an initial learning phase. Grendene Ogilvy & Mather developed a campaign for this, "which includes taste, urbanity, freedom of choice and a few more values that we don't want to push on the competition," as Senior Account Director Dominik Abt says.
For CD Michel Hitz, the campaign has picked up on the relevant development that the trend is "away from ego hedonism, towards friendship". In the future, Barclay's smoke signals social competence instead of narcissism, as well as enjoyment instead of consumption. Likewise, the brand, which used to advertise ostensibly with business scenes, wants to "move away from materialism, toward less tangible, more substantial values" in the new campaign.
The "Light Sign" is intended to symbolize this development. A striking feature is the warm wood, which serves as the background to the images in all subjects in the campaign. In the past, Barclay has been identified with success stories. This value has now been replaced by warmth, social and spirit - the "newly defined values of the future".
A spot that works like a commercial for an election campaign
The Barclay brand, number 3 in the overall market in Switzerland and leader in the ultra-lights segment, offers five different flavors in its family along with the standard blend, such as Smooth&Light, Menthol, Number One and Fresh & Light. With the claim "Same Choice. Different Taste," the advertising aims to appeal equally to the group and the individual. By playing with variations, "Same Choice. Different Taste" can also become "same Party" or "same Pleasure" in the various subjects.
After the teaser ad, various follow-ups with ads, posters and POP measures are planned from October, as well as a cinema spot.
In the film, produced by Reto Salimbeni's new Manifesto Films, the light sign is not yet as prominently featured as in the print campaign. The spot picks up more on the idea of "Same Choice. Different Taste." Whereas the last film for Barclay showed an architect who was a "lonely hero" on the move around the city, the new spot presents a range of different characters. True, these are also on individual paths. But the punchline shows: they all meet at the same party.
The 50-second story now illustrates how these people reveal "different Taste" along the way. Two different kinds of flowers are bought as souvenirs for the party. One buys a CD, the other a record. Despite this different taste, however, all the characters manifest "same Choice" at the end: a pack shot with the five different Barclay packs as well as the "Light Sign" is superimposed over the scene.
According to CD Michel Hitz, the film should function like an advertising film in an election campaign: It has something in it for everyone. The height of the music at the beginning is "very ideal for women" - in any case, they would have reacted very positively to the engaging tones in tests, and men would "at least not have been annoyed". A scene with a dog is supposed to create a sympathy value before the packshot scene, which is otherwise received as rather unsympathetic in the cinema, comes.
The environment must awaken longings for the smoker Visually as well as technically, Reto Salimbeni designed the film "so that it does not fall away from the medium when it is surrounded by international commercials as well as trailers for upcoming spectacles from Hollywood".
Salimbeni shot in Vancouver, because Barclay is to appear as an urban brand in a story that could be set anywhere. The opening shot, featuring the Skytrain in front of the skyscrapers of the Canadian metropolis, is meant to evoke longings. "You have to show an environment where you might like it," Salimbeni explains. Striking "stop-and-go images" throughout the film are "monkey fodder" - also technically called Rampling.
1960 Swiss copies hit theaters
This visual trick is intended to keep the eyes of the incoming and still chattering audience glued to the screen in the half-dark cinema. A state-of-the-art two-key process with 2000 lines per image is also intended to have a subconscious effect. This results in an extremely high resolution. Also, specially processed and copied background images can help to make the image appear extremely dense in the semi-darkened cinema. This is a technique that would otherwise be too expensive for such a spot. But since even large technical studios are not fully utilized at the moment, Salimbeni was able to enjoy an "extremely interesting service" in London.
A 30-second version was also assembled from the spot. This will be used in a second phase, when the new Barclay World is already better known. A total of 1960 copies have been pulled for the whole of Switzerland.
In Belgium, Holland and the Nordic countries, the film can only be shown in nightclubs and at POP, as cigarette advertising is banned in cinemas, as are posters. Holland allows the last wave print ads for cigarettes in the fall. After that, advertising, based on the idea of the "Light Sign", will only take place at the POS. Promotions will also be banned. Barclay will only be allowed to advertise at kiosks and retail outlets where the logo or even the light sign can be adapted. According to the motto: "Smoking the wrong thing can endanger your enlightenment!"

Have you noticed Uriella? Is it really her? What? Who? Yes, of course, Fifi, the lost dog of the Uriella double, who has recently found a home at Henry Cotton's. After all, who wants to go around the world in pigtails all the time? Fifi certainly doesn't, because such a voluminous head of hair is definitely worth a photo shoot. Even if it does look a little tousled. And in view of the fact that dogs and dog owners look more and more alike over the years, I can only agree with Fifi's taste. Uriella fans may forgive me ... The fact that Fifi is in a kind of straitjacket next to the Beau is somewhat irritating. So we might think it's not a dog at all, but a...no, women do a lot of things, but not that. Chandra Kurt [email protected]
Column

Hairdresser phobias from Mike Müller
It is the place of absolute underchallenge: the hairdresser's chair. The magazines are old, the weather has been commented on, and you don't feel like another espresso. A place where a thank you is acknowledged with a thank you: Is the temperature okay? Yes, merci. Thank you. Would you like another espresso? No, thank you. Merci. The coat is put on. Like always? Yes, with pleasure. Thank you. In linguistics, this is called phatic use of language, when no information has actually flowed for a long time, but the conversation is kept going with empty phrases and platitudes. I imagine that in old age, my hairdresser and I will only be able to talk in short snippets, each knowing what the other means and, above all, that nothing is actually meant. That would be a lot less stressful than these formulated sentences with a double thank you. What's more, I'll probably be bald in my old age, which will make a visit to the hairdresser much shorter.
I sometimes do autogenic training to make the most of the underchallenge situation, but the hairdresser, who is just as underchallenged, notices this, asks how I'm feeling and my relaxation is gone. Listening to other people's conversations in the salon is a farce because the other customers also pass the time with phatic snippets of language. Swiss German is particularly rich in short phrases such as "jaa, ja" or long drawn-out "soo". You can also hear these conversations at bus stops or on the streetcar, but nowhere does the urgency of voiced non-communication seem greater than in hairdressing salons. What's more, you can only look straight ahead and you see yourself and the hairdresser, who immediately feels compelled to start a new conversation when you make eye contact. Tomorrow I'm ordering a toupee.
[email protected]
Mike Müller is a performer.
Business lunch

At Domenico's table, the working day becomes Sunday Don't remember his surname, the first name does the trick: Domenico. It's so close to Domenica, which also means Sunday in Italian. Domenico is a Sunday's child: his restaurant is called exactly that ("San Domenico"), everything to do with Sicilian cuisine is sacred to him, because he comes from the largest island in Italy - and is the friendliest landlord in Zurich.
You can check all this yourself. We did too and recommend it: Don't miss the Antipastino rustico alla siciliana (Fr. 19.-). The delicacies on the large plate are almost outrageously good - and nutritious. Domenico doesn't like it when you're hungry.
The main course was an arrosto di vitello with tagliolini (28.50). The sauce could have been a little less runny, but the roast veal tasted excellent, as did the tagliolini, even if I wasn't too keen on the truffle oil. Either the fresh tartufo or none at all.
At lunchtime, there are two menus, from 18.50 to 28.50. That's two courses - you order dessert separately. In this case, Domenico surprised us with zuccotto and cassata. We take off our hats, which we didn't have on for dinner. You can't even get such an excellent zuccotto in Italy anymore, I promise you. No wonder Domenico can prepare this fillet of the Sicilian dessert menu so magically, after all, he knows what goes into it - and what doesn't, and sometimes that's worth a lot more.
It's a shame that you can't try everything on the menu at lunch: ravioli di selvaggina con procini alla crema (Fr. 28.-) would have been just as good as a starter as the filetti di coniglio al Calvados (Fr. 35.-) afterwards.
Instead, we delved into the wine list and found a nice, not too heavy Sicilian. There were also plenty of open wines to choose from. Oh well, it's time to go again. The bill, as you have read, is very pleasant. It's so nice to come back and leave the world outside the door under Tiffany lamps and at pink tablecloths. But you should book in advance.
Carlo Bernasconi
[email protected]
Ristorante San DomenicoStampfenbachstr. 40
8006 Zurich
Tel. 01 362 55 06
www.sandomenico.ch
No parking spaces far and wide
Evaluation

Food .......................4
Drinks ..................4
Operation ................5
Business factor ........4
5=top, 4=very good, 3=o.k., 2=naja, 1=flop

Getty Images launches a visual trend barometer with its new image collection.Service Image collection as barometer The vehicle for this is a new magazine called Taxi. Cab, with over 400 pages and specially adapted editions in 50 countries, aims to be a "vehicle for ideas to images" and vice versa. Published quarterly, Taxi's concept is to "combine image collection, trend report and magazine." The first issue of Taxi is dedicated to the strongest trends in leisure. Getty Images is the world's leading provider of photography, illustration, type and related services, with more than 70 million images and over 30000 hours of film footage. "The image is becoming our universal language in the 21st century, and the image magazine tells a thousand stories," Getty continues in the promotional text for the book, which can be ordered at www.gettyimages.de/taxi.
APG simplifies reservations Allgemeine Plakatgesellschaft (APG) will start operating its new IT reservation system in spring 2003. The system is designed to offer customers greater flexibility and transparency in the planning and handling of poster campaigns as of Dispatch Week 19. The individual functions are described in detail in the new offer documentation. For weeks 1 to 18, the offer as per the 2002 sales documentation remains unchanged. The documents can be ordered free of charge from the website www.apg.ch.
"Advertising Yearbook": Submissions until October 17
Econ Verlag has extended the entry deadline for the "Advertising Yearbook 2002" competition to October 17. The best German-language campaigns and advertising agencies of the year are being sought. Documents are available from Susanne Kronester, [email protected] or Tel. 0049 89 5148 2284. Further information can be found on the website www.jdw.de.

The web service provider New Impact has won three new clients.budget news New orders for New Impact The Bern-based agency has been commissioned by the German generics manufacturer Ratiopharm to create a global intranet. New Impact is creating a portal on all aspects of home ownership for the Bern Building Insurance Company (GVB).
Energieservice Biel receives a content management system with which the existing solution can be maintained more easily and efficiently.
Does Swatch need an agency? According to a report on the British specialist website Brand Republic, the Swatch Group has put the global advertising budget for its main brand out to tender. So far, the 40 million euro budget has been managed by BGS D'Arcy in Milan. In an interview with WerbeWoche, Swatch CEO Nicolas Hayek jr. claimed that all advertising was done in-house. A Swatch spokesperson denied the report to WerbeWoche: "However, BGS D'Arcy was already working for Swatch: Her commercial with basketball star Shaquille O'Neal was nominated at the Italian Key Award 2002 in the category productions for foreign markets.
Woehrle Pirola woos gourmets The marketing agency Woehrle Pirola, based in Zurich and Pontresina, has won the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival as a new client. The festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2003. Woehrle Pirola is responsible for communication, sponsoring, advertising and event marketing.
Contexta bids farewell to davos After more than 20 years of collaboration, the advertising agency Contexta is parting ways with Davos Tourism with immediate effect. Differences of opinion about the future collaboration led to this step. The budget is to be reallocated at the beginning of next year. The decision was only made recently, Davos spokesperson Britta Schnewlin told WerbeWoche. As a result, no agencies have yet been invited to pitch.
The following people judged in the commissioned film category: Petra Beck, Jana Caniga, Elena Pedrazzoli, Walter Rohrbach and Jean Luc Wey. A detailed shortlist with all credits and explanations of the films can be found on the website www.werbewoche.ch/ edi.

Tamedia's planned transformation of ZürichExpress into a commuter newspaper has progressed further than previously assumed, according to a three-page "argumentation" from the management bearing the initials of company spokesman Peter Hartmeier, which is available to WerbeWoche, in which the project, which is now called "Express", is described as necessary from an entrepreneurial and publishing perspective. The reason given is that the business model of ZürichExpress has not worked since 20 Minuten entered the market. Nevertheless, the "Express is not a cheap free newspaper, but is made according to the standards of a complete urban newspaper". And: "With the new product, we will finally shed the old image of the ZürichExpress, which is not true anyway." How the NZZ, which holds a 40 percent stake in the official gazette of the Limmat metropolis, feels about its tabloidization is, of course, not mentioned in the letter of justification.
However, when asked by WerbeWoche, project manager Marius Hagger, who is also responsible for the internal savings program "Focus", denied that the Tamedia commuter newspaper had already been approved. The responsible committees will only decide at the end of the year, he reassured. The paper was merely preliminary information for important Tamedia customers. According to information from WerbeWoche, however, the "Argumentarium" was already presented to the editorial team of ZürichExpress last week. It was explicitly stated that the launch - nota bene in tabloid format - should take place as soon as possible. (oc)

Florian Bausch on the crisis between clients and planning agenciesBy Luca Aloisi The Swiss planning culture is still young, but has been suffering from a lack of profile for some time now. In a study, Florian Bausch investigated the reasons for the low recognition of the
researched.
You introduce your qualitative study on strategic planning with Henry Ford's quote "Everything can be done better than it has been done so far". Has everything been done badly so far?
Florian Bausch: No, not at all. On the contrary, a planning culture is also developing more and more in the Swiss market. Basically, however, the whole environment has become much more complex. What's more, customers now know exactly what they want. Especially in the areas of marketing consulting, industry know-how, methods and analyses. The agency side still has to make a huge effort here.
What prompted you to conduct this qualitative study?
Bausch: Basically, I myself am an agency planner by background and have been doing this job for many years in a large network in Germany. I have also worked in the industry as a brand manager. With both perspectives, you know where the problem areas and opportunities lie. In addition, marketing simply has to have a fundamental effect. Today more than ever. With the often aggressive business plan specifications on the client side, every marketing franc must be precise and wastage must be avoided. It is essential that agencies provide the consulting services that clients need to achieve their goals.
Where is the customer's problem today in contact with the strategic planner?
Bausch: I don't think anyone should be feeling the pinch. Expectations and market conditions have changed too much since the early days. According to customers today, planning can and must no longer see itself solely as the consumer's brand detective who, to use football jargon, is able to play the deadly "USP pass" for the creation. Also. But not only.
Bartle Bogle Hegarty defined planning as "creative thinking based on information". What else must a good planner be able to offer the client today?
Bausch: Quite a lot. Nowadays, not only brand and communication knowledge and creativity are required, but also real industry and marketing know-how. Plus the ability and experience to think outside the box. It goes without saying that if a good and coherent brand/communication strategy is to be written, it must not end with marketing communication, but must also deal with marketing as a whole in an integrative manner. A holistic approach is the magic word here.
And what does all this mean for the agencies?
Bausch: A qualitative upgrade in the areas of marketing consulting, industry know-how as well as methods and analyses.
Although your study does not claim to be exhaustive, it does reveal that the relationship between industry and the communication side is more tense than ever. Can't this mistrust also be attributed to the economic crisis?
Bausch: I don't think the expression "tense" exactly hits the nail on the head. The fact is that, with a few exceptions, the best planners, i.e. product and brand managers, are on the customer side. They have all the essential information for successful brand management. It is therefore not surprising that the customer takes over the planning itself. There can be no question of mistrust due to the economic crisis.
Experts complain about the lack of a defined performance profile for the planner and often a
Label fraud. Is this the reason why customers no longer pass on their relevant information to agencies?
Bausch: Interesting thought. However, I think that one has little to do with the other. Basically, however, you only hand over documents if the information passed on has added value in some way - and we should continue to work on this added value.
Necessity is the mother of invention. You have noticed that people are currently resorting to me-too marketing and communication. Creatives and clients are passing the buck to each other. Is there a culprit for this lack of creativity?
Bausch: If I had a conclusive answer, I would immediately sell it to the highest bidder. (laughs) Seriously, it's clear that clients are taking less risk due to the often tough business plan requirements - but in return, the agencies don't fight hard enough.
Many local agencies say that they are not involved in strategic planning for network clients anyway. Have you taken this into account?
Bausch: Of course, this aspect was taken into account from the outset, but it turned out not to be relevant.
Customer advice also has to do with management responsibility. However, many clients do not want to integrate this third force in management because Swissair, Vontobel or Swiss Dairy Food have taught them otherwise. Under these circumstances, what are the chances for advertising agency planners?
Bausch: If the know-how is right and the agency people really understand their business and can add to it, very few clients will ignore it.

Thanks to advertising by Faktor Plus, traffic education in Bern is not at all boring and is therefore very successfulBy Luca Aloisi Bern's roads are, by its own admission, among the safest in Europe. The capital owes its exemplary function to the Road Safety Action Plan (MVS). This project is now in its ninth year with a prevention TV spot produced by the Bernese advertising agency Faktor Plus.
Patrice Mosimann, owner and conceptual designer of the Bern-based agency Faktor Plus, has been providing promotional support for the MVS project for eight years. During this time, the accident rate in Bern has been reduced by an impressive 20 percent with structural and communicative measures.
In contrast to the drab, bold implementations of the usual prevention campaigns, the Bernese advertisers have set out to have a positive effect on the behavior of the most frequent accident causers with more inspired appearances at events and in classic advertising. According to the motto: the more modest the means for prevention, the more surprising and sustainable the communication activities have to be, especially in event marketing.
Comic style spot with split monitor
On behalf of the city police of Bern, Faktor Plus has now realized a low-budget TV spot that should reach the young target group quickly and easily with a likeable, humorous comic implementation. Exciting, funny and yet instructive, the strip incorporates several topics such as right of way, speed, aggression or children in traffic and shows in parallel on both halves of the monitor how an exemplary and a bad driver manage the risks in traffic. It is just as clear that the driver with the bad behavior is the first to cross the finish line as the fact that the sympathies fly to the runner-up as the actual winner.
In 1993, Bern was the first city in Switzerland to initiate an MVS. The cooperation with the federal government, the canton and various municipal directorates has since proven its worth in other Swiss cities as well, because their cooperation provides the advisory services with a package of measures. It includes numerous elements - from traffic education in the form of safety days at schools, at trade fairs such as Bea or on the Bundesplatz with scrap cars, to the use of classic advertising in accident prevention campaigns.
Does accident prevention work better with horror images?
The approach seems necessary because conventional measures such as speed limits or the obligation to wear seat belts and helmets have been practically exhausted. But when excerpts of "Vision Zero," a basis for a new traffic policy drawn up by the Federal Roads Office (Astra), became public, the proposals came under heavy fire from the tabloid media. Astra's plans are based on the corporate strategy of U.S. chemical multinational DuPont, according to which every accident is preventable. But the 16 to 20 million Swiss francs that flow into road safety campaigns every year on a voluntary basis have apparently also reached their maximum effect.
Hans Koller, executive secretary of the Swiss Road Safety Council, knows all about the problem. The association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2002, is one of the main players in prevention. In addition, there are countless other agencies working to improve road safety. These include the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BfU), insurance companies and police forces, as well as the TCS and VCS associations.
It is true that the constant stream of warning posters and events succeeds in raising awareness among road users. But Koller complains that the many campaigns and activities repeatedly present their senders with coordination problems. The negative consequences, such as the dispersal of financial resources, unused synergies or overlapping times, were fortunately not felt by those targeted, says Koller. But specialists also criticized the effectiveness of campaigns that appeal to common sense. Among the young - the age group with the most frequent and most serious accidents - deterrent and threatening messages would have much more effect.
Koller understands the objection, but counters that his association considers a philosophy of raising awareness to be more effective. Moreover, it has been found that suppression is the most common reaction to campaigns with horror images. With the attitude that "this can never happen to me," the message usually goes unheeded.