Bed and plane balance
Business magazine Bilanz has undergone a navel-gazing exercise and has a new look with the April issue. At the same time, a Publicis campaign is promoting the business magazine. The aim of the concerted action: to attract as many new subscribers as possible.
Business magazine Bilanz has undergone a navel-gazing exercise and has a new look with the April issue. At the same time, a Publicis campaign is promoting the business magazine. The aim of the concerted campaign was to attract as many new subscribers as possible. Bilanz has learned from the American business magazines: when it is published in a new layout on March 26, the magazine will be two centimetres narrower. The new format (205 x 275 millimetres) is "easier to read in bed, on the train and on the plane", says Editor-in-Chief Medard Meier. The most striking feature, however, is the new visual language developed by London-based newspaper designer Martin Dixon (Bilan, Le Matin, BBC Magazine): A column lead starts with at least one full-page picture, a "staged illustration", as Meier emphasizes. Mere passport photos - "stamp pictures" - and deserts of lead should be a thing of the past. Nevertheless, an article can still extend over several pages - depending on the importance of the topic. The new magazine concept starts with the "First" section with news, followed by a feature on companies, markets, politics or management as well as the "Man of the Month" portrait. His portrait also dominates the cover. The "Dossier" section aims to cover topics such as wages, pensions or tips for taxes and self-employment and provide readers with more useful information. "In future, we must always have at least one of these central stories in the paper," says the editor-in-chief.
The balance sheet ratings (hotels, annual reports, the 300 richest Swiss...), which have already attracted a great deal of attention, appear under "Best of Bilanz". Tips on wealth accumulation can be found regularly
in the "Money" section, and "Life" is dedicated to lifestyle and leisure. The magazine concludes with an interview that spans four to five pages.
But what is the aim of the Bilanz relaunch? Last fall, Elke Zappe, Managing Director of Wirtschaftsmedien AG, still wanted to increase circulation to 60,000 copies. However, in view of the latest slump in subscriptions (see box), she has abandoned this plan. "As long as banks and insurance companies continue to lay off staff, this is unrealistic," she says. If 1,200 people lose their jobs at CS, for example, the balance sheet will lose "several hundred subscriptions" at the same time. Nevertheless, Zappe assumes that a low point has now been reached. "The relaunch has come at just the right time, hopefully we can now make significant gains again," she is convinced.
Zimmermann has directed itIn order to achieve this, the magazine was analyzed. Under the leadership of former Tamedia manager Kurt W. Zimmermann, roundtables were held with experts. Isopublic carried out an awareness study and the monthly reader survey conducted by Publitest was analyzed over the last three years. Former Bilanz subscribers and students (potential subscribers) were also surveyed. Even newsstand ladies were included in the relaunch evaluations.
The clear presentation, the "Man of the Month", the dossiers and the comprehensibility of the texts were rated positively. Conversely, Bilanz was criticized for being too conservative and male-oriented. The covers are anonymous or not very attractive and the articles are lengthy and too focused on Switzerland. The previous layout and, above all, the images were judged to be "pale, static and unattractive".
Surprisingly, it is not clear from the results of the analysis that readers may have lost confidence in the balance sheet following the Internet hype and stock market euphoria. For this reason, Bilanz did not go over the books as intensively as Meier had announced in the fall (WW 38/02). Nevertheless, he promises to be clearer in future about why a manager is presented as "Man of the Month". This section will also "no longer be a small Nobel Prize, but will be dedicated to the woman or man who is in the spotlight - whether positive or negative," he says.
The new Bilanz will be launched with a special edition of over 100,000 copies and an advertising campaign by Publicis. There are also plans for activities at universities, distribution campaigns in Zurich, Berne and Basel as well as an advance mailing to 100 opinion leaders, including a questionnaire on the new concept. In future, SBB bistros and restaurants will also regularly serve as an additional distribution channel for Bilanz.
Updated balance sheet: more space for the picture, no more deserts of lead.
10 percent circulation lossDifficult times for Elke Zappe and Medard Meier: In 2002, the Bilanz circulation of 55733 copies was already at its lowest level since 1993, and now - "adjusted in absolute terms" (Zappe) - it will fall by a good ten percent. One consolation: readership remains stable, with newsstand sales falling by only one percent despite a copy price increase to 12 francs. In the short financial year July to December 02, Wirtschaftsmedien AG was even above budget - thanks to the specials. Nevertheless, savings have to be made, because this year's balance sheet is unlikely to generate the same level of advertising income as before, especially from financial service providers and car importers. A new sponsor for Manager-Bilanz has also been missing for months. Editorial staff departures are therefore being compensated for by freelancers wherever possible, www.bilanz.ch is becoming a pure marketing tool and the online share guide is disappearing. (mk)
Markus Knöpfli
The balance sheet ratings (hotels, annual reports, the 300 richest Swiss...), which have already attracted a great deal of attention, appear under "Best of Bilanz". Tips on wealth accumulation can be found regularly
in the "Money" section, and "Life" is dedicated to lifestyle and leisure. The magazine concludes with an interview that spans four to five pages.
But what is the aim of the Bilanz relaunch? Last fall, Elke Zappe, Managing Director of Wirtschaftsmedien AG, still wanted to increase circulation to 60,000 copies. However, in view of the latest slump in subscriptions (see box), she has abandoned this plan. "As long as banks and insurance companies continue to lay off staff, this is unrealistic," she says. If 1,200 people lose their jobs at CS, for example, the balance sheet will lose "several hundred subscriptions" at the same time. Nevertheless, Zappe assumes that a low point has now been reached. "The relaunch has come at just the right time, hopefully we can now make significant gains again," she is convinced.
Zimmermann has directed itIn order to achieve this, the magazine was analyzed. Under the leadership of former Tamedia manager Kurt W. Zimmermann, roundtables were held with experts. Isopublic carried out an awareness study and the monthly reader survey conducted by Publitest was analyzed over the last three years. Former Bilanz subscribers and students (potential subscribers) were also surveyed. Even newsstand ladies were included in the relaunch evaluations.
The clear presentation, the "Man of the Month", the dossiers and the comprehensibility of the texts were rated positively. Conversely, Bilanz was criticized for being too conservative and male-oriented. The covers are anonymous or not very attractive and the articles are lengthy and too focused on Switzerland. The previous layout and, above all, the images were judged to be "pale, static and unattractive".
Surprisingly, it is not clear from the results of the analysis that readers may have lost confidence in the balance sheet following the Internet hype and stock market euphoria. For this reason, Bilanz did not go over the books as intensively as Meier had announced in the fall (WW 38/02). Nevertheless, he promises to be clearer in future about why a manager is presented as "Man of the Month". This section will also "no longer be a small Nobel Prize, but will be dedicated to the woman or man who is in the spotlight - whether positive or negative," he says.
The new Bilanz will be launched with a special edition of over 100,000 copies and an advertising campaign by Publicis. There are also plans for activities at universities, distribution campaigns in Zurich, Berne and Basel as well as an advance mailing to 100 opinion leaders, including a questionnaire on the new concept. In future, SBB bistros and restaurants will also regularly serve as an additional distribution channel for Bilanz.
Updated balance sheet: more space for the picture, no more deserts of lead.
10 percent circulation lossDifficult times for Elke Zappe and Medard Meier: In 2002, the Bilanz circulation of 55733 copies was already at its lowest level since 1993, and now - "adjusted in absolute terms" (Zappe) - it will fall by a good ten percent. One consolation: readership remains stable, with newsstand sales falling by only one percent despite a copy price increase to 12 francs. In the short financial year July to December 02, Wirtschaftsmedien AG was even above budget - thanks to the specials. Nevertheless, savings have to be made, because this year's balance sheet is unlikely to generate the same level of advertising income as before, especially from financial service providers and car importers. A new sponsor for Manager-Bilanz has also been missing for months. Editorial staff departures are therefore being compensated for by freelancers wherever possible, www.bilanz.ch is becoming a pure marketing tool and the online share guide is disappearing. (mk)
Markus Knöpfli
