Full house and AI à gogo at the SWA annual meeting

The Swiss Advertising Client Association (SWA) hosted its traditional annual meeting in Zurich. Around 400 participants responded to the call to the top meeting in the Swiss advertising market. The topic of the evening: "The AI revolution: AI in marketing and communication". Watch the video to find out what the experts and guests had to say, as well as atmospheric moving images from StageOne.

In his welcoming address, SWA President Roger Harlacher set the stakes high right from the start. He emphasized that the advertising industry is at a crossroads and that the cards need to be reshuffled. The future belongs to those who know how to harness the transformative power of AI.

Keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Claudia Bünte put her finger in the wound. She showed how AI is changing the customer journey and how everything from a single source (or from an app) will be the future. Jens Polomski, Linkedin Top Voice for AI, impressively demonstrated what is already possible with AI today. He amazed the participants with a fictitious example of a completely AI-generated brand in the outdoor sports sector. And Simon Preuss, Head of Social & Advocacy at L'Oréal DACH, gave insights into the secret of L'Oréal's success. The company is already using AI-supported augmented marketing in the areas of content creation, search, consumer care and services.

The SWA Annual Meeting 2024 can be considered a success. The participants received valuable inspiration and impetus for the future of the advertising industry. It became clear that AI will play a key role and will significantly change the way we work today and tomorrow.

Video talk with star speakers

AI researcher Dr. Claudia Bünte, L'Oréal Head of Social & Advocacy Simon Preuss and Jens Polomski, LinkedIn Top Voice for AI and Co-Founder Spekto ai, who previously captivated the guests of the SWA Annual Meeting 2024 with their keynotes, talk about the future of advertising and marketing with artificial intelligence in this video interview. Bünte reported on her innovation trip to China and showed how AI is already being used in everyday life there. Polomski let the audience participate live in the development of a brand with the help of AI tools. Preuss from L'Oréal explained how AI is used in the cosmetics company's marketing. The three top AI experts gave examples of how AI is changing the world of marketing. From the rationed distribution of toilet paper to the creation of brands in real time - the possibilities seem endless.

In a video talk with AI coach Andrin Knoll

In an interview with Andrin Knoll from IntelliLearna company for AI workshops, it is clear that the demand for AI training has risen sharply. The AI coach sees the use of AI in companies in very different ways. While some companies are already using AI tools such as chatbots and text AI generators to automate repetitive tasks, generate texts and analyze data, other companies are still sceptical about the new technology. Knoll emphasizes that it is important to get employees excited about AI and explain the benefits of the technology to them. Fear of the unknown is a major obstacle to the acceptance of AI. To prepare the next generation for the future of work, the expert advocates AI lessons in schools, especially for teachers.

SWA looks back on a successful 2023

The SWA recorded numerous activities in 2023, including webinars, specialist topics, meetings and leader events. Sustainability was a focal point with a "green table" and the representation of member interests. The "Digital Ad Trust Switzerland" initiative is developing well. The SWA reached a record number of 212 active members. There were changes to the Board of Directors: Nadine Hess, Christoph Timm and Roman Reichelt left, Rémy Müller, Michel Siegenthaler and Aydin Sahin joined. Roland Ehrler continues to manage the office.