Last Thursday evening, for the second time, the Swiss commissioned and commercial film prize Edi was awarded in its new form.By Beat Fritsch In the past, judging and awards took place as part of the Locarno Film Festival. However, since they parted about a year and a half ago, singing angry songs, the competition has been held in Zurich. The award, which is under the patronage of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), was held at LakeSide Zürichhorn; last year, the Schiffbau did the honors.
After the successful start last year, those responsible wanted to give the event a touch more glamor and added a gala dinner. Whether this was a good idea remains to be seen. Not everyone liked the new program. Quite a few visitors said that the event had been more fun last year. This was only due to the location, because the stiff-looking hotel management trainees of LakeSide - such trainees are popular with system catering companies because they are cheap and nevertheless well-trained workers - can never hold a candle to the serving in-people in the Schiffbau. Add to that the fact that advertisers are not exactly known for their undemanding nature and always make special requests.
So be it, no one wanted to have their fun spoiled. Not even Rudi Haller of Haag Productions, who, despite being shortlisted twice, came away empty-handed. It is only a rumor that Haller's idea of giving his company a new name and a fresh CI is related to his performance in the competition. The project has been on his mind for some time. Thus, the targeted name - Halo Productions - was also discussed at length that evening. The most original idea was the proposed name for the subsidiary, which would simply be called "Hallöchen".
The visitors enjoyed the moderation of the award ceremony. Peter Schneider, who can be heard on weekdays on DRS 3 with his somewhat different press review, is considered a safe bet. At this award ceremony, too, the lyricist and speaker delighted the audience with bone-dry sayings and a healthy dose of sarcasm.
In the category of commissioned films, the jury did not award a prize despite 5 shortlisted candidates. Of the 13 commercials that made it to the finals, however, 6 were awarded prizes. The list of winners included well-known names such as Ernst Wirz, Michi Fueter, Blood Sweat & Tears and many others. It can be viewed at www.werbewoche.ch/edi.
IP Multimedia was generous. Not only did it co-sponsor the award ceremony and delegate Michi Frank to the panel discussion, it also booked several tables for the gala. Among the guests was Natalie Schneider, board member of the Idée-VfW communications association. She was already vigorously stirring the promotional drum for the Idée jazz event, which will take place on November 29 at "El Local". Again, she said, only the most exciting formations of the jazz academy have been engaged. And also for fine food and sufficient Tranksame are already ensured. So: Don't miss it and make a note of the date now! You can register on the homepage (www. idee-vfw.ch).
Beat Fritsch

and the big Edi, winner sculpture of the Swiss Commission and Advertising Film Award. Because the piece has gigantic dimensions, we still wonder today how the various winners managed to bring their statues home. Especially since some visitors, among them also prize winners (no names!), partially lost their stability in the course of the evening.
Who else wins prizes and celebrates parties with stamina or simply gathers for a small advertiser party, we locate at the most diverse events of the scene. Do you already have something to report? Pick up the phone (01 296 97 98) or hit the keys ([email protected]). Event tips as well as further shortlist pictures are available online at www.werbewoche.ch.

Radio 105 is setting up its own sales division at the beginning of 2002. The three-year contract with RMB, which expires at the end of the year, will not be continued. Giuseppe Scaglione, head of 105, justifies this decision with the advantages of being closer to the broadcaster: "Our station has enormous potential with networked offers. Life partner Paola Libera, who has been with 105 for over three years, will head the marketing unit, the last year as head of sponsorship. The new marketing unit will start with four employees. However, Scaglione says that the number will be increased quickly. Despite the decision to market in-house, he is also looking to work with marketers on a commission basis. "We are interested in someone who acquires in the classic spot area," he says. He has two in his sights: Radiotele and IPM.
Ever since it became known last spring that RMB wanted to get out of radio marketing, people had been wondering where the journey would take 105. In an WerbeWoche survey, neither Radiotele, Spot Promotion, nor Cover Media, nor IPM showed any interest. So only a stopgap solution? Scaglione waves it off: "That's clearly not the case. There is a lot of interest in 105, because we offer strong target groups." (dse)

The remote control has turned television into an interactive medium. The user style of the zapper quickly developed: what you don't like is zapped away - and often enough these are TV commercials. According to the results of the 2001 Youngcom youth study, 35.7 percent of young Germans aged between 13 and 20 always switch the channel when commercials are on. Among 21 to 29-year-olds, 28 percent never watch commercials. 12.7 percent of the younger segment and 11.9 percent of the older segment stated that they rarely zap away. Only 3 and 3.3 percent respectively said they would never switch over because they found advertising interesting.43.5 percent of German tweens do not buy a product if its advertising is annoying. And 15.5 percent of them think that advertising is totally annoying. Nevertheless, 33.7 percent think advertising is good - 30.7 percent think it is bad. Advertising comes off better among teenagers. Here, only 23 percent boycott annoying products, while 38.1 percent think advertising is a good thing.
The youth study conducted by the communications agency Youngcom asked 1000 young Germans about their media behavior. Further information is available from the agency on 0049 893 000 9214 or on the website www.youngcom.de. Stefano Monachesi

Wirz, Zurich, launches Allianz Suisse with quirky hobbies of potential customersFollowing the takeover of the Swiss insurance companies Berner and Elvia by Allianz Switzerland, the bancassurance company of German origin now wants to create an image that is accessible to local consumers under the name Allianz Suisse. To this end, it commissioned Wirz, Zurich, with a launch campaign that uses unusual and amusing examples to promise potential customers something that, according to Urs Bretschger, Head of Marketing Services at Allianz Suisse, everyone wants: namely "more free time". "Authenticity was very important to us; that these are people who actually exist. You can always depict any figure and make a claim that doesn't correspond to the facts," comments Wirz CD Matthias Freuler on the witty presentation, which is adorned with portraits of unusual hobbies. page 10

Forty-two new advertising managers received their diplomas this year, 57 of whom sat the examinations to become federally certified advertising managers, which were held by Schweizer Werbung (SW) and the Fédération Romande de Publicité (FRP) in Lenzburg and Lausanne. Of the eight French-speaking Swiss who sat the exam, seven passed, with Danielle Zingg achieving the best result with a grade of 5.0.
Barbara Bürgi achieved the best grade of all participants with 5.1, followed by Pascale Berclaz and Felix Zulauf with 5.0. Bürgi will be presented with her diploma on
December 14 in Bern to receive the TCS special prize. A total of 23 women and 19 men passed the examinations. The complete list of the new advertising managers can be found at www.werbe woche.ch/gratulation (ba)

With the Camel Creative Challenge, the tobacco company JT International Germany called on advertisers and artists to reinterpret the Camel brand. Over 3,000 entries were submitted. Among the 20 winners selected by the jury is a Swiss artist: Simon Hofer, art director at the Bern-based advertising agency Polyconsult, who transformed match heads into the silhouette of a camel. The winning designs will be displayed on billboards throughout Germany in November and can be viewed online at www.arttotal.com/html/ccc_gallery.html.BSW, which is now accepting additional direct marketing agencies. The Swiss Association of Advertising and Communication Agencies (BSW) has admitted a fourth direct marketing agency: Grey Direct Concept AG from Baden. Grey Direct Concept was founded in 1985 by Jürg Koller and has been part of the Grey Global Group Switzerland since 2000.
A promotional aria at 1,800 meters above sea level. Each season, the Engadin/St. Moritz Opera Festival features a lesser-known work by a renowned composer. It is not only the fresh air but also the unusual setting in which the productions are staged—the halls of the Hotel Badrutt’s Palace—that has attracted a loyal following. To expand this audience and attract sponsors, the marketing agency Magma commissioned the Zurich-based advertising agency Matter & Partner to develop the advertising campaign. Next year’s program features Mozart’s opera buffa *La Finta Giardiniera*. The plot is brought to life in a humorous and stylish way by the team led by Creative Director Daniel Matter and Art Director Sascha Fanetti: Disguised as a gardener, the woman is able to charm her ex-husband all over again and win him back.
AY&R and Publicis Win at Cresta. Of the ten Swiss entries on the shortlist for the Cresta creative competition, three impressed the jury. Advico Young & Rubicam was honored for its posters for the Kuoni campaign, and Publicis, Zurich, was honored for its posters for the Zurich Public Transport Association and its ads for the Yellow Pages.
BMG Sells Opinio Verlag. The Basler Mediengruppe (BMG) is divesting itself of Opinio Verlag. It will be sold to Friedrich Reinhardt Verlag in Basel effective early 2002. In addition to the purchase agreement, the two publishing houses have also signed a cooperation agreement. According to BMG, this agreement stipulates that the new owner will continue to publish books for the Basler Zeitung and that the name Opinio Verlag will be retained.
Mrs. Samichlaus is dressing warmly. After multiple media reports that Zurich’s Samichlaus figures were complaining about an acute shortage of new recruits, the Ruf Lanz agency responded generously. And they’ve capitalized on the story for their client Big by featuring the fashion chain’s unique lingerie in a poster campaign. This makes it clear to all Santa Clauses that a remedy—in the form of fabric—has indeed been found for their plight. However, CD and agency co-owner Markus Ruf insists that the Santa Clauses not simply fold their hands in resignation, but rather remember that Christmas is, after all, a celebration of love…
Violent Joys. «Happy—The Promise in Advertising» is the title of the current poster exhibition at the Bern Museum of Communication. The Bern-based advertising agency Lang Gysi Knoll has chosen this venue to host its annual client reception and is also adopting the exhibition’s advertising theme: a poster whose typography and layout, in turn, allude to the advertising of the clothing retailer H&M. The agency claims it will keep the promise of advertising at the reception—by force if necessary. The event is billed as «Violently Happy,» and Creative Director Simone Quast lends visual emphasis to this claim—not without a certain allure—wearing fishnet stockings and wielding a riding crop. Instead of hard whacks, however, the agency’s clients will receive a painting by Swiss artist Silvia Bächli as a thank-you for their collaboration. Simone Quast’s dress code for the cocktail reception, by the way, is optional.
Editorial

Belief in the Good News «Advertising takes upon itself the mortal sin of the mass media»—that is the verdict of sociologist Niklas Luhmann. And indeed: Advertising seeks to influence and manipulate; it uses tricks and assumes that we expect it to do so. And perhaps that is precisely why advertising—unlike politicians, scientists, or media professionals—plays with its cards on the table. It never deceives us about its true intention: It wants to sell us something—it wants us to spend our money. Advertising declares its motives. Precisely because the advertiser openly reveals their interest in selling, they can be all the more uninhibited in dealing with the memory and motives of the person being courted. Advertising constantly reimprints itself on our forgetful memory. Yet the supposedly new information it conveys is more of an alibi for the intention to remind us that there is something to buy and that certain names and logos deserve special attention. But that does not change the fact that there is no deception regarding the goal of advertising—its communicative motive.
While ideologues and doomsayers on both the left and the right keep trying to sell us the beautiful dream of a terrible world, advertisers unabashedly spread the good news about their products to the world. With this life-affirming, optimistic outlook, they stand pretty much alone in our skeptical present. You can read more about the aesthetics of praise and modern sources of comfort in the interview with media historian Jochen Hörisch on page 37. Samuel Helbling

Despite advertising campaign, there is no run on the latest BZ offspringBy Markus Knöpfli If Solothurn tradespeople don't know a paper, they don't advertise - or only cautiously. The Solothurner Tagblatt, the new split of the Berner Zeitung, is certainly not overrun with advertisers. The ST is now offering obituaries free of charge.
October 20, the day on which the first edition of the Solothurner Tagblatt (ST) was launched, was also the peak day of the first three weeks in terms of advertising volume: There were two pages of small-format advertisements from the Solothurn area at the launch of the new split of the Berner Zeitung (BZ). The ST did not reach a similar volume again until November 10. On twelve out of 19 days, the ST ad volume was well under half a page in some cases; on the remaining days, the ST ran between one and two pages. However, there were only two full-page advertisements: once by a major distributor and once by a company requesting a publicity report.
According to a survey by WerbeWoche, the ST carried an average of half a page of Solothurn advertisements per day. All other advertisements in the ST were either the ST publisher Espace Media Groupe's own advertisements (up to four full-page own advertisements per issue) or advertisements (mostly from Bernese companies) that had been placed in the entire BZ issue.
Competition expected more ads
In other words, the volume of advertisements was not at all impressive. This is all the more surprising in view of the "Four for two" campaign (four ads for the price of two), as this meant that around half of the above-mentioned volume was also free. What is also striking is that in the first three weeks, the ST did not record a single obituary that was booked exclusively in the Solothurn local section. This is a handicap, as obituaries provide an indication of the acceptance and anchoring of a title.
Nevertheless, BZ advertising manager Michael Seiler is "very satisfied". The volume of advertisements is by no means low and the target, which he does not want to specify, has been achieved, he says. It looks all the better because regional real estate and job advertisements can only be placed in the BZ as a whole.
In addition, it must be taken into account that the media plans of the regional clients are also made by the end of the year. There are indications that from next year, the combination of the ST and the free newspaper, which also belongs to Espace Media, will be used more frequently.
Solothurner Woche (discount of around 20 percent). Seiler describes the (still) missing obituaries as an "elementary mainstay", but one that requires a certain amount of time to build up. Until the end of the year, the ST is therefore offering funeral directors the obituaries free of charge, he says.
ST advertising consultant Amanda Glutz also has a "positive" initial assessment: "We budgeted for half a page of Solothurn ads per day - we've more than achieved that so far." The competition is also "positively surprised". "With this lead time and the cracks in ad sales, I have already achieved a larger volume.
We're expecting a lot of people," says Stephan von Arx, branch manager of Publicitas Solothurn, which manages the Solothurner Zeitung (SZ).
Andreas Gasche, Managing Director of the Solothurn Trade Association, suspects that efforts are waning after the "professionally launched" start. "To date, we haven't had any contact with the ST advertising people," he says. And Gasche cites poor consumer sentiment as a further reason: "In difficult times, tradespeople prefer to invest in a title they already know."
SZ arrives earlier

The Solothurner Zeitung is expanding its early delivery service, and smaller communities such as Kriegstetten are now also being served. In some places, this is seen as a reaction to the ST. Publishing director Christian Müller confirms the expansion. According to the contract for the Mittelland-Zeitung, early delivery must be practically nationwide by January 1, he explains. Work has been going on in some regions all year. "But this has nothing to do with the attack from Bern," says Müller.

Private radio stations are postponing the launch dates of their cable second channels in turnBy Daniel Schifferle Hardly any of the second channels for cable that were eagerly planned in the late nineties will be realized in the near future. The launch dates are postponed in turn. The desire to do so has vanished even more after the pioneer - 24 Plus - closed down again at the beginning of November. The second channels are not expecting any substantial advertising income.
In the second half of the nineties, local radio stations were gripped by a real start-up fever. Second programs for older listeners were planned at the drop of a hat. The main aim was to occupy the market with a view to the new transmission technology Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). Today, just two of the seven licensed second channels are on air: Top Two since October 2, 2000 and 32 Goldies since October 24, 2001. Five projects, and thus the majority of the licensed Plus channels, are still on hold. These include Aktuell 2, Sunshine Gold, the two Argovia projects Hit Radio and SwissClassicRock, but 105 Classic is also at least six months behind schedule.
What the second broadcasters who have not yet launched have in common is that they are all much too late and will not be able to meet the deadlines set in their licenses by the time they start broadcasting. Several of them have already received extensions from OFCOM or have pending applications.
The bombshell came at the beginning of November, when the pioneer of second channels - 24 Plus - ceased operations after just one and a half years. Tamedia had not given the channel a chance and therefore excluded it from the takeover of Belcom. The Tamedia decision is a bad omen for all those who are not yet on air. They are no longer as sure of their cause as they were before. "If Radio 24 Plus is shut down hastily, that's alarming," says Sunshine boss Markus Ruoss. He has applied to Bakom to extend the deadline for his Sunshine Gold project by a whole year. "Not only we, but also all other planned second programs have noticed that the preliminary clarifications and market analyses need to be carried out more seriously," says Ruoss, explaining the additional time required.
Full cable networks and excessively high transmission fees
Broadcaster bosses are blaming various reasons for the fading euphoria. Downwardly revised market estimates are only one side of the coin. The most difficult obstacle is unanimously cited as the way into the fully occupied cable networks. Although these networks are constantly expanding their capacities, the additional channels are gone faster than they are created. Another consequence of the shortage of cable slots: Cable network operators are now charging broadcasters money for distribution. In view of the low budgets that characterize second channels, the level of distribution costs can quickly make or break them.
"We want cable distribution for free. Or at least without cash, i.e. we offer the cable provider advertising in return," says Ruoss. "Just like many foreign channels do." Whether the network operators will accept this is questionable, as Radio 32 Goldies, which was launched on October 24, has only just set a precedent in the other direction. The Solothurn second station pays around CHF 100,000 per year for distribution. And this is only for broadcasting in north-western Switzerland. Ruoss: "If you were to convert this to the whole of German-speaking Switzerland, we would end up with an amount of between 300,000 and 500,000 francs for Sunshine Gold." An order of magnitude that he could never agree to. "We're now waiting for the concrete offer promised by Cablecom at the end of November, then we'll see what's what," adds Ruoss.
Marschhalt: Analysis of listener needs on cable
The problem of full cable networks is not new. Two years ago, Ruoss initiated a study that comprehensively analyzed the situation of around 80 radio stations on cable. The study, in which Swisscable, SRG and some private radio stations are participating, aims to clarify which stations are in demand from the public and which are not. The report, which is expected soon, is explosive. This is because it will serve the Swisscable association as a basis for deciding which stations to recommend to its members. This will set the course for which radio programs will be distributed on cable in future and under what conditions. The paper is therefore also eagerly awaited by those responsible for the planned second channels.
However, even if these recommendations for the secondary programs are optimal, i.e. cost-neutral, this is still not enough reason for optimism. "Everything has to be right," says Sunshine boss Ruoss. Among other things, he is looking forward to the results of the usage analysis in the above study, which will give a rough indication of the number of listeners the second channels distributed via cable can expect. In order to clarify all outstanding questions, the latest possible start date stipulated in the license has been postponed by one year. Whether Sunshine Gold will even see the light of day is still very much up in the air. At least that is the answer given by station boss Ruoss to the question of how likely it is that his second station will be launched. "51 percent - or slightly more." The answer reflects the enthusiasm for the new channel, which has been reduced to an absolute low flame.
In the search for cost-effective solutions for cable distribution, all the stops are currently being pulled out. In order to circumvent the distribution costs, some broadcaster bosses want to invoke the switch-on obligation in accordance with Article 47 of the RTVA. 105 Classic has submitted an application to this effect to Bakom. The answer is still pending. Either way, 105 Classic, which has already had the license in the bag for a year, cannot stick to the original timetable. It has also applied to Bakom for an extension of the deadline. "But 105 Classic will start next spring," says 105 boss Giuseppe Scaglione optimistically.
Argovia, which has two cable radio stations in the pipeline, wants to take even more time: Hit Radio and SwissClassicRock. According to the license, both should be launched by December 2001 at the latest. But Argovia Managing Director Roland Baumgartner also wants to postpone the launch by a year. His main argument for the delay: "The costs for cable distribution must be clarified, only then can we calculate properly."
Nobody is under any illusions about income
The reason why new radio programs are in danger of failing because of the distribution costs: you can't earn any money with them, so you shouldn't spend any if possible. The station bosses agree that no substantial income can be expected in the first two to three years. "There is practically nothing to be gained from commercials," says Top boss Günter Heuberger, who has been on air with Top Two for just over a year. He only sees a market for sponsorship. However, he is also aware that he will not be able to recoup the CHF 600,000 annual operating costs for Top Two.
In general, things look bleak for the second channels in terms of advertising. The marketer Radiotele AG has long since waved goodbye. Not a single advertising customer has yet been sold for a secondary program, says Felix Kilchsperger, sales manager of the radio unit. The pressure from the broadcasters, who want to be taken more seriously by Radiotele AG, is not helping. Kilchsperger has clear words for this: "The programs bring neither performance nor extensive listeners to national advertising customers, nor do they open up new groups of listeners. So what's the point?" His assessment of the second channels leaves no room for interpretation. "Who listens to cable radio? It's a shame about the money that broadcasters are wasting on these programs," he grumbles and says: "I would advise private radio stations to invest this money in their first programs, where there is still room for improvement." Kilchsperger does not see any opportunities in the advertising market "with the best will in the world". "If the offers fall through in the bidding phase, I don't see any other way for these stations to get in with advertising clients," he is convinced.
Listener numbers are a hot potato
The most important thing that the new stations lack is listener figures. Such research results would actually be available, as the programs are automatically collected by Publica Data. However, the results are only made public when commissioned and paid for by the broadcasters. And that's where the problem lies. Top boss Günter Heuberger assures us that he has never requested or viewed listener figures from Top Two from Publica Data. "Maybe out of a kind of self-protection," he admits, "maybe I don't really want to know." That is why he cannot provide any information. And this despite the fact that the station has been on cable for over a year.
However, the others are hardly deterred by such unpleasant prospects in terms of listener numbers. Their goals remain more than ambitious. André Moesch believes that his Aktuell 2 can reach "a quarter to a third" of the listenership of the first program. Peter Scheurer is no less optimistic. The station manager expects his 32 Goldies to reach 20,000 listeners after the first year, and even 40,000 in the longer term. "That would mean we would just overtake Musigwälle 531, currently the strongest cable radio station in our coverage area. That is our goal."
The lack of listeners is just one reason for clients not to book. The age spectrum of the target groups addressed also does not meet the current wishes of the advertising industry. This is because the Plus or Oldies programs are by definition aimed at an older audience.
Nevertheless, the two channels already in operation are not free of advertising. But this is only because the commercials from the first program are also broadcast free of charge on the second. This is how Top Two and 32 Goldies do it. However, Peter Scheurer, station manager of 32 Goldies, would like to try to charge "a small additional amount in the region of two francs per second after a year".
Thanks to cheap production, manageable even without income
Such meagre income prospects are only acceptable because the secondary programs are produced at dirt cheap prices. This is made possible by digital studio technology, which can theoretically produce programs by the dozen. One person is enough for handling and announcements - or less: Argovia even plans to employ just one person for both stations, i.e. for Hit Radio and SwissClassicRock. Own productions are therefore hardly to be expected from the secondary programs. In addition to the music carpet, they are largely pure second and third-party exploitation channels of their first programs.
Costs can be kept low with so little effort. Two examples: 32 Goldies uses just CHF 300,000 in operating costs per year. At the other end is Top Two, which spends 600,000 francs. Nevertheless, this is still a lot if no money flows back. So are second channels just cheap playgrounds with a view to DAB, which is a long way off? Aktuell boss Moesch thinks so: "Second channels offer an opportunity to experiment, you learn a lot about handling."
Other broadcasters emphasize the potential of secondary programs in view of the rapidly changing music genres. They are therefore ideally suited as convenient and cost-effective platforms for removing elements that no longer fit into the mainstream. They say that special listener needs can still be catered for on these stations.
Second channels on private radio stations

Regional language Plus variants launched on
24 Plus discontinued on 1. 11. 01
Radio 105 Classic launch postponed
Radio Sunshine Gold launch postponed
Hit Radio launch postponed
SwissClassicRock start postponed
Local/regional Plus variants
Top Two Oct. 2, 2000
Radio 32 Goldies Oct. 24, 2001
Current 2 Start postponed

The TPC's expansion plans are causing unrest in the contract film industry. Urs Wäckerli, President of the Association of Swiss Film and Video Producers (SFVP), has taken the pulse of his members and sent the following statement to WerbeWoche: "It seems somehow strange when the TPC, as a technical service provider for Swiss television DRS, suddenly claims in double-sided, four-color advertisements that it has the professional know-how for image films, commercials, corporate films, training films, etc. It then falls back on the TPC itself. The silly slogan "Anyone can make corporate TV these days" then falls back on the TPC itself. Because good films need good filmmakers! Incidentally, this also applies to commissioned films and commercials. With the professional hardware that the TPC, as a subsidiary of SRG, has in abundance, only a professional filmmaker can make a professional film.
We film producers at SFVP have been warning our clients for years about the so-called "field, forest and meadow producers" who offer film productions at dumping prices without any profound professional experience.
If an aggressive TPC offers itself specifically for fast and cheaply made commissioned productions, caution is also required.
We are now aware of a number of examples where the TPC has booted out independent producers with offers that are far too low. We do not know whether this is possible thanks to hidden cross-subsidization through concession money or out of sheer desperation over too much unused hardware. However, we will continue to keep an eye on the TPC's business practices. Furthermore, it is fundamentally questionable whether SRG's statutory public service mandate is compatible with the shirt-sleeve aggressive business practices of a TPC.
Up to now, we independent producers have sometimes rented hardware and technicians from the TPC. This is now likely to change just as abruptly as the film technology company TPC has become a production company overnight. Urs Wäckerli

Jürgen Häusler has taken over as CEO of the Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux GroupHead of the week "Ten years ago, I had no idea about brands"
Jürgen Häusler could also be a university professor today - professionally, the 46-year-old is already in his second life. As CEO of Interbrand Zintzmeyer&Lux, he has been running the business of one of the most successful brand consulting agencies since the beginning of May. And this despite the fact that ten years ago he had no idea about corporate identity or branding, as Häusler emphasizes.
At that time, he was at the zenith of an academic career: After working at German universities, he worked as a social scientist at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne. The only thing missing to crown his career was a professorship. But Häusler began to have doubts as to whether this was really the dream position: "Academic life in Germany is very much tied to rope teams. It irritated me that relationships count more than actual work." This was compounded by a lack of professional satisfaction: "The last time I worked on a book at university was for four years," Häusler recalls, "and maybe 40 people read it."
A friend at Zintzmeyer&Lux was of a different opinion and persuaded him to switch to the private sector. Häusler took the plunge into the deep end and has never regretted it. He can also make connections to his academic knowledge. One of his areas of research was the consideration of companies as political entities in which conflicts and compromises take place, strategic coalitions are formed and hierarchies are undermined. "I have dealt with such processes on a theoretical level," explains Häusler, "much of which I now encounter in my professional life." He can incorporate this knowledge into his consulting work, which is also about understanding the customer properly. "My academic knowledge helps me more than much of what you learn in business administration," the social scientist is convinced.
His success proved him right: around three months after entering the world of brands, he was already managing the German office of Zintzmeyer&Lux in Bonn and took over Deutsche Telekom as his main client. Further branches were added in Munich and Hamburg, which he managed as Managing Director. Today, nobody would accuse him of having no idea about brands.
Häusler moved to Zurich when he became CEO of the entire Interbrand Zintzmeyer&Lux Group. However, he still spends half the week in Germany. He has already become accustomed to commuting as Managing Director of the German offices. "The only thing that has changed," says the CEO, "is the direction of travel." Bruno Amstutz

Mediabox enters print marketing with a youth magazine poolBy Bruno Amstutz Mediabox, previously known for the placement of special advertising formats, is opening a print division and is now marketing a youth pool with the magazines Kult, Forecast and Seventh Sky.
The decision by Kult magazine to part company with its previous marketer RMB at the end of 2001 provided the impetus for the opening of the youth pool. However, the Mediabox agency did not want to market a single magazine "so as not to irritate the market", as co-owner Sandro Proietto explains. Nevertheless, Kult will be marketed exclusively by Mediabox in future. The agency has also created a youth pool with the titles Kult, Forecast and Seventh Sky. If all three titles are placed in the same month, Mediabox will grant a 5 percent combination discount. The agency is setting up an independent print division with two employees to market the magazines.
Proietto sees the young audience as the common denominator between below-the-line advertising media and magazines. In addition, the publishers of Seventh Sky and Forecast are also active as providers of below-the-line advertising media. According to Proietto, Mediabox required the magazines to have national relevance and differentiated content. With Kult and its trendy, elitist claim, Forecast, which focuses on going out and parties, and Seventh Sky, which focuses on trend sports and mass culture, Mediabox believes these requirements have been met.
Together, the three magazines achieve a print run of between 145,000 and 245,000 copies. The difference is based on the concept of the title Seventh Sky, which is printed four times a year as a normal edition with a circulation of 35,000 copies and six times a year as a People edition with a circulation of 135,000 copies. Kult produces ten issues per year, Forecast twelve. As a bilingual magazine, Seventh Sky is the only one of the three titles to also have a presence in French-speaking Switzerland.
According to Proietto, the pool for youth magazines could be expanded in the future. He names cinema magazines or niche titles as candidates.
Cultural combination

At practically the same time as the Youth Pool, Medienpool Kultur is launching the cultural titles Saiten, Das Kulturmagazin and ProgrammZeitung. All three titles are regionally based: Saiten in the St. Gallen area, Das Kulturmagazin in the Lucerne area and ProgrammZeitung in the Basel area. According to the press release, the three titles have a combined circulation of 21,000 copies and reach 60,000 readers interested in culture.

Objective: Launch of the new virtual trading and information platform Admarketplace.ch.Publimedia Advertising media: Full banner, button. Usage: November and December.
Client: Publimedia, Zurich; Responsibility: Markus Ehrle, Account Director; Jean-Christophe Francet, Product Manager; Andi Gemperle, Project Manager. Agency: Publicis, Zurich (advertisements); Compugrafx (banners). Placement agency: Publimedia Webadvertising AG, Zurich; responsibility: Tobias Fehrlin.