At the top of the ranking of the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) published by the WEF on Wednesday, which measures the IT penetration of a society, is Singapore, as it was last year. It is followed by Finland, Sweden, Norway, the USA, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK. Of the ten countries with the highest IT penetration, seven are European. Kazakhstan is the leader in Eurasia, Chile in Latin America and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in the Arab world. Malaysia continues to occupy the top spot among the emerging Asian countries. And in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa, Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast have made the greatest progress. Almost three quarters of the 139 countries analyzed have improved their results in the latest edition of the index. At the same time, however, the gap between countries in terms of digital infrastructure has widened since 2012.

Top ten for regulation

Switzerland is among the top ten in terms of regulatory framework conditions. It is slightly worse when it comes to the use of technologies. In this category, Swiss companies perform well. On the other hand, Switzerland falls back to 43rd place in the online services offered by the public sector. Switzerland also performs particularly well in terms of its ability to generate an economic effect from investments in the ITC sector. According to the WEF report, it is among the leading group of countries in this area, together with Finland, Sweden, Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands and the USA. The seven countries are all early and "enthusiastic" adopters of ICT. The lead of these countries is significant because the IT penetration of a society is becoming more important with the fourth industrial revolution. The WEF's latest "Global Information Technology Report" shows that decision-makers are confident that innovation capacity is increasing. This indicates that information technology could also have a stronger economic and social impact in other countries. However, the data also showed that individuals have so far been more enthusiastic than governments and companies in adopting these new technologies. (SDA)

There are things that make your legs tired just watching them - and just as much fun. To demonstrate how big and strong the Mercedes Sprinters are, Fischerappelt sent them into the mountains. Into rough terrain, well loaded with burly footballers. And you can't be burly enough when the soccer field is on a steep slope. We can only hope that the team had enough spare balls with them. Because "out" here means "out for good" - at least as far as one sideline is concerned. (hae)

The Lausanne public transport company has awarded three new lots for advertising space on and in its vehicles and in the metro stations at the start of 2017. TPG Publicité has secured the contract for the first category - "the exterior" of the buses and streetcars. To ensure optimal marketing and proximity to customers, the Geneva-based company plans to open a new branch in the Olympic city on Lake Léman. The Lausanne subsidiary will operate under the name TP Publicité.

The expansion will allow customers and agencies to book advertising space "de manière globale" throughout the "Arc lémanique". TPG Publicité's marketing experience in the canton of Geneva was a decisive factor in the Lausanne transport company's decision to award the contract.

The aim is to promote a positive and differentiated perception of Switzerland abroad and thus help Switzerland to safeguard its interests at international level, writes the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). A differentiated and positive image of Switzerland abroad is not an end in itself. Switzerland's role in Europe is one of the eleven key topics of the 2016-2019 communication abroad. Switzerland's political system, International Geneva, culture and sport are also mentioned.

Presence Switzerland" is responsible for implementing the strategy. Activities take place, for example, as part of appearances at major international events or during visits by foreign delegations to Switzerland. Intensifying communication on social media is also an important concern, writes the FDFA. The activities are financed from the FDFA budget, which is subject to annual approval by Parliament. Appearances at world exhibitions and the Olympic Games will be financed through separately requested contributions. The Federal Council has already decided that Switzerland will have a House of Switzerland at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. It will also take part in the 2017 World Expo in Kazakhstan. (SDA)

Tamedia acquires a minority stake in the Austrian commuter newspaper Heute and a majority stake in Heute.at. Tamedia is the leading private media company in Switzerland. In addition to numerous publications and successful companies in the digital sector, Tamedia publishes 20 Minuten, the largest commuter newspaper in Switzerland. With the extremely successful digital offering of 20 Minuten (3.1 million unique users and 6.4 million unique clients per month, NET-Metrix-Profile 2015-2, NET-Metrix-Audit May 2016) and the 20 Minuten app launched in 2015, Tamedia has set new standards in the German-language news sector.

Tonini: "We believe in the future of digital journalism"

Tamedia will primarily contribute technological know-how and content to the future collaboration. The digital offerings of heute.at are to be significantly expanded. With 4.1 million unique clients (ÖWA Basic April 2016), the umbrella offering of heute.at, together with Netdoktor.at, is already one of the online offerings with the widest reach in the country. The management of Heute Verlag will continue to be led by Eva Dichand and Wolfgang Jansky.

"Heute and Heute.at are an excellent fit with our commuter media in Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark," says Christoph Tonini, CEO of Tamedia. "We believe in the future of digital journalism and see further potential for the offerings in Austria. In addition to the readers of the newspaper, the users of Heute.at in particular will benefit from the partnership."

"Tamedia is an ideal partner to continue the success story of Heute," says publisher Eva Dichand. "Heute and Heute.at will thus become part of a wide-reaching network of free newspapers, with all the advantages of an exchange of content, know-how and technology."

Founded in 2004, the free newspaper Heute has an average print run of 644,713 copies (Austrian Circulation Control ÖAK) and reaches around 938,000 readers every day (MA 2015 Presse). The newspaper is distributed via around 3,500 distribution boxes in the federal states of Burgenland, Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Vienna.

Tamedia acquires 25.5 percent of the shares in Ultimate Media GmbH (AHVV Verlags GmbH), which continues to publish the free newspaper Heute. The majority of Heute Verlag will remain with the Periodika and Pluto foundations, which together hold 74.5 percent. Eva Dichand and Wolfgang Jansky will continue to manage them jointly. At the same time, Tamedia is taking over 51 percent of the GmbH DJ Digitale Medien, which comprises all digital offerings of heute.at. Eva Dichand and Wolfgang Jansky will each hold 24.5 percent of the shares.

The transaction is expected to be completed towards the end of the third quarter of 2016, following approval by the Federal Competition Authority. The parties have agreed not to disclose the details of the transaction.
 

According to a press release, the magazine has been a success story in French-speaking Switzerland since 2011. The Biel-based media company W. Gassmann is therefore following up with a German-language edition. The result is the first independent magazine in German-speaking Switzerland for innovative decision-makers, primarily with home ownership.

The new magazine is published twice a year with a circulation of 41,500 copies. The title deals with modern energy efficiency and, as a quality magazine distributed free of charge, is primarily aimed at homeowners in urban areas.

"Efficience21" is aimed at all those who are striving for efficient living or already own an energy-efficient home and all those who are concerned with this topic. In the spirit of environmental/energy efficiency, the magazine actively promotes the communication and exchange of specialist knowledge. The magazine sees itself as an open window on inspiring topics such as energy, renovation, consumption, mobility, ecology and politics. The magazine is produced in close cooperation with specialists and is based on concrete examples.

The layout was created by the subsidiary Inédit Publications in Lausanne, which specializes in magazine journalism. It emphasizes an appealing presentation, generous images and a clear structure of the content. The magazine was printed by W. Gassmann in Biel. Efficience21 is also available in the App Store and can be downloaded from the website Efficience21.ch be read.
 

A fire breaks out in the kitchen, the child causes water damage while playing in the bathroom or the expensive new bicycle is stolen. Situations that can happen to us all every day and cause very high financial damage due to insufficient insurance coverage.

To raise awareness in dealing with the right private liability and household insurance, the campaign launched by Comparis.ch on July 4, 2016 helps to Doofgelaufen.ch and uses stories about various cases of damage to demonstrate very clearly how those involved can protect and insure themselves better. Visitors are also encouraged to actively exchange experiences and have the chance to win great prizes in a competition.

The idea and implementation of the campaign came from the digital communications agency Wetalkwithyou, supported by Vinc.Ent in the area of communication planning and animation creation, as well as Viznerborel for the visual creation. During the realization, maximum focus was placed on the mobile suitability of the campaign and animations were made accessible for all devices using Cinemagraph technology.

But because usage habits are changing only slowly, there is still a grace period for free TV. This is the result of a new expert survey by Publicom. The media experts involved in the Delphinarium agree that on-demand platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Video and others are not a temporary phenomenon, but will have a fixed place in the media menu of the Swiss in the future. However, the extent to which the new digital offerings will affect the consumption of classic free TV programs is less clear. Most experts do not expect any major changes in TV usage over the next five years. On-demand portals would gain audience favor, but only insignificant market shares compared to free TV.

As far as the financing of free TV is concerned, however, the experts put a question mark. A majority believes that free TV providers, which are mainly financed by advertising, could run into difficulties. Not primarily because of competition in the audience market, but because viewers are increasingly finding ways to avoid advertising. However, they believe that countering this behavior with regulatory or technical measures (e.g., a reel ban) is not very promising. Instead, free TV programs would have to adapt their content to the new competitive situation, for example by focusing more on news and/or live sports events.

Under the term Delphinarium, Publicom, which specializes in media research and consulting, publishes the results of a survey of experts twice a year. The panel includes forty experts from leading media companies as well as representatives from advertising, media journalism, communications science and corporate communications.
 

The "Gang Bingo" for HC Davos and the "Search racism. Find truth." for refugees Welcome in the forward-looking categories such as Cyber, Mobile and Media as well as in the traditional categories such as Film, Outdoor or Promo met with international enthusiasm.

Cannes Lions on Werbewoche.ch

The refugee campaign fights against online agitation, prejudice and xenophobia. It transforms the anonymous mass of refugees into real people and shows their individual stories and dreams. And it does so by having the refugees address unsettled citizens directly - via PreRolls, which were deliberately placed in front of inflammatory videos. "We were already happy when our call for more tolerance and humanity met with a great response worldwide after only 24 hours. Now we're even happier that the idea also resonated at the Advertising World Championships and will give the issue yet another boost," says the creative director responsible, Andy Lusti, on winning one Silver Lion, three Bronze Lions and four shortlists.

The gang bingo for HC Davos was no less successful, with three silver lions and seven shortlists. The idea additionally turns every HC Davos home game into a bingo game for the spectators in the stadium and those watching on TV at home. For each check on the board, the corresponding number is displayed on the stadium screen and the participant can cross it off on his mobile bingo slip on his cell phone. Those who have filled their slip win attractive prizes or can benefit from discounts. Gamification in a new dimension. "The simplicity of the idea is probably the secret to its success. The gang bingo entertains people without trying to sell them anything and at the same time it is the best advertisement for the fanshop and the catering of the HCD", the responsible creative directors Sören Schröder and Marcin Baba put it in a nutshell.

The great result was celebrated with all employees at a lavish party on Thursday, as CEO Cornelia Harder adds: "Nobody could have expected such a lion pack beforehand. It makes me particularly proud that we have always won lions at the world's most important advertising festival over the last five years. This is a continuity that has never been achieved by any Swiss agency and motivates us to continue to reach new creative heights. We have been successfully implementing our strategy of creating and producing digital and moving image content in-house for over two years. This enables us to create up-to-date content for our clients at any time and prepare it for a wide variety of digital channels."

All Cannes awards of the FCB campaigns:

Search Racism. Find Truth. - Refugees Welcome

- Silver - Media Lions - A13 (Public Sector & Awareness Messages)
- Bronze - Film Lions - F02 (Use of Online Film)
- Bronze - Creative Data Lions - A02 (Data-Driven Targeting)
- Bronze - Promo & Activation Lions - C05 (Response / Real-time Activity)
- Shortlist - Promo & Activation Lions - A13 (Public Sector&Awareness Messages)
- Shortlist - Promo & Activation Lions - B01 (Guerrilla Marketing & Stunts)
- Shortlist - Cyber Lions - F06 (Innovative Use of Social or Community)
- Shortlist - Direct Lions - C04 (Response / Real-time Activity)

Gang bingo - Hockey Club Davos


- Silver - Media Lions - C02 (Use of Mobile)
- Silver - Mobile Lions - G02 (Cross-device Campaign)
- Silver - Cyber Lions - E03 (Live Digital)
- Shortlist - Cyber Lions - F03 (Response / Real-time Activity)
- Shortlist - Direct Lions - C02 (Use of Mobile )
- Shortlist - Direct Lions - C04 (Response / Real-time Activity)
- Shortlist - Direct Lions - E01 (Acquisitions)
- Shortlist - Outdoor Lions - C04 (Ambient Use of Digital Technology)
- Shortlist - Entertainment Lions - E05 (Mobile/Device in Sports Entertainment)
- Shortlist - Entertainment Lions - E11 (Innovation in Branded Sports Entertainment )
 

With the claim "time to change", anova promises a completely new walking experience: the shoe creates a natural, physiological gait pattern, prevents buckling in or out and ensures even loading and unloading of the joints. The LGE technology is responsible for this. Developed in Switzerland and used for the first time in anova, thanks to this technology the shoe sole "mutates" into a complex high-tech element whose task is to guide the foot correctly and to accelerate and support the rolling process. The precise wording and the correct visualization of the elements with information graphics are correspondingly central for the communication.

The "time to change" concept is now available online at Anovashoes.ch as well as on various analog advertising media in the retail trade and in the popular media, and is being continuously expanded.

Responsible at Anova: Max Schär, Daniel Würsch. Responsible for designAnita Krebs (project management, text), Franca Serratore (art direction), Frank Schwarzbach (photography).

Bubbly is an independent, owner-managed communications agency founded in November 2000 and based in Basel. Born as MC Media (Creative Parts), it has been active in various areas of communication for over 15 years. Since its foundation, the agency has continued to develop and today offers a wide range of services in cross-media communication and live marketing.

By changing and adapting its services to the new needs of its clients, the agency has now completed a rebranding. Bubbly is to stand for a dynamic, lively and refreshing character that characterizes the agency's work in all areas. The project's range of services extends from renaming and corporate design to advertising materials, signage and the agency's own Website. The new website was officially launched on July 4, 2016.

Responsible at MC Media (Creative Parts): Silvana Maucioni (overall responsibility), Fiammetta Barone (project management). Responsible at Canarini Communications: Antonio Canarini (Creative Director) Sandra Jaeggi (Art Director).
 

Jacky Korrodi has joined Converto as Senior Account Manager. Previously, he was Key Account Manager at affiliate network affilinet, where he successfully managed an important portfolio of national and international clients and agencies. Gino De Marco, marketing expert with a strong tech background, will serve as Junior Account Manager.

"The strong business growth we are experiencing needs the right manpower behind it. We need to make sure that agencies, advertisers and publishers get competent support at all times. The need for performance products is continuously growing and through the launch of new products such as the Swiss performance SSP (sell side platform) HelveticoX, Converto is able to meet more and more needs of the market. With Jacky Korrodi and Gino de Marco, customers and partners in German-speaking Switzerland as well as in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino have two additional competent contact persons" says Matteo Schuerch, founder and CEO of Converto.