Commitment to outdoor advertising

APG|SGA is committed to integrity in advertising.

We support the Swiss Fair Trading Commission (SLK), which has been organised as a foundation for over 35 years. Its role is to self-regulate fair commercial advertising throughout Switzerland. It is independent and comprises an equal number of representatives from the advertising industry, consumer organisations and the media. Together with experts, they examine complaints submitted by consumers. This is primarily because advertising is aimed first and foremost at consumers. It is therefore mainly consumers who feel affected by unfair advertising and who make use of the opportunity to lodge a complaint with the SLK.

The work of the SLK, which was established in 1966 by the Swiss advertising industry, is comparable to that of a court. The SLK’s activities are based on its industry principles, in conjunction with national and international laws of private and public law governing advertising practice. Guidelines exist, for example, on misleading, deceptive or comparative advertising, and on aggressive sales methods.

When the Fair Trading Commission discusses a case, the overall impression and the key message conveyed to consumers are decisive. “Among other things, it is relevant to the decision whether the SLK principles* are complied with, and these are very broadly defined,” explains Nicolas Adolph of APG|SGA, who serves as an expert on the SLK on behalf of the outdoor advertising industry.

In the following interview, he talks about his work as an expert:

*Further background information on the SLK Principles.

We enhance the appeal of out-of-home media by developing new offerings and providing reliable performance data:

• Through systematic innovation management, APG|SGA promotes the enduring appeal and attractiveness of the ‘out-of-home’ medium and develops new innovative offerings.

• In order to provide advertisers with a sound basis for decision-making when planning campaigns, APG|SGA conducts extensive research into the impact of outdoor advertising. To this end, it collaborates with renowned research institutes and supports OOH Research and Best Practice.

• We support the collection of objective performance data by the independent Research Institute for Out-of-Home Media and Mobility – SPR+.

We support cultural and non-profit organisations with their promotional activities:

• We support cultural organisations through sponsorship.

• Organisations with the ZEWO label, political parties and political committees benefit from this during campaigns discounts.

• Political parties and political committees benefit from discounts during election campaigns.

• We are proud partners of socially sustainable initiatives such as Swiss Solidarity and UNICEF.

• Instead of giving Christmas presents to our customers, we make a substantial donation to a charity every year.