Austrian Advertising Science Society

The Österreichische Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (WWG), later known as WWG Forum Marketing, was a non-profit association based in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to knowledge transfer between advertising science and marketing practice. It was founded on 16 June 1955 by graduates of the university course for advertising and sales together with Karl Skowronnek, then head of the Institute for Advertising Science and Market Research at the Hochschule für Welthandel (now Vienna University of Economics and Business). The association was dissolved in 2019. The WWG saw itself as a platform connecting academics and practitioners. Its activities focused on two main areas: specialist publications and specialist events. Its main publication was the quarterly journal 'transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis', first published in 1955 as 'WWG-Informationen'. In 1985 it merged with the German DWG's 'transfer' to form a joint German-Austrian journal with a circulation of about 3,500 copies, reaching around 20,000 readers in both countries. The WWG also published three book series: 'Die Marke' (brand case studies), 'Empirische Marketingforschung' (empirical marketing research), and 'Werbe- und Markenforschung' (advertising and brand research), plus special publications. Event activities included the 'Praxisdialog – Marketing Insights' lecture series (first held on 28 October 1955 as 'Kolloquium für Werbung und Verkauf'), the annual 'Top-Ten' of Austria's most successful TV commercials (with the Austrian Gallup Institute, until 2015), the 'Dialog der Wissen schaf[f]t' conference with the Dialog Marketing Verband Österreich (DMVÖ), marketing seminars and management symposia, and the 'Expertenforum Onlineforschung' founded in January 2007 with the Verband der Marktforscher Österreichs (VMÖ) and Globalpark Österreich. Membership grew from 124 members one year after founding to 345 at its 10th anniversary. After Günter Schweiger's appointment in 1974, membership tripled by 1985, followed by a decade of growth to 1995 with an increase of about 50%. The association ceased operations in 2019.

The Österreichische Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (WWG) was founded on 16 June 1955 by graduates of the university course for advertising and sales together with Karl Skowronnek, then head of the Institute for Advertising Science and Market Research at the Hochschule für Welthandel (now Vienna University of Economics and Business). It was a non-profit association based in Vienna, Austria, and saw itself as a platform for knowledge transfer between advertising science and marketing practice. Its goal was to identify and illuminate ideas for marketing together with its members. One year after founding, the society had 124 members. Its 10th anniversary was celebrated with 345 members. After the appointment of Günter Schweiger in 1974, membership tripled by 1985. This was followed by a decade of growth until 1995 with a membership increase of about 50%. The association was dissolved in 2019. Activities focused on two main areas: specialist publications and specialist events. The main publication was the quarterly journal 'transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis'. In the founding year 1955, the first issue appeared under the title 'WWG-Informationen'. In 1985, the separate media 'transfer' of the German Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (DWG) and the 'WWG-Informationen' merged into the joint medium 'transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis'. Under a common editorial concept, the editorial teams in Germany and Austria each produced two issues per year. The circulation was about 3,500 copies, reaching about 20,000 readers in Austria and Germany. The WWG published three book series: 'Die Marke' (brand case studies, including Römerquelle, Persil, Zipfer, Eskimo, Almdudler, Böhler, PEZ), 'Empirische Marketingforschung' (empirical marketing research, volumes 15–21), and 'Werbe- und Markenforschung' (advertising and brand research, volumes 1–5). Special publications included '20 praktische Tipps für Ihren Werbe-Erfolg' (1999), '10 praktische Media-Tipps für Ihren Werbe-Erfolg' (2002, with PanMedia Western Werbeplanung GesmbH), 'Kommunikations-Standort Wien' (2007, with the Fachgruppe Werbung & Marktkommunikation of the Wirtschaftskammer Wien and the Institut für empirische Sozialforschung GmbH), and 'Nichts ist spannender als Verkauf' (2009). Event activities included the 'Praxisdialog – Marketing Insights' lecture series, held jointly with the Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research and the Institut für Marketing Management (both at Vienna University of Economics and Business) and the Department Marketing, with about 20 lectures per year. The first lecture event took place on 28 October 1955 under the name 'Kolloquium für Werbung und Verkauf' on the topic 'Fernsehen im Dienste der Werbung', with speaker S.W. Numann of Philips Eindhoven. Together with the Österreichisches Gallup-Institut and Prof. Karmasin Marktforschung, the WWG annually presented Austria's most successful TV commercials (until 2015). The 'Dialog der Wissen schaf[f]t' was a practice-oriented cooperation event of the Dialog Marketing Verband Österreich (DMVÖ) and WWG, combining keynotes from scientists and practitioners with concrete implementation examples; with the introduction of Austria's first Marketingbarcamp in 2016, interactive involvement of participants was emphasized. Marketing seminars and management symposia covered topics such as perception of advertising and design consequences, direct, dialogue and e-mail marketing, advertising effectiveness measurement, strategic brand management, and methods in marketing. The 'Expertenforum Onlineforschung' was founded in January 2007 in cooperation with the Verband der Marktforscher Österreichs (VMÖ) and Globalpark Österreich.

• 2019

  Association dissolved.

• 2016

  Austria's first Marketingbarcamp introduced as part of 'Dialog der Wissen schaf[f]t'.

• 2015

  Annual 'Top-Ten' of Austria's most successful TV commercials presented until this year.

• 2007

  'Expertenforum Onlineforschung' founded in January with VMÖ and Globalpark Österreich.

• 1995

  Decade of growth since 1985 with membership increase of about 50%.

• 1985

  'transfer' of DWG and 'WWG-Informationen' merge into 'transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis'.

• 1974

  Günter Schweiger appointed; membership triples by 1985.

• 1965

  10th anniversary celebrated with 345 members.

• 1956

  Membership reaches 124 one year after founding.

• 1955

  Founded on 16 June by graduates of the university course for advertising and sales together with Karl Skowronnek.

• 1955

  First issue of the journal published as 'WWG-Informationen'.

• 1955

  First lecture event on 28 October as 'Kolloquium für Werbung und Verkauf' on 'Fernsehen im Dienste der Werbung'.

Non-profit platform for knowledge transfer between advertising science and marketing practice in Austria and Germany.

• transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis

• Die Marke (book series)

• Empirische Marketingforschung (book series)

• Werbe- und Markenforschung (book series)

• 20 praktische Tipps für Ihren Werbe-Erfolg (1999)

• 10 praktische Media-Tipps für Ihren Werbe-Erfolg (2002)

• Kommunikations-Standort Wien (2007)

• Nichts ist spannender als Verkauf (2009)

1. 1Wikidata: Österreichische Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaftwikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (German): WWG Forum Marketingde.wikipedia.org