String concert with overtones

Every second top advertising client cut back in the first half of 2002By Oliver Classen Retailers, branded companies and - a big surprise! - the telecoms companies are ensuring a sorry consistency in the advertising market. The financial and tobacco industries acted as the biggest brakes in the first half of the year.
Wishful thinking (rather than serious research) was obviously the father of thought when the NZZ am Sonntag counted banks and insurance companies "among the more stable advertising clients" in the economically weak Swiss market in its last issue. As the latest half-year figures from Media Focus show, the situation is exactly the opposite: the two big spenders UBS (minus 32.6%) and Credit Suisse (minus 47.5%) have cut their investments in traditional advertising so spectacularly that they have fallen 12 (UBS) and 35 (CS) places respectively in the top 50 ranking. Zürcher Kantonalbank, which was still in 47th place in the last semester comparison with around CHF 6 million, has even dropped out of the hit parade altogether.
No comment on sensitive competition data
But perhaps the colleagues from Falkenstrasse have also fallen victim to the increasingly restrictive communication policy of global players when it comes to their advertising francs. This was also the experience of WerbeWoche these days. Initially with inquiries to the consumer goods multinationals Procter & Gamble and Lever Fabergé, which increased their budgets to a whopping 22.1 (P&G) and 13.8 million francs respectively despite (or perhaps because of?) drastic redimensioning of their respective brand portfolios.
While the marketing managers in Geneva and Zug at least still ask for understanding for their categorical "No comment on such competition-sensitive information", the tobacco industry no longer even puts you through to the advertising manager or dismisses you with a rude "You just want to make us look bad" (Philip Morris).
Unfortunately, the question remains unanswered as to whether the cigarette manufacturers' collective spending cuts - from 17.9 percent (Philip Morris) to 9 percent (BAT) - will be further tightened or eased in the second half of this year. What can be said with certainty, however, is that the nerves of the companies, which are currently being hamstrung by ever more legislation, are on edge.
Despite Swisscom's offensive (up 41 percent!), the undisputed leading duo of Swiss advertising clients is far more relaxed and communicative. Head of Marketing Beat Mühlemann sees the almost six percent increase in Migros spending less as anti-cyclical and more as a "strategically sustainable investment" in the development of own brands, among other things. In the current semester
the second-placed orange giant "more or less maintained" this course.
Continuity is also the motto of the leader Coop, which is gradually coming under pressure, says its advertising manager Robert Joss.
The agency world certainly appreciates these signals of stability from the two most advertising-intensive Swiss companies today more than ever. Incidentally, according to Joss, the slight decline to date is "probably still within the tolerance range" of the surveys. In addition, the large-scale campaign to publicize the new Coop logo, which ended at the beginning of the year, certainly had an impact here.
Gross expenditure on commercial advertising by sector

Sector Total in CHF million -/+ (%)
(Jan.-June 02) (Jan.-June 01) 2002/2001
1. media* 259,936 268,121 - 3.1
2. traffic 249,830 244,335 2.2
3. food 171,067 185,315 - 7.7
4. IT/Office 142,122 149,809 - 5.1
5. finance/insurance 133,663 167,690 - 20.3
6. trade 133,553 131,430 1.6
7. cosmetics/body care 113,222 105,074 7.8
8. service 99,214 120,672 - 17.8
9. house/garden 96.375 108.509 - 11.2
10. investments/industry 86.007 72.814 18.1
11. beverages 84,392 68,226 23,7
12. leisure/tourism 79.034 81.440 - 3.0
13. clothing/personal needs 74,460 93,376 - 20,3
14. pharma/health 44,249 42,572 3.9
15. consumer electronics/photography 36.994 28.689 28.9
16. household, cleaning and care products 34,072 26,560 28,3
17. tobacco products 33,187 38,591 - 14.0
18. household goods and appliances 27,193 26,725 1.8
* incl. own advertisements and bartering Source: Media Focus
Top 50 advertising clients in Switzerland Companies Gross advertising expenditure in CHF million -/+ (%)

(Jan.-June 02) (Jan.-June 01) 2002/2001
1. Coop Switzerland, Basel 92.716 93.723 -1.1
2 Migros, Zurich 89,581 84,740 5,7
3. Swisscom, Berne 39.771 28.205 41.0
4. Procter + Gamble SA, Geneva 22.091 16.971 30.2
5. Nestlé Suisse SA, Vevey 18.777 21.951 -14.5
6. TDC Switzerland AG, Zurich (incl. Diax) 17.996 19.708 -8.7
7 Masterfoods AG, Zug 15.709 15.767 -0.4
8. Media Markt Vertriebs AG, Geroldswil 15,471 14,361 7,7
9. Orange Communications SA, Lausanne 15.338 11.985 28.0
10. Lever Fabergé AG, Zug 13.785 8.667 59.1
11. Philip Morris SA, Lausanne 13.196 16.075 -17.9
12. Opel (Suisse) SA, Biel 13.130 12.724 3.2
13th Manor, Basel 13.066 13.854 -5.7
14 Frimago AG, Volketswil 12.999 12.968 0.2
15th Renault, Urdorf 12.895 14.259 -9.6
16 Denner AG, Zurich 12,578 12,166 3,4
17. BMW (Switzerland) AG, Dielsdorf (incl. Mini) 12.374 5.723 116.2
18 L'Oréal Suisse SA, Geneva 12,352 11,243 9,9
19 UBS, Zurich 11.875 17.366 -31.6
20. Bluewin AG, Zurich 11,779 7,470 57,7
21 Fust AG Dipl. Ing., Oberbüren 11.572 15.093 -23.3
22 Peugeot (Suisse) SA, Berne 11.388 10.262 11.0
23rd Fiat Auto (Suisse) SA, Geneva 11,166 7,567 47,5
24 Ford Motor Company, Wallisellen 10,943 9,117 20,0
25 Beiersdorf AG, Münchenstein 10,940 10,199 7,3
26. BAT. SA, Les Acacias 10.910 11.986 -9.0
27 Henkel + Cie AG, Pratteln 10.352 10.615 -2.5
28th Amag/VW, Schinznach 10.224 11.010 -7.2
29 Swiss Post, Berne 10,215 6,516 56.8
30th Charles Vögele, Pfäffikon 9.550 10.876 -12.2
31 Citroën (Suisse) SA, Geneva 8.521 7.358 15.8
32nd Toyota AG, Safenwil 8.349 9.620 -13.2
33rd JT International AG, Dagmarsellen 8.118 9.077 -10.6
34th EPA/Unip, Zurich 7.867 9.791 -19.7
35th Daimler Chrysler/Mercedes, Schlieren 7.133 7.738 -7.8
36th United Distillers, Prilly 7,108 1,360 422.3
37 Coca-Cola Beverages AG, Brüttisellen 7.099 8.641 -17.8
38 Feldschlösschen, Rheinfelden 7,074 5,759 22.8
39th McDonald's Restaurants, Crissier 6,912 7,619 -9.3
40th Interdiscount, Jegenstorf 6.728 6.687 0.6
41st Rivella AG, Rothrist 6,657 3,391 96.3
42nd MMC Automobile AG, Winterthur 6.634 8.128 -18.4
43rd Nissan, Urdorf 6.555 4.936 32.8
44th Hyundai Auto Import AG, Winterthur 6.546 6.933 -5.6
45th Amag/Audi, Schinznach 6.505 7.851 -17.1
46. Hennes + Mauritz, Geneva 6,255 5,087 23,0
47 Credit Suisse, Zurich 6.199 11.806 -47.5
48th Volg, Winterthur 5.993 3.571 67.8
49 Novartis Consumer Health SA, Berne 5,879 5,082 15.7
50 TCS Assurances, Geneva 5,483 5,693 -3.7
without publishers
Source: Media Focus