Bad news for multinationals
German advertising windows aim to eliminate overspill
German advertising windows want to eliminate overspillBy Markus Knöpfli Good news for Swiss media agencies: IP Multimedia and RMB Switzerland want to make overspill impossible on German advertising windows - at least during prime time. This should bring more orders and money to Switzerland.
The problem is well known: While interstitial advertising is permitted on TV in Germany, it is subject to restrictive regulations in Switzerland. This means that although foreign advertising windows broadcast a lot of interstitial advertising, these advertising blocks are usually not allowed to be used for Swiss commercials. In return, companies that book spots in the advertising blocks prohibited for Swiss advertising receive the service in Switzerland free of charge as so-called overspill in addition to the service in Germany. Multinational companies in particular exploit this to the full. The broadcasters, their marketers in Switzerland and also the Swiss media agencies are thus deprived of money. Not least because some of the permitted twelve minutes of advertising time per hour can no longer be used.
The two marketing companies IP Multimedia (Switzerland) and RMB Switzerland now want to remedy this situation. On the initiative of IP Multimedia (Switzerland), they have been looking for some time for a technical solution to be able to cross-fade the - from a Swiss perspective - surplus interruption advertising blocks on RTL, RTL 2, Pro 7, Sat 1, Vox and Kabel 1 - at least during prime time (7 to 10.30 p.m.). However, the cross-fade is not to be done with Swiss advertising, which would be prohibited; the aim is rather to keep the program running and use the time saved to extend the respective hinge advertising blocks.
To make this possible, the program must be saved, which is technically complex, especially for live broadcasts, and can also lead to different start times. A solution to this problem has already been found in Austria. IP Multimedia and RMB Switzerland are confident that the project can be completed by the middle of the year. A number of tests are already underway.
"We want to differentiate the Sat-1 program and advertising window more strongly from the German program," says Matthias Luchsinger, CEO of RMB Switzerland. "It is also intended to increase investment in TV advertising in Switzerland." This is because in order to achieve the same performance as before, multinational companies will also have to have a budget for Switzerland in future. "This means that money that was previously withheld from the Swiss market due to overspill will be invested here."
Michi Frank, CEO of IP Multimedia (Switzerland), agrees and adds: "Our customers also want more money to come into Switzerland." But what if advertisers who previously benefited from overspill are scared away? Frank shrugs his shoulders: "I only look at the Swiss market," he says.
The problem is well known: While interstitial advertising is permitted on TV in Germany, it is subject to restrictive regulations in Switzerland. This means that although foreign advertising windows broadcast a lot of interstitial advertising, these advertising blocks are usually not allowed to be used for Swiss commercials. In return, companies that book spots in the advertising blocks prohibited for Swiss advertising receive the service in Switzerland free of charge as so-called overspill in addition to the service in Germany. Multinational companies in particular exploit this to the full. The broadcasters, their marketers in Switzerland and also the Swiss media agencies are thus deprived of money. Not least because some of the permitted twelve minutes of advertising time per hour can no longer be used.
The two marketing companies IP Multimedia (Switzerland) and RMB Switzerland now want to remedy this situation. On the initiative of IP Multimedia (Switzerland), they have been looking for some time for a technical solution to be able to cross-fade the - from a Swiss perspective - surplus interruption advertising blocks on RTL, RTL 2, Pro 7, Sat 1, Vox and Kabel 1 - at least during prime time (7 to 10.30 p.m.). However, the cross-fade is not to be done with Swiss advertising, which would be prohibited; the aim is rather to keep the program running and use the time saved to extend the respective hinge advertising blocks.
To make this possible, the program must be saved, which is technically complex, especially for live broadcasts, and can also lead to different start times. A solution to this problem has already been found in Austria. IP Multimedia and RMB Switzerland are confident that the project can be completed by the middle of the year. A number of tests are already underway.
"We want to differentiate the Sat-1 program and advertising window more strongly from the German program," says Matthias Luchsinger, CEO of RMB Switzerland. "It is also intended to increase investment in TV advertising in Switzerland." This is because in order to achieve the same performance as before, multinational companies will also have to have a budget for Switzerland in future. "This means that money that was previously withheld from the Swiss market due to overspill will be invested here."
Michi Frank, CEO of IP Multimedia (Switzerland), agrees and adds: "Our customers also want more money to come into Switzerland." But what if advertisers who previously benefited from overspill are scared away? Frank shrugs his shoulders: "I only look at the Swiss market," he says.
