Earthquake for Publicitas: NZZ Media Solutions and AZ-Medien also turn away

These are dark days for the time-honored advertising broker Publicitas: After Tamedia (MK reported) and Ringier and Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland (MK reported) terminated their cooperation with the company, NZZ Media Solutions and AZ-Medien are now following suit. According to a press release, the central marketing organization of the NZZ media group is reacting to "Payment arrears on the part of Publicitas AG and (...) current events". The AZ-Medien report also states that payment arrears and current developments triggered the move.

Clients should transfer directly

Like Tamedia and Ringier, NZZ Media Solutions and AZ-Medien have also announced that they will inform all advertising customers about the next steps. Payments to Publicitas are to be discontinued and made directly to the publishers. In the future, too, a expect "first-class service and efficient processing of advertising orders" if the media houses take matters into their own hands. However, there is (still?) no talk of a cross-company rescue company, as has been repeatedly discussed in recent weeks.

Is that it for Publicitas?

Publicitas itself has not yet commented on the developments - only after the Tamedia announcement was there a statement in which Publicitas expressed its shock and wrote of a restructuring plan to settle all debts in the medium term. According to the text, major publishing houses had verbally signaled their interest in further cooperation. This statement is probably now a waste of time: For advertising clients, an intermediary that no longer has access to the four largest media houses in Switzerland and their products is simply no longer attractive.For Publicitas employees, an anxious period of waiting now begins. What happens next is a matter of speculation - only this much: an economic recovery from several such serious setbacks would be tantamount to a miracle.