No other social network has such a young user base (70 % of them female), while Facebook's user base is getting older and older. By the way: Like WhatsApp, Facebook also tried to snatch Snapchat under its nails - but received a hefty rebuff.

But what exactly is, or rather, what can this Snapchat do? The app allows its users to send photos or videos that are only visible to the recipient for a few seconds and are then automatically deleted again. To do this, users can spice up the photo or video with a short text or drawing, creating more effects and entertaining captions. Of course, there is a small catch to the story: With the iPhone screenshot function, it is still possible to save or photograph the image with a nimble finger swipe.

Recently, large companies have also acquired a taste for Snapchat and are beginning to integrate the app into their social media marketing. How? Pioneering work is being done here, for example, by the American frozen yogurt chain 16 Handles, which distributes coupons to its customers via Snapchat. The process goes something like this: The customer is supposed to take a selfie (self-portrait) with Snapchat while consuming a 16 Handles product and send it to their user account. The company then responds by sending back a coupon offering up to 100 percent off. The user then has a maximum of ten seconds to redeem it at the checkout - otherwise it's gone forever.

While most companies are still on Facebook, 16 Handles and others are already actively using the messenger app: The American football team New Orleans Saints shares behind-the-scenes moments with their fans via Snapchat. The clothing brand Juicy Couture gives users a sneak preview of its next collection, and the fast-food chain Taco Bell also shares pictures of its latest burritos. A small disadvantage: to get the photos, users first have to follow the company's user account or add it to their friends list. Therefore, the account must first be made known on other channels, such as Twitter or Facebook.

Snapchat offers companies an optimal opportunity to reach a younger audience and thereby position themselves as innovative. On Snapchat, every company can give free rein to its creativity and innovation - everything is possible: show new products, provide insights behind the scenes, launch competitions or promote limited special offers. The snapshots go directly to the users' private smartphones, allowing them to participate in the company's plans. In this way, Snapchat, in my opinion, creates something that other social media channels usually don't entail: It gives users the feeling of something exclusive and surprising. And let's be honest: Who doesn't like surprises?

Manuel P. Nappo, Director of Studies CAS Social Media Management HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich.¨www.fh-hwz.ch/smm
 

"Whether foreman, bricklayer or apprentice - many of the shoots were already successful after the first time," reports Valentin Schuler, project manager at Frontal, the agency responsible for the project. He says it was noticeable that these guys really embody what the claim says. "We are a top company with top comradeship," said foreman René Amrein, for example, who has worked for the construction company for 20 years and demonstrated real model qualities.

Initially, the sweat-glistening musclemen with their red Estermann helmets will adorn advertisements, buses, posters as well as scaffolding and barriers. Internally, however, the campaign is already drawing wider circles, reports Managing Director Hans Winiker, for whom the identification of his people with the "Estermann family" is very close to his heart. "Of course, the men want to give the professional photos to their wives." The female Estermann employees would like a calendar.

Responsible at Estermann: Hans Winiker. Responsible at Frontal: Valentin Schuler. Photography: Alex Gertschen, Felix Meier. Styling: Anja Wiegmann.
 

The 41-year-old Takashi Sugimoto previously held various positions at Coop for twelve years: He worked as an editor at the Coop newspaper and as a media spokesman at the headquarters in Basel. Most recently, he worked in the retail company's marketing department.

Takashi Sugimoto studied philosophy, history and art history at the University of Basel and graduated with a master's degree. He also attended the intensive seminar for communication and management at the Institute for Marketing and Commerce at the University of St. Gallen.

Ponies in love and a breath of fresh air in the sauna: this year's summer campaign is primarily intended to further increase brand awareness and knowledge of the range of products available at Brack.ch. After the company updated its corporate design in 2012 and used TV advertising for the first time in 2013 in two advertising waves, Brack.ch was able to significantly increase the empirically determined awareness among the population compared to the measurement before the start of the campaign, the company writes in a statement on Wednesday.

The Brack as a TV star

Conceptually, Brack.ch 2014 continues what the online retailer started with the first three spots from last year: The actual "star" in the two new spots is also the "Brack": In the spots, the Brack.ch logo - "dä Brack" for short - stands for a radio receiver, a quadrocopter or one of the other 60,000 products that the company delivers from its own state-of-the-art warehouse in Willisau, Lucerne.

As always, the accompanying online and print marketing activities will be conceived by Brack.ch marketing itself and implemented completely in-house, including design.

Responsible at Brack.ch: Markus Mahler (CEO), Lea Klingele, Patrick Hoerdt, Marco Bugno, Stephanie Herzog.
 

Larissa Haltiner's work beat out no fewer than 22 other entries. Using the Facebook platform as an example, Haltiner explores the question of the acceptance of corporate and marketing communication on social media.

An online survey of Facebook users in Switzerland shows that while 70 percent of respondents definitely accept Facebook appearances by companies or brands on Facebook, almost the same number are bothered by them. On the other hand, only five percent of respondents have never clicked the "Like" button on such a page. The relationship to ads on Facebook is also split. Just under 60 percent accept them, while a good 40 percent are annoyed by them. However, almost 40 percent of respondents have already consciously clicked on such an ad, but 50 percent state that these clicks did not really get them anywhere. The central motive for paying attention to corporate and marketing communications on Facebook is clearly interest in the brand or company.

The award ceremony took place on June 3 as part of IGEM's 2014 general meeting in the paper room of the old Sihl paper mill in Sihlcity in Zurich. Although Larissa Haltiner now works in Silicon Valley, she was able to receive the award in person thanks to a business appointment in Switzerland.

Of the 23 papers submitted for the 2014 sponsorship award, nine met the requirements for inclusion in the final round and final evaluation by the jury. Almost half of them, namely four, were written at the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft in Zurich. Three others came from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The two winners of the first IGEM sponsorship award, which was presented in 2012, also came from these two universities.

The next sponsorship award will be presented in 2016. The deadline for applications is November 30, 2015. For more info, see here.

Jury president Peter Abplanalp from the Conference of Experts in Business and Services of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Switzerland, award winner Larissa Haltiner and IGEM president Stephan Küng (from left to right).

 

MRM/McCann launched a campaign for the Unilever brand Cif against Nazi and violent slogans in public spaces. Citizens were able to send in their photos of the most extreme hate graffiti via an app. The app automatically localized the location and sent in a team of Cif cleaners to clean the facades. As part of the "Cif cleans Romania" campaign, 385 sites in various cities were cleaned - not by ethnic groups, as many of the graffiti claims, but from the verbal pollution of public spaces. (sis)
 

Switzerland's most popular chocolate is also extremely popular abroad, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. Instead of sending the chocolate to friends and relatives abroad, you can now bring your favorite Chocolat Frey bar to them yourself: Leo Burnett and Frey are currently giving away a trip to a Facebook friend of your choice.

You select a bar via a Facebook app and choose a Facebook friend abroad to whom you want to bring the chocolate. And then you are entered into the prize draw. The promotion is advertised with ads, online measures and at the POS.

Responsible at MGB/Chocolat Frey: Jürg Spring (Head of Brand/Label Management), Sandra Denier (Senior Project Manager M Branded Products), Adrian Basler (Head of Category Management Confectionery), Serge Doutaz (Head of Marketing and Sales Chocolat Frey). Responsible at Leo Burnett: Pablo Schencke, Barbara Hartmann, David Hugentobler, Vanessa Mermoud (Creation), Johannes Raggio (ECD), Michael Gassler, Carmen Jegge, Nino Zuberbühler (Consulting), Erasmo Palomba (Art Buying), Hutter Consult: Thomas Hutter, Florian Muff (Online).

Wirz was able to secure the budget and, together with photographer Fabian Scheffold, developed a visually powerful image campaign that takes the corporate claim "Building Trust" as its foundation. In generous images, it focuses on solutions from Sika's various divisions. The subjects are used worldwide as advertisements and posters. Further measures are being planned, according to a statement on Wednesday.

Responsible at Sika: Dominik Slappnig (Head Corporate Communications & Investor Relations), Susan Liebich (Marketing Services Manager). Responsible at Wirz Advertising: Thomas Kurzmeyer (CD), Valentin Cheli (AD), Patrick Bucher, Peter Liptak (text), Astrid Dörig (graphics), Petra Dreyfus, Flurin Hardt, Lucia Burtscher, Fabiana Imhof (consulting), Fabian Scheffold (photography).
 

The buyer is a Russian Internet company, Goldbach announced on Wednesday, without giving details. The group also did not provide any information on the price. It justified the decision with the difficult market environment in Russia and the unsatisfactory business development. However, the division is of relatively minor importance: last year, Goldbach generated just three million francs of total sales of 458.6 million francs in Russia. (SDA)

Graubünden continues to entertain its 1,300,000 fans on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And with very personal posts: If someone spends their vacation in Graubünden and writes a post with the #graubünden, with a bit of luck they will receive a direct comment from the two ibexes Gian and Giachen. The heart of the campaign is a Micrositeon which all the sayings can be collected and listened to in a gallery.

Responsible at Graubünden Ferien: Gaudenz Thoma (CEO), Gieri Spescha (Head of Corporate Communication), Mike Frei (Corporate Communication), Nicole Derungs, Anina Longthorn (Community Manager). Responsible at Jung von Matt: Samuel Christ (Creative Direction), Oliver Vedolin (Digital Consultant), Samuel Wicki, Alain Eicher (Text), Marco Zimmerli (Art Direction), Tenzin Tibatsang (Screen Design), Marco Dettling, Roman Meister (Consulting), Alexander Gligorijevic, Nicole Pauli (PR), Alexander Jaggy (Executive Creative Direction), Markus Schärer (Executive Digital Direction), Deborah Herzig (Art Buying), Jingle Jungle (Sound Design).

Theo Martin is 51 years old and has been working for the regional daily newspaper Bieler Tagblatt since 1989. He started out as business and cantonal editor and was, among other things, business and regional manager and head of the Internet editorial team. He has been deputy editor-in-chief since 2001 and has also been head of news since 2006.
 

Almost 1000 users are already enjoying the new service on Movie.20minuten.chas the media company announced in a press release on Wednesday.

Following the successful launch in German-speaking Switzerland with the second part of Tribute to Panem, 20 Minuten will now also be offering this format in French-speaking Switzerland at Film.20minutes.ch from mid-June. Rio, the Brazilian parrot from the Amazon, will be entertaining film-loving users just in time for the start of the World Cup. In a later phase, there are plans to adapt the container to 20 Minuten's native smartphone and tablet applications.