Invitation to disobey tariffs
Lesch+Frei fordert in einem Inserat in Marketing & Kommunikation zum Drücken von Anzeigenpreisen auf
In an ad in Marketing & Kommunikation, Lesch+Frei calls on readers to squeeze ad pricesBy Daniel Schifferle It's not creative competence - heaven forbid! - but with skill in squeezing ad prices, the Zurich agency Lesch+Frei advertises itself in the latest issue of Marketing & Kommunikation.
The statement couldn't be clearer: "We've negotiated the price of this ad placement down by 50 percent," proclaims the first page of the double-page ad, followed succinctly on the second: "What can we do for you?" Signed Lesch+Frei. The ad has caused astonishment and head-shaking among experts.
Peter Hartmeier, managing director at the Swiss Press Association, is surprised that a creative agency, of all things, is advertising itself with tariff issues instead of creative competence: "This ad can only have a negative effect on the image."
Hartmeier's criticism is also directed at Marketing&Kommunikation (M&K): "I'm amazed that M&K accepted this ad at all," he says, "any customer who advertises in this magazine before or after must feel taken for a ride."
Hartmeier also describes as absurd the point at which the tariff argument comes to the fore. When the advertising market is booming, negotiating leeway is naturally tighter. Hartmeier sees the contentious ad as an indication of a trend: "People are haggling harder over rates today."
Peter Lesch of Lesch+Frei explains the genesis of the contentious ad primarily with deadline pressure. The two pages had been reserved for the Meyer's launch campaign. But this would have had to be postponed at short notice. "We needed a quick idea," says Lesch. For its part, M&K tried to be accommodating - with the discount that the ad blatantly proclaims.
"Of course there was a twinkle in our eye when we formulated the text," says Peter Lesch. But at the same time, he says, "If someone takes the statement seriously, that's also good." At best, Lesch sees the ad as a satire on reality in today's tariff jungle. "Large media agencies can exert enormous pressure," says Lesch. Compared to such buying power, an agency like Lesch+Frei, which does media in-house, naturally has much fewer options.
Marketing & Communication shows itself speechless
It is astonishing that M&K, of all places, as the official publication of various industry associations, such as Swiss Advertising SW, accepts an ad that advertises bargaining down rates.
At M&K, they are playing the matter down and do not want to be quoted with statements under any circumstances. Urs Dick, head of advertising, says only this much: "In principle, tariff compliance applies to us." However, he admits that there are exceptional situations in which an ad is only overturned at the last minute. When the presses are running, solutions have to be found.
Whether this special case had also occurred with the Lesch+Frei advertisement? M & K is silent about this. In order to clarify this in a binding manner, all parties involved would have to sit around a table and discuss the details, says Dick. So this is how difficult the advertising business can be to understand when it comes to tariff issues...
The statement couldn't be clearer: "We've negotiated the price of this ad placement down by 50 percent," proclaims the first page of the double-page ad, followed succinctly on the second: "What can we do for you?" Signed Lesch+Frei. The ad has caused astonishment and head-shaking among experts.
Peter Hartmeier, managing director at the Swiss Press Association, is surprised that a creative agency, of all things, is advertising itself with tariff issues instead of creative competence: "This ad can only have a negative effect on the image."
Hartmeier's criticism is also directed at Marketing&Kommunikation (M&K): "I'm amazed that M&K accepted this ad at all," he says, "any customer who advertises in this magazine before or after must feel taken for a ride."
Hartmeier also describes as absurd the point at which the tariff argument comes to the fore. When the advertising market is booming, negotiating leeway is naturally tighter. Hartmeier sees the contentious ad as an indication of a trend: "People are haggling harder over rates today."
Peter Lesch of Lesch+Frei explains the genesis of the contentious ad primarily with deadline pressure. The two pages had been reserved for the Meyer's launch campaign. But this would have had to be postponed at short notice. "We needed a quick idea," says Lesch. For its part, M&K tried to be accommodating - with the discount that the ad blatantly proclaims.
"Of course there was a twinkle in our eye when we formulated the text," says Peter Lesch. But at the same time, he says, "If someone takes the statement seriously, that's also good." At best, Lesch sees the ad as a satire on reality in today's tariff jungle. "Large media agencies can exert enormous pressure," says Lesch. Compared to such buying power, an agency like Lesch+Frei, which does media in-house, naturally has much fewer options.
Marketing & Communication shows itself speechless
It is astonishing that M&K, of all places, as the official publication of various industry associations, such as Swiss Advertising SW, accepts an ad that advertises bargaining down rates.
At M&K, they are playing the matter down and do not want to be quoted with statements under any circumstances. Urs Dick, head of advertising, says only this much: "In principle, tariff compliance applies to us." However, he admits that there are exceptional situations in which an ad is only overturned at the last minute. When the presses are running, solutions have to be found.
Whether this special case had also occurred with the Lesch+Frei advertisement? M & K is silent about this. In order to clarify this in a binding manner, all parties involved would have to sit around a table and discuss the details, says Dick. So this is how difficult the advertising business can be to understand when it comes to tariff issues...
