The independent
Hans-Ueli Zürcher offers with The Cover Media in Basel all services of radio, TV and cinema advertising and has been able to steer the company, together with co-owner Nicole Willinger, successfully through the various waves of the media since 1996.
Planning, booking and analyzing radio spots is the core business of The Cover Media. The small but efficient company works "at the best possible conditions and performance values. If it has to be particularly fast, "we are happy to provide our services from one day to the next," promises Hans-Ueli Zürcher. The Cover Media has even had to prove this once before. A supplier of consumer electronics decided in the morning that it wanted to respond to the market with a national campaign in the afternoon. "At 11 a.m., the request came by phone. From 12 to 2 p.m., we wrote the copy. At 3 p.m., we booked nationally with 50 stations. Then we put the message on the air," Zürcher enthuses.
The longtime specialist sees such dynamism as one of the great strengths of radio as a medium. "That's why I don't understand why the radio stations are fighting each other so much." For him, the RTVG is "good for nothing." But he doesn't want to discuss it anymore. Hans-Ueli Zürcher believes in the possibilities of the pools. "But the industry is harming itself because it keeps changing the pools. New pools are constantly being offered. Because certain local lords or publishers sell radio absolutely below price and value." Radio is a cost-effective medium. Still, it shouldn't be constantly offered over the rummage sale table. "Tariffs exist, but almost all give under the hag by other conditions. Although many would not have it at all necessary", regrets Zürcher. This situation also complicates the planning of a national campaign again and again. "You have to get countless offers on the phone because you can't rely on the published prices."
In the wake of cross-media developments, demand for radio advertising is rising slightly. However, only 2.8 percent of the total advertising pie is still invested in this medium. "We still have a long way to go before we have a radio culture in advertising like the Germans." There, spots may also be placed on public broadcasters. "We lack that as a quality driver and, of course, in the overall budget." That's why The Cover Media is logically building on various pillars.
In addition to its core business of radio, The Cover Media in Basel is an independent marketer of TV and cinema advertising with total solutions. Its services include planning, booking and producing TV and cinema advertising. The Cover Media works regionally, nationally and internationally.
Hans-Ueli Zürcher started his career in shipping and then switched to advertising sales at Publicitas. "I'm still from the generation that wasn't so specialized and had to learn everything myself." Of the emerging developments, he quickly became fascinated with radio. Zürcher sold spots and usually also wrote the texts himself. "Radio advertising works less on complex ideas such as image advertising. What's needed is a quick response based on sales and promotions."
After a "step by step" development, Zürcher became managing director of a German radio station on the border with Basel. Over the course of 18 months, he had to make the station fit for sale. "People liked to sell frequencies back then, after all." With the success, of course, Zürcher also put his own job in question. Just in time for the deal to close, however, an offer came in as sales manager of Radio Basilisk. He later served in the same capacity at Raurach. When this radio got a new owner after some turbulences, the moment had come for Hans-Ueli Zürcher to take his fate into his own hands in the future.
He started The Cover Media 14 years ago, "with four partners, which I would never do again. Way too many discussions." The result was a crisis in 2000 that almost made the company a takeover candidate. "But we wanted to get ourselves out," Zürcher looks back combatively. Together with business partner from the early days, Nicole Willinger, who holds equal shares in the company, and with new employees, The Cover Media emerged from the trough after four years. Since then, the radio industry in Switzerland has "changed enormously" and there have been other concentrations. But The Cover Media has been able to develop stubbornly through all the waves. "Now we are ¬happy and it works."
Eight media people and specialists work at The Cover Media today. Three positions are dedicated to production/technology. A separate sales department was deliberately not installed. "Each of us can do everything and looks after our own clientele." When ideas are needed for creation, everyone is also allowed to contribute their imagination and thoughts. However, with the arrival of son Michel Zürcher two years ago, it has developed that the junior has taken over a bit of the job of a CD or conceptual designer. Michel is also a specialist for the important POS radio department.
The division that is growing fastest under the umbrella of The Cover Media is now the commissioned films. With the Internet and its constantly improving streaming services, the old photos on websites are increasingly being replaced by attractive moving images. As a result, the orders come "almost automatically." Customers who have had a good experience with The Cover Media producing a TV spot later also want a short film for the web or a clip for a trade fair. Because Zürcher knows that "the advertisers of Zurich" quickly become suspicious of quality when faced with such a "belly-load," he has created a separate unit TCM production for the commissioned films and spot production. "Many didn't want to accept that we offer production and planning in the same company, or didn't even suspect any production under the Media name."
While Zürcher sees The Cover Media as having reached "an ideal size" for flexible operation in the planning and marketing of TV and radio spots, he can certainly imagine some growth in production. "The requests are there." And likewise, the Basel-based company "doesn't want to completely rule out" the possibility that The Cover Media may also have a stronger presence in Zurich in the future. Currently, Felix Kilchsperger (kili) is on the road for The Cover Media in advertising Zurich. "It's not just because of my name that I like Zurich," grins Zürcher.
Andreas Panzeri
The longtime specialist sees such dynamism as one of the great strengths of radio as a medium. "That's why I don't understand why the radio stations are fighting each other so much." For him, the RTVG is "good for nothing." But he doesn't want to discuss it anymore. Hans-Ueli Zürcher believes in the possibilities of the pools. "But the industry is harming itself because it keeps changing the pools. New pools are constantly being offered. Because certain local lords or publishers sell radio absolutely below price and value." Radio is a cost-effective medium. Still, it shouldn't be constantly offered over the rummage sale table. "Tariffs exist, but almost all give under the hag by other conditions. Although many would not have it at all necessary", regrets Zürcher. This situation also complicates the planning of a national campaign again and again. "You have to get countless offers on the phone because you can't rely on the published prices."
In the wake of cross-media developments, demand for radio advertising is rising slightly. However, only 2.8 percent of the total advertising pie is still invested in this medium. "We still have a long way to go before we have a radio culture in advertising like the Germans." There, spots may also be placed on public broadcasters. "We lack that as a quality driver and, of course, in the overall budget." That's why The Cover Media is logically building on various pillars.
In addition to its core business of radio, The Cover Media in Basel is an independent marketer of TV and cinema advertising with total solutions. Its services include planning, booking and producing TV and cinema advertising. The Cover Media works regionally, nationally and internationally.
Hans-Ueli Zürcher started his career in shipping and then switched to advertising sales at Publicitas. "I'm still from the generation that wasn't so specialized and had to learn everything myself." Of the emerging developments, he quickly became fascinated with radio. Zürcher sold spots and usually also wrote the texts himself. "Radio advertising works less on complex ideas such as image advertising. What's needed is a quick response based on sales and promotions."
After a "step by step" development, Zürcher became managing director of a German radio station on the border with Basel. Over the course of 18 months, he had to make the station fit for sale. "People liked to sell frequencies back then, after all." With the success, of course, Zürcher also put his own job in question. Just in time for the deal to close, however, an offer came in as sales manager of Radio Basilisk. He later served in the same capacity at Raurach. When this radio got a new owner after some turbulences, the moment had come for Hans-Ueli Zürcher to take his fate into his own hands in the future.
He started The Cover Media 14 years ago, "with four partners, which I would never do again. Way too many discussions." The result was a crisis in 2000 that almost made the company a takeover candidate. "But we wanted to get ourselves out," Zürcher looks back combatively. Together with business partner from the early days, Nicole Willinger, who holds equal shares in the company, and with new employees, The Cover Media emerged from the trough after four years. Since then, the radio industry in Switzerland has "changed enormously" and there have been other concentrations. But The Cover Media has been able to develop stubbornly through all the waves. "Now we are ¬happy and it works."
Eight media people and specialists work at The Cover Media today. Three positions are dedicated to production/technology. A separate sales department was deliberately not installed. "Each of us can do everything and looks after our own clientele." When ideas are needed for creation, everyone is also allowed to contribute their imagination and thoughts. However, with the arrival of son Michel Zürcher two years ago, it has developed that the junior has taken over a bit of the job of a CD or conceptual designer. Michel is also a specialist for the important POS radio department.
The division that is growing fastest under the umbrella of The Cover Media is now the commissioned films. With the Internet and its constantly improving streaming services, the old photos on websites are increasingly being replaced by attractive moving images. As a result, the orders come "almost automatically." Customers who have had a good experience with The Cover Media producing a TV spot later also want a short film for the web or a clip for a trade fair. Because Zürcher knows that "the advertisers of Zurich" quickly become suspicious of quality when faced with such a "belly-load," he has created a separate unit TCM production for the commissioned films and spot production. "Many didn't want to accept that we offer production and planning in the same company, or didn't even suspect any production under the Media name."
While Zürcher sees The Cover Media as having reached "an ideal size" for flexible operation in the planning and marketing of TV and radio spots, he can certainly imagine some growth in production. "The requests are there." And likewise, the Basel-based company "doesn't want to completely rule out" the possibility that The Cover Media may also have a stronger presence in Zurich in the future. Currently, Felix Kilchsperger (kili) is on the road for The Cover Media in advertising Zurich. "It's not just because of my name that I like Zurich," grins Zürcher.
Andreas Panzeri
