Liberty Global is offering CHF 110 per Sunrise share in cash. This is 32 percent more than the average of the last 60 days. The previous day, the share closed at 86.20 francs. Sunrise's board of directors considers the transaction to be in the best interest of Sunrise and its shareholders, and therefore unanimously decided to recommend the offer for acceptance.

Sunrise's major shareholder Freenet has agreed to tender its entire 24.42 percent stake in Sunrise. Following the acquisition, Sunrise is to be delisted from the Swiss stock exchange SIX.

This removes a stumbling block: Freenet had let the planned takeover of UPC by Sunrise fall through last year (Werbewoche.ch reported). Now the wedding takes place after all, just the other way around.

Bigger competitor for Swisscom

The merger will create a larger competitor for industry leader Swisscom, it says. The combined company will be well positioned to continue the roll-out of next-generation network infrastructure, including 5G and future technologies. It aims to provide 90 percent of Swiss households with internet of up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) by next year. The goal is to increase speeds to up to 10 Gbit/s over time, he said.

The new company offers significant benefits for consumers and businesses across Switzerland, as well as opportunities for growth, UPC CEO Baptiest Coopmans said in a statement. Competition, innovation and customer choice can be driven, he said. "With Liberty Global's support, we have the critical mass to make a difference in the Swiss market," the UPC CEO said.

No change for customers

The offer is subject to several conditions. At least two thirds of the shares must be tendered and the usual antitrust and other approvals must be obtained. According to current planning, the offer period will run from September 11 to October 8, and the additional acceptance period from October 15 to 28.

A further condition is that there are no material adverse effects by the end of the offer period. Sunrise understands this to mean a reduction of more than 10 percent in adjusted EBITDA or consolidated equity for the previous financial year. Service revenues must also not shrink by 7 percent or more.

In addition, Sunrise would be required to make a penalty payment of CHF 50 million to Liberty Global under certain conditions, in particular if the Sunrise Board of Directors changes or withdraws its recommendation to accept the offer. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Sunrise intends to continue operating independently during the offer period. There will be no changes for customers during this period, it says. (SDA)

When the Federal Council decided in April that large-scale events would not be permitted until at least the end of August, the festival program and the campaign were already well advanced. The festival, which attracts well over 100,000 people a year, subsequently had to reinvent itself.

This year, for the first time, the festival will be held in a decentralized location throughout the city of Zurich.

"We decided early on not to do a festival only with those artists* who are still able to travel, but to look for ways in which art from distant places can nevertheless reach as many people as possible in Zurich," says artistic director Matthias von Hartz.

Within a very short time, Studio Marcus Kraft developed the appropriate campaign. Scenes from past festival editions are shown, which will definitely not exist this year: Densely packed auditoriums, crowds on the Landiwiese, as well as hundreds of people waiting in line. Transposed in black and white, the pictures almost seem to be from another age. They are crossed out with yellow ribbons, on which the most important information about the event is written.

"The fact that we're crossing out the photos with barrier tape is of course also a visual reference to the present day - because ever since the emergence of the corona virus, barrier and adhesive tapes have been a feature of our everyday lives. The yellow tapes not only adorn all the festival's media, but will also be used at the various venues," says art director and designer Marcus Kraft.

This year's highlights include the Lithuanian indoor beach opera "Sun & Sea," which won the Golden Lion at last year's Venice Biennale; a mobile interactive work by choreographer William Forsythe that will travel through Zurich for ten days; an international radio ballet; a pandemic simulation; pop-up street art; and Collective Listenings on 100 picnic blankets.

The family business Schöb constructs entire buildings using system construction and also manufactures individual interior fittings and kitchens in its large in-house joinery. The agency at the airport has now been able to unite Schöb's woodwork in an oversized magazine. In this first publication (further editions are already being planned), Schöb provides insights into the entire range of its activities and conveys its values.

The magazine was enclosed with various regional newspapers and also exists as a Online version.

Together with Rocket Film and dedicated actors and actresses who, according to the press release, spared neither the early morning nor the late evening hours, the Lunge Zurich association realized its new image film. "Our breathing - just like good health and numerous other things - is something we hardly pay attention to in everyday life, unless problems arise. In our new image film, we therefore wanted to focus on our breathing and show what a faithful companion it is," says Claudia Wyrsch, Head of Communications and Marketing.

Filming took place in various locations in the canton of Zurich. Lunge Zurich worked closely and directly with Rocket Film and its director Joel Lopez and cameraman Lukas Wälli. The result is an image film that gives breathing the appreciation it deserves in a poetic and emotional way.

Katja Grauwiler (left) takes over the operational management of PR/ticular's Swiss business together with founder Lucy Tallo (right).

Founded in 2012 by Lucy Tallo, the agency is based in Zurich and Lausanne and specializes in lifestyle, luxury and consumer goods. After eight years of operation in Switzerland, the agency is expanding this fall with offices in Los Angeles and Mumbai. Additional offices in Berlin/Munich and Bangkok are planned for early 2021 at the latest.

Katja Grauwiler new CEO Switzerland 

As part of this expansion strategy, Katja Grauwiler will assume the newly created role of CEO Switzerland with immediate effect. In this role, she will share operational responsibility for the Swiss business with Lucy Tallo. Lucy Tallo will also devote more time to the strategic development of national and international projects.

Grauwiler has many years of international experience on the corporate and agency side, particularly in the luxury and consumer goods and lifestyle sectors, as well as a close-knit network of relationships around the globe. In the past, she has worked for numerous clients from a wide range of industries such as fashion, beauty, hospitality, design and art.

"We are delighted to be able to continue to grow in these challenging times and to bring on board Katja, a very competent professional with leadership qualities," says Lucy Tallo. "Thanks to her holistic understanding of public relations and managing an agency, she will strengthen our team with her broad know-how and be able to successfully master all tasks in this often fast-paced and challenging environment. Her strength also lies in linking a variety of channels such as conception, online communications, corporate communications, media relations, event management, marketing and sponsorship."

International expansion strategy

The strategic decision to expand was made after evaluations of the growing demand from international lifestyle and luxury brands for customized and full-service PR services.

For almost 50 years, Hall 1 has served for events, but mainly for sports use. A long time in which requirements and technical standards have evolved. The Board of Directors of Eulachhallen AG has therefore decided on a new orientation. "The modernization of Hall 1 is a milestone for the future of the Eulachhallen as a versatile event location," emphasizes Chairman of the Board Hans Akeret. Hall 1, which used to look like a sports hall, will become a visually attractive event hall with comprehensive event technology for events of all kinds.

With the modernization of Hall 1, the Eulachhallen will now focus primarily on large-scale events such as corporate events, congresses, exhibitions as well as concerts, shows and sports events. As a multifunctional event location, the Eulachhallen offer ideal conditions for holding such large-scale events on a total area of over 5,200 square meters.

The architectural firm BDE Architekten in Winterthur is responsible for the interior construction. For the equipment of the hall with current event technology, Eulachhallen AG trusts in Estec Visions from Zurich. In the future, the hall will have a multifunctional infrastructure with optimal event technology. This includes certified acoustics, powerful lighting and sound technology, screen, beamer and a well thought-out room concept.

Flying over the Matterhorn by paraglider - virtually with 3-D glasses. 

In the experience world, visitors approach the Matterhorn in three zoom levels. In the first level, there is a choice between two virtual paragliding flights, the relaxed panoramic flight and the sporty flight. In each case, the focus of the virtual sightseeing flight via 3D glasses in floating armchairs is the Matterhorn with its impressive alpine landscape.

The second stage takes visitors to a wide variety of scenarios of the four seasons on the Matterhorn - from icy snowscapes and hurricane-like autumn storms to blooming spring meadows and balmy summer evenings. Thanks to light projections from three sides and a detailed replica of the Matterhorn, visitors perceive the virtual environment as an almost real experience in which they can act themselves.

In the third stage, the view is finally directed to the real Matterhorn and the surrounding alpine mountain world in all its dimension and beauty. With periscopes, this can be brought very close. Graphic anchor points in the visitors' field of vision provide supplementary information on the respective topic.

Information-rich world of experience

The multimedia presentation is rounded off by a wealth of information that visitors can experience on historically significant events, on high alpine nature with its flora, fauna and glaciers, and on the history of the Gornergrat Railway. Construction for the adventure world began this spring and is scheduled to open to visitors in the summer of 2021.

The exhibition complements the visit to the Gornergrat, offers completely new perspectives on the mountain world and allows visitors to experience it up close. The project, estimated at just under nine million Swiss francs, is an important part of the nature-oriented further development of the excursion mountain. At the end of 2019, Gornergrat Bahn had already placed an order with Stadler for 5 new double multiple units costing 45 million Swiss francs.

Müller will take over as head of the Regional Employment Center in Meilen ZH from January 2021 at the latest, Telebasel reported on Tuesday. In this role, she will be responsible for a 22-member team at the Office of Economic Affairs and Labor of the Canton of Zurich.

The Telebasel team and board of trustees were informed of Müller's decision on Tuesday. The 55-year-old from Basel-Landschaft will continue as editor-in-chief until the end of October, according to the statement.

"Karin Müller has made a significant contribution to the success and the reorientation and modernization of Telebasel and Telebasel.ch and is leaving the media house in northwestern Switzerland with stable audience figures and strong online reach," Foundation Board President Nikolaus Tamm is quoted as saying in the statement.

Telebasel will inform about Müller's successor later.

Müller has been editor-in-chief of Telebasel since November 2014. Previously, she was program director of Hitradio RTL in Dresden, Germany. (SDA)

"More Zurich - less CO2" is the core message of the campaign, which conveys that it doesn't take much effort to live in a climate-friendly way. Quality of life does not have to be sacrificed. In detail, the city's campaign addresses various climate issues: Travel, mobility, nutrition, consumption, heating and energy.

Travel by bike and public transport, consume more consciously, use sustainable energy sources, avoid food waste. To translate these topics into a cheerful film collage, Freundliche Grüsse enlisted the help of young Zurich director Burak Erinmez, who has already worked for clients such as Zalando, Porsche and Nike. The film was produced in a virtually climate-neutral way without any cars and using only cargo bikes.

Car-free in Zurich

On posters in the city and in VBZ streetcars as well as in social media posts, the six climate focal points are dramatized with suitcase words that each link a Zurich district with another place in the world. In Escher Paryss, for example, you can buy fashion from local labels that produce sustainably all year round. Why not go for an exotic meal in Höngg Kong and have the leftovers from your plate packed up for the next day, as has long been the norm in Asia? Or spend the day in romantic Hotting Hill and cycle from the bookshop to the cozy café? After all, everything is close together in Zurich, so why use a car at all?

New Instagram filter

In addition to posts and stories, the campaign also features a specially designed Instagram filter on social media. A series of local ambassadors draw users' attention to the filter. The filter allows users to playfully engage with the climate issue and share their concerns with their friends.

Website provides more information

The website Zuerich-co2.ch provides an overview and adds depth to the topic. With the help of animated infographics, users learn that 53 percent of Zurich households already do without a car, or that 8 percent of global CO2 emissions are caused by the textile industry. Users of the site are also invited to develop their own proposals for climate protection in Zurich via a competition. There are 80 fabric bags with the campaign's headlines to be won, so that the message can be spread further afield. There is also a download center where the six poster motifs and the film can be downloaded.

The City of Zurich's climate protection campaign runs in two phases. In total from August 11 to September 13, 2020.

Especially the fashion and lifestyle magazine Style is heavily dependent on the advertising market and has suffered an additional decline since the Corona crisis, Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland wrote in a statement. The title's advertising revenues have halved in the last four years, it said. To avoid further losses, the magazine is to be discontinued and its editorial team disbanded. "The decision has been extremely difficult for us," Alexander Theobald, CEO of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland, said in a statement. "Due to the steadily deteriorating market situation, exacerbated by the effects of the Corona crisis, we can no longer justify continuing the magazine." The printed edition of Style is expected to appear for the last time on August 20, 2020.

Style, 2006 as a side extension of the Swiss Illustrated under the name SI Style was launched, became a lifestyle magazine in its own right in 2008, and in 2016 was also named by the Swiss Illustrated decoupled. In 2013, the web presences of Swiss Illustrated and Style merged. In February 2020, Style underwent a final relaunch (Werbewoche.ch reported).

Bolero: continuation through external production

The setting of Style would also have consequences for the fashion and culture magazine Bolerowhich is currently produced by the same editorial team and will be produced externally in the future. "Bolero was put on a solid economic footing last year with the adjustment of the sales concept. However, due to the restructuring, production could no longer be realized internally in the future," says Alexander Theobald. "With outsourcing, we can design and ensure the continued existence of the magazine in a more flexible way." Bolero Published as a supplement to business publications since 2019 Handelszeitung and Balance (Werbewoche.ch reported).

Sabina Hanselmann-Diethelm leaves the company

With regard to the planned measures at Style and Bolero the current Editor-in-Chief Sabina Hanselmann-Diethelm would also leave Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland. "I regret this very much and thank her for her convincing work as Editor-in-Chief to date. Sabina Hanselmann-Diethelm has led the two titles with a great deal of passion, creativity and know-how and has always been intensively committed to the employees and looked after customers," said Alexander Theobald.

Schweizer Illustrierte: Merging Print and Online

In addition, the editorial offices of the Swiss Illustrated and SI online will be downsized and organizationally merged in order to work consistently across channels in the future. Nina Siegrist, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Swiss IllustratedI deeply regret the fact that we have to part with valued colleagues. The close integration of print and online should enable the traditional brand to achieve a positive result in the current market environment and continue to offer its readers high-quality journalism.

Consultation procedure opened with immediate effect

The savings that have become necessary envisage a total reduction of 35 jobs. A social plan is to be implemented for the corresponding employees - with measures that go beyond the legal requirements, as the media company emphasizes. The consultation process is open with immediate effect. Employees have until August 21, 2020 to submit alternative proposals on how the planned measures could be mitigated.

Syndicom regrets mass dismissal

The Syndicom trade union regrets that the corresponding measures have to be taken despite short-time working. In a statement, the union demands that a decent social plan be worked out for those affected and expects the company to cushion the consequences of the job losses.

The measures taken by Ringier Axel Springer would show that public support without guard rails would not save jobs. The example of Axel Springer shows that even successful companies immediately cut jobs during economic turbulence, despite short-time work, which the Federal Council and Parliament must take into account when they revise media subsidies: "If the federal government supports media groups with public money without guard rails, as planned, this money will flow primarily into corporate profits and dividends," the union says.

At the beginning of the year, Dachcom won the tender for the St.Gallen brewery Schützengarten and is now the lead agency responsible for overall communication. Dachcom has been managing the brewery's web platform for some time, which was completely relaunched in spring 2019.

As its first "non-digital" work, Dachcom has now developed the new communication presence for the relaunch of Schützengarten's classic lager. After focusing primarily on craft beers in recent years, Schützengarten recently redesigned its classic Schützengarten Lager, which is now the focus of the communication.

My Schüga

Real St.Gallen locals affectionately call their Schützengarten "Schüga". The term has been synonymous with beer in the Gallus city for decades and has long since become part of the vernacular. Dachcom has now defined "Schüga" as the hook for the appearance of the classic Schützengarten Lager. The word thus takes an unusual, so to speak, reverse path - namely from the consumer to the can and into advertising. From now on, it forms the core of communication and characterizes the appearance on posters and advertisements, as a hashtag on social media, on beer mats or in special promotions.

Your Schüga

In the visual realization, the classic is presented in style - from the brewer directly to the consumer, from the beer sommelier directly to the beer connoisseur. The message "Your Schüga" is not only intended to arouse anticipation for the enjoyment of beer, but also to strengthen the appeal of the Schützengarten brewery's classic.

In the first phase, lead subjects, posters and content, social media and online marketing measures were developed. The communication presence will be successively expanded over the next few months.

For 15 years, Icommit has been measuring and analyzing employee engagement in Swiss companies. With over 150 employee surveys annually, Icommit empirically determines which working conditions create the best breeding ground for commitment to flourish. In the future, the company will make even greater use of this knowledge in a consulting capacity. For example, for employer branding, in organizational development or for leadership support.

The logo developed by Heads symbolizes the core benefit: By increasing commitment, Icommit aims to guide its clients into a stable future. In collaboration with the illustrators from Vaudeville Studios, Heads developed pointed visualizations of the comprehensive service areas. The resulting corporate design is distinctly different from competitors that focus primarily on survey and research. "Our corporate design now vividly manifests the fact that we don't limit ourselves to analyses, but actively accompany customers in exploiting their commitment potential," says Icommit Managing Director Sven Bühler of the new look.