The goal of the campaign is to engage end consumers in a playful way, the agency wrote in a statement Thursday. And so Wunderman has pre-selected the most relevant features of Office 365 for the two groups and put them in the center in a question-and-answer style.

The banners will be visible throughout Switzerland on various online platforms until the end of October.

Responsible at Microsoft: Daniel Furger (Senior Marcom Lead, Consumer Segment), Fredi Zohar (Digital Marketing & Social Lead), Clarissa Vollmeier (Product Marketing Manager). Responsible at Wunderman (Member of Y&R Group Switzerland): Thomas Engeli (ECD), Daniel Schranz (AD), Carl Gustav Stahl (graphics), Laureen Zanotti (text), Kirtanya Naidu (consulting). Responsible at Isobar: Betül Cam (Senior Account Manager Digital).

WW: Is it a logical step to enter the world of game development with your boutique for animated films?
Mike Huber: Absolutely. In media terms, the moving image has long since become interactive or at least gone "online". But it also makes a lot of technical sense: many of the high-end 3D technologies used in films now come from the world of games - and no longer the other way around. What's more, our expertise in storytelling, design and 3D animation is almost crying out for us to move into the gaming sector.
 
What triggered the impulse to found IF Games?
Philipp Zünd: IF Games grew out of Boutiq. When it became clear to us that games would continue to play an important role in our lives in the future, we decided to strategically separate the division in order to be able to present ourselves more clearly on the market and also to open up the possibility of involving investors or funding.
 
What does "IF" actually mean?
Huber: On the one hand, it quite banal embodies the "if" from the programming formula "if ... then". On the other hand, it could be an abbreviation for "interactive fiction", for example, as we have a great love of narrative games.
 
"The Perils of Man" was a commissioned production for Swiss Re. What had to be changed for the version that is now available to the public?
Zünd: We didn't have to change much, as we worked with the client early on in the development process to ensure that Swiss Re remained in the background, but that the game experience was all the more important. This is the only way to make the game interesting for the gaming community, regardless of whether it is a branded game or not. But of course, the more we took full responsibility for the success of the game, the greater our ambition became. We invested a lot in the visual and content details. We also made all the preparations to be able to release the Android and PC/Mac versions very quickly after the release of the iOS version.
 
How interested is the advertising industry in games - in Switzerland and abroad?
Zünd: There are already a lot of very successful campaigns abroad, as the gaming world is no longer seen as "kids' stuff". In Switzerland, this channel is not yet taken as seriously. However, there is a great deal of interest and we see it as an opportunity, but there is often a lack of courage. With Swiss Re and Minor, the first daring companies have decided to take this path, and we are sure that these brands will go down in Swiss gaming history as pioneers!
 
Will IF Games also develop games without a specific order from third parties in the future?
Huber: That is a very important and possible scenario. It's similar to the advertising film industry: those who have already made feature films are also taken more seriously in advertising. But, as always, the financing has to be in place. That's why it will probably always be a mixture of commissioned and independent projects.
 
You were in Japan last week. What are the chances that your award-winning game in Switzerland will also be marketed abroad?
Huber: We are in talks with well-known companies who want to localize, publish and possibly market our game. The Japanese are crazy about games. An "import" of a game like "The Perils of Man", which is also very well received stylistically, makes a lot of sense. Of course, we hope that this will happen.
 
Interview: Andreas Panzeri

In the middle of the summer slump, the Avignon Festival had just ended, "Le Monde" dealt with the poor record of the French Minister of Culture, Aurélie Filippetti. The quality newspaper did it in a rather perfidious way: It described the minister as a political turncoat who had turned from a Green to a Red. She had kept it up with Ségolène Royal and Dominique Strauss-Kahn. And after the latter's arrest in New York, she switched to comrade François Hollande. "To now throw herself into the arms of Arnaud Montebourg." No average reader of the "Monde" could have guessed that this was meant very literally.

A few weeks later, Minister Montebourg resigned from the government, for ideological reasons. Filippetti surprisingly took her hat with him. In the spring, she had fought as tenaciously as successfully for her portfolio during the government reshuffle and defended the austerity policy in culture. Now everything was suddenly very different: Hollande had betrayed his and her ideals, and she wrote this in an open letter in "Le Monde." Only insiders could make sense of her behavior.

We vaguely remembered the insinuation in the serious world newspaper. The truth about the enigmatic resignation was finally announced three weeks later by the magazine "Paris Match": Filippetti and Montebourg are lovers. Montebourg had previously presented the prominent TV journalist Audrey Pulvar to the public as his last partner. And the Minister of Culture, in a fit of abuse of power at the publisher Antoine Gallimard a year ago, tried to ban the key and adulterous novel "Moments d'un couple" by the actress Nelly Alard. Alard wrote from the perspective of the betrayed wife. Gallimard had previously published Filippetti's novel about the same affair - from the lover's point of view.

It was only thanks to the sex affairs of Dominique Strauss- Kahn that François Hollande was able to become president. Everything was supposed to be better and the incest of media women and men in power was supposed to end. With his girlfriend Valérie Trierweiler, Hollande moved into the Elysée. In January, the gossip magazine "Closer" reported Hollande's liaison with actress Julie Gayet. Trierweiler retaliated with a book; it is the bestseller of the year.

France protects privacy like no other country - it hails trials and convictions. This is good and has many negative consequences, the debates about it have been going on since DSK. All journalists were informed about his behavior. Only the common people of the readers were not told anything. The newspapers vowed less restraint since then.

The dialectic of quality press and gossip magazines - as in the Filippetti case - continues to be practiced. But the media are less restrained. The news channel France Info set up a people section and reported - second-hand, of course - on the new woman at Pierre Moscovici's side. She is thirty years younger and was his employee at the ministry. A year ago, Moscovici presented a student as his mistress. In the famous Café de Flors in Paris, he had himself photographed making love. Politicians, too, have the right to a private life - certainly according to their own ideas - and its protection. But the fact that the EU commissioner designated by Hollande and rejected by the Germans because of the French deficit economy failed practically at the same time at the obviously unprepared hearing before the European Parliament is not entirely insignificant in this context. At the very least, it makes a bad impression.

Hollande is also the only one to worry about politically. "Closer" just reported that his affair continues to flourish: practically every evening Julie Gayet comes to the Elysée. Incidentally, the dangerous love affairs of politicians do not only lead to resignations. Sometimes they make possible a surprising comeback. And family reunions.

Trierweiler's expulsion from the Elysée made possible the return to government of Ségolène Royal, the mother of Hollande's four children, who no longer wanted to see him.
 

Michael Benz from the advertising agency responsible had expected "several dozen" candidates, as he told SDA on Tuesday (Werbewoche.ch reported). On the very first day, it became clear that this estimate was far too modest: 600 applications were received within hours. And the rush continued: On Thursday, the FCZ women's media office announced that more than 1500 applications had been received within 48 hours. The search will therefore be discontinued. Originally, those interested could have applied until Sunday.

Which eleven men will ultimately be allowed to walk into the Letzigrund Stadium holding the players' hands will probably be decided by lot, as FCZ women's managing director Marion Daube said on Thursday when asked. The plan had actually been to have the players selected as a jury. But that is probably impossible until Monday. Those selected will be informed on Monday. However, no one will go away empty-handed: everyone who registers will automatically receive a voucher for two free tickets.

First leg won 5:2

The FCZ women were "completely surprised" by the onslaught. It remains to be seen whether the campaign will be repeated. If the Zurich women were to progress, it would not be out of the question to give other applicants the chance to be escorts. According to Daube, the FCZ women won the first leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League final against ZNK Osijek 5:2 on Wednesday evening in Croatia. The home game for the Zurich women will take place next Wednesday at the Letzigrund in Zurich. (SDA)
 

The takeover of the title and its employees is retroactive to October 1, according to a joint media release issued on Thursday. With the takeover, AZ Medien is supplementing its portfolio of trade magazines in the building technology sector. AZ Medien's magazine division publishes special interest magazines such as Wir Eltern, Kochen, Fitforlife and Natürlich, as well as trade publications for home technology and industry. According to the company, the acquisition of Haustech will provide a useful addition to its product range in the building services sector, with the existing titles HK-Gebäudetechnik, Elektrotechnik ET and Bâtitech (French-speaking Switzerland), and further expand its expertise. The portfolio of technical trade magazines also includes the titles Technica, Megalink and Chemie plus, which are geared to the industrial sector.

In the business segment, Axel Springer Schweiz intends to concentrate on the titles Handelszeitung, Bilanz, PME Magazine, Schweizer Bank and Schweizer Versicherung.

Overall, the total value of all 100 listed brands rose to a record value of 1.6 trillion US dollars - a total increase of 6.65% compared to the previous year. Once again, the German brands are proving particularly strong - almost all of them have recorded significant increases in value. Audi, Volkswagen, Allianz and Porsche even recorded double-digit gains. Audi and Volkswagen are the winners among the German brands, with brand value increases of 27 and 23 percent respectively. Hugo Boss and DHL are also pleased about their new entry into the ranking. The transportation service provider with US roots is also the highest newcomer. Mercedes-Benz is the only German brand to make it into the top 10 most valuable brands.

With a brand value increase of 21%, Apple's brand value rose to 118.9 billion US dollars, making it by far the most valuable brand in the world. The success of the technology brand continued unabated in 2014. In North America, Apple was able to reach a truce in the dispute over patent rights with competitor Samsung, which continues to dominate smartphone sales. The market launch of the Apple Watch will secure further market share for the technology giant in the future. The strong competition should not cause Apple any problems for the time being, as the Apple Watch is currently the most powerful smartwatch on the market. Software such as Apple's CarPlay also opens up completely new possibilities. It will be interesting to see how effectively Apple will use brand partnerships with healthcare, automotive and other companies, for example.

"The renewed double-digit growth in brand value makes it clear that the Apple story continues to be written consistently. Apple Pay, CarPlay and the Apple Watch are examples of how the brand is penetrating all areas of our lives," says J Justus Schneider, Chief Executive Officer Interbrand Central and Eastern Europe. Apple is becoming the "digital hub for consumers" that Steve Jobs foresaw back in 2001.

The motto of this year's Best Global Brands Report is "The Age of You". This means that people are becoming increasingly connected - via cell phones, cars and even in the home - everything is becoming "smarter". Brands will have to adapt to this and make an effort for each and every one of us. They will need to turn the brand experience into a communal experience, from monologue to dialog and ultimately into a fully curated experience for each individual. Leading brands will manage to develop integrated ecosystems around the individual consumer - so-called "mecosystems".

For Justus Schneider, Apple, with its vision of making everything in our lives easier, is the best example: "Individual products are highly relevant and deliver an authentic brand experience, but the more important aspect is how these products work together. The Apple ecosystem is the measure of all things and should give food for thought to any company that views its products in isolation."

Google in 2nd place

The other major pioneer for the age of the individual - Google - continues to grow unabated with a 15 percent increase in brand value. Google is now much more than just a search engine; in the past two years alone, the technology company has spent over 17 billion US dollars on acquisitions to add biotech companies, robotics technology, artificial intelligence and wearables to its portfolio. With the aim of gaining more information about people in order to provide more personalized information for people.

The newcomers of the year

Five brands make it into the top 100 for the first time in 2014: DHL, Land Rover, FedEx, Huawei and Hugo Boss. The highest newcomer is DHL - the global logistics company with American roots and headquarters in Bonn enters the exclusive club of the 100 most valuable brands for the first time, as does FedEx. With a brand value of 5.08 billion US dollars, DHL ranks 81st, well ahead of its competitor, which has a brand value of 4.4 billion US dollars and is ranked 92nd. Many years of systematic brand development at DHL, above all through consistent branding of services with the DHL brand and continuous investment in product innovations, have led to a significant increase in presence and awareness among customers.

"At DHL, as with other logistics service providers, the proportion of brand-induced sales has risen significantly. Customers are becoming increasingly aware of which company they commission. DHL has recognized the role of the brand and uses it consistently," notes Justus Schneider.

Against this backdrop in particular, the consistent improvements in the area of sustainability are also an important driver of economic success and brand value. Customers reward the sustainable orientation of the business.

With Land Rover in 91st place, another automotive brand storms up the rankings. The strategy of consistently developing the Land Rover brand on the basis of its core values is now paying off for the parent company Tata. Huawei (94th place) is the first Chinese brand to be among the 100 most valuable brands in the world. The telecommunications equipment supplier is now the third-largest smartphone manufacturer after Samsung and Apple.

With Hugo Boss, another German brand enters the Best Global Brands in 97th place - with a brand value of 4.14 billion US dollars. With its positioning "HUGO BOSS inspires people towards success", the brand is on the verge of becoming one of the leading global fashion brands in the premium and luxury segment. Formerly known for the perfectly fitting business suit, the Hugo Boss umbrella brand now encompasses the Boss, Boss Orange, Boss Green and Hugo brands for men and women. Each of the individual Boss brands is clearly positioned. Hugo Boss is pushing sales via e-commerce with enormous energy and linking digital media with online shopping. The brand is able to integrate its sponsoring commitments and brand ambassadors into its own eCommerce like almost no other premium fashion brand.

The top climbers: Facebook, Audi, Amazon, Nissan, Volkswagen and Starbucks

With sensational brand value growth of 86 percent to 14.35 billion US dollars, Facebook is the winner with the greatest momentum in the Best Global Brands for the second year in a row, rocketing from 52nd to 29th place. The brand is in a state of rapid growth. The company is trying to address the topics of mobile, security and self-control, which are particularly important for social media, with technical innovations that give users more control over their own data. Acquisitions of other innovation leaders, such as What's App, illustrate the strategy: to be the communication platform for entire generations. However, just like Amazon or eBay, Facebook must successfully position and differentiate itself in the digital market of tomorrow in order to avoid being overtaken by new young brands such as Ello.

Audi recorded the second-highest growth. With a remarkable 27 percent increase in brand value to 9.8 billion US dollars, the car manufacturer is in 45th place, making Audi one of the winners in this year's ranking. Recognizability and stringency in design across all model series, sophistication in the interior and focused messages in communication appeal well to Audi's target groups. The sales figures clearly show that this formula works in a competitive environment. With over 1.57 million vehicles sold in the year, Audi has surpassed its own record from 2012 by 8.3 percent. Mercedes and BMW still have many times the brand value, but the gap will certainly continue to shrink if Audi continues to consistently implement its technological roadmap from lightweight construction, electrification and infotainment to driver assistance and seamlessly networks real and digital touchpoints. The third-largest climber this year is Amazon. The online retailer grew by 25 percent and rose to 15th place, followed by Nissan and Volkswagen with 23 percent brand value growth each and Starbucks with an increase of 22 percent.

Automotive brands dominate the rankings once again

Overall, the automotive industry is clearly back on course for growth worldwide. 14 of the 100 most valuable brands come from the automotive sector and are all extremely fast-growing. The five German brands can also boast high increases in value: Mercedes-Benz manages an 8 percent increase in brand value, making the Stuttgart-based carmaker the only German brand to make it into the top 10 and, at 34.34 billion US dollars, it also remains the most valuable German brand. BMW remains close on the heels of Mercedes-Benz and climbs to 11th place with a brand value of 34.21. Audi is even one of the top climbers this year, moving up to 45th place with a value increase of 27 percent. Volkswagen is the second fastest growing brand in the segment, rising 23 percent to 31st place. In recent years, the brand has successfully positioned itself as a "Volkswagen" with premium appeal. Porsche also climbs four places to 60th place and achieves a brand value of 7.17 billion US dollars with an increase of 11 percent.

Toyota is now the most successful car brand in the ranking for the third year in a row. With a 20 percent increase in brand value, the Japanese car manufacturer improved to eighth place. However, all other car brands also recorded high increases in brand value. Nissan is also up 23%, rising nine places to 56th, while Honda has improved by 17% and remains stable in 20th place. Ford and Hyundai now occupy 39th and 40th place, with increases of 18% and 16% respectively. 15 and 13 percent increases in brand value respectively give Kia a new 74th place and Harley-Davidson a new 87th place. The US car manufacturer Chevrolet, new to the ranking last year, rises further this year to 82nd place. This year's newcomer Land Rover takes 91st place with a brand value of 4.47 billion US dollars.

Technology sector is the sector with the highest overall brand value

With a total brand value of 479.43 billion US dollars, the technology industry is once again the most valuable sector this year. Four of the technology brands are in the top 10 - two of which, Apple and Google, lead the ranking. Samsung is still trying to catch up with its competitor Apple. The South Korean technology brand managed to move up to 7th place with a 15% increase in value. For the first time in the history of the Best Global Brands, a Chinese brand has now also made it into the ranking. With a brand value of 4.31 billion US dollars, Huawei is now ranked 94th.

However, despite the continued great success of the industry, some brands from the technology sector have not managed to increase their brand value. Formerly leading brands such as Nokia and Nintendo in particular have failed to position themselves as relevant to consumers across all platforms and touchpoints, falling 44% and 33% respectively to 98th and 100th place. The technology company Dell is no longer included in the ranking due to its privatization in 2013.

Financial sector remains third strongest industry

Without exception, all eleven financial brands in this year's ranking have increased in value. The biggest increase in brand value was recorded by Santander, with an increase of 16 percent to 5.38 billion US dollars. The Spanish banking brand has thus moved up nine places to 75th place. Allianz can be pleased about the second largest increase in brand value of 15 percent. With a new brand value of 7.7 billion US dollars, the German financial services provider has moved significantly ahead of competitor AXA and is now ranked 55th. The French financial group improved by 14 percent to 8.12 billion US dollars and moved up to 53rd place. However, American Express remains the most valuable financial services provider in 23rd place, with a brand value of 19.5 billion US dollars. HSBC improved by eight percent, J.P. Morgan by nine, Goldman Sachs by three and Citi by ten percent.

Even the bank Morgan Stanley, which suffered a significant loss in brand value last year, was able to make up for this in 2014 and improve by 11%. Visa and Mastercard can also look back on a successful year and significant brand value increases of 10% and 13% respectively.

Nescafé remains Switzerland's most valuable brand

Nescafé remains the most valuable Swiss brand in 2014. With an increase in brand value of seven percent to 11.4 billion US dollars, the Swiss brand is ranked 38th. With an increase in value of six percent, Nestlé continues to successfully assert itself as the second Swiss brand in the ranking. The food manufacturer improved to 54th place with a brand value of 8 billion US dollars.

Interbrand's full Best Global Brands Report 2014, with detailed analysis, videos and interviews is available at Bestglobalbrands.com and under Interbrand.com.

Brand valuation by Interbrand

Interbrand's brand valuation methodology consists of three main components: an analysis of the financial performance of the brand's products or services, the importance of the brand in the purchasing decision and the competitive strength of the brand. These are preceded by a segmentation decision, and at the end of the process these areas are all brought together to calculate the financial value of the brand. Interbrand thus relates three parameters that contribute to the brand value:

- The entrepreneurial success of the brand, which results from the company's key financial figures

- The impact of the brand on the customer, which indicates how important the brand's contribution to the purchase decision actually is - the greater the role of the brand, the greater the share of the company's value

- Relative brand strength, which measures the ability of a brand to secure future profits and compares its value with the competition

Brand valuation provides an in-depth insight into how the brand creates demand and forms the bridge between the impact of the brand in its markets and the economic value created in the company.

Criteria for Best Global Brands

Every year, Interbrand publishes the "Best Global Brands" ranking, listing the 100 most valuable global brands. To be included in the ranking, they must fulfill five criteria:

- Firstly, sufficient, publicly accessible marketing and financial data must be available.

- Secondly, the brand must have a global presence and generate significant income in the most important global markets. In other words, at least one third of sales must be generated outside the country of origin.

- Thirdly, the brand must achieve a high market presence through communication.

- Fourthly, the Economic Value Added (EVA) must be positive.

- Fifthly, the brand's target group must not consist exclusively of B2B customers; the brand must have a large presence and awareness among end consumers.

The brand value shown corresponds to the present value of the income expected in the future, which is exclusively attributable to the presence of the brand.
 

A corporate brand - like people - can best be captured on the basis of characteristic features and attributes. "Brand Profiler" is the name of the strategy tool used by the Zurich agency Heads Corporate Branding to "secure evidence" in the search for the true brand essence. To do this, the marketing specialists make use of the mindset and methods of criminal psychologists. To capture a brand's true personality, Heads not only interviews internal and external "witnesses at the corporate crime scene," but also explores behavioral motives of all reference groups. "These are tested for rational and emotional relevance in the market environment," as Heads Managing Director Ralph Hermann explains.

Learning from the professional

As part of the Perikom Good Practice series at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Heads presented its brand profiling ideas to an interested audience last week. The title of the well-attended event: "Brand Management Becomes a Crime Story." In the process, Europe's leading criminal psychologist Thomas Müller from Vienna provided insight into his thinking. The case analyst with FBI profiler training was actually able to substantiate the suspicion that brands and customers have a lot in common with criminal profiling if they have the right mindset.

"It's not what someone says that counts, but what they do," was one of Müller's key statements. In advertising, he said, many things are naturally portrayed more beautifully than they are in reality. "But one day the truth will come out on the table." Müller knows from his job: "When someone makes a decision that is important to them, they don't lie at that moment." Accordingly, from the customer's point of view, a purchase at the POS will also hardly be decisively based on argumentation from a tissue of lies.

The secret of the customer

Because all people have different needs when they decide on something, the next step is to be able to correctly define a genuine need for a product even before advertising. "As a profiler, I don't know a perpetrator at all. I can only analyze his behavior and see where he makes which decisions," Müller said, drawing the comparison that a customer who is still unknown to the supplier can be researched in exactly the same way as a profiler has to narrow down the character and intentions of a still unknown murderer.

The following applies to both killers and customers: human behavior is needs-oriented. For high-profile marketing, this means that I absolutely have to be able to reconstruct the respective needs of my customers. And I need to be able to do this at every step of their "crime" - from reading the first print ads, to the journey to the "crime scene," to the "slam" at the POS.

The profile of the brand

In the opposite case, i.e. for profiling a brand, the profiler advises that a company should in any case also go back to its roots once again. "What was the reason that this product ever existed in the first place?" Once this original need has been identified, it can be adapted to today's times and re-advertised accordingly with a rebranding.

And if the customer prepares to leave the "crime scene" without having bought anything? This is also where the "Colombo" in the head of marketing might take another look and ask: "What can an unhappy customer say about my company and its products?" The behavior of everyone involved can be seen as an additional source of information, according to Profiler. "Even the behavior of rejected customers."

Accompanying Thomas Müller's professional insights, Heads used practical examples to show how the agency is already using approaches from criminal psychologists to obtain startling insights into the uniqueness of a brand personality. Branding as a search for clues. For Heads, "all signs" indicate that we are "facing a weighty paradigm shift" in brand management. No longer should consumers fall in love with our brands, but brands should love their consumers. "No more lovebrands?" is the heretical question. Brands are thus understood as "relationship offers ". Brands are humanized and the interaction between people and brands is equated with basic principles of human relationships. And where there are relationships, there are also relationship problems - which brings us back to the educational work of the "Criminal Profiler".

Andreas Panzeri
 

I've been preaching all my life that continuity is one of the keys to successful and sustainable advertising. And now I'm trying to figure out when a message has done its job and when it starts to get on your nerves. Fortunately, there is no measuring instrument or mathematical formula that can tell you when the message is over. But in the case of certain penetrating advertising messages, the existence of such an instrument, which would give a clear stop signal, would be a stroke of luck.

I came across this moth idea in the car while listening to a radio station that used every opportunity to remind me of its name over and over again. Then I changed the annoying station and the stress continued identically. Then radio off! To make things worse, the same radio spot was broadcast far too often. Aired only his bullshit. TV spot example: "The man explains to the woman why it is absolutely and immediately necessary to go by car to the ass of the world to buy furniture." I don't think this spot is that bad, but it's just a case of "a steady drop perks up the idea". Why don't you create a sequel, for example "Buying furniture where the fox and the hare say good night to each other"?

My theory: advertising for a product must be able to be precisely identified immediately in a fraction of a second. A smoking cowboy in the backlight of the Sierra Nevada. The jingle "Dä, därädädä", "the Omega-wearing, now no longer bachelor, who doesn't matter". Or the two Basler Deppen "das muesch gseh ha". Successful and great concepts.

But the success is not the idea, but the variations of the idea. And that's where my theory starts to work. A Marlboro cowboy never appeared boring or chummy. He was just there, in his country. To stop boredom in Jägermeister advertising, we created about 2000 different subjects at GGK. Repetition kills. Then it's better not to advertise. Mr. Fischer from the Wädenswil bedding factory may remain the only exception.

Be more diverse, colorful, bold, fun, less customer-centric and more consumer-centric. The standout of the week was the effort by Carlo Torre for the website that has been planned for years. Goes online in November: Tingerbutzmarketing.ch.

Theophil Butz, graphic designer, advertising agency owner, inspirer and, for more than three years now, mothballs for Werbewoche readers. Pertinent references please to [email protected].
 

Oli is on the road as a travel ambassador for Helvetic Tours until the end of the year. As a man for all (travel) occasions, he takes travel enthusiasts on a virtual vacation in the current "Oli unterwägs" campaign. In six entertaining videos, he provides information and travel tips for Helvetic Tours vacation destinations and shares them on social media.

Some of the videos can be warmly recommended. And not just because viewers can win a week's vacation in Turkey. (uma)

To the spots
 

This is in keeping with the campaign's motto: "There is an extremely large amount to say about organic products with the bud on them. You have to talk extremely fast if you want to say the most important things in a nutshell".

In the three short films, you learn a lot of interesting facts about organic yogurt, pizza and cream cheese. If listening to the films is a bit too fast for you, you can also watch them in slow motion. But users can also practice their speed narration skills in a competition on the microsite and the Facebook page. They have to say a predefined text about the cream cheese into the webcam. And they have to do it as fast as possible. An e-bike will be raffled off among the ten fastest.

The campaign will start at the beginning of October. Online banners, pre-roll spots and Facebook ads will be used.

Responsible at Bio Suisse: Jürg Schenkel (Marketing Manager), Sylvia Gysin (Project Manager Marketing Communication Advertising). Responsible at Leo Burnett Switzerland: Pedro Moosmann, David Hugentobler, Lukas Tauss (Creation), Pablo Schencke (CD), Johannes Raggio (ECD), Michael Gassler, Ingrid Zumkehr (Consulting), Suzana Kovacevic (Art Buying). Responsible at &Sons: Tobias Weber (Director). Responsible at Xeit: Andrea Iltgen (Consulting). Responsible at AMS Media: Michael Richner (Media Planning).
 

Werbeweischer has been a member of SAWA for 15 years. For the past ten years, Florian Weischer has played a key role in shaping the work of the association as Vice President. "Cinema is in competition with other digital moving image channels such as smart TV or online. I see strengthening our medium as a powerful and high-quality channel in the communication mix as one of our main tasks in the association," says Florian Weischer, adding: "Now that Carl Martin Klingberg has successfully led SAWA into the digital age, the focus in future will be on developing fully integrated digital workflows and - associated with this - new business models for cinema advertising and establishing them on the market."
 

WW: Recently, your famous colleague and compatriot Jean Remy von Matt was in the south of France to be best man at the dream wedding of the new dream couple Veronica Ferres and Carsten Maschmeyer. That made headlines. Didn't you have an invitation?
Dr. Peter Haller: With respect, I don't know either Ms. Ferres or Mr. Maschmeyer personally, but I wish them good luck. Otherwise, I have to say that I'm not a fan of glitz and glamour appearances. That's not my thing, and it's not the thing of our company. By the way, at the time we had 400 guests here in Munich for Innovation Day 2014, discussing current developments with international experts. Even though Romano Prodi had to cancel due to health reasons, I enjoy such events. I am a service provider, not a showmaster.

Nevertheless, together with Jean Remy and Holger Jung, you are somehow among the last of the Mohicans in the European advertising industry. Both your agency Serviceplan and JvM are very successful, don't belong to any network and are owner-managed. Do you have an exit date?
No, I feel very good. I'm also proud that I organized my succession back in 2002 and that my son Florian took over. I no longer have any shares in Serviceplan. In this respect, I am no longer a decision-maker. But I am involved. What I say is my honest opinion and not my material interest.

But you are still managing director and the fact that Serviceplan is Europe's largest independent agency today is due in part to your success. The group has almost 2 billion euros in billings and you are over 70 and in the office every day. The number 105 makes for childrenWhy is Europe's number 1 practicing so much modesty?
Quite simply: Because the facts speak for us. Serviceplan is number 1 in the German creative rankings. We've been growing at double-digit rates for years, and our media agency Media Plus is also number 1 worldwide in terms of innovation, according to Recma. We make profits because we're the only agency that works fully integrated under one roof. Our management style is face-to-face and family-oriented. That's why management doesn't sit in an ivory tower somewhere, but down here on the first floor. My door is always open.

Serviceplan has been setting one sales record after another for years. What is the secret of your success?
Despite our size, we are a flexible company. For the holding company meeting, every Monday from 1 to 3 p.m., there are five of us at the table in Munich, my son Florian, Ronald Focken and Florian von Hornstein, and Alex Schill. We can decide immediately, We don't have to ask in Tokyo, London, Paris or New York. Our second pillar of success is continuity in personnel policy. The management team has remained unchanged for more than 10 years. Added to this is the success factor of our partner participation model. Every single one of our 60 specialist companies is run by managing directors who have a substantial stake in the company, which reduces the fluctuation rate to almost zero. This increases motivation and team spirit. We are here with people who understand each other and whom I like. That is an incredible privilege.

Your biggest coup?
That I have found the right successor in my son. I am proud of that. I handed over the agency to him in 2002 with 500 people, and now there are almost 2,000.

Serviceplan chose Switzerland in 2012. At the end of the famous Maja calendar, on 21.12.2012, Serviceplan Suisse opened in Zurich. It was supposed to be the start of a "golden age". Did it really turn out so golden?
In Switzerland, Serviceplan also relies on the pillars of creation, classic media and multimedia. We had found the ideal partners in Christian Baertschi and Sasha Moser at BMB. Started with 10, today the number of employees in the advertising agency alone is 35. For health reasons, Sasha Moser had to retire and we hired two experienced creatives, Raul Serrat and Christian Sommer. In addition to the creative agency, the network also includes Plan.Net Suisse AG and a stake in Media Schneider, which is proven to be the best media agency in Switzerland.

Why did you found Serviceplan in Switzerland in the first place?
The market is not very big. But there are some very important corporate headquarters there. Moreover, the market is not as price-driven as in Germany. The principle of "live and let live" still applies there.

Von Matt complains publicly about the Swiss ADC, Amir Kassaei from DDB unpacks the hatchet whenever possible. You, on the other hand, don't have anyone who really goes to town. Are you too much in need of harmony?
In fact, scandal was and is an effective instrument for drawing attention to oneself. Let's take my great hobby, the art collection. From Beuys to Baselitz, from Courbet to Richter to Hirst: they have all broken taboos, caused scandals, in order to make themselves known. But that is not our culture. I'm a trained economist, I studied economics. I know how to act sustainably and successfully as a service provider. In my philosophy, scandal simply has no place. But it's true that we are cautious in our public relations work. For example, we didn't take part in creative competitions in the past.

That changed decisively with the installation of your top creative Alexander Schill. With him, Serviceplan suddenly received international attention. Your Chief Creative Officer Schill has been collecting advertising Oscars on a permanent subscription basis since 2010. How much longer can you keep him?
It's true: We discovered a top man for our team in Alex in 2006. He installed another "house of communication" for Serviceplan in his hometown of Hamburg. Since 2008, he has been Managing Director and substantive partner of the entire Serviceplan Group. The big step into a new world for Serviceplan is the responsibility of my son Florian. He installed the "Best Brands" brand Oscar here in Munich from 2004, and the "Innovation Day" with well-known and famous speakers from 2005. Florian also initiated and promoted the internationalization of our agency group. We are very satisfied, we are growing far above average and I know that our CCO Alex Schill feels very comfortable in this environment.

At BMW, the creation was probably not so well received recently. In any case, Serviceplan had to hand over the creative budget to Munich-based competitor Heye, of all people. What went wrong there?
It is the law of competition that one of many budgets changes. We face up to that and respect the decision. Just to add: We only lost 15 percent of our BMW business with the BMW budget for Germany. BMW therefore remains a relevant customer of ours. We hold various BMW accounts both nationally and internationally.

Film man Til Schweiger recently declared in the Süddeutsche Zeitung that 19 out of 20 German commercials are sh... What do you say to that?
That's sheer ignorance. The Germans are at the forefront of creative awards today, even on TV. The German scene doesn't need any coaching from this side. Putting yourself on a pedestal and putting others down is as transparent as it is stupid.

Is it actually true that you wanted to become an opera singer?
Yes, that was my big dream. Actually against the will of my parents. At the time, I was training to sing with a well-known Wagner singer in Munich. But then hay fever thwarted my plans. I couldn't sing because of the allergy and then studied economics with little enthusiasm.

You came to advertising after your studies via the Carl Gabler advertising agency. You then moved to Dorland, a well-known Munich agency at the time. Why did you leave there and found Serviceplan?
The actual trigger at that time was the Dorland customer Champignon Camembert. The brand had great success with the TV campaign. The story: Two liveried servants present the green cheese box with the three mushrooms on the red carpet. The claim: "Ambassador of good taste". In contrast to the trade, however, the Champignon management was not at all happy. They found the somewhat artificial ambience embarrassing. They offered me their budget if I would leave Dorland. That is what I did. Together with Rolf O. Stempel, who was also at Dorland, I started my own business with Serviceplan in January 1970. Unfortunately, Rolf passed away in February 2013.

The interview was conducted by our Germany correspondent Peter Ehm

Best Seller China

A lion in front of a product? - Not possible. Chinese people throwing themselves on the ground in front of a store? - Not at all. No national flag and no showing a dragon: These are just a few Chinese advertising laws.

Kathrin Guethoff (photo) knows these rules, which, by the way, are not written down anywhere. The Munich native has been living in Beijing for nine years, knows the script and language of the host country and is now head of Serviceplan Beijing together with Roger Strack.

Not even a year old, the agency already has 30 employees. If it wins the pitch in November, the creative director will have to hire 40 new people. The list of Beijing clients includes Shell, DHL, Osram, WMF and Metro. Ikea was won in association with Serviceplan Seoul - and is now having the first Swedish furniture store in South Korea advertised entirely by Serviceplan. Kathrin Guethoff, who also has a Chinese driver's license, is a sought-after speaker in the big wide Serviceplan world. Everyone is fascinated by the new mega market. Chief Executive Florian Haller is no exception. In summer, he personally presented a "best brands" study in Shanghai. Kathrin Guethoff and her team invited guests and the media - and quickly generated around 100 million media contacts.

FC Bayern München is also on course for media success in China. As Stefan Mennerich, Director of New Media, reported to the magazine digtator.de, FCB is number 1 in the ranking of European clubs in China: "It pays off that we intensively play the Chinese platforms Sina, Weibo and WeChat with our content." ehm

Serviceplan: Facts & Figures

- Year founded: 1970

- The four core brands: Serviceplan, Mediaplus, Plan.Net and Facit, under which all companies established in the group operate.
- Customers: Beiersdorf, BMW, Carglass, Castrol, Condé Nast, Walt Disney, Friendscout24, Samsonite, Thomas Cook, Ikea, Danone, Deichmann, Europcar, Lufthansa, Paulaner, Penny, among others,
Saturn, Siemens, UNICEF.
- Number of employees: 1877
- Per capita sales in 2013/14: € 134,000
- Gross Income: € 252 million (+16 %)
- Number of new customers: 70
- Placement in the current creative ranking (wuv): 1st place defended, including 20 ADC medals.
- Number of German locations: 5 - Munich, Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin and Cologne via majority shareholding in Liquid Campaign.

Number of owned international locations: 7 - Paris (2006), Zurich (2008), Vienna, Brussels, Dubai (2010), Milan (2011) and Beijing (2013).

Number of international locations through agency cooperation and participation: 21 - Moscow, Delhi, Beijing, Seoul, New York, London, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Madrid,
Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Lima, Mexico City, Miami, Panama City, Santiago de Chile and São Paulo.