"Green is the hope. Purple is the bank": With messages like these, Go Slow effectively introduced Valiant to the people of eastern Switzerland. The color doctrine àla Valiantwas spread via posters, advertisements, train station screens, online banners and measures in the FC St. Gallen stadium. Purple is the bratwurst paperFor the invitation to the open day in St. Gallen, go slow created an insert in the St. Galler Tagblatt - equipped with a bratwurst paper as a voucher for a free sausage. The people of Wiler were invited to visit the open day with a mailbox flap mailing.From November 4 in St. Gallen, from 18 in WilThe Valiant branch in St. Gallen opened its doors on November 4, 2019, in Wil the opening followed on November 18. There, customers will receive personal advice on financing, investments and pension solutions combined with innovative banking services.

According to Socialbakers, 2019 was characterized by the explosive growth of TikTok and the increasing popularity of influencer marketing, especially among marketers from the beauty, fashion, e-commerce and automotive sectors.

For 2020, the company predicts not only further growth for influencer marketing, but also a rapid rise in social commerce - thanks in part to the increased distribution of shopping-related content, experiments with VR-supported shopping experiences and the spread of bots in the area of customer service.

Socialbakers claims to have the largest social media dataset in the industry and works with more than 2500 social media marketing teams in 100 countries. This gives the company an unparalleled overview of what is happening in the social media landscape.

Socialbakers predicts the five most important trends for 2020:  

1. tikTok will continue its rapid rise

In October 2018, TikTok was the most downloaded photo and video app in the Apple Store worldwide and officially reached one billion downloads in 2019. "We expect TikTok to continue its rapid rise in 2020 thanks to its aggressive marketing campaigns and investments in geographic expansion," comments Socialbaker's CEO Yuval Ben-Itzhak.

TikTok is already advertiser #1 on Snapchat and #2 on YouTube according to SensoTower, an app marketing analytics company. TikTok has also used collaborations with celebrities and influencers to generate general interest and viral content.

To support growth and further geographic expansion, TikTok is expanding its offices in London and Mountain View (CA) and recruiting talent directly from Facebook as well as Snap, Apple and Amazon.com.  
But despite all the hype, TikTok is not without controversy. TikTok is using popular videos published on the platform as part of its ongoing external advertising campaign. The problem is that the creators of these videos have not been informed that their content will be used in the ads - and they are not compensated for the content either. Recently, the app has come under increased scrutiny from US lawmakers who fear Tiktok could pose a national security threat.

"In short, TikTok is the platform to watch in 2020," said Ben-Itzhak of Socialbakers. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, has acknowledged TikTok's success and tried to compete with TikTok by launching Lasso in November 2018. Unfortunately for Facebook, Lasso struggled to attract a large number of users. By February 2019, the platform had only gained 70,000 users in the US. Yuval explains why Facebook has a far better chance of successfully attacking TikTok with Instagram Reels:

"The Lasso app was Facebook's first attempt to leverage the TikTok mechanic with short music video clips - whereas Lasso was a standalone app, Instagram Reels is integrated directly into Instagram's user interface. This makes it easier for Facebook advertisers and users to access this highly engaging content - without the barrier of having to download an additional app. Instagram Stories is the best example of how Facebook has in the past strongly attacked the competition - in this case Snpachat - with a new content format for its existing target group."

2. influencer marketing will - contrary to other opinions - continue to grow and not shrink

"Consumers are increasingly looking for reviews or ratings and credible voices when making purchasing decisions," said Ben-Itzhak. "This creates great opportunities for influencers and brands to reach audiences together and authentically."

Major consumer brands in the beauty, fashion, e-commerce and automotive sectors entered influencer marketing in 2019 and found that the business benefited significantly. Investment is expected to increase further in 2020, with influencer marketing set to become a 10 billion dollar industry by 2020.

The data from Socialbakers for the last year shows:

• Influencer sponsored ads grew by more than 150 %
• The number of influencers using the hashtag #ad) to mark an advertising collaboration has more than doubled
• Micro-influencers are becoming increasingly important and make up the majority of influencers today. Over 75 percent of influencers in North America are micro-influencers.

Renowned marketers are relying on digital, social media and influencer marketing like never before:

• Estee Lauder explained that 75% of its marketing budget is spent on digital marketing, particularly social media influencers, and that this investment is paying off.
• Boss markets its suit business with the hashtag #SuitChallenge and encourages influencers and athletes worldwide to take on the toughest challenges while being dressed from head to toe by Boss. The suit challenge was even mentioned in a recent financial results conference call.
• Burberry's social media successes on Instagram and WeChat were also recently discussed by its CEO in a conference call on the quarterly financial results.

3. the breakthrough of VR/AR will come

Virtual reality (VR) has long been associated with video games or Hollywood movies. "While tech-savvy marketers have experimented with VR in the past, most make the mistake of underestimating the potential of this technology and only seeing it as a flashy gimmick," says Ben-Itzhak.

"At Socialbakers, we know that VR represents a huge opportunity for marketers. The interactive technology can engage audiences, increase brand awareness and drive product discovery and sales," adds Ben-Itzhak. "Imagine your customers having the opportunity to discover products by browsing through virtual clothing racks and showrooms - a real-life experience for your customers that subsequently leads to a purchase. While it could take 5 to 10 years for this technology to become widespread, VR promises to be a powerful tool in retailers' arsenals."

Gap experimented with VR in the form of a virtual dressing room app. Gap shoppers were able to try on clothes virtually before buying. The app helped shoppers choose the right clothes for their body shape and size, reducing customer dissatisfaction and product returns, saving the company money and hassle.

Instagram, on the other hand, is experimenting with AR shopping by allowing users to try on products directly in the app using AR filters. Further experiments in the field of VR/AR are sure to follow in 2020.

4. social commerce will experience rapid growth in 2020

Data from Socialbakers shows that shopping content on social media - including shopping experiences with VR - is increasing rapidly. Platform providers are responding to this development with additional e-commerce functions.

With Instagram Shopping, Instagram offers an immersive platform for selected brands where users can discover and buy products. Facebook's app portfolio, consisting of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Facebook Groups, now offers tools for community management and customer care. This means that all marketing activities within the sales funnel - from product discovery to post-purchase customer care - can be covered on social media. Facebook is even planning its own cryptocurrency, Libra. "2020 could be the year in which social commerce takes off and customers purchase products within a social media platform instead of accessing the app on a shopping site or being directed to the online store," explains Ben-Itzhak.

5. battle for advertising spend: Facebook vs. Instagram

Who will win the battle for advertising spend in 2020, the colossus Facebook or the current darling Instagram? (Answer: Facebook, as the company owns both platforms)

But what is the winning mix for marketers?

"As rudimentary as it may seem, we believe that all brands need to consider three important fundamentals when deciding where to allocate their budget - reach, engagement and demographics," said Ben-Itzhak. "From there, a brand can become more precise about which platform makes the most sense for a particular campaign or for an ongoing presence."

A recent data analysis by Socialbakers shows where ad spend is going and what to expect in the new year. "Our data shows that while marketers have increased their ad spend on Instagram, Facebook News Feed still accounts for 60 percent of all ad spend," explains Ben-Itzhak. "A distant second is the Instagram Feed with 20 percent, followed by Instagram Stories with 10 percent. The remaining 10 percent is split between Facebook Suggested Video and Facebook Instream Video. The bottom line is that around a third of the budget is spent on Instagram, the platform with the highest engagement. This raises the question: Are companies really getting the best possible results from their investment?" says Ben-Itzhak.

Ben-Itzhak from Socialbakers believes that there is a lot of potential in Facebook Suggested Videos, which have the second highest click-through rate (CTR) at almost 0.8 percent, but account for comparatively low ad spend.

"It is crucial for marketers to focus on optimizing advertising content and personalizing ads. Using a blanket strategy for the various different channels will not deliver the desired results," summarizes Ben-Itzhak.

Socialbakers CEO Yuval Ben-Itzhak. 

Around 6,700 employees in 28 countries worldwide create contact points between the private bank Julius Baer and its clients. Clear values and a unified, lived brand story should therefore form the foundation for a consistent brand experience. This should create what Bank Julius Baer has stood for since its founding: genuine connections.

Since 2015, the Zurich agency Geyst has been maintaining the brand presence of Bank Julius Baer and continuously developing it further. An unmistakable design language and a clear corporate identity that is consistent across all channels are important pillars here. Geyst makes the private bank a consistent experience at all points of contact and ensures that the brand is charged with the same values worldwide.

In addition to clarity and stringency, Geyst also focuses on emotion and warmth in the private bank's brand identity. In the design, but also in the entire approach, the content and the digitization of the company. In addition to design guidelines and templates, the work results include content concepts for print, web, social media and moving images. Geyst also supports the Zurich private bank in creating high-quality corporate publishing products and event design.

This should enable Bank Julius Baer to offer its clients a cohesive and consistent brand experience along the entire client journey.

The TV commercials have been airing since November 8.

The corresponding posters and DOOH measures have also been on display since Monday. The posters show the musicians in "unglamorous" everyday situations; on the loo, on the sofa or reading.

Galaxus has brought well-known Swiss artists on board for the campaign for the first time. The song, which was created as a by-product of the TV commercial, can be streamed on social platforms. It is called #wiehnachtshit.

The launch of a new series of banknotes naturally causes a media stir and intense discussions in the country of banks. This time, especially because the Swiss National Bank has taken a new approach in its design. Instead of depicting personalities as in the past, the new series of banknotes presents the theme of "Diverse Switzerland". The dominant visual feature on all the banknotes is the human hand.

Ruf Lanz is now using the attention surrounding the new banknotes and the hands depicted on them creatively for the "Give Children a Hand" charity.

The foundation established by Michel Fornasier gives children with a physical impairment access to modern prosthetic hands. For the children, such prostheses are far more than just an aid: they boost their self-confidence and simplify their everyday lives and their interaction with their fellow human beings. In order to "disable" as many children as possible in this way, as founder Michel Fornasier calls it, the organization relies on financial support.

That's why the donors' money becomes the children's new hand in the campaign. Every note makes it possible for a child to do something they otherwise wouldn't be able to do: blow a dandelion, ride a bike, stand up confidently at school, drink from a fountain, etc. In short, every contribution helps open up new opportunities for children. Hand in hand with Give Children a Hand.

The campaign will be seen online on numerous social media channels, as well as offline on ads, posters and postcards.

Ursula Grob took over the management of the office together with her husband Peter Grob in the fall of 2001. After Peter Grob's unexpected death in September 2012, she continued to run the office single-handedly, accompanied by Managing Director Benno Frick. 

"Ursi is a talented organizer. And she has always tackled and implemented her tasks with foresight and care," says ASW Managing Director Benno Frick, praising Ursula Grob's way of working. "She has a large network of contacts and knew the industry inside out, which has been of great service to the ASW over the years, for which we are infinitely grateful to Ursi," he adds. 

Anna Preisig will take over the office in 2020 and is also no stranger to the industry. Via the agencies GGK Basel, Wirz, Bischof & Partner and Seiler DDB, she joined the agency "ergo communication asw" in 1998, which is managed by her husband and ASW board member Claude Hitz. 

As she is now also the mother of two boys of a demanding age, Anna now only works part-time at her husband's agency. "But with the ASW mandate, we will be together more often during the day again in future," says Anna Preisig about her new role. This also means that although the ASW office will remain in the city of Zurich, it will move from District 8 to Granitweg in District 6, the home of her husband's agency, on January 1, 2020.

The aim is also to become the leading Swiss podcast platform, according to a press release issued by "Swiss Radioplayer" on Monday.

The "Swiss Radioplayer" is an application designed to make all Swiss radio stations easily accessible. Listeners do not need to know which channel the stations can be received on. The app can be used on all digital devices. According to the press release, this is also increasingly happening in the car.

The Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP), the Union of Non-Commercial Local Radio Stations (Unikom), the French-speaking Swiss association Radio Régionales Romandes (RRR) and SRG SSR are involved in "Swiss Radioplayer".

The associations and SRG founded Swiss Radioplayer GmbH in May 2018 to operate "Swiss Radioplayer". The initiators each hold a 25 percent stake in the company.

Idea from Great Britain

The idea for the "Radioplayer" originated in the UK and was launched there as a non-profit initiative; it has been in operation since 2011. The "Radioplayer" has the task of ensuring and further developing the digital discoverability of member stations.

The "Radioplayer" is now marketed worldwide; in addition to the UK and Switzerland, it is also licensed in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Canada, Norway and Peru. Expansion to other countries is planned. (SDA)

The agency impressed the client with a campaign designed to raise awareness of Vier Photen throughout Switzerland and increase the willingness of various target groups to donate. The focus is on the commitment to wild, farm and domestic animals. 

"We benefit from our broad dialog experience with established B2C mechanisms, especially for such tasks," says Creative Director Stefan Dätwyler. In addition to Vier Pfoten, Wirz Activation also has various other non-profit organizations on its client list.

Logo, layout, typography - all new at the Swiss Illustrated. The visual language in particular is intended to emphasize the magazine's core competence: It's about people. Whether politicians, actors or creative artists: The focus is on the personality behind the celebrity, and on the stories there are to tell. It can and should be human.

This insight is the driving force behind the communication campaign. The new visual language is staged in a style that appeals to a broad audience and at the same time expresses the clear position of Schweizer Illustrierte. The variable campaign structure allows the subjects to be adapted flexibly to the diverse media mix: from print campaigns to digital channels and sales marketing to promotions.

The first subjects show a new, very personal side to Green Party President Regula Rytz, actress Heidi Maria Glössner and musician Baschi. Further motifs are planned for early 2020.

After the integration, Planet 105 will appear under the name "20 Minuten Radio" as of November 27 and will thus, in addition to FM and DAB+, also be broadcast via the digital channels of 20 minutes be audible, the commuter newspaper, which belongs to Tamedia, announced on Monday.

The current moderation and editorial team will oversee the station and work "in cooperation" with the 20 minutes-editorial team will be responsible for editorial content, according to the statement.

Previously, the station had belonged to media entrepreneur Roger Schawinski. Planet 105 had about 100,000 daily listeners, according to a July statement. The parties had agreed not to disclose the purchase price. (SDA)

The NZZ Media Group is fundamentally reorganizing its advertising marketing. In doing so, the NZZ is consistently aligning itself with the changing requirements of its advertising partners and offering individual access to all digital and print products via an overarching platform - including opportunities for partnership as part of the company's high-profile event and conference business.

The realignment will create a cross-channel NZZ offering for the Swiss advertising market, developed from digital marketing. The reorganized marketing will make NZZ's advertising environments even more accessible to advertising partners and simplify and automate classic booking processes. 

Remo Baumeler, Managing Director of Audienzz, has been entrusted with the transformation of print marketing and the establishment of the new Brand Sales Unit. The digital marketer Audienzz will continue to be managed by Remo Baumeler and will remain unaffected by the realignment. Audienzz is to consistently continue its digital growth strategy. Audienzz's client business and NZZ Media Solutions are also not affected by the project. In the course of the realignment, Arne Bergmann, Head of Advertising Market / NZZ Media Solutions, has decided to leave the company as of 2020 to pursue new professional challenges.

"With the fundamental realignment of advertising marketing, we are focusing on technology-driven marketing of all products and formats and taking account of the premium positioning of the NZZ by creating an even stronger cross-channel brand sales. Arne Bergmann has been instrumental in initiating the new direction of the marketing organization since March 2018. We very much regret his decision to leave the company. We would like to sincerely thank him for his excellent performance as well as his great commitment. We wish him all the best for the future," said Johannes Boege, Chief Revenue Officer of NZZ Media Group. "Remo Baumeler has developed Audienzz into the technologically leading digital marketer in Switzerland. We are convinced that he will continue the successful course at Audienzz and that, under his leadership, the digitally driven realignment of NZZ's entire advertising marketing will also be a great success."

Get on, check in and off you go. Thanks to the new EasyRide function on the SBB Mobile app, traveling on public transport is now so easy. The strategic positioning of the new service therefore runs under the fitting motto "More freedom is not possible.".

TBWA\Zurich was commissioned with the publicity and, in a small homage to the 60s film "EasyRider", focuses on an unusual encounter. In the campaign, the well-known SBB Mobile testimonial Yvette Michel meets travelers who are less likely to be expected on the train: Bikers. But for once, the wild bikers have left their Harleys behind and are enjoying boundless freedom on the train - thanks to EasyRide.
The film and five additional short spots are a central part of the new campaign. Yvette and her new friends can now be seen on TV, in cinemas and, of course, online in numerous formats.