To win the Creative Ranking 2022

After we took a break from the creative rankings last year, this is of course a return to the top. The fact that we're at the top of the podium for the first time six years after our founding is a real jolt to the agency. In addition to a lot of love and persistence, it also takes a bit of luck to score points in the creative competitions. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our competitors, who spur us on and make us better by showing us every day what is possible.

As of fiscal year 2022

2022 was our strongest year to date. We grew to 34 employees and were able to broaden our portfolio in size, quality and expertise. In addition to our long-standing mandates, the new addition of Sunrise and the pitch win of 24/7, our specialist for dynamic content development, for the global creative management platform of the Lufthansa Group are in the foreground here.

On the outlook for 2023

2023 will be the year of the steeplechase for us. We want to improve even further in terms of content and processes. But what seems more important to us is what is happening around us. 2023 is under the sign of the hare. In Chinese culture, the hare stands for longevity, peace and prosperity. Let's hope that the course of the world develops in this direction.

Statement by Markus Ruf, Ruf Lanz, on Rank 2 in the Creative Ranking 2022

"Ruf Lanz is the David among the Goliaths with eight heads".

"The news of our once again terrific performance in the creative rankings reached me in a jungle lodge in Colombia, via a WLAN network aptly named 'One Love'. I popped open a bottle of the local beer Happy Colibri and toasted our great customers first thing. The next bottle I raised to our talented employees and to my intrepid business partner Danielle. With the third bottle, I began to ponder what it would be like if the number of employees were included in the creative ranking. Ruf Lanz, with its eight employees, is the David among the Goliaths in the ranking. I'll spare you what I thought about the fourth bottle. Conclusion: We are pleased with the exhilarating result, but even more so with the consistency of being in the lead without interruption since 2002. 2022 was generally a good year for us, with wonderful new clients such as Tilsiter Switzerland, the Munich transport company MVG and the city of Zurich, and with additional projects from long-standing valued clients such as VBZ, BFU, Ex Libris and EWZ. Our focus for 2023: Continuing to keep at it spiritedly. And win a local beer brand!"

Statement from Swen Morath, Co-CEO and CCO at Wunderman Thompson, on Ranking 3 in the 2022 Creative Rankings.

"It's the result of constant hard work for creative excellence."

A huge thank you to our great customers and the fantastic WuThomClan. The podium position is a result of constant hard work for creative excellence. It's not about just "being" creative, but proving that creativity inspires growth. That's why we are particularly pleased to have won gold twice and silver once at the Swiss Effies. Also important for us is the fact that we won awards for a total of 7 different companies in 14 different categories ranging from multichannel to social media and digital to PR. This underlines our claim as a full-service agency.

Fiscal year 2022

We were able to welcome great new clients and, as Team Connect (Hogarth, Ogilvy, Scholz & Friends, Wunderman Thompson), convince the Migros specialist stores with a completely new WPP agency model. And we were able to live out our unique agency culture: with a 60th anniversary celebration, with aperitifs, trend breakfasts, summer parties, collision sprints, lunch and learns and, above all, with a now legendary Disney Christmas party - including a visit from the fire department.

Outlook 2023

The global crises have not disappeared, they also affect Switzerland and our work. That is why an excellent and inspiring relationship with our customers is an absolute priority for us. As a well-coordinated team at eye level, we can emerge from these difficult times stronger than before. And we continue to work on creating an environment for our employees in which they feel understood, appreciated and supported, so that they can do the best work of their careers.

Shortages Are Setting In

Resources have become scarcer: In practical terms, this is because factories in the Far East and demand-driven production have been geared toward efficiency rather than resilience for decades—a single grain of sand in the gears, and time comes to a standstill worldwide. Mental resources are also at risk when the «piling crises» of the present wear people down and leave them exhausted. I promised you I’d avoid predicting doom and gloom… and yet now my text sounds exactly like that?!

A Resource Called Creativity

No, because despite all the negative signs, I am convinced that there is a mental resource that comes into its own—sometimes in almost miraculous ways—precisely when we are facing scarcity and fatigue: creativity. It is one of our «superpowers,» and its importance in the current situation cannot be overstated. It is precisely when we are not surrounded by ready-made solutions and step outside our «comfort zone» that we rise above ourselves. That is when we are forced to think and act for ourselves. Our grandparents—and in some cases, our parents as well—navigated the world with a «make-do-and-mend» mentality, from using jam jars as drinking glasses to making guitars out of cigar boxes. The secret agent MacGyver used paper clips and matches to extricate himself from seemingly hopeless situations. And numerous current «unicorn» startups, as well as long-established companies, were founded not out of abundance and boredom, but out of scarcity and urgency.

Let's be brave!

What I’m trying to say is this: We discover the ability to improvise—the courage to break new ground—within ourselves, within our companies, and in the agencies we work with, especially when it really matters. Being content, being comfortable—that’s nice. But sometimes we need external drivers to lure us out of our comfort zone. So let’s follow them—now.

She invites the women to the table and, as she listens to their conversations, realizes that they often lack the confidence to deal with financial matters.

But we’re getting sidetracked. After graduating, Mara Harvey started working at UBS. During her 21-year career at the major bank, she worked in a wide variety of business areas, moved to Frankfurt, returned to Zurich, and ultimately focused on the ultra-wealthy and their money. «That’s how simply you can sum it up,» she laughs. She notices that women are missing from the discourse on wealth management. It’s always men who talk to her about finances. She realizes just how much potential she—and the bank—is letting slip through their fingers. In her scarce free time—she’s a single mother of two—Mara develops strategic tools, draws up business plans, and convinces senior management to restructure the wealth management division. She brings women to the table and, through conversations, discovers that they often lack the confidence to engage with financial matters. She reflects on this insight and realizes that she, too, didn’t start managing her own money until later in life—even though she’d been dealing with finances her whole life. Mara Harvey is determined to bridge this gap.

Why children's books?

Mara has no plans to write children’s books. In 2018, she wrote a book for adults titled *Women and Risk*. Women and Risk: Rewriting the Rules to raise awareness of gender-based wage gaps, wealth disparities, and barriers to women’s financial participation—as she realizes she isn’t addressing the root causes. Namely, teaching children about finances. She now realizes that she doesn’t need to start with women, but with girls. She launches a children’s book series, «A Smart Way To Start,» to give girls the opportunity to talk confidently about money and understand its value.

Six volumes are being published. Marty, the main character, is sassy, smart, and eager to learn. The rhyming style makes the books true cult classics for children, who can easily identify with Marty. But of course, she also wants to appeal to boys. «It was important to me that we reach both genders,» says Mara. Through Marty, children learn how to earn, save, and spend money—and also how to grow their money by investing it. Volume 5 of the series, which focuses on money and sustainability, has even been included by the United Nations in its Perception Change Program for Sustainability.

Now the parents come into play

With her Financial Parenting World platform, however, Mara is now primarily reaching out to parents. She realizes that she needs to engage adults so they can teach their children. Through the courses she offers, parents gain the skills and tools they can then pass on to their children.

Back to the bench

Let’s go back to the beginning. When Mara Harvey was offered the CEO position at VP Bank Switzerland, she wasn’t actively looking for a job, but she firmly believes that everything comes into her life at the right time. That’s why she’s now in the CEO’s chair and can bring all her expertise to bear on the bank’s development. And the platform? «I’m building a strong team and delegating more; the foundation has already been laid, so I’m only needed for strategic purposes now.» And because Mara Harvey has gone the extra mile her entire life, she’ll master the challenges ahead as well. Just as she always has.

Meta Isn't That «Meta» Anymore

Advertising on Meta’s platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, etc.): You’re on solid ground there, right? Well, not exactly. The tech giant is stumbling. News stories are coming thick and fast right now: «Zuckerberg is making sweeping cuts,» «Zuck is wielding the axe,» «Thirteen percent of Meta’s workforce is being laid off.» Meta—formerly Facebook, but you know that by now, right?—has been on shakier ground. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has been taking a beating. It’s headed in only one direction: down. A total of 11,000 jobs will be cut, and even Zuckerberg—usually unemotional and cold—seemed very emotional for once during an internal call with those affected. So what happened? For some time now, Instagram and Facebook—the flagship platforms of the Meta universe—have been struggling with declines in revenue from advertising placements. And at the same time, founder Zuckerberg is investing billions in the development of digital worlds. I’ll leave it at that regarding how much of the metaverse hype remains—after all, m&k can’t provide me with the entire issue.

Instagram, Meta’s «workhorse,» has been treading water rather than moving forward for quite some time now. Minor updates are announced time and again, only to be forgotten shortly thereafter. It seems all too evident that the platform is driven primarily by the competition rather than by its own innovative strength.

The bird plummets

So, back to that beloved blue bird that’s never let you down as a marketer, blogger, or journalist, right? Well, yeah. I was never really a fan of Twitter to begin with—sorry, not sorry. But ever since Elon Musk took over the company, I have to tell anyone thinking of allocating ad budgets there, quite honestly: You’d better not. And major companies like VW see it the same way. Huge advertising budgets are being frozen; agencies are advising more and more advertisers to pull out of the platform. And what’s Musk doing? He’s threatening to publicly shame the advertisers who walk away.

As much as I believe in Elon Musk’s entrepreneurial skills, I can’t help but feel these days that he shouldn’t be the one in charge of a public opinion machine like Twitter. Elon has probably heard the word «no» far too rarely in recent years—and in the case of Twitter, it would have been better if it had stayed at «no.» Twitter has long been battling hate speech, racism, fake news, and many other problems. And now Musk is laying off half the workforce.

Twitter is facing a massive mountain of debt. Interest expenses are reportedly higher than EBITDA, and that doesn’t even include investments of a few hundred million. Now we could get sidetracked into a financial discussion. But let’s keep it short: Twitter’s financial situation is about as good as FC Barcelona’s. Or to put it even more simply: Things aren’t going so well.

But don't despair, dear friends of sophisticated social marketing. There's still a little hope.

«A New Hope»

The good news, at least in theory: Luke and Han don’t have to destroy the social media Death Star first for «a new hope» to emerge (quick aside: If that brilliant title metaphor doesn’t click, head over to the TV and watch «Star Wars»!). So, back to the text:

Never before have so many people worldwide used social media. A report by «We Are Social» and «Hootsuite» shows that there are now 4.7 billion users on social media platforms. That corresponds to 59 percent of the world’s population. At the same time, about two-thirds of the world’s population is online. One could conclude from this that almost everyone who is online is also active on at least one social media platform.

At the same time, the share of global web traffic coming from smartphones is rising to just under 60 percent. This also reflects the success of new rising stars like TikTok. People are using more social media platforms simultaneously than they did a few years ago. Before we get swept up in a flood of numbers and statistics here, let me just summarize it for you:

The target audience you want to reach is definitely on social media. Don’t worry. It’s just that they aren’t always exactly where you might have imagined. And the number of users is growing every day. However, that growth will level off in the coming years. For us in digital marketing, this means we finally need to get better at competing for attention.

Let's finally learn it!

New year, same old story—so let’s finally get it: Communication on social media doesn’t follow the «classic rules» where there’s a sender and a receiver. And yet, in 2022, companies are still communicating and advertising as if they were the center of the universe. TV commercials are mindlessly chopped up to fit social media formats—and then they pat themselves on the back for “cross-platform” advertising? Hats off to you, folks!

In training sessions, people look at me quizzically when the company’s own posts—which say so many great things about the company—just don’t perform. After all, aren’t we providing added value? And isn’t that what it’s all about? «Added value.» That’s slowly becoming a buzzword I can’t stand when it comes to storytelling. But I’ll let you in on a secret: It’s not you who defines the added value of your storytelling—it’s the users.

Mind-blowing, right? Well, it isn't, but somehow nobody seems to get it. So: Maybe they do get it, but they’re not putting it into practice. Why? Because too often, there’s a lack of long-term thinking when it comes to content on social media platforms. People do it for quick conversions. For immediate results. And that would be totally fine if these platforms were just digital advertising catalogs. But they’re not.

Thanks to social feeds, users experience a multidimensional array of content from every conceivable category: entertainment, humor, news, sports, and much more. So why would people want to spend their time on your content, which is cluttered with calls to action? You wouldn’t want to view, like, or even interact with that kind of content yourself, would you?

So what am I advocating when it comes to storytelling in 2023? To finally take off the corporate glasses and have the courage to practice user-centered storytelling. I know, dear marketers, I know. It’s going to be tough. But stick with it, and seek out another discussion with senior management—it’ll be worth it.

Brian Ruchti, CEO of the digital agency Newsroom, sums it up at the Expo Event Breakfast Club on November 8. «No one is saying that the in-person approach doesn’t work, but we want to find out what hybrid formats the market allows.» He then adds: «We’re only at the beginning.» His assessment reflects something of the status quo in the events industry. Digitalization hasn’t weakened it; rather, it’s leading it down new paths to strengthen its core business.

Transformation Through Resilience and Agility

Trade show organizers, event service providers, and agencies have weathered the COVID era well. This is partly because events cannot be replaced by digital alternatives. In any case, the often-predicted takeovers or bankruptcies have not materialized. Quite a few trade show organizers note that, in a way, the pandemic has actually helped their core business, as the exhibiting community has come to realize just how irreplaceable in-person interactions are. Björn Kempe, an experienced mergers and acquisitions expert who runs his own investment fund in the trade show industry, says: «What’s on my mind right now is how we can best engage communities. For me, this clearly didn’t work online, and even in a hybrid format, it was only partially successful. I see a trend back toward the basics in marketing—toward media, social networks, and themed marketing.»

The urge to return to trade shows and events has probably never been greater than it is now, following the lifting of pandemic restrictions such as social distancing and event bans. According to AUMA Berlin, only 70 percent of exhibitors and 55 percent of visitors have returned to Germany’s major flagship trade shows. But the most recent flagship events, such as the plastics trade show K and the robotics trade show SPS, have already far, far exceeded these figures.

The time has come to «get back to normal»

Does the business community need an event trade show now that the marketing trade show SuisseEmex ceased operations in 2018? The service sector—exhibition stand builders, event producers, and event venues—agrees: the live communications industry needs a gathering again to engage with the business community. «Now we want to create a »wow’ effect—with digital support, of course, but not as a substitute for a trade show,” says Peter Plan. However, Suisse Event is not a successor to the discontinued Suisse Emex, but rather a format focused on event technology, entertainment, and venues. Anyone noting the trade show dates of September 5–7, 2023, will notice that the Xaver Award 2023 is also taking place on September 7 during this period. And for good reason. The newly launched Suisse Event is organized in official partnership with the industry association Expo Event Swiss Live Com Association. Suisse Event is scheduled to take place every two years.

Also innovative are the so-called digital meeting places developed by Conteo (see m&k 2020, «The Renaissance of Trade Shows Driven by Digitalization»), which are being used at various trade shows organized by Messe Luzern and at other exhibition venues. These extensions of physical trade shows—such as Swiss MedTech, AM-Expo (3D printing technology), or Farming Plus, a website for the agricultural trade shows «Fruchtwelt Bodensee» by Messe Friedrichshafen, «Tier & Technik» by Olma Messen, and «SuisseTier» by Messe Luzern, are based on the idea that trade show organizers no longer simply put their exhibitor catalogs online (Content is King).

Conteo’s digital meeting places are based on the idea that trade show exhibitors should post their trade show content on the trade show website—not just their product catalogs. This storytelling principle is catching on in the business world. «We’ve found that genuine content generates much higher click-through rates than an exhibitor catalog, and as trade show organizers, we can see exactly who is following which topics,» says Fabienne Meyerhans, a member of the executive board at Messe Luzern.

Is Content King?

No, experience is king. Our top event discovery in the post-COVID era is the Start-up Nights at the Entrepreneur Club’s famous Eulachhallen in Winterthur, because the networking there was visibly and tangibly electric. The energy from the 160 exhibitors and 8,000 attendees in November was palpable and screamed: «Finally back in person!» Most of the numerous workshops were fully booked, and the keynote speakers were top-notch. There was absolutely no trace of Covid’s lingering effects—quite the opposite. The ESB Network’s traditional Sports Forum at the KKL Lucerne also drew 700 guests in November—the same number as at the pre-Covid record-breaking event in 2019. “We’re extremely satisfied,” says Patrick Seitter, Head of Congress and Academy at the ESB Network St. Gallen. He notes, however, that the situation looks less positive for ESB events in Germany and Austria.

Incentive: Why Trade Shows Are So Resilient

Mipim in Cannes is one of two leading global trade fairs, alongside Expo Real in Munich. It has more of an incentive-based character and serves as a sort of accolade for attendees, while Expo Real is considered a «business-focused trade fair.» Both have weathered the pandemic with a high degree of resilience. Last October’s Expo Real, with 1,887 exhibitors, nearly reached the pre-COVID levels of 2019; all exhibition areas have grown again compared to 2021, by a total of 60 percent. It will be no different at the upcoming Mipim in Cannes in March 2023. After all, who in their right mind would trade Cannes for an online event? What I’m trying to say is this: the major trade shows will undoubtedly make a comeback. And: There is no such thing as a «trade show trend»—each event must be considered on its own merits. Not least, the future of trade shows and events depends on the skill of the organizer.

A Spirit of Innovation in Trade Show Booth Design

The Messerli Group’s brand-new, carbon-neutral logistics center in Wil, ZH—which began operations in May 2022—is a remarkable statement in favor of live communication. What sounds like a given today was anything but during the pandemic: «We believe in the bright future of live experiences,» says Andreas Messerli, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Bexpo, the trade show construction and advertising technology company based in Marthalen, has weathered the pandemic and moved past it. Shortly after the ban on events in March 2020, the company established the new business divisions of advertising technology and signage within the newly formed Bexpo Advertising Technology and Signage AG. Unlike trade show construction, advertising technology is a local business for Bexpo, with smaller order volumes but the advantage of frequent repeat customer orders. Now that the trade show construction business (across the entire industry) is back in full swing, this new business segment helps offset the traditional summer and Christmas slowdowns in the trade show sector. Even before the pandemic, Werbeatelier Pape had moved away from large-scale trade show booth construction and made digital printing its core business with a million-investment. Atelier Bischoff, a service provider in the events industry, is also focusing on digital printing with its new name, «Plotfactory.».

Location: Innovation in Viscosestadt

Event Agencies: Digital Transformation

In October 2022, «Global Acceleron Day,» organized by the event agency Bright, took place at the TrafoHalle in Baden. 800 guests attended in person, and participants from 54 countries joined online. «We had to come up with entirely new approaches during the pandemic, but we learned a lot from the experience. What’s changed is that we now consider for every event whether a meaningful hybrid format is possible. We’re giving this a lot of thought these days,» says Markus Walder, co-owner of the event agency Bright in Schwerzenbach. A participant in the Breakfast Club summed up the resilience of the trade show and event industry in a plausible way: «On Friday, it’s gymnastics club. That can’t be replaced.»

Ambitious, determined, hardworking, and focused. Heidi Hauer has always forged her own path. Throughout her 20-year career to date, professional success has always been her top priority. Looking back, she didn’t allow herself enough time to slow down, take breaks, step back, and reflect on herself. In return, Heidi Hauer gained extensive international professional experience, recognition, and awards. Even though her body had sent signals on numerous occasions, it took many years for Heidi Hauer to develop a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Eventually, she listened to her inner voice, and today she helps executives tap into their true power, recognize their own potential, and make the most of it.

Same same, but different

She is still hardworking, ambitious, and determined, but today she channels her energy into sharing her knowledge of nutrition, resilience, meditation, mindfulness, leadership, and questions of meaning. She coaches people who want more from life than just to function as well as possible. Peak performance at any cost is a thing of the past. Employee initiatives on topics such as «well-being at work» and «mental health» are now considered standard practice in corporate management. Treating ourselves and those around us with care strengthens resilience, creativity, concentration, empathy, and ultimately our well-being and success.

«All my past experiences as a communications specialist, PR expert, press spokesperson, and often as a busy bee on the hamster wheel help me today to truly understand my coachees. I know the pull you can get caught up in, especially when you enjoy your job and your career is on a steep upward trajectory,» says Heidi, laughing as she recalls her tireless work ethic. Today she knows that if you don’t lose sight of yourself in the process—but instead learn to listen to your body—there’s virtually no limit to achieving the goals you have in mind.

The path…

Let’s go back to January 2, 2013. In the years leading up to that point, Heidi Hauer had taken one career step after another. Raised in Upper Austria and educated in Vienna, her path led her to London, where she first worked as a public affairs consultant and then moved in-house to the global communications team of a confectionery company. This was followed by two years in Brussels. Then she returned to Vienna, where she took over as head of corporate communications and served as the group spokesperson for several countries. That’s exactly where she is in the office on January 2, 2013. The office is practically deserted. Austrians like to take it easy after New Year’s and go skiing for another week.

Not Heidi, though. When a coworker asks her if she has time for a coffee, she waves him off, saying she has far too much to do. What? On January 2nd? She rushes through the empty office, and everything suddenly seems absurd to her. The rat race, the overtime, the pressure, pushing herself too hard… She realizes that her stomachaches, bad skin, poor sleep, low energy levels, neck tension, and frayed nerves might have something to do with her relentless drive to perform and the expectations she places on herself that are too high.

…is far…

She checks into a wellness clinic, gets to know her inner voice better, and, above all, learns to listen to herself more closely. She adjusts her lifestyle, changes her diet, and gradually begins to feel better. Back at work, she talks with her team, allows herself regular breaks, delegates tasks, and sets healthy and friendly boundaries. Alongside her job, she’s training to become a nutrition coach and life coach.

But despite all her mindfulness, it takes two more, shorter setbacks before she realizes that, for the sake of her health and true happiness, she needs to make lasting lifestyle changes rather than just focusing on them temporarily. The decision to make room for her second career dream—coaching and consulting—was well-considered, but ultimately a matter of the heart.

…and the goal

Heidi Hauer is starting her own business and moving into a house with a garden with her dog. In doing so, she is fulfilling her lifelong dreams. Through various continuing education courses, she has acquired a wealth of expertise. This results in a blend of competence, experience, wisdom, and patience that makes her unique in her coaching style. She is able to express her love for people just as fully as her love for her work. She still has the ambition she had in the past. But rather than consuming her, it gives her wings.

Heidi Hauer She works with executives through individual and group coaching sessions. She gives lectures and leads workshops. «The Heidi Hauer Podcast» is a show about health, money, entrepreneurship, and spirituality. Her book, «The Queendom Within—Rewrite Your Fairy Tale and Create Your Own Happily Ever After,» serves as a guide to fulfilling one’s dreams.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak with an inspiring entrepreneur from Zurich. His name is Peter Hornung; he has a degree in architecture and founded the startup «Round Rivers» shortly before the pandemic began. Here’s how he describes his company: «Round Rivers fishes PET bottles out of the Limmat River and uses them to create a small but exquisite collection of swimwear.» I was impressed by what Peter told me about the idea behind his company, the challenges associated with launching it, and his plans for the future. However, the startup founder also drew my attention to how difficult it is to do justice to the complex issues of sustainability in communication. Why is that? And are there any potential solutions?

A challenging, multifaceted topic

One thing is certain: Consumers are demanding sustainable products and expect companies to align their value creation with these demands. In the business world, however, true sustainability is a complex, multifaceted process.

Here’s an example: Not all textiles made from PET bottles are created equal, as Peter Hornung explains to me. If you take properly disposed-of plastic out of the raw material cycle to make sweaters, that’s pointless «downcycling.» However, if you fish PET bottles out of the Limmat River and turn them into swimwear, that’s commendable «upcycling.» If you send old clothing around the world to turn it into «recycled wool,» the carbon footprint negates even the best of intentions. If, on the other hand, you operate regionally, you combine waste reduction with environmental protection. And so on, and so forth.

Communicating the Journey as the Destination

Sustainable business practices are a multifaceted process that affects value creation at every level. As a result, the desired goals can often only be achieved over the long term. It’s okay to say that—and to «bring consumers along» on this journey. This requires openness and the courage to embrace imperfection—two key pillars of sustainability communication.

The third pillar is continuity. Just as with sustainability in a company, the communication surrounding it must also have a long-term perspective. In both cases, success can only be achieved through long-term and, above all, consistent commitment. The biggest challenge in this regard is to stay on track even during critical phases and not to give up on the dialogue.

* Alexander Haldemann is the CEO of Publicis Groupe Zurich.

Were there any lessons learned from the crisis?

We’ve learned a great deal and identified opportunities that have led to new developments. With the pandemic, even more Swiss guests have discovered their own country as a vacation destination—and they’ve done so with great enthusiasm. And that enthusiasm has continued ever since.

How have the numbers changed since the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions?

Compared to the record year of 2019—the last «normal» year before the pandemic—nearly 26 million hotel overnight stays were already recorded between January and September 2022. That still represents a 6 percent decline. For the summer months—May through August—the decline is only −3 percent, or 15 million hotel overnight stays.

Are they mostly local or foreign tourists?

Our local guests, in particular, are driving strong business here. But many tourists from neighboring countries—and even from the United States and the Arab Gulf states—are already returning to Switzerland in droves. Nevertheless, the outlook remains very concerning, with numerous crises already emerging again in the wake of the pandemic. And—something we’ve never seen before—they’re all piling up at once! Energy, the war in Ukraine, the economy, climate change, and so on. Many of our markets in Asia—China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan; Japan; and Australia—remain weak due to the pandemic. These guests are staying away. Before the pandemic, that represented just under a 10 percent market share. Despite everything, we remain confident—the desire for vacations in Switzerland remains immense, even in Asia.

Have you noticed any shifts in the ratio of international to domestic guests since the pandemic began?

The pandemic actually led to a surge in Swiss guests. Our most important and largest market suddenly grew even larger. And Swiss guests are continuing to spend more of their vacations in their own country in 2022 as well. From January through September, there were 17 percent more overnight stays than in 2019. What’s more, many international travelers are back as well. However, numbers have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. In the long term, we expect to return to our proven market mix: 45 percent domestic, 35 percent European, and 20 percent international guests.

How is Switzerland, a popular vacation destination, positioning itself amid a looming recession, energy crisis, and the war in Ukraine?

There are currently many different crises. It is important to take a nuanced view of each individual challenge. The war in Europe is a tragedy, but it has no direct, significant impact on Swiss tourism. Inflation abroad is primarily putting a strain on the wallets of our international guests, which has the unfortunate effect of curbing spending. Regarding the energy situation, the industry is in close contact with the authorities to ensure that any measures taken are as tourism-friendly as possible. Switzerland has always been a premium destination distinguished by quality. Swiss tourism continues to focus on this, as well as on sustainability and convenience. This becomes even more important in times like these.

What should be kept in mind when marketing?

Tourism marketing is often interchangeable. Our challenge is our product, which we do not own and therefore cannot directly control. With a focus on foreign markets, we market what the Swiss tourism industry produces and concentrate on brand management and global communication. Only clear and strong positioning can prevail in the face of international competition. Through compelling stories that evoke emotions and engagement among potential travelers, we stand out amid the din of visually appealing tourism imagery. Ultimately, it is essential to develop themes over the long term. With patience, so that new ideas can take root. The temptation to jump from one theme to the next is often very strong. Added to this is the fact that, from a global perspective, Switzerland is still a small travel destination and our budgets are relatively modest. We face the dual challenge of thinking big and seeking creative approaches.

Which target groups are you targeting in the medium term?

The target groups of interest to the Swiss tourism industry are very diverse. We cater to a wide variety of guests worldwide who have an affinity for Switzerland. Leisure travelers come for many reasons. In addition to vacationers, business and conference travelers are also very important. They account for just under 20 percent of overnight stays. We specifically target lucrative niches, such as health and wedding tourism. Our marketing mix plays a key role here. Our mission is to even out peaks both seasonally and regionally—we must also promote the off-season. Destinations across the country—in the mountains and valleys, cities and countryside—deserve our attention. There is no single “Switzerland” for tourists. This is a challenging task. In the medium term, however, our focus is always on the young and young-at-heart, quality-conscious nature lover.

What role does sustainability play in the promotion of Switzerland?

Sustainability is more important than ever, including in tourism. We position Switzerland as the world’s most sustainable destination. We are already very well positioned in sustainable tourism, as recognized international rankings consistently confirm. Now it is time to build on this strength and—above all—communicate it effectively to a global audience. To this end, we launched the «Swisstainable» initiative two years ago, a participatory model for the industry that spans various levels of commitment to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The strategy addresses various areas of action, ranging from extending the length of stay and guiding visitors to experiencing local culture and enjoying unspoiled nature. More than 1,300 tourism service providers are now participating in the «Swisstainable» program, thereby gaining global visibility. However, the potential remains very high, and the industry still has a long way to go.

How should Switzerland, as a vacation and travel destination, present itself in ten years?

Nature has been Switzerland’s top tourist draw ever since the dawn of tourism. For more than 100 years, we have primarily promoted nature as the main reason to travel here. Yet this positioning extends far beyond just mountains and lakes; it is also evident in cities and on business trips. Presenting nature in a way that is always fresh and inspiring remains our primary task. Our sustainability strategy fits perfectly here; it is a logical consequence of our actions. Switzerland as a travel destination must continue to build on its strengths, remain true to itself, stay relevant, and surprise our guests in positive ways time and again.

Between aspiration and reality

Leading companies have, of course, already begun to do just that. As of August 2021, nearly one-third of the 1,000 largest publicly traded European companies had officially set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. However, according to the Accenture study «Reaching Net Zero by 2050,» only five percent are actually on a realistic path to achieving their goal if they continue on their current course. This discrepancy between ambition and reality does not, of course, prevent companies from making grandiose announcements at five-year meetings such as the «COP 26» climate conference in Glasgow.

The general sentiment is always the same: «We want this, we can do it!»—but, to refer once again to the Accenture study mentioned earlier, a clear path to achieving these goals is rarely evident. This glaring discrepancy between superficial rhetoric and effective action will become a highly explosive issue in the coming years and will lead to further alienation between companies and their stakeholders. The extent of the pressure for major change that now exists can be gauged by the fact that even companies in heavily regulated industries, such as the financial sector, are committing to binding future targets—even though they currently have no idea how to achieve them.

More than a communication problem

What happens when the offensively communicated claim and the actual actions differ so greatly? Then the term greenwashing is heard more and more often in customer surveys and focus groups. Greenwashing is the attempt by companies, institutions or brands to present themselves as particularly environmentally aware and environmentally friendly by donating money to ecological projects, PR measures or advertising campaigns. However, the communication is only the downstream phenomenon that attempts to conceal the underlying, more fundamental problems. Greenwashing will sooner or later be mercilessly recognized by the general public in this age of almost unlimited information exchange and punished for what it is: fraud.

Just recently, two major players in the highly scrutinized oil industry—Shell and Exxon—learned that short-term thinking and superficial greenwashing are accepted by neither the general public nor regulators. Shell—in addition to suffering a massive PR fiasco—was forced by a court order to reduce emissions by 45 percent (compared to 2019) by 2030. At Exxon, the intervention of an activist hedge fund led to the appointment of three «green» board members to the executive board. The developments at these leading fossil fuel companies foreshadow numerous further instances of activist influence across various industries by stakeholders who are no longer willing to accept the superficial window-dressing of individual companies.

In recent years, market practices and behavioral patterns have become established, and these are now gradually being examined and exposed. Customers, consumers, and other stakeholders are, in some cases, being systematically misled. Marketing and communications experts bear a significant share of the blame for this, due to their failure to critically examine the situation and verify the facts. The problem runs deep, as the examples in the separate info box show.

These two examples demonstrate the widespread superficiality of many efforts. They also illustrate that many stakeholders treat climate protection as a short-term fad that will soon be replaced by the next hot topic. Although I myself mentioned at the beginning of this text that public attention is currently focused on other crises—believing that it will not return to global warming and the need for climate protection is as unrealistic as it is dangerously misguided.

Words must be followed by actions

What many companies hardly consider is the danger posed by a superficial approach to their own climate protection efforts. Climate protection is not just another passing fad in the marketing industry. The issue will not lose its significance or even disappear. All too often today, unfounded sustainability promises are incorporated into communications without thorough scrutiny. Sensational campaigns set off a flurry of hype about the supposedly sustainable feats of large companies and their leaders. Many of the largest emitters of climate-damaging gases display a surprising naivety when they try to cast their environmental efforts in a favorable light with a well-orchestrated press photo. Their barely concealed hope: to positively influence their stock price.

When the head of a major emitter of greenhouse gases allows himself to be photographed fishing plastic waste out of the sea, the company is merely proving that it lacks a long-term, resilient plan for achieving the announced reduction targets. The crux of the matter is that the people who are making the promises for the future today will most likely no longer be held personally accountable for their misdeeds due to the long time horizon.

Many marketers cite consumer choice as a reason for not introducing more environmentally friendly products and services with the vigor and consistency that the climate crisis would warrant (you hear arguments like, «Then we’ll become more expensive, and customers will go elsewhere» or, even more arrogantly, «If you want climate protection, you can just shop somewhere else!»). This is irresponsible and demonstrates a lack of willingness to take responsibility toward the community.

Time to rise to the challenge

Marketers and communications professionals must take a leading role and rise to the challenge posed by global warming (which is largely man-made). Precisely because of the significant risk of reputational damage to companies and brands, a superficial approach to climate protection issues must be avoided. This is not a new insight. Anyone who has mastered the fundamentals of professional communication understands the importance of a well-founded «reason why»—that is, a robust rationale that can withstand critical questioning and in-depth journalistic scrutiny.

Both a challenge and an opportunity

This presents marketing and communications leaders with a unique opportunity to actively drive major changes and take a seat at the decision-makers’ table within their companies (where, as we all know, they are still rarely found). Precisely because customers, employees, and the general public have clear expectations, these interests must be used as relevant arguments within corporate leadership to shape strategy and set the direction of the company. Public pressure can be harnessed to initiate serious changes in corporate strategy through concrete actions.

In this context, marketers and communications professionals would be well advised to take a close look at the realities and possibilities of the climate protection initiatives being promoted in the market. Many are already struggling to distinguish between «carbon avoidance» and «carbon capture.».

The Gold Rush Is Coming

The market and the sum of the investments made will grow rapidly in the coming years. In this context, many people are in a gold-digger mood. Those who do not take a close look and do not recognize the essential connections run the risk of sinking their money into climate protection projects of dubious quality.

This growth and the expected market size will attract public interest. It is only a matter of time before investigative journalists take up this topic and, through thorough research, are able to expose many of the projects on offer as ineffective or even as outright lies and deception.

Companies that have invested in such projects in good faith then face—aside from the financial losses—massive reputational damage due to the negative publicity that is likely to follow.

It should be noted that to date only a small number of companies have committed themselves to consistently striving for circular management (this would for once be a consistent guide to the nebulous "zero emissions promises" mentioned at the beginning of the text, which would then have to be fleshed out). From a marketing point of view, this is a missed opportunity. A consistent focus on comprehensive support over the entire product life cycle could even counteract the well-known problem of declining customer loyalty for many companies. After all, if you support customers over the entire life cycle of a product, you will know at the right moment when it is effective and efficient to offer a sustainable replacement.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Ratings

To date, there are no general, widely accepted standards that provide the necessary transparency, reliability, and comparability. For example, the financial industry has relied for years on the market leader MSCI for ESG ratings, which provides aggregated fundamental data to nearly all major financial institutions. MSCI’s ESG rating is a subjective, unregulated assessment system that does not reflect a company’s impact on the environment, but rather the impact of an environmentally conscious world on the company. Or, to put it more simply: It boils down to whether a world focused on climate change could reduce corporate profits. (Bloomberg Businessweek: «How to Make a Killing Calling Companies Green,» 2021). In the financial industry today, ESG is largely a marketing term rather than a genuine commitment. The criteria for evaluating companies« ESG efforts are set randomly and arbitrarily by product providers, without any transparency. »Sustainable” ESG funds thus make compromises, weighing whether to buy shares in an electric-car company that exploits workers or shares in an oil company with a truly “diverse” board. This unregulated arbitrariness has strange consequences. For example, how can Exxon Mobil Corp., one of the largest suppliers of fossil fuels that warm the atmosphere, remain in an ESG index while Tesla is kicked out of the index? (NZZ: Tesla Loses Its Foothold, May 21, 2022). It is already becoming clear that stricter regulations and requirements are to be expected in the near future, and that is both right and important. After all, transparency builds trust.

Compensations and Offsets

Scooping mechanisms are now widely used to give consumers the opportunity to act in an environmentally conscious manner. At online retailers, you can add «full carbon offsetting» directly to your shopping cart. When booking a vacation flight, you can ease your guilty conscience with an additional small contribution for a modest surcharge. A report published in May 2022 by the consulting firm Carbon Direct states that the market for carbon offset services «consists largely of projects of questionable quality.» Companies prefer to use carbon offset projects to legitimize existing behaviors and consumption habits rather than to drive fundamental changes and new solutions. The majority of consumers imagine that these projects primarily finance reforestation and restoration efforts. The reality is far removed from «planting trees»: Less than four percent of all global carbon offset projects remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Ninety-six percent of the projects merely attempt to reduce the continued expansion of climate-damaging emissions. (Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets [TSVCM]; Inventory analysis, 2020)