In total there were ten master nominees. The seventh Best of Swiss Apps Award was held in Zurich's Aura restaurant in glittering style and with many beaming winners. Out of 179 projects submitted, one winning project was chosen in each of the ten categories. According to the organizers, the winning projects are the most visionary and creative Swiss apps for business solutions and private applications. Werbewoche is a media partner of Best of Swiss Web and Best of Swiss Apps. Both competitions count towards Werbewoche's annual creative ranking.

Responsive view of the start page.

The new website offers Kontiki customers several intuitive ways to access the visual worlds of the North. Interviews, personal travel reports and interesting country facts can be accessed with just a few clicks. "We have thrown the long outdated rigid division into summer and winter overboard for a season-independent view of the Nordic highlights," explains Christine Rhomberg, Head of Marketing at Kontiki.

Intelligent travel planner

The new website is designed to enable users to narrow down their search for the right trip. Based on their own dreams, visitors to the Kontiki website can quickly find their own personal "wow moments" with the help of an intelligent travel planner and selectable highlights.

Focus on user needs

The foundations for the new website were developed, condensed and tested as part of a user-centered design process. This included interviews and surveys on customer needs when booking and traveling as well as usability tests with representatives of the target group.

The results of the surveys and tests led to the new main navigation with the menu items "Fascination", "Inspiration" and "Only with Kontiki".

Behind "Fascination" is an intuitive guide to personal wow moments. It is designed to guide the customer to the perfect trip as quickly as possible in a playful way.

In addition to the existing travel blogs, numerous experience reports from the twice-yearly Nordland magazine can now be read online under the heading "Inspiration".

In "Only with Kontiki", customers learn details about the added value and additional services that Kontiki is continuously expanding and developing.

Connection to existing systems

The new website has a lean navigation structure and information depths adapted to the functions. The use of TYPO3 and the connection to the peripheral systems for online bookings and product information management are major advantages for management. This means that Kontiki can enter content independently, add new offers independently and display travel information automatically.

Various components of the Kontiki website: trip planner, trip details and country facts.
 

Finding the right contact person, checking what's on at the weekend, registering a move or ordering a long-term parking permit: The requirements of a city's website are as numerous and varied as its citizens themselves.

After more than a year of strategy, concept and design, the new website of the city of Biel is now online and allows the advantages of Biel to be better showcased. It is being continuously developed and improved on the basis of data.

Focus on people

In order to best meet the needs of the population, the platform was developed through numerous workshops, interviews and tests in close cooperation with the citizens of Biel/Bienne.

The entire navigation is now divided into three main sections: "Topics A-Z", "Politics & administration" and "Online counter". Most of the photos on the website have been specially created since the summer on the basis of the new image concept for the website - the focus here is also on the citizens of the city. More photos and videos will follow over the next few months to ensure that the website reflects the current development of the city as a central information channel. 

Mobile First

The design is also new: the website is bright, focused, contains lots of images and is adapted to all end devices. A navigation system was developed that works on smartphones, tablets and desktops.

To improve the quality of the new website, around 50 content managers from the various city administration services and the central translation service revised, corrected and supplemented over 800 pages in German and French. Around a quarter of these pages were completely redesigned and present topics and aspects of the city of Biel/Bienne in a more focused and user-friendly way and in a language that is easy to understand.

Think with data

The data-driven approach is also reflected in the implementation and optimization of the website. Different page types were designed for the various user requirements, which can be specifically optimized on the basis of data - after all, bounce rates and dwell time must be evaluated differently depending on the user's goal and task in context.

With the help of a feedback function, the teasing and evaluation of the most-read content and search terms, as well as conversion funnels for forms, the website can be focused and strategically expanded and optimized.

Accessibility

The new website has been checked by the "Access for All" foundation for user-friendliness and accessibility for people with disabilities. Further checks will follow successively. 

Based on interactive prototypes, the most important content, design, structure and functions were tested and optimized in usability tests with citizens of the city during the entire development phase from the initial concept to the final solution.

Digitization

The new website of the city of Biel also offers new online functions. These range from registering at a retirement home to ordering a service or buying a parking permit directly on the website. The "Online counter" section has been expanded and will continue to be updated with additional forms and services over the coming months.

Teamwork

The concept and design of the new website were created by the Campfire agency from Biel, which won the ideas competition held in fall 2017. In addition to the technical and content concept, the agency also developed the new user guidance, functions and visual language of the new website.

Following a call for tenders, the CMS solution GOViS from the company Backslash in Frauenfeld was chosen for the technical implementation.

Who really has something to say on the communications scene or in related industries? What are the really exciting new players or developments in the market? Rod is happy to listen over the shoulders of various personalities from communications and the like in his own podcast.

The interviews are conducted by Regula Bührer Fecker, David Schärer or Pablo Koerfer. The first edition of the Rodcast is for reasons of topicality, an acoustic "ménage a quatre - The first guest is Roman Geiser, CEO and majority shareholder of Farner. The Rodcast is available as an Apple Podcast and on Spotify.

Raphaël Liechti joined the team at Biel-based agency Cubegrafik on November 1, 2019. He comes from Nexum, where he was responsible for visual creation for the last 4 years. Prior to that, he worked for around 10 years at Goldbach Interactive (and formerly orange8 interactive) as Senior Art Director. He was responsible for clients such as AEW Energie, Bernexpo, Coop, DT Swiss, Inselspital Bern, Interdiscount, McDonald's, Novartis, Omega, PostFinance, Swisscom, Swica and TCS.

"This is an important step for us", says Steve Henseler, founder and owner of Cubegrafik, "to focus even more on users and their needs when designing digital products". In his eyes, Raphaël fits in with the clients and the team at the Biel agency both as a person and thanks to his many years of experience: "We are a truly bilingual agency, and Raphaël, as a Romand with a very good knowledge of German, fits in perfectly," he adds.

"With Metaloop, we found the partner who offered us the most convincing and best overall package," says Gerold Biner, CEO of Air Zermatt. Metaloop owner and Creative Director Jonas Hauser explains: "The basis is an individual consultation tailored to the customer's needs. The concept is developed on this basis in order to position the company holistically and sustainably with a clear brand language."

The brand language was restored to its original and simple form, combined with contemporary lettering elements and the Air Zermatt imagery. The Air Zermatt brand should now also embody the precision, passion and pioneering spirit visually and in terms of content, which also ensures a high level of recognition.

However, the collaboration between the two companies is only just beginning. Brand management will continue to be a major topic in the future.

This was announced by the editor of Image and World announced on Wednesday. Adjusted operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell by almost 19 percent to 440 million euros. Springer continued to invest "despite the weaker-than-expected revenue development" and the economic slowdown, and also invested money in acquisitions.

Group CEO Mathias Döpfner reiterated that the Berlin-based company wants to become the global market leader in digital journalism and in the business with job and real estate portals ("digital classifieds"). "To achieve this, we will focus on accelerating our growth and investment strategy with KKR as a partner after the takeover bid has been completed."

The U.S. financial investor is joining Springer with around 2.9 billion euros and is to help finance acquisitions. The media company is also facing restructuring and job cuts - not yet precisely quantified. Provisions for this put pressure on the balance sheet.

Springer confirmed its forecasts for the full year, although management had already lowered them twice in 2019. Accordingly, the Group is targeting a revenue decline in the low to mid single-digit percentage range. The operating result (adjusted EBITDA) will fall by between 10 and 20 percent. (SDA)

Krause-Blouin has been working at Annabelle since the beginning of 2015. Initially she worked as a writer and lifestyle editor, and in summer 2015 she took over as deputy editor-in-chief. Previously, the 33-year-old worked as fashion and culture editor and chief of staff for Spex - magazine for pop culture, for the Berliner Morgenpost, Rolling Stone and for the mommy blog of the Tages-Anzeiger, among others.

Media type has Annabelle taken over by Tamedia at the beginning of October 2019 (Werbewoche.ch reported).

It is not advisable to make another change already. The decision in the commission fell with 8 to 2 votes, as the parliamentary services announced on Tuesday. The KVF had already spoken out in July against the parliamentary initiative, which requires the exemption of companies from the tax.

However, the National Council adopted it by a clear majority in the fall session. Gregor Rutz, the Zurich SVP member of the Council of States, who introduced the initiative, spoke of double taxation. Company owners and employees would already have to pay a tax as private individuals.

The electorate approved the levy system at the ballot box in 2015. This also introduced the corporate levy. This contributes 170 million Swiss francs per year to the levy pot. If the Council of States rejects Rutz's initiative, it will be off the table.

The committees of both chambers of parliament agree that working groups should not pay the levy twice. The KVF of the Council of States has the mandate to work out an exemption.

It has instructed the administration to list the open questions regarding the implementation of the initiative by the beginning of next year. After that, the commission intends to tackle the preparation of a preliminary draft. The KVF unanimously rejected two initiatives from the National Council with the same concern. (SDA)

Finding new furniture online can be exhausting. Especially if you have a specific idea of your dream item and a text search, for example for "gray textile sofa", is not enough to find it quickly.

The new intelligent image search is designed to remedy these problems. A photo is all it takes to find the desired product in the online store. After uploading in the user-friendly feature, the algorithm presents the furniture you are looking for or similar furniture from the online store.

"We are constantly investing in the successful further development of our online store with over 40,000 items in order to offer our customers an optimal shopping experience in the digital world. The digital image search is another function that makes it possible to experience our product range expertise online and simplifies the purchasing process," says Paul Holaschke, Head of Marketing and Communication at Möbel Pfister. All that is needed for the new feature is a self-taken or downloaded photo of the desired piece of furniture. No additional app is required, as the image search works directly in the web store - on a cell phone, tablet or computer. 

Artificial intelligence capable of learning 

Click on the camera icon next to the search bar to open the image search. A photo can be taken and uploaded directly on the smartphone and tablet or, as on the computer, a saved image can be selected. The image section with the furniture or home accessory you are looking for is then selected and the visual recommendation software analyzes the photo for visual patterns and compares it with the Pfister range.

A few moments later, the product you are looking for is displayed. If the identical product is not available, similar ones are displayed and made available to customers. In the background, an artificial intelligence learns with every image search and thus delivers increasingly accurate search results.

With immediate effect Hype supports the public relations of Billy & Bugga. The scope of duties includes media and press relations, strategic consulting as well as the implementation of various PR measures. 

Billy & Bugga stands for exotic chocolate made in Switzerland, with a lot of love for Brazil. The seven-piece collection includes, for example, a Caipirinha bar with natural cachaça flavor and dried limes.

Hype's mission is to promote the Billy & Bugga brand and range in Switzerland and position it as an alternative to the big chocolate manufacturers.

With Rod Kommunikation, Farner is adding another high-profile creative team to its offering, bringing a differentiated signature to what it says is Switzerland's most complete communications offering. Becoming part of the Farner Group represents a major strategic move for Rod Kommunikation, which was heralded last year with the alignment of its offering into individual communications disciplines. Rod had adapted its agency model so that clients could no longer just use the agency's overall offering, but now also individual disciplines such as campaigns, strategy, publicity, public affairs and content.

According to the press release, Farner offers Rod the opportunity to involve specialists with many years of experience in public affairs, digital marketing, branding, change, corporate and brand communications, experts with very specialized industry and technology knowledge and roots in all parts of Switzerland for complex communications tasks and to expand its range of communications solutions.

Farner, on the other hand, gains access to a second high-profile and powerful creative team with Rod, which has developed numerous popular campaigns over the past twelve years. This gives Farner's clients even more opportunities to play on every keyboard of communication and to call on customized offers and teams for every task and tonality.

Handwriting of both agencies is continued

Both Rod and Farner are among the leading agencies in Switzerland today. Both agencies will independently maintain and further develop their profile and signature at their respective locations. "With Rod, we are expanding our range of services and doubling our creative power. But the most important thing is: we can and want to work together," says Farner CEO and majority shareholder Roman Geiser.

Farner acquires all shares

Farner is acquiring one hundred percent of the shares in Rod Kommunikation; Regula Bührer Fecker, David Schärer and Pablo Koerfer are taking a stake in Farner as partners and will continue to manage Rod at Bürglistrasse together with their management team Marco Meroni, Mateo Sacchetti and Tiffany Lüthi, who was recently appointed to the management team. Rod managing director Pablo Koerfer: "We are extremely pleased about this merger. What the two agencies have in common is the entrepreneurial spirit, the DNA as an owner-managed organization and the same understanding of how effective communication is created."