Ex-Migros CEO Herbert Bolliger receives Marketing Science Award

The "Swiss Academy of Marketing Science Award" honors a practitioner who strengthens the idea of marketing in practice and promotes marketing education and research at Swiss universities. The jury of professors, headed by Prof. Dr. Torsten Tomczak, decided that the former President of the Migros Cooperative Federation Herbert Bolliger was a worthy winner. "We are still at the beginning with the topic of big data. Ultimately, the scientific analyses must also be put into practice. The data pots are full, but they still need to be linked," said Bolliger about the next steps in cooperation between research and practice in the marketing environment.

Herbert Bolliger is known as a charismatic leader in the Swiss economy. He steered Migros through difficult economic times. For example, the market entry of Aldi and Lidl in Switzerland, the shopping tourism of the Swiss in neighbouring countries and the increasing digitalization of the retail trade. The acquisitions of Denner and Digitec Galaxus also fell under his aegis. Herbert Bolliger was also able to exert a lasting influence on the scientific landscape. This was due in particular to the intensive collaboration between Migros and the University of St. Gallen.

The "Rigour & Relevance Research Award" was presented for research work that was highly recognized in the scientific community and made a significant contribution to solving current and relevant problems in practice. The award was decided by a ten-member jury of marketing managers. This year's award went to Dr. Jessica Müller-Stewens, University of St. Gallen. She was honored for her research work "Gamified Information Presentation and Consumer Adoption of Product Innovations". She was delighted with the award and summarized her findings: "If you integrate information about innovations into games, it is easier for people to recognize the benefits." The first step is tracking software to measure success. The innovation can only be successfully communicated if the game is fun and a match to the product is created.

_{Pictures: Advertising Week/nod}