On October 31, Notch Interactive hosted an exclusive preview at the Abaton cinema. The agency would like to thank its clients, partners and employees for five successful years. During this time, the agency has grown to 43 employees and has won numerous new clients as well as awards. "We have been on challenging missions for our clients every day for 5 years. Each mission is an individual challenge for us and a strong vote of confidence," says Peter A. van der Touw. The anticipation for the 007 preview was huge among customers and employees. Guests responded to Notch Interactive's call to "dress to kill" by wearing black ties, cocktail dresses and even black Converse.

Peter A. van der Touw - founding member and CEO of Notch - thanked his guests in his speech: "Like Bond, all companies face the challenge of digital transformation. Digital does not mean that charm and wit are out of fashion. The greatest impact is achieved by those who combine creativity, technology and business relevance."

Guests toasted the preview in a festive atmosphere at the aperitif riche. In style with Bond's favorite champagne and regional delicacies from the four locations in Spectre. At the after-movie drinks, Spectre was discussed over shaken cocktails.

Even if you only have one hand free. Which is actually supposed to happen in certain situations. The TBD agency developed five motifs for the launch of the ticket app. These were implemented by Hong Kong 3D CGI studio Nikopicto.

Responsible at the ZVV: Lukas Tenger (Head of Marketing), Peter Schilde (Marketing Communications). Responsible at TBD: Tom Seinige, Sandro Nicotera (creation) Nikopicto (3D-CGI).
 

Over 1000 respondents from the DACH region, as well as Ireland, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the UK and the USA took part in the survey - and the results provide food for thought on how the global communications world is coping with digital change and redefining its role. However, the study also shows what tasks need to be tackled at boardroom level.

The majority of respondents are struggling with an increased workload in their daily PR work and would like to see more trust from top management. PR professionals are too often confronted with lengthy and inefficient coordination processes that call into question the benefits and success of social media communication. The budget issue also gives rise to criticism. Only 23 percent of international PR professionals can fall back on a budget that can also cope with the new requirements.

More content with the same budget? This calls for more efficiency in communication work. However, the lack of standardized measurement tools makes it increasingly difficult for respondents to credibly substantiate the ROI of their digital PR for management. It seems that global communicators have reached their limits in terms of time and capacity. In Germany, 38 percent of respondents believe that working in and with social media channels is one of the biggest time wasters. The key here could lie in better time management and a clear strategy that not only focuses on the short-term use of new tools, but also filters out what actually makes sense in terms of achieving objectives.

However, as long as "learning by doing" is the order of the day in communications departments when it comes to the use of digital technologies, the topic of efficiency is becoming increasingly important. Most respondents tend to say that they deal with new technologies on an ad hoc basis and learn how to use them as they are applied. Less than a quarter of them have received training in the use of the new communication channels for which they are now responsible.

Three quarters of all respondents also confirmed that it is not always easy to decide which type of content generates the highest ROI. The effective publication and distribution of content is also seen as a problem by a large majority. In Germany, around 40 percent see it that way. Worldwide, the problem seems to be perceived even more strongly, with 62% agreeing.

Communicators must be able to translate the effectiveness and efficiency of their measures for senior management. Only then will they gain their approval and support. To do this, they do not need more and more financial resources, but rather the expertise and support of management in the strategic use of digital tools. The challenge is therefore entering an exciting next stage.

The white paper on the study can be here can be downloaded.
 

In this role, the 33-year-old will report directly to Ralph Büchi, CEO Axel Springer Switzerland and President International of Axel Springer SE. It is planned that Leeor Engländer will also perform this function in the joint venture Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz. As Managing Editor Mobile at WeltN24 in Berlin, Leeor Engländer has been responsible from the editorial side for the conception and redesign of the mobile website since 2013; before that, he had been a consultant to the Editor-in-Chief of the Welt Group, Jan-Eric Peters, since 2010.

Ralph Büchi: "We are very pleased that we have been able to win Leeor Engländer, an expert from our own ranks, for the strategically so important expansion of our digital content offerings in Switzerland. Together, we will further promote the transfer of know-how within the Group."

Image: Twitter.com
 

First impressions count. As a seasoned HR consultant who faces strangers almost every day, Sonia Soutter knows this: "It's often clear to me when a candidate enters the room whether he or she will fit into the environment I'm looking for." Sensing people, she says, is a gift you have - or lack. "You can't learn it," Soutter says emphatically. She has made this gift her business model.

The Werbekraft owner enters her meeting room energetically and a little excited before our first face-to-face conversation. As "head of the week," she is not the one asking the questions for once. An unfamiliar situation for the HR specialist? Not necessarily. She also conducts her numerous job interviews without a familiar pattern. She doesn't operate with standard questions or approaches, Soutter emphasizes. "I don't want to know what the person has done, but who they are. That requires me to be very natural in the conversation myself." Her goal is to recognize the other person, by whatever means. "In that way, every conversation is unique - that's why I never get bored," Soutter adds with a laugh.

Outside position with inside view

Gut decisions can only be made seriously if sufficient information and impressions have been gathered beforehand: That's Soutter's approach. It is important to her that she knows the client, has seen the potential team and the supervisor before she meets her candidates for an interview. With long-term clients, she says she knows which profile fits anyway. "There are clients with whom I already have long-standing relationships and have thus brought together a large part of the team," Soutter says.

As a personnel consultant, she can use her neutral external position: "Most of the time, the client has a clear idea of the desired profile. I then suggest a candidate who fulfills the ideas, but also two others with a completely different personality. That usually triggers something."

Sonia Soutter already knew after her commercial apprenticeship that she wanted to work with people. Project work, on the other hand, was less to her liking. Shortly after completing her apprenticeship, she started working in human resources at a small company. At the age of 33, she saw the time had come for her second professional dream: her own company. Together with a friend from the advertising industry, she founded a pool of qualified freelancers in 2000. Over time, Werbekraft placed
increasingly also permanent positions, which is now the core business of the personnel agency. "In doing so, we cover the entire industry, from polygraphs to marketing managers." Meanwhile, the two company founders are legally separated for organizational reasons. They now operate under the names "Werbekraft Nordost" and "Werbekraft Nordwest."

Coaching: Advice without advice

Something was always missing from Soutter's recruiting, however. "I had dealt with countless teams and came to the conclusion the longer the more that many changes weren't even necessary." In addition to the lack of development opportunities, he said, the supervisor's management style was the most common reason for a change. Team cohesion is also often not strengthened enough. It is rarely the case that the constellation of the team is fundamentally not right, says Soutter.

Five years ago, the HR specialist therefore completed the training to become an SCA coach and since this year has been offering various training courses for managers and teams as well as individual coaching for candidates with external coaches. "Leading is not easy - I have also run into the knife," she says with a smile. "It takes confidence, know-how and steadfastness." In the past, she says, she often gave tips. "But the counterpart has to come up with a constructive solution himself. Only then is it effective. Coaching is advice without advice: that's what I was looking for."

In team coaching sessions, she lets the team work out the solutions accordingly. "That's how you can prevent them from being understood as a reproach or an obligation. Because then a wall immediately goes up. It's amazing what becomes possible in coaching." Soutter would like to support her clients more with this in the future - and perhaps make a few job changes unnecessary. Her own heart already beats for coaching. "Psychology accompanies you not only through your professional life, but through all life situations."

Finally, Soutter expertly inquires about the USP - but not mine, hers. She is satisfied with the answer and sends me off into the afternoon with a hearty laugh.

Simone Isliker

For providers of products and services, it is becoming increasingly difficult—if not impossible—to appear in the top spots of Google search results when users search using popular, generic keywords. Google reserves these spots for its own listings, sells them through AdWords, and allocates them to platforms that feature listings and reviews. Take, for example, a search for «Italian restaurants in Zurich»: The first page contains a list of restaurants with Google reviews and recommendations from platforms like TripAdvisor or Züritipp. A few restaurants are still listed in the organic search results, but most pay for visibility on page one (AdWords).

How can a restaurant owner attract attention to his Italian restaurant without paying Google? He makes sure his restaurant becomes a talking point on social media so it appears at the top of review platforms. To achieve this, the restaurant owner identifies his customers’ needs, preferences, and interests, evaluates the social media platforms they use, and addresses the relevant topics there: On his YouTube channel, he posts videos showing how to prepare his recipes; on Facebook, he shares menu highlights, seasonal ingredients, and wines; and on Pinterest, he posts photos of beautifully plated dishes. And, of course, he links all these platforms to his website. He uses remarketing to continue drawing the attention of visitors who have viewed his website to his offerings.

This synergy between the website and social media opens up opportunities for the restaurant owner that Google simply cannot offer: He stays in touch with his customers, alerts them to current offers, and keeps his restaurant «top of mind.».

As a result, his customers don’t even think to search for alternatives on search engines. If they do, however, they’ll come across his restaurant on review platforms, since it has received enough reviews and comments. The restaurant owner has succeeded in reducing his dependence on Google while simultaneously increasing his visibility in search results by expanding his online presence.

Imre Sinka is a senior consultant and partner at the Zurich-based web agency Dotpulse. [email protected]