The first Swiss online women's magazine is about to make a quantum leap. "The previous team around Nicole Althaus, Seraina Mohr and Michael Marti has Clack.ch We are on the right track," says Seraina Kobler, newly appointed editor-in-chief of Clack. The original target audience has already reached its upper limit. "We now reach more female readers than established women's platforms," adds her co-editor-in-chief Réda Phillippe El Arbi in a press release. In recent months, the company has already set the course with new columns and a broader range of content. The new editor-in-chief is now a further consequence of the platform's expansion.

Journalist Seraina Kobler and communications professional Reda El Arbi will share equal responsibility for the editorial team. Kobler has been working on the news desk of the Sonntagszeitung for over two years. Before that, she wrote for the Landbote and studied journalism and cultural studies in Winterthur and Constance. Kobler will take over the direction of content through journalistic management, while El Arbi will take care of Web 2.0 positioning and communication. Réda El Arbi is currently the editor in charge of the Tages-Anzeiger city blog and has already gained experience in the executive chair during his intermezzo with the Zücher satirical magazine Haupstadt.

But what will be different with the new Clack.ch? The core competencies, i.e. the topics "Gender", "Lifestyle", "Career" and "Sex/Partnership" will remain the same. However, the focus will be expanded to include current affairs, politics and background, says Kobler. "The journalistic effort will be greater and our own, self-researched stories will come to the fore," says Kobler, explaining the new focus. "Classification, opinion and analysis, supported by interaction with readers, will also be the focus in future," adds El Arbi: "We use heads and columns for this purpose, which is very popular with readers." The next step will also be a rolling relaunch. The look, page structure and usability will be optimized and adapted to user behavior. This also includes cooperations with selected advertising customers and an update of the site.

And what does a man do as co-editor-in-chief of a publication aimed at women? "I'm the poster bunny for the readership, so to speak," jokes El Arbi. Kobler explains: "We take equal opportunities seriously." With his media background and network, El Arbi is the best addition. In addition, the cross-gender collaboration is more diverse and inspiring. The founding team of Nicole Althaus, Seraina Mohr and Michael Marti will remain with Clack, either as authors or in an advisory capacity.
 

As part of the collaboration with Process, the Edelweiss brand was repositioned, the corporate design was revised and brand communication was developed. Edelweiss flies to over 50 sunny destinations worldwide. The communicative central idea and at the same time the new claim "Towards the sun" puts the focus on this unique range of offers. Based on the optimized logo logo, the Edelweiss flower, an extensive selection of vacation pictograms was created, which appear as part of the new image wherever travel enthusiasts come across the sunny airline.

The repositioning was necessary, according to the statement, because Edelweiss now sells tickets directly that were previously sold through travel agencies and tour operators. This opens up new opportunities to address end customers directly. The new appearance should awaken vacation feelings and the longing for sun and beach at all touchpoints. This also includes the Edelweiss trolleybus on Line 11, which was inaugurated in Zurich on Saturday, April 13, 2013, a public bus in Lucerne, and the Edelweiss locomotive on the Rhaetian Railway. Applications of the new brand have already been implemented on a wide variety of Process channels: Website, imagery, animations, e-boards, e-banners, advertisements, posters, lettering, e-tickets and office templates. And the agency will continue to support Edelweiss as it enters the B2C market and anchors its brand values within the airline.

 

According to the press release, the collaboration covers the entire fan store range, its design, production, operation of the e-shop and sales both in the stadium and at other locations. Alain Kappeler, COO of Stade de Suisse Wankdorf National Stadium: "With Adcom, we have a competent partner at our side who knows the Bernese environment, is a merchandising professional and has already made a name for itself in other projects. We want to further develop the range of fan merchandise and sales and present our fans with an attractive selection."

Adcom Motion, which specializes in promotional products and merchandising, has many years of experience in fan merchandise. Among other things, the Baar-based company has been running the SC Bern fan store for three years. Andrea Schilter, Managing Director of Adcom Motion: "We are proud to be able to serve the second major club in the capital after SCB. Merchandising is very important for the emotionalization of the club and the brand. Together, we will develop an attractive range to inspire the YB fan community." Adcom is also currently developing a concept that focuses on the Bern brand. This should also give smaller Bernese clubs the opportunity to benefit from the Bern brand and offer attractive merchandising in French-speaking Switzerland.

Teaser image: Ybshop.ch/nuggi.html
 

WW: Not only did you direct the new commercials for Ricardolino, but you also wrote the script. How did that come about?
 
Dani Levy: Last December, I already produced two commercials with Ogilvy and Condor Films for the new Ricardolino sales platform. The client obviously liked them and has commissioned four new stories. Ogilvy has given me free rein to write the commercials myself. They were to be four short sketches or comedic moments centered around the sale of an item, infused with my specific brand of humor and featuring plot twists that were as surprising as possible. They could also be a bit whimsical.

You entered the commercial business in 2008 with Sympany for Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett. They were also looking for a specific kind of humor there. What do agencies expect from Dani Levy?
I don’t have a signature style. What people expect from me is a knack for crafting good dialogue and casting actors who are unique and have more depth than just a surface-level presence. I suppose clients also know that I’m strong at comically staging brief moments. I’m used to working with actors. Through my much more complex cinematic comedies, I’ve developed a feel for timing and subtext. By subtext, I mean that a situation isn’t just portrayed literally, but that there’s a second layer beneath it that you can sense. In a commercial, those 30 seconds aren’t just what the viewer sees. There’s also a deeper truth beneath the surface. There’s essentially another story that isn’t explicitly stated, but emerges emotionally between two shots. The viewer can use their imagination here. What kind of marital spat are the two of them having right now? Why are they selling something? What’s the source of that disappointment? Where’s the hidden declaration of love? Or what’s the quirkiness between two generations that don’t understand each other? What is the impatience people feel in everyday life? These are all the kinds of things that are, in a way, typically human. In the commercial, we perceive them as enriching a very brief comedic situation.

You can't be surprised by a punchline a second time. But a commercial is shown countless times. Is the subtext meant to help viewers discover something new each time they watch it?
Yes, and I hope that people fall in love with the characters because of that subtext. I always think that’s important. I see so many ads where the characters don’t evoke anything in me at all. They’re completely neutral projections. I feel no empathy, no emotion. So I don’t form a connection with those characters either. In feature films, of course, you have more time. But I believe that even in commercials, you almost instinctively, subconsciously want to build a relationship with a character—because they move you, annoy you, because you find them funny or even strange. In any case, you feel a sense of engagement with them. I think that’s what makes a commercial more memorable—in the sense that you can watch it more often. Even better: you want to watch it again because you suspect there’s something extra and new hidden behind the story.

Is it a little difficult to get that across in 30 seconds?
Yes, very difficult. I also think it’s a negative trend in advertising that commercials have to get shorter and shorter. Often, it’s just about showing the product as often as possible. But if the commercial is supposed to tell a story—with a certain kind of humanity and emotional depth—you need time. It doesn’t have to be a full minute. But even between 30 and 40 seconds, there can sometimes be a world of difference. Of course, you can also convey comedic situations in 30 seconds. But the shorter it gets, the harder it becomes, because then it just becomes formulaic. You only see hints of an emotion. With comedy, there’s also the fact that the camera sometimes needs to linger on a face where something is happening. Sometimes you need that moment of stillness. At the same time, telling a story that has at least one major twist and perhaps two smaller ones, plus introducing characters and showing that they’re somehow navigating another subplot together—and doing all of that in 30 seconds, minus 4 seconds for the tagline and product shot—that’s a battle for every single frame.

So, fewer commercial breaks and longer commercials instead?
That’s not for me to decide—it’s up to each individual company to figure out. But for me as a filmmaker, it’s definitely true that if I’m given a little more time—and thus a little more creative freedom—then I can make even better use of my talents. But I always accept it when a client says, “I have 25 seconds, or 20.” In that case, I try to pack as much emotion and comedic energy into it as I possibly can.

For the new commercials for Ricardolino, were you able to come up with the characters entirely on your own?
The Ogilvy agency came up with the ideas for the first two commercials, and I wrote the scripts based on them. For the four new commercials, I asked if I could contribute my own story ideas. We then pooled our ideas, and I wrote eight scripts based on them and presented them as part of a selection process. Of course, there were a few painful rejections. But that’s always part of the creative process. As a filmmaker, you want to push the boundaries a little further. The client, on the other hand, has to weigh what they can still justify and what’s actually acceptable within the company’s corporate mission statement. We’re all familiar with these discussions. But I always see it as my job as a director to push the client as far as possible toward that boundary. I believe that advertising thrives on transcending certain conventions. An ad that plays it completely safe and sticks to all the boundaries is, in a way, banal. It can certainly be nice, and everything can work out. But for commercials that rely on humor, that tap into human disaster or the complex human universe, they sometimes need to venture a bit into risky territory—into somewhat abysmal territory. Then, in my opinion, they have a better chance of standing out and also a better chance of the campaign truly becoming the «talk of the town.» It takes a bit of courage if you want people to really be talking about a commercial on campus and in the cafeteria. And that’s exactly what should happen with a commercial like this. But here I can only offer advice. Ultimately, the decision rests with the client.

How would you describe Dani Levy's sense of humor?
Heartfelt, free of cynicism, and always with a touch of tragedy. For me, tragedy is an inseparable part of humor. For me, the best and most powerful comedic moments are when you don’t know whether to cry or laugh. That’s when tragedy and comedy truly complement each other. Treating human weaknesses with affection—helplessness, embarrassment, the desperation of a first date, which is what we’re doing right now, for example, in one of the commercials for Ricardolino. Portraying an emergency situation in a comedic way is always more interesting than a character who moves within a safe, privileged setting. You can’t generate comedy there. I think that’s important, and that’s why I always try to explain it to clients as well: You have to have the courage to let something almost negative or tragic happen in this situation so that it can be comedic. When the viewer becomes emotionally invested in the character because they immediately understand the crisis, a powerful feeling emerges. But if the client says, «We can’t risk anything that’s in any way offbeat or problematic, because that might damage our brand,» then you might end up missing the mark when it comes to comedy.

Many comedians didn't become comedians by choice—just look at Woody Allen. How did Dani Levy become funny?
Probably also because I have plenty of tragedy, complexity, and neuroticism within me. I am a self-doubting, critical person who always seeks another truth beneath the truth, who perceives human beings as very complex and contradictory creatures. Someone who has a hard time not making mistakes. I’m full of flaws, missteps, embarrassing moments, and failures—and naturally, this gives rise to something like a survival strategy. That’s how humor emerges. This is also an integral part of Jewish humor—that you simply try to deal with your weaknesses in a self-deprecating and humorous way. Humor is always fueled by something I find problematic. Humor isn’t something I can easily laugh at; rather, it’s something that also hurts me at the same time.

In the U.S., many comedians come from Jewish backgrounds. Does that help in Switzerland, too? Do Jewish roots even play a role in Switzerland today?
It’s universal. Of course, there are regions like Asia where humor takes on different nuances. The irony and self-deprecating humor found in Jewish humor, as well as a neurotic approach to tragedy and comedy, are not understood in the same way in Asia. But in Europe, the United States, and South America, this type of humor—born out of necessity—is well received. Laughter arises from despair. That’s why humor is always a remedy for painful experiences, whether in politics or in everyday marital problems, divorce issues, loneliness, or the challenges faced by minorities. There’s also a great deal of humor among other minorities. There’s a specific kind of gay humor that can be absolutely fantastic. There was a strong sense of humor in the GDR, and even within Islam. There are many Muslim comedians. In Germany, we’re experiencing a real boom in «humor with a migrant background.» Every rigid—and in some cases, even oppressive—political or social system gives rise to an underground humorous rebellion. The extent to which this is suppressed or tolerated is always another question. At some point, humor gets stifled by illegality. But fundamentally, it can be said that any situation that relies on pressure and repression gives rise to humor as a form of subversion.

Is today's filmmaker also a modern court jester?
Yeah, I think so. I think it’s great when he plays that role. But once the court realizes just how much the court jester is fooling them, things can quickly take a tragic turn. Court jesters were often meant just to entertain. If they became critical or subversive, their heads would roll. Okay, in Switzerland and Europe we’re in a safe situation. In Iran, it’s certainly much harder to make a comedy critical of the regime. Fundamentally, though, I do see it this way: the comedy director has the task—or even the obligation—to engage critically and subversively with existing situations and conditions. Through humor and a sharp portrayal of those conditions, he should offer the audience a different perspective, even on taboo topics. I find that extremely rewarding. My films are often about finding a relationship with things that surround us in everyday life, such as difficult families or people with mental health issues. That’s something that’s always been a favorite subject in comedy. It’s painful and difficult, but at the same time, there’s something comical about it—sometimes it’s even unintentionally funny. I believe filmmakers can use this to raise viewers’ awareness of certain issues or societal phenomena. It’s a way of saying, “This is just part of life.” For example, there are so many common mental health issues that it practically begs to be turned into a comedy.

Your biography mentions that you once lived in the U.S. for two years as a «vagabond.» What exactly does “vagabond” mean?
It was only 10 months. You’re a vagabond if you don’t sleep in a hotel, but instead sleep outdoors or with people who take you in. I had day jobs on construction sites or in oil fields. That was an important time for me. I grew up in Basel in a very well-mannered, middle-class family with no social problems. Somehow, I had this longing: I wanted to really live on the streets for a while, to see reality from a different perspective. My time hitchhiking in the U.S. was an eye-opener for me because I could get a feel for what life is like when you simply have no money.
 

These days, people make reality shows based on experiences like that.
That's right.

So you moved to Berlin?
In 1980, after my trip to the U.S., I visited friends at the Rote Grütze Theater, whom I admired for their committed and politically engaged children’s and youth theater. When they asked me if I wanted to just stay, and since I was already traveling light with just a sleeping bag anyway, I ended up staying in that shared apartment in Berlin and dove into political theater with a supporting role.

From there, Swiss TV director Thomas Hostettler brought her to the "»Motel"?
That was in 1984, a few years later. I traveled to Switzerland myself for a completely normal audition, and that’s how I landed the role of «Peperoni.».

«Motel» became the first soap opera in Swiss television history. Have you stopped by that motel in Egerkingen, where the show was filmed, for a cup of coffee since then?
No, is that still a thing?

You're saying today that you had to flee Switzerland back then to shake off your image as a "hothead"?
No, no, I was already living in Berlin and was constantly commuting even while we were filming. But it was intense. «Motel» was so popular. That was back before the private networks. We had a huge market share every Sunday.

And constantly facing scathing reviews.
Yes, *Der Blick* had its own connection to *Motel*—you could say that. There was a scene where I, as Peperoni, had to kiss Peter Freiburghaus—he played the waiter at the motel. He fell in love with me, so we made out a little in front of the camera. *Blick* blew this up into such a massive storm of outrage that the kiss had to be cut from the rerun. But *Blick* also helped us through all this constant controversy surrounding the quality of «Motel.» We were the talk of the town every day for a whole year.

For you, it was your entry into the film business.
For me, «Motel» was exciting because I learned so much about filmmaking. For a whole year, I got to watch Thomas Hostettler, Daniel Helfer, and Josef Scheidegger direct. «Motel» was one of the first series back then—aside from «Lindenstrasse»—to be shot on video. We filmed from Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, we edited in a room at the motel, and by Sunday, the 25-minute episode was ready to air. It was an incredibly fast process. It was interesting for me because we had to shoot enough footage every day to edit down to six minutes of screen time. I learned a lot both in front of and behind the camera. I also wrote the screenplay for one or two episodes.

So after studying German literature for a while, you ended up getting into film on your own?
Yeah, you could say that.

Her first success in Germany was "You, too". Did it take you five years to find a producer for this movie?
As a self-taught person, no one is waiting for you.

This debut film introduced you to the now-famous director Tom Tykwer, who screened *Du mich auch* while working as a film projectionist.
Yes, he was a projectionist at the «Moviemento,» a small movie theater in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood, and screened «Du mich auch» for over two years. I think Tom knows the film better than I do. That’s how we got to know each other better. He made his own short films during that time and got to know the producer Stefan Arnd through that. I, in turn, knew the director Wolfgang Becker, and so the four of us eventually came together to found our own company, x Filme. At first, we were considering other people as well, because we wanted to build a slightly broader foundation for the company. But in the end, the four of us stuck together because we trusted each other the most in this configuration. That friendship has lasted to this day.

How important are such coincidences or networks in the film industry?
It’s not just a coincidence. It’s also a state of mind. Back in 1994, there was a feeling among us filmmakers—one that probably exists among young filmmakers today as well—that as a lone wolf in this industry, you have little chance of success. You have to be able to hold your own in production situations with broadcasters, funding agencies, and producers. On top of that, there’s the fundamental question: How profitable does a film actually have to be for the money to flow? As a lone director, you’re lost in that situation. We felt we needed each other for two reasons: We should support each other financially—in other words, form a kind of lobby—so that together we’d have more influence and more power to advance our interests. The second, even more important point, however, was that we all felt very isolated. We wanted to have each other so we could talk together about screenplays, editing, or casting. That requires partners you can trust—people who aren’t from a completely different world but are somehow in the same situation and understand the hardships and obstacles you face when you’ve been working on a project for years. We wanted a collaborative advisory group—but one that also offers critical feedback.

Negative Feedback as Coaching?
It’s often the case among filmmakers that they don’t dare to criticize one another. Filmmakers already get so much flak from critics, audiences, and box-office flops, so they tend to support one another. But when you’re writing a screenplay, it’s important to have someone read it who’s truly honest—someone you know well enough that, despite their honesty, they’ll still stand by you. Or someone who’s critical out of solidarity. That was something we needed: to be able to build that kind of critical dialogue.

«Michael Haneke’s »Amour” was produced by x Filme and, in addition to numerous awards, has won an Oscar. At the German Film Awards on April 26, x Filme is in the running with 12 nominations. To what extent is Dani Levy, as one of the four partners at x Filme, involved in these successes—both creatively and financially?
So, conceptually, I’m always involved. With Haneke’s *Amour*, we didn’t have much to do because the film was produced in France, unlike *The White Ribbon*, which we shot here and where x Filme was actually the executive production company. For «Amour,» we’re a minority co-producer. I root for every filmmaker—not just those from our company—who’s made a powerful, unconventional film that needs more attention and more support. At x Filme, we’re also fighting against the decline of art-house cinema. That’s not easy when a film like «Amour» has drawn just over 300,000 viewers in Germany so far. Til Schweiger achieves that on the first Thursday alone. Even «The White Ribbon,» despite winning the Palme d’Or, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination, reached «only» 700,000 viewers after a year in theaters. And yet it was a German story with German stars. For us, that’s a lot, but compared to the commercial landscape in Germany, it’s not much. That’s why we’re fighting for sophisticated, exciting, complex, and—in the broadest sense—political films for a wide audience.

«Cloud Atlas,» directed by your former movie theater projectionist Tom Tykwer, is the most expensive German film in history, with a budget of around 100 million euros. What does that mean for Dani Levy as a partner? Are you a co-producer on the film?
Actually, yes. We set up a subsidiary for this production. I have to admit, at first it felt strange to me that we were making such an expensive film. I asked myself: What does this have to do with us? This production didn’t have much to do with my reality or my vision. But I found it exciting that it was even possible, and that we still discussed this film within the company as if it were a small project. For me, the key thing was that *Cloud Atlas* still has the feel of an auteur film.

Your Creative Pool at x Filme currently employs 40 people. Has the «vagabond» from America now become an entrepreneur as well?
For an arthouse company, we’re relatively large—though our 40 employees also include our distribution division. I’m one of the four partners, but not the managing director. So I don’t have much to do with day-to-day operations. We meet once a month for a shareholders’ meeting. There, we lay everything out on the table, discuss the projects, cash flow, and the status of our bank accounts. Of course, we also discuss the cinema’s situation.

Such success attracts others as well. Is X being flooded with screenplays?
I don’t know exactly how much comes in. But of course, we don’t just make our own films. Haneke isn’t a partner, after all. We’ve always seen ourselves as an open company that can serve as a home for all interesting auteur filmmakers. Because, in my opinion, we have some of the best writer and director contracts in the industry. It’s important to us that both the filmmaker and the writer share in the profits—as early as possible and in as large a share as possible. It’s also important to us that our producers are committed to the film both artistically and financially and invest the budget as wisely as possible.

Back to the commercial: Does Dani Levy also shoot commercials in Germany?
Not yet. I’m someone who really hates pitching. I find pitching in advertising totally unsexy. You put a lot of passion and joy into a project. You bring ideas to the table and imagine how great it could be.  But then you find yourself in a pitch with three or 20 other directors, and in the end you don’t get the job—maybe just because another company quoted a lower price for the commercial. It’s a frustrating process that probably no director enjoys. I don’t have the time for that either. But if a client or an agency says, “We want Dani Levy,” then I don’t mind applying for the job, putting in the work up front, and even writing a book. But I actually try to avoid the classic pitch situation where I’m competing against many others. Most agencies know this and don’t even ask me to participate in such broad pitches. For this reason, I haven’t done anything in Germany—where the pitching process is even tougher—even though I get a request almost every week.

Do you want your brand to stand out?
There are so many great commercial directors who do nothing but that. Germans, Danes, English, Americans—they work all over the place. These are people who have the time and resources to put together really cool pitches. They have extensive archives and specialists who write their storyboards and director’s statements for them, put together mood boards, and set them to music. I have neither the time nor the infrastructure for that. I don’t need every third storyboard on my desk—it’s enough for me if only the ones who are truly interested in me come my way. Ultimately, all that matters is the result and the nature of the collaboration—the commercial simply has to turn out well. Of course, this requires cooperation with the client and the agency, but it also takes the courage and determination to fight for your ideas. This passion for fighting for every commercial is perhaps one of my hallmarks. It pains me when I can’t make a film as good as it could be. I want the client to be proud to show off their commercial.

The feature films *Mein Führer* and, subsequently, *Life Is Too Long* have also drawn criticism. *Life Is Too Long* was a self-reflection on the director’s craft. Why did you «have to« make that film?
Most films in which directors reflect on their profession—such as Woody Allen’s *Stardust Memories*—were usually box-office flops, yet remained important to the filmmaker. For me, it was important after *Mein Führer*, because after those two years of my life, I asked myself: Why am I actually doing all this madness? You try to do something risky that’s meaningful, relevant in the sense of social criticism. But your own emotional risk isn’t rewarded at all, and you just get torn apart by the critics. That’s why I wanted to make a film about this clash between a passionate profession and what it means for a family when the father is an artist and there are two children. Who does he go to bed with—his wife or his art? I felt that this was an interesting topic. I would have liked to have made the film even smaller in scale or even grittier. Just a very personal film. You only make a film like this once in a lifetime, and most of the time you get heavily criticized for it. But that doesn’t matter—I’m glad I made it.

You received a lot of praise for the *Tatort* episode «Schmutziger Donnerstag.» Have you already been commissioned to do another episode for this series?
We’ll see. For me, it was a great experience. It was the first time I’d shot an entire film in Switzerland, not just a commercial. I learned a lot about life in Switzerland. We did face massive opposition from the Lucerne guilds over the backstory to «Schmutziger Donnerstag.» I found that politically interesting. At the same time, it was great to be able to work with Swiss actors and crew members—it was a lot of fun and the quality was high.

They got in touch with «Tatort» producer Zodiac Pictures in Lucerne regarding another project. What's that project about?
This is a comedy about a normal family of normal crazy people. A bit like *Little Miss Sunshine*.  A dysfunctional family in which everyone has serious problems and is pretty self-centered and neurotic toward one another. A painful yet very lighthearted comedy about people who come together in a sudden crisis. And it’s set in Switzerland, too. Hopefully that will make a classic Germany-Switzerland co-production possible. I’ve been working on it for two years now. Unfortunately, I had to throw out the drafts I’d written before «Tatort.» Now I’ve started over from scratch.

High Praise: «Tatort» Episode "Schmutziger Donnerstag"

For *Alles auf Zucker*, Dani Levy was awarded not only the Ernst Lubitsch Prize but also six Lolas at the 2005 German Film Awards. The comedy was hailed as a «revival of the German-Jewish farce.».
 

Interview: Andreas Panzeri

The "MA Leader" study by AG für Werbemedienforschung (Wemf) lists the preferences of executives with a personal annual income of 100'000 Swiss francs or more (leaders) or 140'000 Swiss francs or more (top leaders). The data are collected every two years.

With a reach of 38.2 percent, the free newspaper 20 Minuten continues to lead the field. The Tages-Anzeiger (27.5 percent) and the NZZ (22.8 percent) follow in the other places. The same order emerges for the top leaders. The Sonntagszeitung tops the leader list for weekly titles with 34.2 percent. The corresponding figure for NZZ am Sonntag is 31.2 percent. The magazine achieves 37.3 percent, while the figure for NZZ Folio is 33.6 percent.

In French-speaking Switzerland, too, 20 Minutes is a free paper. The reach among the leaders here is 38.1 percent. Le Temps (24.3 percent) and the weekly edition of Le Matin (20.5 percent) occupy the other places in the ranking. At the top of the popularity rankings in French-speaking Switzerland is the magazine L'Hebdo, which achieves a reach of 39.0 percent. At the weekend, Le Matin Dimanche scores 37.0 percent. Wemf based its study on 2'359 interviews in German-speaking Switzerland and 765 interviews in French-speaking Switzerland. (SDA)

All graphics: Advertising Week

 

Kollmus has worked for well-known media companies for more than 16 years, according to a statement. Most recently, he worked as managing director at Zoomin TV, before which he was vice president of ad sales at MTV Networks in Berlin. His other professional positions include ZDF, Doubleclick and IP Deutschland.

CEO Alexander Mazzara comments: "We are very pleased to have found an experienced colleague and proven media expert in Carsten Kollmus. Carsten knows the German media and advertising market and has great experience in dealing with all platforms, whether TV, web, social media or mobile. He therefore has the necessary know-how to position Joiz successfully in the German TV market. In Switzerland, Joiz has now been around for two years and our interactive and transmedia concept has worked: Viewer numbers and reactions are rising steadily, and there is acceptance in the advertising market. We're optimistic that we can do the same in Germany."

Carsten Kollmus adds: "The launch of Joiz in Germany is really very exciting and I'm glad to be part of it from the beginning. On the one hand, Joiz is a station with the classic distribution channels and can therefore also be received conventionally on free TV, but everything we broadcast is very consistently geared towards the second screen and direct interaction with young adults. In Switzerland, Joiz has already proven that you can bring a target group back to TV that has been lost to some of the major stations by addressing them authentically at eye level, offering opportunities for interaction, and using strong program colors. Germany is also ready for a real social TV station - I'm sure of it. Last but not least, we're offering advertisers the opportunity to follow an attractive target group and address it efficiently as well as adequately - from classic spot bookings to branded entertainment to new interactive forms of advertising on TV, we're offering the entire spectrum of transmedia communication possibilities right from the start."

Further links to Joiz Germany:

Werbewoche.ch/joiz-ab-sommer-2013-also-in-germany
Werbewoche.ch/joiz-castings-stiessen-in-deutschland-auf-interesse
Werbewoche.ch/first-joiz-moderator-for-germany-stands-firmly
 

Speakers Hans-Peter Kellerhals, Sybille Sachs, Jens Alder and Christian Amsler shed light on this year's topic of "Leadership in uncertain times" in an impressive and exciting way, according to a press release. Divisional Officer Kellerhals underpinned the classic leadership statements with the statement "Acting against orders can be the right thing to do depending on the situation" and inspired the participants. Sybille Sachs presented a new understanding of leadership with the statements "Profit maximization versus sustainable value creation and self-expression versus shared leadership". These very provocative statements triggered subsequent discussions among many participants.

Jens Alder presented statements from his many years of experience in senior management positions. "Leadership needs a clear leader" and "There have never been safe times" - these and many other statements were made by this profound expert on the Swiss economy. Christian Amsler, member of the Schaffhausen cantonal government, used impressive examples from the world of politics to illustrate the challenges facing politicians today. The event was livened up by the Swiss magic comedian Michel Gammenthaler. He delighted and enchanted the audience at the Schaffhausen Park Casino.

Lively panel discussion

Stephan Klapproth took up the conference topic again in his usual pointed manner during the concluding panel discussion. He challenged all the speakers with theses and statements from the presentations. Although a number of statements elicited a laugh or two from the audience, the discussion remained objective. When asked about actual recipes for leadership in uncertain times, everyone mentioned the keywords "authenticity, credibility, speed, ability to implement and teamwork" as success factors for leadership in this special situation.

Schaffhausen Marketing Day 2014

Eugen Da Pra, President of Swiss Marketing Schaffhausen and organizer of the event, was very satisfied with how the fifth Schaffhausen Marketing Day went.
"The expectations were met in full and the numerous feedbacks are excellent. This type of event is a real need in the Schaffhausen region". The next Schaffhausen Marketing Day will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2014.

Stephan Klapproth leads through the event in his special way

Divisional Officer Hans-Peter Kellerhals in the discussion

Sybille Sachs during her presentation

Jens Alder explains his management philosophy

Christian Amsler

Michel Gammenthaler delights the audience

The panel discussion takes up the topics again

A very well frequented Park Casino

From left to right: Eugen Da Pra, Jens Alder, Sybille Sachs, Christian Amsler, Divisional Officer Hans-Peter Kellerhals, Stephan Klapproth

Michael Kessler, Profifoto.ch

The 39-year-old Axel Wüstmann will take up his position on June 1, 2013, according to a press release. Peter Wanner, who has held the position of CEO of AZ Medien on an interim basis since January 1, 2013, will then return to his duties as publisher and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Axel Wüstmann comes from Gruner + Jahr, a Bertelsmann company. He worked for this media company for over ten years in various management positions, most recently as Managing Director Operations and Managing Director Digital as well as a member of the Publishing Management Board Germany since 2010.

Axel Wüstmann studied business administration in Munich before joining Gruner + Jahr as a trainee in 1998. He completed his MBA at Bocconi University in Milan in 2003. From 2004 to 2008 he was Deputy Publishing Director of Stern magazine, Managing Director of Stern.de and from 2008 to 2010 Publishing Director of the Brigitte publishing group.

Axel Wüstmann is married and has two children aged ten and eight.
 

It has now been graphically revised by Valencia Kommunikation and is now published ten times a year in electronic form under the name Holcim Focus. Valencia Kommunikation is responsible for the design and the new name and will layout the magazine in future. The magazine will focus on strategy, visions and values.

Responsible at Holcim: Markus Jaggi (Head Corporate Communications), Karin van Egmond (Internal Communications). Responsible at Valencia Communication: Nadine Weber (AD), Claudia Ferrari, Daniela Fernández (consulting), Serdal Aktas, Özge Altin, Anke Wehner (desktop).

 

From traditional competitions such as the ADC Festival to creative festivals in new markets such as Ciclope in South America and cross-cultural events such as OFFF in Barcelona - the "Creative Festival Guide" by Parasol Island summarizes the most important dates in the creative industry. The project, implemented by the Düsseldorf digital studio as an English-language website, is continuously edited and updated. In addition to the pure festival data, icons for various categories and a short editorial description provide a quick overview. The site offers map integration and the option of importing the festival dates into your own calendar.

In addition to the website, "The Creative Festival Guide" was designed as a DIN A1 poster in a small limited edition. Parasol Island in-house talent Jonathan Niclaus is responsible for the illustrations.

Charles Bals was responsible for the overall creative management of the project.
 

The agency also created a new corporate design for the company. And as the "icing on the cake," Küttel Laubacher created a national campaign. 15 cantonal banks are participating in the New appearance.

The commercial with a not quite everyday cast is the centerpiece of the campaign. The spot was created in collaboration with the Baden-based production company Maybaum Film and Brunner&Meyer - Büro für Animation und Illustration, Zurich. For one day, the film studio was transformed into a fairytale landscape. In the leading role: Snow White - accompanied by the seven dwarfs.
 

Ute Kaiser succeeds Marion Wagner, who left the company at the end of March after 16 years. Kaiser began her career after her studies at Daimler Chrysler and moved to Heye& Partner Munich in 1996. Further stations were TKM Starcom, Ogilvy One Worldwide in Frankfurt and most recently Economia in Hamburg before the Bavarian-born Ute came to Switzerland.