Three new combat announcements

 
Freedom of advertising The alliance against advertising bans is no more, it lacked unity. Three new groups have therefore been formed. 
The websites www.stopp-werbeverbote.ch and the Alliance Against Advertising Bans are orphaned: both sites were last updated over a year ago. This is despite the fact that the debate about advertising bans has by no means died down. But the organization, which united producers, advertising clients, agencies and the media for around three years and campaigned "for freedom in communication" with two advertising campaigns, has gone quiet. "The Alliance is currently in a deep sleep," says Pierre Triponez, who was in charge as Director of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV). "It's not dead, but it's relatively inactive," says Hanspeter Kellermüller, Managing Director of the Swiss Press Association. Elsewhere, one hears clearer words. "The Alliance has lost its current significance," states Piero Schäfer, spokesman for Schweizer Werbung (SW) and the Alliance. And BSW Managing Director Walter Merz adds: "Allianz no longer exists in its original form." Of course, because SW and BSW left last summer. They were followed by the Interessengemeinschaft Elektronische Medien and the Verband Schweizerischer Werbeauftraggeber (SWA). SWA Director Jürg Siegrist, for example, stated in his 2007 annual report: "Unfortunately, the alliance against advertising bans disagrees on the path to take - the advertising campaigns were a disaster. We will therefore continue the fight for advertising freedom with other interested organizations - above all with the media, which are in the same boat."
Even if the representatives of SW, BSW, SGV and the publishers' association who were asked would prefer to describe the matter differently, they ultimately confirm the desolate situation. The frustration stems from two lost referendums in the fall of 2006. In the cantons of Baselland and Solothurn, the alliance had campaigned against new advertising and sponsorship restrictions with an advertising campaign (by DraftFCB/Lowe Group) - but these were approved by 71 and 56 percent of voters respectively. The two defeats became the Waterloo for Allianz: they went over the books. In April 2007, it still looked like an agreement would be reached. In APG's in-house newspaper Plakativ, Othmar Casutt, PR manager at APG, noted: "At a meeting of the existing members of the Alliance in April 2007, it was agreed that the fight had to be intensified. And no longer under the negative label 'Alliance against advertising bans', but with a positive message, for example 'Alliance for freedom of communication and trade'. Next July, the Alliance intends to go public with a new name and new objectives. In addition to the already committed advertising and media circles, the Alliance also wants to get the retail trade, service providers, the food industry, drinks producers, the car industry, the telecommunications sector, the farmers' association, etc. on board."
A common enemyThe alliance succeeded in broadening, but broke down on July 5, 2007. The reason: the business community focused on the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and declared it a common enemy because of its national programs on tobacco, alcohol and nutrition. The SWA, agencies and media, on the other hand, are not fundamentally opposed to politicians restricting or increasing the price of individual products for prevention reasons. "We want to cooperate with the FOPH, but we will resist if legal products are no longer allowed to be advertised," says Piero Schäfer.
Even if SGV director Triponez today says reassuringly that they are "not at loggerheads", they are no longer pulling in the same direction. In the meantime, several new groups have formed: Under the leadership of SGV and Economiesuisse, a "Committee of the Economy for a Sensible Alcohol Policy" and an "IG Freiheit", which aims to "strengthen the idea of freedom in Switzerland and its implementation in legislation and application", have been formed. However, neither the SWA, agencies nor the media are involved in either of these institutions. The latter have formed a third, as yet unnamed group, which is expected to be constituted at the end of May. Whether this will succeed depends largely on Hanspeter Kellermüller from the Publishers Association. He has the task of developing a new concept. He does not want to reveal too much yet: "We are trying to sensitize people to the fact that freedom of communication - including in the area of commercial communication - is an important value in our society." However, Kellermüller also seems to be focusing on cooperation rather than confrontation: Instead of fighting against BAG and social trends, he can imagine offering a hand in a joint prevention campaign. As a demonstration of goodwill. And as prevention against further advertising bans.
Markus Knöpfli
 
 
 
SW is the linkNo matter how many strings you end up pulling
... but they will not march completely separately against new advertising bans. Because one association is ensuring minimal coordination: Schweizer Werbung (SW). Its president, Carlo Schmid, is on the board of IG Freiheit and has also signed up to the "Business Committee for a sensible alcohol policy". SW is also a member of the still loose group that is trying to form under the leadership of the Publishers' Association. Former CVP Councillor of States Schmid is also doing everything he can to fulfill this role. For example, he recently spoke out vehemently against advertising bans and against the Federal Office of Public Health, with a broadside on Advertising Day. (mk)