Around 400 PR and communications professionals from all over Switzerland took part in the third "Swiss Corporate Communication and Public Relations Practice Monitor" conducted by Swiss Observatory in December 2013 and January 2014.

- 57 percent from companies/organizations, 43 percent from agencies
- 55 percent women, 45 percent men
- 50 percent Master's degree, 23 percent federal certificate/diploma, 8 percent CAS, 8 percent Bachelor's degree

While the weighting of many questions has changed only slightly since the last survey in 2011, there have been some notable shifts in others.

The three main thematic trends

The communications industry is most concerned with three trends. In first place, still and again and again: digital communication (46 percent of mentions). However, not to the same extent as before. It seems that "digital" has finally arrived in the world of communication. In second place is the escalation speed of topics (32 percent): Looking ahead and acting - adapting and reacting are becoming key skills. In third place, the industry laments a decline in journalistic quality (26 percent). New approaches to media work are therefore in demand.

Communication increasingly a matter for the boss

More than half of all communications managers are members of the executive board (28%) or the extended executive board (23%). However, this is less the case in larger public companies. Nevertheless, 46 percent of these companies also report directly to the CEO (overall average 38 percent). All in all: communication is and is increasingly becoming a matter for the boss.

Communication and marketing: separately or together?

Together or alone? And who is in the lead? These are two questions that concern marketing managers as well as communicators. The mutual relationship continues to be a topic of discussion. The model of two independent areas that work together when necessary still dominates. The model in which communication is part of marketing also still exists. However, both variants are on the decline. Communication is increasingly gaining control over marketing (26% compared to 14% in the last survey in 2011!). These upheavals are not without consequences. There is now fiercer competition for the communications sector. And the higher up in the hierarchy the communications department is located, the fiercer this competition is perceived to be.

Focus still clearly on external communication

External communication in the form of issues communication (29%) and institutional communication (corporate, 27%) is still the main activity for respondents in terms of time spent. This is followed by internal communication (17 percent) and public affairs (9 percent). The fields of activity do not differ greatly between companies/organizations on the one hand and agencies on the other.

Strategic role of communication increasingly recognized

Half of the responding Chief Communications Officers (CCO) are involved in strategic corporate decisions according to their own assessment. And over 70 percent are heavily involved when it comes to change processes; in the 2011 survey, this figure was only 48 percent. This also applies to agency CEOs (65% compared to 45% two years ago).

Shifts in the channel mix

The organization's own media continue to play the main role (31%). This is followed by news media (earned media, 27%) and interpersonal communication, which increased to 27% compared to 2011. In contrast, the importance of advertising and promotion (paid media) declined (16%).

New trends in the use of digital media

Social networks continue to dominate. However, it is interesting to note that their importance seems to be declining: from 58% in 2011 to 49% today and 35% "in the next 12 months"! On the other hand, and probably not unexpectedly, the advance of mobile applications from 28% two years ago to 40%.

Strategic perspective for the involvement of an agency on the rise

Companies/organizations continue to cite operational reasons as the main reason for using an agency ("extended workbench" 54 percent, capacity balancing 60 percent). However, this motivation has decreased compared to the last survey. Instead, reasons such as the agency's strategic and market expertise are increasingly cited (23% compared to 16% in 2011).

What training and further education?

In terms of the relevance of training and further education courses for the profession, the MAS (Master of Advanced Studies) or Executive Master's degree is mentioned most frequently (62%), followed by the Master's in Corporate or Business Communications (full-time course) and a federal diploma (both 59%). CAS (53 percent), subject-specific short seminars (51 percent) and the bachelor's degree (41 percent) came next.

High level of satisfaction

Communication professionals seem to feel comfortable in their profession. In any case, 83 percent of those surveyed would also recommend their daughter or son to work in this field. The high level of approval applies regardless of whether you work in a company/organization or an agency, and also regardless of industry, age, gender and professional experience. Incidentally, an average of 63% of respondents stated that they had also worked in areas other than PR/communications in their previous careers.

More detailed information and insights on numerous other questions from the monitor can be found in the full version (English) as well as in a short version (German, French) on the websites of the initiators:

Bpra.ch
Harbourclub.ch
Prsuisse.ch
Spri.ch

Since the beginning of March Bell.ch nothing is the same as it used to be. The relaunch brings a modern look and great success: The 25'000 monthly visitors use the new content diligently and spend significantly more time on the website. Campaign microsites were deliberately dispensed with. The campaigns, for example the BBQ campaign, are now integrated into the website, giving visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Bell world. "Within half a year, together with olai, we not only completely changed the design, but also the software," Daniel Kaufmann, Online Marketing Coordinator, explains the sporty schedule. The VEO software solution from olai was used for this.

VEO's user-friendly interface, specially developed for websites in Responsive Design, supports editors and translation agencies in their daily work. In addition to the current Bell product range, the new website features a large database with countless meat recipes, as well as tips and tricks on all aspects of meat. The individual products, as well as recipes and tips, are intelligently linked so that one leads directly to the other. "Users of the site are very happy with the new look. They praise the recipes and the user-friendly structure," says Daniel Kaufmann, Online Marketing Coordinator. According to the press release, the first figures after the relaunch also speak a clear language: Anyone who calls up Bell.ch on a smartphone or tablet PC now stays on the website for over 2.5 minutes. This means that the length of stay has increased fivefold.

Responsible at Bell Switzerland: Davide Elia (Head of Corporate Marketing/Communication), Daniel Kaufmann (Online Marketing Coordinator). Responsible at Olai Web+Mobile: Michel Di Vito, Fabio Di Vito, Robin Wyler, Dominik Niederhauser, Sebastian Brand, Frank Krüger, Marco Suing.
 

The software engineering company Adnovum has been developing and integrating software and security solutions for over 25 years. Quality and delivery on time and within budget are the top priorities. No matter how complex the order, Adnovum successfully completes the project. Rüegg Werbung focuses on this USP in the new campaign. Famous works of art and architecture are used to demonstrate what happens when a great project is not completed: it remains worthless. This cannot happen with Adnovum. Their specialists and IT artists stand for perfect software projects.

Responsible at Adnovum: Christian Crowden (COO): Claudia Meile (Corporate Marketing). Responsible at Rüegg Werbung: Walter Rüegg (overall responsibility/CD); Tom Zürcher (concept/text); Nadja Wyss (image editing); Claudia Siegfried Gut (consulting). Film:
Luzius Fischer (producer/director) Jonas Ulrich (director/post-production) Jonas Fischer (camera).

A potato and a handful of wired metal plates: That's what potential large customers of Energie Wasser Bern are receiving these days. With the potato mail, compiled by Hofer, they are encouraged by the Bernese energy supplier to build their own mini eco-power plant and invited to the Forsthaus energy center by handwritten/personal card. In this way, the mailing playfully spans the arc from the mini power plant to Bern's flagship of sustainable energy production and at the same time draws attention to the customized energy solutions for large-scale consumers.

Potential business customers who will not be able to choose their electricity supplier until a later date will also be contacted. Here, Energie Wasser Bern is using a brochure to raise awareness at an early stage.

 

Four years after the successful launch of etextera, the agency is venturing into the world of online news portals. Sascha Hardegger, owner of etextera, says: "With our newly launched comticker, we are killing two birds with one stone. We can show what we can do textually and journalistically. At the same time, we offer customers an advertising platform." You can read on comticker.com Stories from marketing, advertising, communication and public relations. The editorial team also regularly writes portraits and conducts interviews with exciting personalities.

Advertising space and professional texts

The special feature: etextera offers customers the opportunity to place messages using banner advertising. They have two options: Either they receive placement time against an invoice. Or they can place a text order with etextera for a similar price after the banner has been placed. In this way, customers indirectly place free advertising and also receive a high-quality text. A model that does not yet exist in this form in Switzerland.

About etextera

etextera is one of the largest Swiss copywriting agencies. The company stands for high-quality texts, training and moderation at an affordable price. In addition, etextera is committed to enabling women to combine career and family. Thanks to over 20 female editors and copywriters with different backgrounds, the agency covers a wide range of topics and text types. On request, etextera can take on complete or partial projects: Conception, graphics, translation, proofreading or production included. etextera counts well-known clients from politics and business among its clientele.

Last week, the German Communication Association honored the best works in B2B marketing communication with the BOB Best of "Business-to-Business" Communication Award for the 16th time. The creative and concept competition is considered the most important platform for B2B marketing communication in the German-speaking world. For the second year in a row, the Swiss agency at the airport was the most successful agency in the competition. It won 3 BOBs in gold, one in silver, one in bronze and 3 other final placements. All gold awards are available at this link apparent.

Corinna Wohlfeil, NTV/Moderator; René Eugster, Agency at the Airport; Sascha Thieme, Daimler; Katharina Stinnes, Managing Director Communications Association

 

Summer is here - at least in the current campaign for Engadin St. Moritz. With four new subjects, which can be seen in Switzerland, Germany and Italy from May 4, Scholz & Friends shows the inspiring variety of activities that the vacation destination has to offer during the summer months. The cheerful interplay of captions amidst impressive landscape shots characterizes the image of the subjects and refers to numerous cultural, natural, culinary and sporting highlights in an amusing and informative way. At the same time, the region's unique "mountain railroads included" offer has been integrated into the story of the legends.
Advertisements and banners are placed in Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

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Responsible at Engadin St. Moritz: Ariane Ehrat (CEO), Patricia Schlegel (Head of Product Management). Responsible at Scholz & Friends Zurich: Tanita Bohny, Michèle Gutmann, Martin Samsel (consulting); Roger Dobmann, Sabine Maja Bremermann, Lukas Frei (creation).

 

3.4 million people die every year as a result of contaminated water. The first major problem is that most of those affected are not even aware that contaminated water is the source of all evil. Water is more than half the battle when it comes to survival. The second big problem is that as long as people have no access to drinkable water, any education is useless. DDB New York kills two birds with one stone with the "drinkable book" for the Water is Life organization.

The agency is relying on a development by chemist Theresa Dankovich: a special, inexpensive type of paper that filters contaminated water so thoroughly that it can then be drunk without hesitation. 99.9 percent of bacteria remain trapped in it and diseases such as cholera are not transmitted. The pages are printed with explanations and notes. The book's box can be turned into a filter system in just a few simple steps. The cost of four years of clean drinking water - i.e. the cost of a book - is just a few centimes. Helping people to help themselves can be so inexpensive. (hae)

 

According to information from Monday, NZZ is paying Publigroupe CHF 53 million for the just over 25 percent of FPH Freie Presse Holding that is now changing hands. FPH is the majority shareholder of St. Galler Tagblatt AG and LZ Medien Holding, which also owns free newspapers, online platforms and radio and television stations in addition to the daily newspapers. NZZ previously owned just under 75 percent of FPH shares, meaning that it already controlled the two regional media companies.

As Tamedia recently made a takeover bid for Publigroupe, the sale of the FPH share package still has to be approved by Publigroupe's shareholders. However, Tamedia is not interested in the publishing interests anyway - when the media company announced its interest in buying, it made it clear that it was mainly interested in the internet platform Local.ch, which Publigroupe operates together with Swisscom. In addition to its stake in FPH Freie Presse Holding, Publigroupe also owns other shares in Swiss publishing houses. For example, the Group owns one fifth of Südostschweiz Presse und Print and 29 percent of SNP Société Neuchâteloise de Presse S.A. with the newspaper titles L'Impartial and L'express. According to Publigroupe, it also holds 18 percent of the Ticino-based Regiopress (La Regione Ticino) and 17 percent of Rhône Media (Le Nouvelliste). When asked, Publigroupe spokesman Beat Werder was unable to specify whether there were already talks about the sale of this stake.

Negative impact on consolidated earnings

However, the sale of the FPH stake that has now been announced will have a negative impact on Publigroupe's consolidated financial statements this year. A goodwill write-down will reduce the annual result by CHF 24 million, as detailed in Publigroupe's press release. On the other hand, the transaction will have a slightly positive effect on equity, as the goodwill was once offset against equity. The full takeover of FPH will enable the NZZ Group to simplify its group structure. It also describes the purchase of the minority stake as strengthening its market position in Eastern and Central Switzerland. It is not yet clear when Publigroupe's shareholders will decide on the sale of the stake in the "St. Galler Tagblatt" and the "Neue Luzerner Zeitung". An extraordinary general meeting is also required to decide on the offer from Swisscom, which would like to acquire the other half of Local.ch from Publigroupe. As Tamedia had already announced its interest in acquiring the entire Publigroupe before Swisscom's offer, a decision by the shareholders' meeting is necessary for the sale of the Local.ch shares. (SDA)

Markus Stadelmann grew up in the canton of Glarus and now lives with his family in Lachen on Lake Obersee. He has been associated with the medium of radio for several years. The 31-year-old worked as a presenter at Radio Ri and Radio FM1. For Radio Zürisee, he has repeatedly worked as a concert reporter at major festivals and open-air events. In addition, his voice could be heard nationwide in several commercials. Markus Stadelmann will take up his new position as presenter at Radio Zürisee on July 1.
 

At the 89th Ordinary General Assembly of SRG Bern Fribourg Valais in Langenthal, he called on the members to actively participate. Its president Andreas Schefer welcomed 146 members and numerous guests. Christine Hofer from Bigenthal was newly elected to the board. Peter Marthaler, a former radio and television journalist and now head of communications (Die Mobiliar), was an intimate connoisseur of the city of Langenthal. Witty, competent and entertaining, he brought "his" city of Langenthal closer to the cooperative members who had come from all over the SRG Bern Fribourg Valais region. He played his role so well that the Mayor, Thomas Rufener, was able to confine himself to a brief welcoming speech afterwards.

Raymond Loretan speaks plainly

SRG Board of Directors President Raymond Loretan was impressed by the turnout. In his speech, he reminded the audience of the central task of SRG, which, as one of the last institutions in this country, performs the function of a parenthesis. Therefore, he said, it was important for SRG to focus on in-house productions. SRG programs should also increasingly feature the other language regions. Loretan sees the digital age as a major challenge for SRG. The media world, and the press landscape in particular, have changed dramatically. For the future of SRG, it is therefore important to resume the dialogue with publishers - also and above all because of the international competition in radio and television. In the coming months, a new SRG association strategy will be developed. This should provide a sound basis for the social mission of the association and the regional companies. Finally, a major challenge for Loretan is the discussion on "public service" that is currently underway in the Swiss parliament. He wants to face this discussion and invited the audience to actively participate in this debate.

Christine Hofer new on the board

The General Assembly elected Christine Hofer (Bigenthal), former mayor of Walkringen, community expert, housewife, mother and farmer, as a new member of the Board. She succeeds Hansueli Marti (Wünnewil), who stepped down after nine years. Marti's successor on the Regional Council of SRG German-speaking Switzerland will be Beat Hayoz (Düdingen), President of SRG Fribourg. The General Assembly concluded with questions from the audience on SRF (Swiss Radio and Television) programming and a shared dinner.

Image: SRG

The new Swiss TV station introduces "The Gran Plan," a new, self-produced entertainment show. From the May 12 the three "grannies" Therese, Nelli and Agnes, with their over 200 years of life experience, help young people with their everyday problems in word and deed. Humorous, direct and yet empathetic, they take on the problems of those seeking help. "The Gran Plan" will run every Monday evening from 8:15 p.m. on TV24 starting May 12. The format from Armoza Formats in Israel was produced by Golden Eye Media and is being shown for the first time on German-language television.

Own news program

As reported by Schweiz am Sonntag, TV24 is not limiting itself to entertainment, documentaries and feature films. For the first time since Tele 24 and TV3, a national private station is producing a news program again, differentiating itself from competitors like 3+, 4+ or S1. During the week at 10 p.m., the presenter Roman Wasik, well-known from Tele Züri, presents news from all over the world. The international news is supplemented by contributions from the AZ Medien family of stations (Tele M1, Tele Bärn, Tele Züri). The aim is to position the station in the target group of 30-59 year-olds and achieve a market share of one percent in the medium term. (PD/ SaS/hae)