Journey into the unknown

The big Werbewoche survey on economic developments following the "euro shock" and its impact on the communications and advertising industry.

Editorial - February 26, 2015

And suddenly the R-word is going around again: since the Swiss National Bank lifted the minimum euro exchange rate on January 15, Switzerland has suddenly become 15 to 20 percent more expensive as a business location compared to other countries. This has hit the export industry and tourism hard - but also the advertising and communications sector. And some economists were quick to predict a brief recession for the Swiss economy in the summer of 2015. Yet we were doing so well: in a survey conducted by the University of St. Gallen on behalf of BSW Leading Swiss Agencies and with the support of the Swiss Advertising Client Association (SWA) at the end of last year, 78% of all advertising clients generally expected the economic trend to remain positive in 2015. One month after the euro shock, there is little sign of optimism in the Werbewoche survey of industry experts.

However, the various influencing factors are weighted differently, and so the picture on the market remains diffuse. This makes the statements from the executive floors all the more worth reading, which is why we have reproduced them in full and unabridged. Who sees black and who is optimistic? Where are concrete effects already being reported? What recipes are being recommended? How does the view of advertisers differ from that of media planners? Who wins? Who loses? The large number of comments shows how strongly the topic is affecting the industry. So that the dialog can continue, we are also publishing the statements on Werbewoche.ch in such a way that they can be commented on individually. Whose assessment is met with approval? Who is skeptical?

Beat Krebs, CEO ZenithOptimedia Switzerland

Markus Gabriel, owner of the content marketing agency Angelink

Roland Ehrler, Director SWA Swiss Advertising Clients Association

Marcel Durst, Managing Director, Komet Advertising Agency BSW

Julien Witt, JBW Media

Axel Beckmann, MediaCom, CEO

Frank Bodin, Chairman & CEO, Office Havas Worldwide

Manfred Strobl, CEO, Mediaschneider

Hanspeter Lebrument, Chairman of the Board and Publisher Somedia

Frédéric Renzen, CEO, Renzen & Partner

Christian Baertschi, Partner, Serviceplan Suisse

Cornelia Harder, CEO, FCB Zurich

Catrin Rubenson, CEO, Admazing

Peter Frey, Managing Director, cR Werbeagentur