"We can keep this up for decades".
Collecting sponsorship money has become more difficult for Ellen Ringier.
The collection of sponsorship money has become more difficult for Ellen Ringier.
no refusals from the sponsors for Fritz and Fränzi. But on
The reason for the drop in advertising spending was also the spending mood of the
requested patrons on the ground, explains the editor of the
Parenting Magazine, Ellen Ringier.
WW: Are Fritz and Fränzi already out of the woods?Ellen Ringier: No,
no. Not for a long time yet. But Fritz and Fränzi has in the audience a high
found acceptance. Instead of 100000 copies, we distributed in the
last year, 180000 copies per issue. And also in the current
year, we still print 100000 copies each. The number of copies printed by the
The number of copies ordered by teachers is much higher than we originally expected.
had expected.
WW: However, there is a gap
a hole in the cash register - about one third of the expenditures are not
covered. How long do you plan to feed Fritz and Fränzi?Ringier: The
Foundation Parenthood, which is behind Fritz and Fränzi, becomes a
I am largely responsible for this myself. And as long as I stand behind it
and donate my money for this meaningful non-profit project
we can keep this up for decades. After all, it is
not about huge sums of money. If, for example, we were to increase the print run to 60,000
shut down, we could last forever.
WW: And by when could cost-covering operations be realistic?
We were actually hoping for break-even at the end of this year.
However, there is a gap in budgeted sponsorship income at the moment
still a hole of around 300000 francs. Everything now depends on whether we
find the sponsoring partners we need or not. At the moment lead
we are holding promising talks with possible sponsors.
WW: Is the advertising market crisis also dragging down the willingness to make donations?
goes hand in hand with the poor economic situation. Also
with patronage contributions, clients want to see a performance. However
the goodwill that a sponsorship commitment can generate in the population.
is not so easy to measure. That is why clients here set
first to apply the red pencil when they want to gloss over their budgets.
WW: Patronage contributions for
collecting all kinds of projects is a routine matter for you. How
do the requested companies react when you come around again and again?Ringier: Of course
I only ever go to those company representatives with whom a
personal relationship connects. But it has under it quite also
those who change the side of the road when they meet me - from
Fear that it might otherwise be expensive or unpleasant or both.
WW: For many years, you've had the reputation of being a charity lady. Is your power of persuasion diminishing or increasing?Ringier: The
I don't find the term charity lady very appropriate. I am Dr. iur. and
come from the advocacy. Already for 15 years I work
exclusively for nonprofit organizations. Of these, fundraising is
but only a part. Also very much consulting and activities related to
management are also involved. What my
persuasion concerns: when I was younger and more attractive, and I
not already knocked on the same door for the tenth time, it was still
easier. But the most important brake on the willingness to spend is in the
moment quite clearly the poor economic situation.
WW: How do you feel when you go begging as a very rich woman? Do the people who ask you never let you feel this circumstance?Ringier: I
have rarely heard any criticism in this regard. Unfortunately there are
not too many people who proportionately use so much of their
Giving away private assets for charitable projects, as I do.
The people I asked about this seem to be in the picture.
WW: Did the affair surrounding ex-ambassador Thomas Borer have a negative impact on the willingness to donate?Ringier: Originally
I had feared this, but it did not happen. Not a single
advertiser, and no potential sponsor told me he wanted to be a sponsor after the
Borer story no longer have anything to do with me.
WW: Where will Fritz and Fränzi be in three years?Ringier: If
the economy picks up again and we can meet the budgeted patronage
or sponsorship contributions, we will continue to
Increase circulation again to 180,000 copies. With these targets
it will then be possible to have 30,000 paying subscribers within three years.
achieve. The magazine would then certainly have reached breakeven.
achieved.
no refusals from the sponsors for Fritz and Fränzi. But on
The reason for the drop in advertising spending was also the spending mood of the
requested patrons on the ground, explains the editor of the
Parenting Magazine, Ellen Ringier.
WW: Are Fritz and Fränzi already out of the woods?Ellen Ringier: No,
no. Not for a long time yet. But Fritz and Fränzi has in the audience a high
found acceptance. Instead of 100000 copies, we distributed in the
last year, 180000 copies per issue. And also in the current
year, we still print 100000 copies each. The number of copies printed by the
The number of copies ordered by teachers is much higher than we originally expected.
had expected.
WW: However, there is a gap
a hole in the cash register - about one third of the expenditures are not
covered. How long do you plan to feed Fritz and Fränzi?Ringier: The
Foundation Parenthood, which is behind Fritz and Fränzi, becomes a
I am largely responsible for this myself. And as long as I stand behind it
and donate my money for this meaningful non-profit project
we can keep this up for decades. After all, it is
not about huge sums of money. If, for example, we were to increase the print run to 60,000
shut down, we could last forever.
WW: And by when could cost-covering operations be realistic?
We were actually hoping for break-even at the end of this year.
However, there is a gap in budgeted sponsorship income at the moment
still a hole of around 300000 francs. Everything now depends on whether we
find the sponsoring partners we need or not. At the moment lead
we are holding promising talks with possible sponsors.
WW: Is the advertising market crisis also dragging down the willingness to make donations?
goes hand in hand with the poor economic situation. Also
with patronage contributions, clients want to see a performance. However
the goodwill that a sponsorship commitment can generate in the population.
is not so easy to measure. That is why clients here set
first to apply the red pencil when they want to gloss over their budgets.
WW: Patronage contributions for
collecting all kinds of projects is a routine matter for you. How
do the requested companies react when you come around again and again?Ringier: Of course
I only ever go to those company representatives with whom a
personal relationship connects. But it has under it quite also
those who change the side of the road when they meet me - from
Fear that it might otherwise be expensive or unpleasant or both.
WW: For many years, you've had the reputation of being a charity lady. Is your power of persuasion diminishing or increasing?Ringier: The
I don't find the term charity lady very appropriate. I am Dr. iur. and
come from the advocacy. Already for 15 years I work
exclusively for nonprofit organizations. Of these, fundraising is
but only a part. Also very much consulting and activities related to
management are also involved. What my
persuasion concerns: when I was younger and more attractive, and I
not already knocked on the same door for the tenth time, it was still
easier. But the most important brake on the willingness to spend is in the
moment quite clearly the poor economic situation.
WW: How do you feel when you go begging as a very rich woman? Do the people who ask you never let you feel this circumstance?Ringier: I
have rarely heard any criticism in this regard. Unfortunately there are
not too many people who proportionately use so much of their
Giving away private assets for charitable projects, as I do.
The people I asked about this seem to be in the picture.
WW: Did the affair surrounding ex-ambassador Thomas Borer have a negative impact on the willingness to donate?Ringier: Originally
I had feared this, but it did not happen. Not a single
advertiser, and no potential sponsor told me he wanted to be a sponsor after the
Borer story no longer have anything to do with me.
WW: Where will Fritz and Fränzi be in three years?Ringier: If
the economy picks up again and we can meet the budgeted patronage
or sponsorship contributions, we will continue to
Increase circulation again to 180,000 copies. With these targets
it will then be possible to have 30,000 paying subscribers within three years.
achieve. The magazine would then certainly have reached breakeven.
achieved.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
