Please *don't* think of a pink elephant! Hard, isn't it? The difficulty lies not so much in the fact that pink elephants are not inconceivable, but rather that commands trigger resistance. Negative commands take effect faster than positive instructions. If I had told you to think of a pink elephant, the pink would have been less intense and the shape less clear.

Negativity provokes, positivity spoils. And that’s not just true for children. Why is that, anyway? People have this annoying tendency to be especially motivated to do exactly what they’re not supposed to do. Don’t eat so much chocolate! Drink less! Don’t be so nervous! We can take advantage of this human weakness through what’s called “reverse psychology” by encouraging people to do what we want by forbidding them to do it. Unfortunately, we can’t fool ourselves so easily. Well, just like our children, we may—consciously or unconsciously—behave in ways that provoke resistance in situations that demand more motivation from us than we can muster through self-discipline. That’s not a smart strategy if you plan to become wiser over time—or at least to appear that way.

True motivation, they say, comes from within. To act from within oneself, one needs a free spirit—a spirit that relies neither on defiance nor on praise nor on the sting of a command to rise above oneself. We act freely when we make decisions with a free mind—that is, free from optimism, free from pessimism, and free from external influences. Emotionless motivation is an ideal. People are never free from influence or external incentives. Emotionless motivation, like any ideal, is a guideline, a long-term goal, something we strive toward without ever having to fully achieve it. When making major decisions, we do well to view every form of influence as mere information rather than an incentive to act. In doing so, we are in urgent need of so-called demotivating negative influences. From this perspective, over time one even becomes grateful when unfairly attacked. For whether the criticism is fair or unfair, the more information we receive, the more confidently we can decide. Nasty attacks and strokes of fate, in particular, can be especially helpful because they make one cautious and wise. There is no easy path to a clearer mind. Positive criticism, fawning praise, flattery, icy words, toxic envy, or seething anger are just as much obstacles as they are motivators. In difficult situations, we should try to set aside all forms of optimism or pessimism and, when making decisions, strip away every external influence to the level of the purest possible information. What am I being told, and why am I being told this? Behind every piece of information lies a motive—and with it, a reason. Those who are able to identify the motive—and thus the underlying reason—behind the information will find ways to use that reason to their own advantage.

The spirit that enables us to make important decisions calmly does not come out of nowhere; it does not operate in the “no” or the “yes,” nor does it operate in the gray area. It arises from grappling with “yes” and “no,” with black and white. After all, it seeks neither thesis nor antithesis; it seeks synthesis. The courage to make the right decision is neither reckless nor cowardly, nor is it a middle ground; it stands above it all, synthetically. Now, the reader may object and say that this is too artificial, too abstract, too religious, too bellicose, too smart-alecky. And they should. Or maybe not.

In any case: I command you: Don’t think about it! Please don’t take a different stance! Take a principled stand against me! Get personal! Insult me! It won’t do you much good. But it will help me take this line of thought further.
 

The name sounds a bit technical at first hearing. But it stands for the innermost core of creativity. Alpha 245 is the name of the lead in this pencil, which has been used for years as a symbol for the creative work in Leo Burnett's network in various appearances. "At the moment, many colleagues actually still react a bit surprised when we mention the name of the new agency. But that should change soon," the two leading minds at Alpha 245 are convinced.

Martin Spillmann and Peter Felser have found the solution in a second agency. "Continue to grow in a new place," says Pam Hügli... Alpha 245 is thus also part of the international Leo Burnett Group and represented with the same name in 15 countries on 4 continents. The newly founded offshoot in Zurich offers all the services of a full-service agency. Alpha 245 also operates its own photo studio in Zurich and is fully equipped for all prepress work.

The Alpha 245 team includes some former employees from the head office on Aemtlerstrasse. But Pam Hügli and Diana Rossi are determined to be able to give their agency its own face soon. "We need to acquire ourselves and already have new business in the pipeline." Although Alpha 245 is not yet that big, they also want to compete for the really big budgets. Among others, the portfolio already includes budgets such as Manor Food, Sympany or Kantonsspital Aarau. Alpha 245 will enter the race with Pam Hügli and Diana Rossi "very close to the customer" as an owner-managed agency. Their trademark is to be "the most personal agency in Switzerland." "With 14 employees, we have a manageable size and thus very short decision-making paths." If necessary, however, Alpha 245 can simultaneously offer its clients all the advantages of an international network while remaining agile and nimble.

The managing director of Alpha 245 actually wanted to become a graphic designer. However, her career counselor "got something wrong" here and said that standing work on a drawing board was not ideal for Hügli's back. So she was sent to an information evening at Sawi and, at 16, came to the conclusion that it should be a career as an advertising assistant. Until she was "old" enough for the day course at Sawi at 19, Pam Hügli used the time to take her Matura. This also helped her with her application, because unlike today, at Sawi back then you had to pass a tough, multi-stage entrance exam and beat out a whole range of competitors. For the subsequent internship year, Pam Hügli would have preferred to join Advico or Wirz straight away. But because her roommate at the time snatched the job at Advico right out from under her nose, Hügli ended up at Edelweiss Werbung. The good mood in the flat-sharing community lasted nonetheless, and six months later Advico was again looking for an intern.

Rolf Zimmermann had not forgotten the obvious qualities of the first application and once again sought contact with Pam Hügli. So she became an assistant and consultant in Gockhausen. Later, she was involved in the founding of Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett from the very beginning.

In her ten years at SFLB, Pam Hügli soon evolved into a consulting group leader and member of management. But she not only shaped many campaigns that won national and international awards for outstanding creativity and effectiveness. Pam Hügli was also an important person responsible for the good spirit in the agency. She organized many events for employees that had a lasting impact on team building. Hügli was also concerned about promoting young talent. "In grateful memory of my own opportunity back then, I also trained many interns myself."

For her own further education, Hügli took the Federal Diploma in Communications Management and also successfully completed the Master of Advanced Studies in Marketing Management and Business Administration at the University of Basel in 2012. Just as Diana Rossi describes Martin Spillmann as her key supporter on the creative side, Pam Hügli sees strategist and CEO Peter Felser as her mentor. "He also suggested that I take a chance on my own agency with Alpha 245." It was exactly at that point that Hügli herself also became increasingly aware that she now wanted to "make a bit more of a mark on a company" with more responsibility in her job. After a few months for the organization, Managing Director Pam Hügli then requested Diana Rossi as CD. "I would have been very disappointed if I had been turned down," Hügli says, while Rossi affirms, "I would have been very offended if I hadn't been approached by Pam." In Diana Rossi's case, her entry into advertising was just the opposite. She applied to be an advertising assistant after a brief period of study. Due to a lack of other work samples, she submitted a few essays from her high school days. That's how her talent as a copywriter was discovered. A recommendation from the BSW association landed Rossi at a small agency in Solothurn. Here, in 18 months, she really learned the copywriting trade from scratch. "There, I mainly wrote. And lots and lots of brochures. For that, I could then do it from the FF."

Both Alpha women have been able to benefit a lot from their teachers at SFLB

She was then released from her daily commute from Zurich to Solothurn with a job offer from Euro RSCG. She worked here for four years, the first of which was before Frank Bodin joined the company. Today, Diana Rossi considers her first Cannes Lion for the Arena Fitness Clubs a "lucky start". A shortened measuring tape made people feel fatter - in other words, they wanted to go to the gym.

In 2005, Rossi moved to Spillmann Felser Leo Burnett. Silver Lion numbers 2 and 3 have since been added here. "It was a special moment to sit in the theater and see a whole auditorium laughing live at the SMSSpots for Sunrise." She won the other Lion for the broken vase for Fleurop. WOZ, Emmentaler or Migros are just a few of the clients for whom Rossi has also won numerous awards at the Eurobest, Epica, The Cup, ADC Europe, ADC Germany and, of course, as a member of ADC Switzerland.

Many of these works were created in close teamwork with Peter Brönnimann. Diana Rossi considers the current creative director of Spillman Felser Leo Burnett to be her mentors, just like Martin Spillmann. "I was able to work with the best people. That was a super time, and I've been able to take a lot from it now." Over a fondue dinner for four, Martin Spillmann, Peter Felser and their two young female entrepreneurs recently talked about the fact that now, after ten years, the success story could be repeated once again. "Simply in the female version." The two heads at the top are good friends. And both, like their predecessors, are convinced of the same business model: "The mindset has to be creative. The result solution-oriented for the benefit of the customer."

Andreas Panzeri

 

The most spectacular case of a competition objected to by the Lotteries and Betting Commission (Comlot, www.comlot. ch) was probably when Migros wanted to offer its customers something special for the tenth anniversary of the Cumulus customer card in 2007 and gave away thousands of tickets for a concert by the legendary Rolling Stones organized by Migros. To take part in the competition, you had to be in possession of a Cumulus card and make a purchase at Migros for a certain amount in a certain period. In return, you received stamps that you had to stick on an entry card. The conditions of entry for the competition also stipulated that a certain amount would be deducted from the winners' Cumulus account for the purchase of the tickets. This meant that only Cumulus customers of Migros who shopped directly with the company were eligible to take part.
 
For Comlot, this competition was illegal because it had all the characteristics of a lottery, but Migros had not applied for a license for a lottery because no such lottery was intended. According to Article 1 of the Lotteries Act (LG), a lottery has four characteristics that must be present cumulatively: Payment of a stake or conclusion of a legal transaction, pecuniary advantage as a prize, regularity in the execution and determination of the winners by chance, e.g. by drawing.
 
This actually makes it clear how to prevent a conflict with the Lotteries Act and Comlot when organizing a competition: You make sure that one of the characteristics of a lottery is not present in the competition. As a rule, it is easiest to guarantee all interested parties free participation in the competition. However, this must be clearly communicated and be available without obstacles or simply. In addition, all participants must have the same chances of winning, even if they participate for free.
 
Comlot is not to be trifled with. The Lotteries Act contains penal provisions, and Comlot does not shy away from filing criminal charges against organizers of illegal competitions. Just at the end of the year, Coop and Migros felt the effects of Comlot's now tough stance with their games "Simsala Win" and "Mega Win". Comlot complained that the free participation actually provided for in these promotions was not equal opportunity because, unlike in-store customers, such participants could only obtain a limited number of tickets and free participation was very complicated.
 
The competition is probably one of the most popular advertising measures. The rules of the Lottery Act are clear, and advertising agencies and advertising departments should be sufficiently sensitized by now. It is therefore surprising that even large providers repeatedly come into conflict with the Lottery Act and Comlot. Our experience shows that advertisers and marketers are becoming increasingly tricky when developing competitions and prize draws in the system, which is why it is often difficult to realize a meaningful and simple free participation. In order to minimize the risk of legal disputes, it would therefore be advisable to consult external or internal lawyers, especially if there is a risk that competition and game documents will be stomped out or, in the worst case, that a competition or game will be discontinued, thus damaging the company's image.
 
Ueli Grüter

With its variety of programs, TF1 Suisse is a popular channel for advertisers, Ringier wrote in a statement on Wednesday. Swissness, stars and charity events, for example, would excite the TV audience in French-speaking Switzerland. "Decisive for our success was not only the environments produced but also the high performance in the viewer market," said Daniel Gauchat, head of TV marketing.

The TV high-flyers of 2012 were shows like "Le Bal des Enfoirés," "The Voice," "NRJ Music Award," "Masterchef," "Secret Story," "Koh Lanta," and "Danse avec les stars. "Le Bal des Enfoirés" achieved a market share of 29.6 percent (age 3+) and 38.2 percent among female viewers aged 25-44, respectively, last year. "The Voice" was watched by up to 270,000 viewers in French-speaking Switzerland (18.5 percent market share). The show "Danse avec les stars" achieved a market share of over 33 percent among the female audience (ages 15 to 49).

In the three radio spots, the agency shows that many of today's controversial topics were once topical in an astonishingly similar form. And aims to arouse curiosity about a visit to the Landesmuseum.

Responsible at Landesmuseum Zurich: Andreas Spillmann (Director), Mariella Frei (Head of Marketing). Responsible at Advico Y&R: Markus Gut (overall responsibility), Martin Stulz, Dominik Oberwiler (CD), Avsar Yildiz (lyrics), Ramun Knapp (consulting), Hastings (recording studio).

Spot 1
Spot 2
Spot 3

 

As part of Rundschau Medien, which also publishes the two magazines Energie Rundschau and Bundes Rundschau, the magazine KMU Rundschau is now published four times a year. As in the print edition, the online articles are divided into core sections that address the needs of SME managers. Rundschau Medien is a subsidiary of Prestige Media, which is responsible for graphics, production and printing.
 

With her appointment to the management level, the mission of the Geneva office, which consists in particular of supporting and acquiring international clients, will increasingly take center stage, according to a Cocomore press release on Wednesday. The internationalization of the business accelerated further in 2012, particularly in CRM, e-commerce and Internet IT. It is important that this development is also reflected in Cocomore's organizational structure.

This is a very good result, even in a multi-year comparison. The management of the Museum of Communication blames both the temporary and the permanent exhibitions for the good result. The 2011/2012 temporary exhibition "Warning: Communicating at Risk." was well received by visitors, according to the museum's annual report. The current temporary exhibition "Am I beautiful?" has also been very well received by the public and the media. Two new exhibitions are scheduled to open next fall: The exhibition "21- Memories of Growing Up" starts on August 30. A second temporary exhibition starts on November 8 and is dedicated to rituals.

Teaser image: View of the permanent exhibition "Near and Far: People and Their Media".

The contract covers the entire brand strategy and advertising for Mini in Switzerland, as well as dealer communications.

Thereby are on the new website for example, the profiles of the sponsored ski cracks and the company chronicle can be called up in timeline mode. Customers can now fill a shopping cart with their favorite products on the Ovomaltine website and have them delivered to their homes via the link to the Wander online store. The new website is mobile-optimized. In addition, the individual products can be liked directly on Facebook via a button.

Another new feature on the website is a social media box that displays the latest tweets and Facebook posts from the Ovo channels. In addition, the site is mobile-optimized.