"Pipilotti shouldn't have to go to New York anymore".
100 years of APG: Affichage boss Christian Kauter on what is feasible in the future
100 years of APG: Affichage CEO Christian Kauter on what is feasible in the futureIntegration of electronic media and further development into a content provider - these are the most important innovations with which APG is entering its second century of existence. But according to Affichage CEO Christian Kauter, progress is also to be accelerated abroad.The most important link in the Affichage Group, APG, is entering its second century. What is your vision for the future?
Christian Kauter: We want to be the first to have a poster on the moon. If it gets that far. But let's stay on the ground for now, because groundbreaking things are happening for us here, too. The
The 21st century will be the century of electronic media. The keyword is big screen. By taking this step, we are entering new territory: In the future, we will also offer content and garnish advertising with it. Pipilotti no longer has to go to New York to show her films. In the future, that will also be possible in Zurich, Bern or Basel.
When will the longed-for piece of Times Square or Picadilly Circus become a reality in our country?
Kauter: We're working on the details for a pilot in Zurich's main train station. If everything goes smoothly, we'll be putting a 60 to 80 square meter big screen into operation before the end of the year. After a test phase, we then hope to be able to offer the system on the market.
But Zurich is not New York and Switzerland is not America. Everything is tighter here, and the space available in train stations and squares is limited. What will be different here?
Kauter: In Switzerland, we have six stations with visitor frequencies for which the use of big screens makes sense: Zurich, Bern, Basel, St. Gallen, Lausanne and Geneva. Outside the stations, things are already getting tight. At Zurich's Paradeplatz, for example, there are hardly any opportunities for a Big Screen. This forces us to be innovative and look for our own customized solutions.
What might they look like?
Kauter: A single large screen in the station concourse, for example, does not provide sufficient contact quality. To supplement this, various smaller screens are needed, distributed on the platforms and other busy passages in the railroad area. The goal is: no station user should be able to bypass our new electronic advertising and information system. In a further step, we are even considering equipping public buses in Switzerland with small screens.
The Zürcher Oberländer Verkehrsbetriebe have been using it for some time now. With meager success. What improvements are you planning?
Kauter: The system in the Oberland transport companies is not up to date enough. That has partly to do with the technology: The devices in the buses are fed by cassettes. Nowadays, you have to operate an electronic medium online. We are working on this step.
By turning to electronic media, the Affichage Group is taking on another new challenge: In addition to advertising messages, content is also to be transported in the future. Do you do this yourself or are you looking for partnerships for this?
Kauter: That's where we're currently feeling our way forward. One thing is clear: The content must have a specifically local character. That means we need partners with expertise in the regional and local area.
Local TV stations could become partners of Affichage, for example?
Kauter: I can't rule that out. At this stage, we have to have our sights wide open as far as possible partnerships are concerned.
The Big Screen system is a huge investment and will also be very expensive to operate.
Kauter: We are planning to invest around ten million Swiss francs in Big Screen, an amount that will not be written off quickly. The new product is still relatively expensive today, but that will change when we go into mass production.
The Affichage Group will not only set new accents in public spaces with the Big Screens. In other ways, too, it will continue to cultivate its role as an urban designer. Telephone booths, streetcar and bus shelters, and toilet blocks already exist. What's next?
Kauter: We will continue to focus on street furniture in the future. Others are conceivable, such as waste bins or bike trees, which we could quickly realize. Another possibility, which is already practiced abroad: creating entire kiosks.
Do you want to compete with Kiosk AG?
Kauter: Of course not. If we were to get involved in kiosk construction, it would be in cooperation with Kiosk AG. Our task would be limited to erecting the buildings and to the advertising aspects.
In the future, the company is to grow primarily abroad. The entry into Europlakat has so far mainly cost money. And the liaison with the other big player, Decaux, is blocked by the Competition Commission. When do you want to earn money abroad?
Kauter: Working with Europlakat took a certain amount of time to get going. But now things are going steeply upwards: Sales have increased by 25 percent since the beginning of the year alone, and I expect a further growth spurt in the coming months. With Europlakat, we are number one in various countries in Eastern Europe. With Decaux, we also have a shareholder who, as a globally active company, has a huge amount of know-how. This is essential for our foreign strategy. However, we are blocked until the decision of the Competition Commission, which is due in the fall.
Another growth opportunity could be the combination of billboard and local radio. Your competitor Plakanda has already taken this step with its entry into the Radio One station in western Switzerland. Do you have similar plans?
Kauter: Here in small-scale Switzerland, the situation is quite different. The most important obstacle: The individual local radio stations have only small reception areas. We would have to buy up far too many stations for the whole thing to make sense. Today, media agencies can already put together advertising combinations with posters and radio on request.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
Christian Kauter: We want to be the first to have a poster on the moon. If it gets that far. But let's stay on the ground for now, because groundbreaking things are happening for us here, too. The
The 21st century will be the century of electronic media. The keyword is big screen. By taking this step, we are entering new territory: In the future, we will also offer content and garnish advertising with it. Pipilotti no longer has to go to New York to show her films. In the future, that will also be possible in Zurich, Bern or Basel.
When will the longed-for piece of Times Square or Picadilly Circus become a reality in our country?
Kauter: We're working on the details for a pilot in Zurich's main train station. If everything goes smoothly, we'll be putting a 60 to 80 square meter big screen into operation before the end of the year. After a test phase, we then hope to be able to offer the system on the market.
But Zurich is not New York and Switzerland is not America. Everything is tighter here, and the space available in train stations and squares is limited. What will be different here?
Kauter: In Switzerland, we have six stations with visitor frequencies for which the use of big screens makes sense: Zurich, Bern, Basel, St. Gallen, Lausanne and Geneva. Outside the stations, things are already getting tight. At Zurich's Paradeplatz, for example, there are hardly any opportunities for a Big Screen. This forces us to be innovative and look for our own customized solutions.
What might they look like?
Kauter: A single large screen in the station concourse, for example, does not provide sufficient contact quality. To supplement this, various smaller screens are needed, distributed on the platforms and other busy passages in the railroad area. The goal is: no station user should be able to bypass our new electronic advertising and information system. In a further step, we are even considering equipping public buses in Switzerland with small screens.
The Zürcher Oberländer Verkehrsbetriebe have been using it for some time now. With meager success. What improvements are you planning?
Kauter: The system in the Oberland transport companies is not up to date enough. That has partly to do with the technology: The devices in the buses are fed by cassettes. Nowadays, you have to operate an electronic medium online. We are working on this step.
By turning to electronic media, the Affichage Group is taking on another new challenge: In addition to advertising messages, content is also to be transported in the future. Do you do this yourself or are you looking for partnerships for this?
Kauter: That's where we're currently feeling our way forward. One thing is clear: The content must have a specifically local character. That means we need partners with expertise in the regional and local area.
Local TV stations could become partners of Affichage, for example?
Kauter: I can't rule that out. At this stage, we have to have our sights wide open as far as possible partnerships are concerned.
The Big Screen system is a huge investment and will also be very expensive to operate.
Kauter: We are planning to invest around ten million Swiss francs in Big Screen, an amount that will not be written off quickly. The new product is still relatively expensive today, but that will change when we go into mass production.
The Affichage Group will not only set new accents in public spaces with the Big Screens. In other ways, too, it will continue to cultivate its role as an urban designer. Telephone booths, streetcar and bus shelters, and toilet blocks already exist. What's next?
Kauter: We will continue to focus on street furniture in the future. Others are conceivable, such as waste bins or bike trees, which we could quickly realize. Another possibility, which is already practiced abroad: creating entire kiosks.
Do you want to compete with Kiosk AG?
Kauter: Of course not. If we were to get involved in kiosk construction, it would be in cooperation with Kiosk AG. Our task would be limited to erecting the buildings and to the advertising aspects.
In the future, the company is to grow primarily abroad. The entry into Europlakat has so far mainly cost money. And the liaison with the other big player, Decaux, is blocked by the Competition Commission. When do you want to earn money abroad?
Kauter: Working with Europlakat took a certain amount of time to get going. But now things are going steeply upwards: Sales have increased by 25 percent since the beginning of the year alone, and I expect a further growth spurt in the coming months. With Europlakat, we are number one in various countries in Eastern Europe. With Decaux, we also have a shareholder who, as a globally active company, has a huge amount of know-how. This is essential for our foreign strategy. However, we are blocked until the decision of the Competition Commission, which is due in the fall.
Another growth opportunity could be the combination of billboard and local radio. Your competitor Plakanda has already taken this step with its entry into the Radio One station in western Switzerland. Do you have similar plans?
Kauter: Here in small-scale Switzerland, the situation is quite different. The most important obstacle: The individual local radio stations have only small reception areas. We would have to buy up far too many stations for the whole thing to make sense. Today, media agencies can already put together advertising combinations with posters and radio on request.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
