Facts that demonstrate the importance of outdoor advertising for all Swiss cities.
The regulatory wind has been blowing more strongly against outdoor advertising for some time now and is expected to continue to intensify. Together with KS/CS Communication Switzerland, we are working against a dozen cantonal and municipal initiatives that would like to ban commercial poster advertising in particular, either partially or entirely. Outdoor advertising bans are being discussed in Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, Delsberg, Lancy and Vernier, among others. However, the following facts show how important advertising is for all Swiss cities:
🔍 The little ones do billboard advertising: opponents of advertising argue that when looking at advertising turnover, it is mostly large corporations that place billboard advertising. However, if we take a closer look at the number of companies that book billboard advertising, Swiss SMEs make up 63% of the customer base for outdoor advertising. Should local shops and companies in your neighbourhood no longer be allowed to advertise their products and services with posters?
🙌 Culture and politics benefit: The cultural and political aspect of outdoor advertising is lost in the discussion far too often. Many municipal advertising regulations stipulate that poster companies often have to offer cultural and political advertising free of charge or at a reduced rate. So if there is a ban, will politicians stick and place their election posters themselves? And where if the poster sites no longer exist? Would there even be a budget left to support cultural posters to the same extent?
🏛️ Advertisement is part of the economic freedom: According to prevailing doctrine and case law, the freedom to advertise is part of the economic freedom guaranteed in the constitution. Consequently, the legislator does not envisage a world without advertising. A general ban on poster advertising would be disproportionate and would violate economic freedom.
✨ Posters are IN! Even though digital advertising channels are increasingly being used and offer themselves as alternatives, outdoor advertising is still the most popular advertising medium according to the consumer study by WEMF AG für Werbemedienforschung, which is appreciated by 70% of the Swiss population. In addition, 63% of respondents are against a ban.
💵 The financial factor: In addition to the economic added value, outdoor advertising generates a substantial influx of financial resources for Swiss municipalities. In the city of Bern, outdoor advertising generates annual income of more than five million francs in the form of licence fees. Public transport, for example, also benefits greatly from these concessions.