“The intent of this partnership is to offer a strong Swiss alternative to globally operating companies, develop innovative new forms of advertising and strengthen the Swiss advertising market to keep the value added in Switzerland”, said Marc Walder, CEO of the Ringier media company. “In the past year, Google and Facebook alone achieved a market share in the region of 50 percent of the digital advertising market in Switzerland.”
The purpose of bundling their complementary know-how and capabilities is to establish a powerful and forward-looking marketing organisation that none of the three partners could offer on its own. Advertising clients benefit from integrated, customised communication services across all media channels. In addition, the cooperation between the three partners will stimulate the development of new marketing products in the video environment and promote target group-specific advertising and automated placement options. Switzerland as a media centre will also benefit from this, as advertising clients will be able to reach any target group in Switzerland easily, quickly, effectively and measurably.
A stock corporation will be established under the joint venture, in which each of the three companies will hold a one-third interest. The partners have agreed not to disclose any financial details. Swisscom and Ringier will bring their advertising activities, their advertising inventory and their marketing organisations to the table to the greatest possible extent. SRG will fully integrate its marketing unit publisuisse into the new firm. The new company has not been named to date.
Martin Schneider (48), CEO publisuisse, is the designated CEO of the planned joint venture, which will have a total of approximately 290 employees, while Marc Walder is the designated Chairman of the Board. Roger de Weck and Urs Schaeppi shall represent the SRG and Swisscom on the Board.
The collaboration of publisuisse with the marketing entities of Swisscom and Ringier is a joint entrepreneurial project with growth potential. No staff reductions are envisioned at the current time. The firm’s services are available to all advertising clients, agencies as well as other providers of advertising inventory. Subject to the approval from the WEKO Competition Commission, the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) and the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), the new firm is expected to start up operations in the first quarter of 2016.
Teleconference
A teleconference regarding the joint venture will be held today, Monday 17 August at 12:30 a.m. Ringier CEO Marc Walder, Martin Schneider, designated CEO of the new company, Walter Bachmann, General Secretary of SRG SSR, and Marc Werner, Head of Residential Customers at Swisscom, will be available to answer your questions.
Dial-in number: +41 58 262 07 11, access code: 905040.
Ringier AG, Corporate Communications
Corporate Communications SRG SSR
Swisscom AG, Media Relations
