In 2012, a special focus was placed on people over 55 (so-called silver surfers) and their behavior was compared with that of digital natives and digital immigrants. This writes the agency in a statement on Wednesday. To make the most important findings of this study available as an e-book in Apple's iBookstore, the agency did not use the EPUB format, but rather the iBooks textbook format, which allows graphically sophisticated publications for the iPad. The digital booklet entitled "MUI 2012" is now available in the iBookstores Switzerland, Germany, Austria, UK and USA.

Responsible at Y&R Group Switzerland: Urs Krucker (Head of Strategy), Ivan Kellenberger (CIO), Martin Sauter (CKO).

About the app

About the study

The previous campaign will be continued with new subjects. The focus is once again on the "old sacks and old boxes", which are available throughout Switzerland for small jobs of all kinds.

Posters, 3D posters, social media measures and various BTL measures are used as advertising media.

Responsible at Werbeanstalt Schweiz: Reto Dürrenberger (Strategy), Sarah Hiltebrand (CD), Mike Surovka (AD), Daniele Pucci (Junior AD), Katja Wölfel (Text), Sandra Städler, Ramona Romagnoli (Consulting), Andi Laub (DTP). Photography: Tobias Stahel. Image processing: Felix Schregenberger.

Adjusted net profit increased by 77 percent to 3.1 million Swiss francs (previous year 1.8 million.). At the end of June 2013, the equity ratio was 32 percent (end of June 2012: 31.5 percent). The operating cash flow generated in the first half of the year was minus 10.2 million Swiss francs due to the sharp reduction in current liabilities. Adjusted for special effects (investments in digital TV, termination of software license agreement), Ebit increased by 18.6 percent to CHF 14 million. The adjusted Ebit margin increased to 6.3 percent (previous year 5.6 percent). Goldbach Group wrote this in a communiqué on Wednesday.

The leading advertising logistics company in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), in Eastern Europe, and in the Adriatic region with the marketing of private electronic, mobile, and interactive media, as well as in online marketing, had grown in all three business lines despite the continuing difficult environment. For the current financial year, further sales growth in the single-digit range and a sustained increase in profitability are expected.

TV growing, radio business declining

Sales in the Media business line, in which the Goldbach Group combines the marketing of private TV, radio and digital out-of-home advertising, primarily in Switzerland as well as in Austria and Romania, recorded a renewed increase of 3.2 percent to CHF 170.9 million in the first half of the year (previous year CHF 165.6 million). In this context, the lack of publication of TV data in Switzerland did not have a negative impact on the development of sales, according to the statement. On the contrary, Goldbach Media was able to further expand its market share for TV advertising in the first half of the year and increase sales by 5.4 percent.

For the first time after a long period of growth, the radio business declined by -10.4 percent, in particular due to lower advertising budgets from major customers as a result of the economic situation, the advertising marketer added in its statement. This trend is likely to continue in the second half of the year, as demand for radio advertising was exceptionally strong in the previous year. In order to tap new customers and exploit the growth potential of radio, the board of directors of Goldbach Media decided to establish an independent radio marketing company as of July 1, 2013, it said. Swiss Radioworld, which emerged from Goldbach Media's radio unit, is based in Zurich-Wollishofen.

The Media business line contributed 78 percent (previous year: 80 percent) to the Goldbach Group's total sales in the first half of 2013. EBIT increased by 1.9 percent in the process and amounted to CHF 17 million (previous year 16.7 million). The Media segment contributed 93 percent to adjusted Group EBIT (previous year 96 percent).

Growth with online advertising

The Audience business line, which bundles Goldbach's online advertising offerings, returned to growth of 2.4 percent to CHF 28.3 million (previous year 27.7 million) in the first half of 2013. All product lines contributed to the Goldbach Group's online growth of 12 percent: The display business, including performance marketing, increased by 6 percent, while the video product line grew by 36 percent. The Goldbach Video Network launched at the beginning of 2012, which aggregates the highest-reach premium advertising platforms across all screens into a single offering and is continuously being expanded to include new platforms, end devices and technologies, is proving to be a strong growth driver.

Adjusted EBIT of Goldbach Audience, which operates in Switzerland, Austria, the Adriatic region and Eastern Europe, amounted to CHF 1.1 million, doubling the previous year's result (0.5 million) adjusted for special effects. Growth in the Adriatic region and the strengthening of the operating result in Eastern Europe contributed to the improvement. The Audience business line contributed 12 percent (previous year 110 percent) to total sales and 6 percent (previous year 3 percent) to the Group's adjusted EBIT in the first half of 2013.

Goldbach Interactive

The Interactive with Mobile business line, which provides conceptual, design and technological services for interactive communication and marketing solutions for the Internet and for all mobile devices, has recovered steadily in recent months from changes in mandates and high investments, and was able to post a positive result in the first half of the year.
In the first half of 2013, the business line again recorded growth despite increasing competitive pressure. Sales of the business line, which operates in the German-speaking region as well as in Poland and Russia, amounted to CHF 23.1 million in the first half of 2013 (previous year: CHF 18.5 million), representing an increase of 25.2 percent. Around 60 percent of the increase was achieved with organic growth in the DACH region, while the acquisition and successful integration of the market-leading Slovenian digital agency Renderspace contributed around 40 percent. Internationally, intensive efforts are being made to expand the Performance Marketing unit, which has been newly integrated into the business line; the country focus is on Germany and Poland. However, restructuring measures in Poland are having a negative impact on the result. The Interactive business line contributed 10 percent to the Goldbach Group's total revenues (previous year: 9 percent) and 1 percent to Group EBIT (previous year: 1 percent). At 0.2 million, the EBIT of the Interactive business line was on a par with the previous year.

Reorganization by regions

The Board of Directors has decided to align the structure of Goldbach Group according to regions as of July 1, 2013, the statement continues. With this reorganization, the Group, which is active in the DACH region, in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia) as well as in the Adriatic region (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia), wants to strengthen the individual regions and facilitate further expansion steps as part of the long-term corporate strategy.

For 2013 as a whole, Goldbach Group continues to expect sales growth in the single-digit range and, in line with earlier forecasts, also in the TV area. "We also expect higher revenues in the second half of the year, although the TV ratings published since August show lower TV usage overall due to the survey method," says Klaus Kappeler, CEO Goldbach Group. "Despite the challenging situation due to the new TV panel, we expect a further increase in revenues, especially in the TV sector, due to the ongoing shift of advertising budgets to moving images/video."

According to SDA, the initiative announced on Wednesday that the companies had set themselves the goal of developing cheaper and better smartphones, among other things. In addition, Internet access via cell phone networks is to be expanded and the costs for mobile Internet use with smartphones reduced. In addition to Facebook, the group of companies also includes Nokia, Samsung, Ericsson, Twitter and Qualcomm. The aim of Internet.org is to make the Internet available to the two thirds of humanity that are not yet connected, the initiative writes in a statement, according to SDA. To date, 2.7 billion people around the world have Internet access. But five billion still have no access to the global data network. And comparatively few new users are added every year.

To communicate their project, the group has already posted a video on YouTube. The closing sentence is: "Imagine a world where it connects us all". Unfortunately, the video conveys a world savior pathos that might be appropriate if the corporations had actually found a feasible way to completely eradicate famine and oppression, or at least had a landing on Pluto to show for it. (uma)

Teaser image: Wuv.de

According to the Humanitas Helvetica press release on Presseportal.ch, a corresponding complaint from the industry was shelved by the Competition Commission without examination. A case in the advertising market in French-speaking Switzerland had been shunted off to another authority by the Competition Commission. Now it is up to the politicians. They must assume their responsibility and clearly remind the Competition Commission of its legal mandate.

The concentration of power in the Swiss newspaper market has reached alarming proportions by international standards, the organization continues. The Competition Commission is responsible for this situation. For Humanitas Helvetica, this situation is no longer acceptable, as it is an important concern of this Swiss NGO based in Zurich to preserve and protect freedom of information and media freedom in Switzerland.

Alleged territorial agreement between Tamedia and NZZ

On October 26, 2011, Humanitas Helvetica, a registered association, filed a complaint with the Competition Commission against Tamedia and NZZ. Humanitas Helvetica writes that it has reported an alleged territorial agreement. The two publishing houses are thus dividing up the market for regional newspapers in German-speaking Switzerland. In eastern Switzerland, the NZZ media group now dominates with its newspaper network and in the Zurich area Tamedia with the Zurich regional newspapers. The association wanted to provide the Competition Commission with information on the alleged territorial agreement, but repeatedly failed due to the lack of interest on the part of those responsible.

The Swiss Trade Association SGV has already experienced a similar reaction from the Competition Commission, Humanitas Helvetica continues on Presseportal. In a complaint in spring 2011, the SGV claimed that Tamedia was allegedly abusing its dominant market position in French-speaking Switzerland when it increased advertising prices for commuter newspapers in French-speaking Switzerland (20 minutes) by over 55 percent between 2009 and 2011 following the takeover of the Swiss activities of the Edipresse Group. Without any plausible justification, the Competition Commission refused to investigate this alleged price abuse and referred the dossier to the price supervisor, who cannot, however, punish monopoly abuses that have already been committed.

Association calls on politicians to intervene

The concentration of power due to alleged territorial agreements and suspected price abuse in the Swiss newspaper market prevents the free formation of opinion, the association continues. The Competition Commission is not fulfilling its legal mandate. And the supervisory authority is not sanctioning the Weko's inactivity. Politicians must therefore intervene and ensure that the Competition Commission re-enforces the Cartel Act.
 

SI-Style's current performance campaign aims to attract new subscribers. To do this, Serranetga makes use of the law of nature "like attracts like": Large-scale advertising media show various styling utensils that are magnetically attracted to the cover of the magazine. The highlight: The idea and technical principles were designed by the agency in such a way that they can easily be transferred to other Ringier titles.

The next campaign is already being planned.

Responsible at Ringier: Sabrina Zakowski (Product Manager), Julia Tatje (Head of Advertising Magazines). Responsible at Serranetga: Pascal Deville, Samuel Textor (Creative Direction), Tino Elsener (Project Management), Julia Miller, Philippe Lehmann (Screendesign), Thomas Blumer (Text), Thomas Spreng (Head of Programming), Diego Dirren, Erwan Eydt (Programming).

Dominique Rub presented the Tagesschau from 1988 to 1993, before that she was spokesperson for the night edition. In 1993, Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss appointed Dominique Rub as her personal advisor and spokesperson for the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA).

In 2000, Rub, who studied history, political science and English at the University of Zurich, founded the non-fiction publishing house Rüffer&Rub together with Anne Rüffer. Dominique Rub was married to Georg Kohler, Professor Emeritus of Political Philosophy at the University of Zurich. Together with her divorced husband, director Rolf Lyssy, she made a documentary film about the death penalty in 2002. (SDA)

Teaser image: Tagesanzeiger.ch
 

This includes special offers, advice, sampling, a competition and fun and games for children. The stand was set up for the first time in Uster at the end of May. It will now be set up around 30 times a year in various Migros stores throughout Switzerland. As space is not the same everywhere, Frontwork has designed various stand layouts for areas of 50 to 150 square meters.

When building the stand, the agency's advertising technicians created an LED-illuminated station for balloons, a gripper game in the design of an oversized washing machine, various product carrier modules and a round bar for advice and sales. An illuminated giant balloon floats above it to ensure a good long-distance effect. The four illuminated water columns posed a special challenge because they are operated independently of a power source - using only rechargeable batteries.

For example, personal CO2 statistics can now be called up. The "Entertrainment" app rewards young people with an iPhone or Android phone for taking the train. Public transport users can check in on the train they are currently using and collect points. Every kilometer traveled is credited to a personal account and converted into credits. Young people can now exchange these directly in the app for various vouchers and products from the gleis7 store.

The design of the app has been completely redesigned and is now oriented towards the online community platform Track7.chas the agency writes in a press release. The colors are intended to create a high recognition value and simplify navigation within the app. "Entertrainment" also delivers what the name promises: "Never be bored on the road again!" the agency continues. That's because the app shows who else has checked in, it adds. So friends and acquaintances, but also strangers from the community can find each other, chat and arrange to meet on the train right away. A push message informs users who has checked into the same train.

In addition, young people can now use personal statistics to track the distances they have already covered by public transport and how much CO2 they have saved in the process compared to driving a car. The check-in and check-out functions, the journey information retrieval function, the Match4 game, the chat function and the popular trophies to collect have also been revised.

To use the app, train passengers need a valid SBB subscription and must be between 13 and 25 years old.

In the broadband Internet and telephony markets, the cable networks recorded growth of just under 12 and 15 percent respectively compared to the previous year. This was stated by Swisscable in a press release on Tuesday. Despite strong competition, the Swiss cable networks succeeded in maintaining their leading position in the TV market in the second quarter of the current year. With 2,706,700 cable TV subscribers, the cable networks have more than three times as many customers as their second-placed competitor (see chart below).

Solid growth in cable Internet and cable telephony

In broadband Internet and telephony, the cable networks recorded solid growth of just under 12 and 15 percent, respectively. As of the end of June 2013, around 1'013'000 customers were thus using cable Internet and over 600'000 customers were using cable telephony. Internet growth is particularly important for the industry, Swisscable writes in the statement. It said it is convinced that the potential is far from exhausted. "Cable Internet will continue to grow because the demand for fast Internet connections is increasing," says Claudia Bolla-Vincenz, managing director of Swisscable.

Swisscable is the trade association of Swiss cable TV companies. It is made up of 225 companies, both private and public, supplying more than 2.7 million households with radio, TV, HDTV, Internet, telephony and other services.

Down-to-earth, grounded, and practical—that’s how we like our politicians. Or rather, that’s how we hope our German neighbors like them her Politicians. Rebecca Hummel, a promising young SPD hopeful, recently took the viral campaign stage by storm. Her secret weapon: strawberry jam. It takes her just five minutes to let the audience in on the secrets of jam-making. And in doing so, she’s sending a message: Anyone who’s got this down won’t show any weakness when dealing with drones, immigrants from the East, “Neuland” eavesdroppers, or Greeks. Elected! (hae)
 

This is intended to attract motorists and passers-by alike to the modern service stations. It is precisely this high quality - in appearance and service - that sets Socar apart from the competition, the agency said in a statement. Socar thus offers customers a relevant advantage, it said: "A short break at Socar simply feels more relaxed." This moment of extreme relaxation is dramatized by floating people while refueling. After all, nothing is as restorative for the human body and mind as so-called floating, i.e. floating in weightlessness. Or just a relaxing refueling stop at Socar.

The hovering point of each model was captured with the help of a large trampoline. The motifs can currently be seen on posters throughout Switzerland. The display is flanked by radio spots and other communication measures in the vicinity of Socar service stations.

Responsible at Socar: Edgar Bachmann (CEO), Reto Reidt (Marketing Manager), Alejandro Schmid (Marketing and Promotion Specialist, Retail). Responsible at Jung von Matt/Limmat: Andy Lusti, Maurus Zehnder (Creative Direction), David Hanselmann, Christina Wellnhofer (Art Direction), Lukas Frischknecht (Graphics), Samuel Wicki, Alain Eicher (Text), Deborah Herzig (Art Buying), Fabian Röthlisberger, Thomas Deigendesch, Simone Jehle, Laila Müller (Consulting), Pierluigi Macor (Photography), Rohner Retouche (Image Editing).