In June, the Internet platform ZO-Online has already registered three million page impressions per month - a figure that until recently seemed unattainable with a purely regional online portal, the publishing house writes in a press release on Wednesday. Now the official figures for the month of August show that ZO-Online has already passed another million mark: 4,391,085 pages were accessed. In the same period, the research company Wemf registered over 400,000 visits.

Consistently regional

Zürcher Oberland Medien is one of the first publishing houses to adopt a consistent regional strategy on the Internet. Instead of emulating the news portals of the major daily newspapers, ZO-Online reports on political and social events in the region on a daily basis. The photo series of regional events are particularly popular. Instead of cüpli scenes in Zurich's Kaufleuten, they show impressions of the rural cattle show - even before the last cows are back in the barn. The editorial team sees this immediacy and closeness to the people of the region as the core of a successful online strategy.

Future financing via "paywall"

As the number of visitors increases, so do the demands and therefore the expenses for ZO-Online. The great success is already reflected in rising advertising revenues. However, this is not enough to cover the editorial costs. One way to achieve a profitable operation is to introduce a "paywall", a charge for certain regional content. The management and the Board of Directors will decide in the coming months in what form such a "paywall" will be introduced.

This fall, you can travel all over Switzerland with a special vacation pass. Regardless of whether you prefer to travel in the mountains or in the valleys, on land or on water, by train, Postbus or boat. This is the message of the current campaign of SBB and ÖV, which the agency Contexta is currently spreading on Swiss television and on posters around the major Swiss train stations, accompanied by various online measures of the agency Maxomedia.

At the same time, Contexta prominently showcases the new leisure backpack in each of these advertising materials. This was produced with Contexta exclusively for SBB in a limited and numbered edition and is now available at major Swiss train stations and online. Among other things, this travel companion is advertised via e-board and at POS.

Responsible at SBB: Reto Meissner (Head of Marketing Communications Passenger Transport), Petra Thomann (Project Manager Marketing Communications, Leisure Campaign). Responsible at Contexta: Nadine Borter (overall responsibility), Moritz Staehelin (creative direction), Ulysse Schnegg (art buying, FFF), Willem Baumann (art direction), Jessica Müller (graphics), Daniel Müller (text), Marc-André Singer (consulting group manager), Ivo Sonderegger, Monika Siegenthaler, Christian Erdmann (consulting). Responsible at Shining Pictures (film production): Marco Lutz (director), Stefan Bircher, (production). Photography: Jonathan Heyer. Image processing: Patrik Rohner. Responsible at Wisard.tv: Adrian Wisard (Director Stop Motion).
 

As part of the implementation of the National Alcohol Program 2013-2016, the Federal Office of Public Health is planning the Alcohol Prevention Campaign 2014-2016 in close cooperation with numerous players in the field of alcohol prevention. The campaign will be implemented over three years from 2014 to 2016, with the official campaign launch scheduled for summer/autumn 2014, according to a press release. From September 10, 2013, the tender documents for the "Alcohol Prevention Campaign" mandate (specifications/briefing documents) will be available on Simap.ch (information system on public procurement in Switzerland) for download. Applications must be submitted by October 5, 2013, to: Federal Office of Public Health FOPH, for the attention of the RM, DS and CC staff, Schwarzenburgstrasse 165, CH-3003 Bern.

Image: Keystone

Heads has implemented a comprehensive relaunch for Amag (Werbewoche.ch reported) and commissioned Addictive Films with the realization of a commercial. In front of surprising Swiss backdrops, 15 authentic characters passionately tell about their most beautiful and emotional life moments, which were made possible by and with the car. The commercial reassembles parts of their narratives and immerses the viewer in a warm, positive and touching world of memories. Director Stephan Usteri directed for Addictive Films. The camera was directed by Michael Saxer. The commercial will run on TV from September 9, 2013.

Heads also relied on moving images for Amag's internal communications. Over the last few months, the 5,200 employees of the car dealer were prepared for the new image with six information films.

Responsible at Amag: Dino Graf (Head of Corporate Communications) Roman Sonders (Head of Branding) Lidia Pernetti (Support). Responsible at Addictive Films: Stephan Christen (producer/concept), Stephan Usteri (director/concept), Michael Saxer (camera), Jessie Fischer (editing). Music: Audity. Responsible at Heads Corporate Commuications: Ralph Hermann (Managing Director) Katrin Schmid (Strategic Consulting) Kristina Brunner (Consulting).
 

The focus is on "good taste". The figure is based on Herbert Leupin's iconographic logo, which has been refreshed and modernized for Switzerland Cheese Marketing. Under the motto "Listen to your good taste", the little figure intervenes in the real world wherever consumers are considering their choice of cheese. With his interventions, he draws attention to what really matters when it comes to cheese - the excellent, natural taste of Swiss cheese.

The films were shot in two parts - real and in front of a green screen - and combined in an elaborate post-production. According to the press release, director Frieder Wittich was able to count on the experience of Frank Griebe, cinematographer on the Wachowski Brothers' "Cloud Atlas". Nhat Quang Tran from NHB Berlin was responsible for the post-production. The jingle was recorded by alphorn shooting star Lisa Stoll. The print motifs were photographed by Christian Grund, the website was implemented by Netvertsing.

Responsible at Switzerland Cheese Marketing: David Escher (CEO), Martin Spahr (Chief Marketing Officer). Responsible at TBD: Christoph Bürge, Sandro Nicotera, Tom Seinige, Sabina Meyer. Film production: Pumpkin / Stefanie Brand, Claudia Brand. Directed by: Frieder Wittich Postproduction: NHB Berlin, Nhat Quang Tran. Sound/SFX/Music: Hastings, Spacetrain.
Talent Search: Sharkhunter. Photography: Christian Grund. Website: Netvertising.
 

At the Migros Group, young people can complete an apprenticeship in over 40 professions. Weber Harbeke Partners is currently advertising this diversity with a pre-roll spot on various Internet TV platforms. However, this was not simply a TV spot transplanted to the web. The agency developed a media-appropriate solution that catches young people off guard.

Actually, pre-roll commercials are annoying: only after 25 seconds of advertising can you watch the desired program. The creative team at Weber Harbeke Partners took advantage of the fact that young people concentrate more on the countdown than on the commercial.

The spot addresses the young people directly about this behavior and says that they could use the involuntary commercial break to think about their professional future. And since the medium also allows interactivity, which only a few advertisers are taking advantage of, viewers are immediately invited to click into the picture to get more information about apprenticeships at the Migros Group. The pre-roll spot will be used immediately on various Internet TV platforms such as Zattoo.ch, Teleboy.ch, Blick.tv and Wilmaa.ch.

Responsible at Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund, Zurich: Edith Rutschmann, Head of Vocational Training Coordination at Migros Group. Responsible at Weber Harbeke Partners, Zurich: Thomas Harbeke (CD); Christian Sidow (text); Stefi Wolf (graphics); Sven Oeschger (strategy); Karin Both (consulting). Realization: Frame Eleven, Zurich.
 

The business card sets a special accent, as it leaves no questions unanswered and is handed over folded into a mini chair. The created advertising materials (logo development, stationery, business cards, Website) will be used with immediate effect.

Responsible at By Marei Einrichtungskonzepte, St. Gallen: Jürg Rusch. Responsible at Agentur am Flughafen, Altenrhein: René Eugstair (creative direction); Dominique Rutishauser (art direction); Valeria Hörler (graphics); Miriam Egli (consulting/text).

The "Grand Theft Auto" game series is a phenomenon. Especially the fifth installment. Probably no other paid media title has ever been awaited by so many people for so long with so much anticipation. The special thing about the game is that you move freely in a huge virtual world and can do whatever you want. There are different city districts, suburbs and pure nature. You can "take over" any car, motorcycle or airplane to explore the almost infinite virtual world. You are given tasks to complete as you see fit - and live with the consequences. The player develops and climbs up the hierarchy levels. Fun factor: incredible. For everyone. Even for those who don't normally play video games.

Since 2008, the responsible software company Rockstar Games has kept the enthusiasm of its huge global fan base high with screenshots and trailers. In 2010, the company released "Red Dead Redemption" an incredibly good (!!) virtual western. To play yourself - with a free exit. Virtual reality has long since arrived. On September 17, everyone knows: GTA V will be the best Playstation 3 game of all time (and one of the last - the launch of the Playstation 4 is imminent).

Enthusiasm for the GTA series is probably the greatest common denominator among the world's male population (football is not, as Americans mistakenly consider other sports to be more important). The fourth installment alone sold around 22 million copies between 2008 and 2011. Meanwhile, a British games retailer has soberly announced that it will keep its stores closed on September 18, as no one will be there anyway - neither customers nor sales staff:

To shorten the waiting time, "GTA V - The Musical" has now been released. In two minutes, the musical tells you everything you need to know about the game: Even though the media is once again widely discussing how, where and why the game is reprehensible - in the end, everyone likes to play it. Even women. And once you've started, it's hard to get away from it. (hae)

Trailer GTA V:
 

Christoph Marty joined the company on June 1, 2003 as Head of Magazine Publishing. From 2005, he built up the Crossmedia division as a member of the Executive Board. In 2007, he played a key role in the launch of the Schweiz am Sonntag newspaper and launched the classified market platform A-z.ch. From 2009, he merged the Solothurn/Basel and Aarau daily newspaper divisions to form the "Medienverbund AZ". In the process, a networking of activities was created on the marketing and content side. In 2012, he was additionally responsible for the paid content project.

Since February 2013, Marty has been responsible for book publishing, magazine publishing, national marketing online/print, and Belcom. He has succeeded in laying an important foundation for the sustainable further development of the business units. Christoph Marty will leave AZ Medien in spring 2014 at the latest. A successor is already being sought for the management of the business unit.

Marty will take over the newly created function of Sales Director Switzerland at Publicitas in spring 2014 at the latest. In this role, he will be responsible for selling media solutions to national advertisers and agencies, as well as regional sales and marketing activities in German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. Marty reports directly to CEO Alain D. Bandle and is a member of the Management Board of Publicitas.

For the financial industry, this is Six Securities Services, an international provider of post-trade services. Blue Spirit demonstrates this with situations in which people entrust themselves wholeheartedly to their partner. The campaign is now running in the European financial press and will be used at the SIBOS trade fair in Dubai.

Responsible at Six Securities Services: Avi Ghosh (Head of Marketing & Communications). Responsible at Blue Spirit: Robert Köhler (CD), Andreas Hornung (text), Danny Bron (graphics), Rolf Jeger (strategy), Patricia Müller, Caro Bünter (consulting).

Jauch is a federally certified PR consultant and currently works at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), where he is head of communications in the area of communicable diseases. Previously, the 40-year-old was a media spokesman for the Bern cantonal police and a Lucerne city police officer.
Marianne Binder wants to concentrate on her own political career: She was elected to the Grand Council for the CVP-Aargau last fall. (SDA)

Image: Katzenstrecker.ch via Bprg.ch

The two companies are abusing their dominant market position to "force unreasonable and discriminatory conditions" from Teleclub, the pay-TV provider announced on Monday. As a result, Teleclub is being hindered in its competition, it said. The two cable network operators not only demanded excessive prices, the statement continues. They also prevented the Teleclub offer from being broadcast in HD quality. Thus, Teleclub is only granted a very limited transmission capacity. Negotiations in recent months with various cable network operators have not led to any result, it continues. Teleclub therefore feels compelled to file a complaint with the Weko about the abusive practices.

Cablecom calls accusations false

Cabelecom has taken note of the accusations "with astonishment", according to a statement. The accusations are false. According to Cablecom, Swisscom/Teleclub has so far refused to enter into any talks on the distribution of an equivalent channel offering in the area of live sports. The attempt to divert attention from the ongoing Weko investigation is obvious, the statement continues.

Since the summer of 2012, Cablecom and Teleclub have been negotiating the HD launch of the current, reduced Teleclub offering. In the middle of this process, Teleclub is now claiming that Cablecom wants to force "unreasonable and discriminatory" conditions for the distribution of the program offering. This is false, he said, because the negotiations to date have focused on technical issues. Commercial conditions have not yet been discussed. Both parties had also agreed to settle the issue of capacity usage of Cablecom's network by Swisscom/Teleclub as part of the HD negotiations. Cablecom has already signaled its willingness to do this several times.

Strong position of Swisscom

The background to the ad is a dispute between cable TV providers and Swisscom over live broadcasting rights to sporting events. Swisscom has recently massively expanded its position in live sports broadcasting and has now achieved a monopoly position. Swisscom has held a 75 percent stake in the cinema and pay-TV group Cinetrade, which also includes Teleclub, since this May. In April, the cable network operators applied to the Weko for immediate access to live sports broadcasts. They demanded immediate access to content as in the Teleclub Sport 4-29 and Teleclub Live Sport channels. However, the Weko refrained from taking precautionary measures. Still pending is the investigation into whether Swisscom and Cinetrade, with their subsidiaries Teleclub, are exploiting their market position in the broadcasting of live sports events.

Investments prevented

According to Teleclub, cable network operators have neglected the transmission of sports events for years. They were afraid to take on the economic risks and investments associated with the launch of a comprehensive sports offering. Nevertheless, the cable network operators tried to claim the sports offer for themselves by filing a complaint with the Weko. This was after Swisscom and Cinetrade had made these investments alone.

Cablecom, on the other hand, believes that cable operators are being prevented from investing in Swiss sports. Since the Swiss soccer and ice hockey leagues awarded the current broadcasting rights to Swisscom/Teleclub, the cable network operators have also been trying to give their customers access to all live matches via a sublicense. Swisscom/Teleclub has so far categorically rejected talks in this regard and is thus foregoing possible additional revenue, Cablecom's letter continues. (SDA)