The demand for an electronic identity has existed in Switzerland for over 15 years and has become more urgent in recent years as a result of increasing digitalization. More and more people, companies and public authorities are conducting business online, increasing the need for a secure, state-controlled electronic identity.

After this lengthy process, a well-founded law was finally passed, in which numerous demands and concerns were taken on board and good compromises were found.

Legal certainty and trust are essential prerequisites for successful business and administrative processes - especially in the digital space. With the E-ID, the basis for a state-recognized login is now to be created. The numerous new applications that will be possible with the Swiss e-ID should relieve the burden on residents, authorities and companies alike and strengthen Switzerland as a business location.

The Swiss business and industry associations see today's approval of the e-ID by the legislator as a milestone and expressly welcome the bill. It is now important to proceed swiftly with implementation at ordinance level so that the first Swiss e-IDs can be issued and used as quickly as possible. (pd/swi)

Fresh bread by closing time is an important frequency driver in the retail trade. However, bread is often only baked on or ready to eat on site. Migros practices traditional bakery craftsmanship under the "Fresh & Handmade" brand in its 130 stores with in-house bakeries.

In a national campaign, Wunderman Thompson stages Migros' bread expertise with appetizing images. The focus is deliberately on the actual craft to illustrate what makes a fresh loaf of bread so good. The flour dusts, the dough flies, it is mixed and kneaded, shaped and put into the oven.

The nationwide launch of home bakeries under the "Fresh & Handmade" brand has been seen since mid-September as a print, DOOH and digital campaign, as well as on social media.

In the new function, Yannick Nock will be responsible on the part of the NZZHe will be responsible for the project management of major events and cross-departmental focuses. The 35-year-old currently works as a page-maker/weekly manager and editor on the central editorial staff of CH Media. There he is responsible for the Switzerland at the weekend and sets the main topics in all bundles, designs the front page, decides what is suitable for online and what is commented on.

Yannick Nock has set the tone with several focus issues of the Switzerland at the weekendincluding those on the 2018 World Cup or on the topic of "25 Years of the Internet," for which some of the editorial team traveled to Silicon Valley. Yannick Nock holds a Master of Arts in Journalism and Psychology from the University of Zurich.

The newly created function is a response to the greatly increased and further growing complexity of planning major stories: Today, this no longer only includes coordination, but also means project management, which must begin early and be continuously perceived in order to ensure an optimal user experience for subscribers. 

The study makes it clear that the increasing use of artificial intelligence technologies is changing our behavior - before, during and after a purchase. How we search for information, how we are inspired and how we use services - even our shopping behavior is influenced by it. No other technology has spread around the world as quickly as voice.

31% of Germans already own a smart speaker - and the use of voice assistants and smart speakers continues to grow rapidly. This even puts Germany slightly above the international average. The astonishing thing: Nations such as Sweden and the Netherlands, which are otherwise known for their innovative spirit, are developing much more slowly than we are. 

However, it is also clear that the adaptation of smart technologies in the market varies greatly: While voice assistants are already on the cusp of becoming mainstream, technologies such as smart home applications or chatbots are still at the beginning of the adaptation process.

The type of AI support desired differs depending on the area of consumption. Although openness to AI interactions is high across all shopping areas, the need for support varies greatly: the greater the need for advice in a product category, the greater the perceived added value of AI services for consumers. This added value is essentially achieved through support, personal relevance, simplification and inspiration. A brand's AI services must therefore be tailored precisely to the customer's purchasing needs. 

"For many people, AI technologies have become an integral part of everyday life - some have invited smart home applications into their homes, while others carry them with them every day in the form of Apple Watches and Fitbits, for example. It is becoming increasingly important not only to observe the new developments, but also to be able to classify and instrumentalize their significance for your own industry or brand," says Oliver Stroh, CEO OMD Germany. "Our study focused on the question of whether it is time for brands to invest in these new technologies - and the findings speak for themselves: all companies that do not address AI now and take concrete action are missing out on important opportunities to develop their brand."

Eugen Da Pra, a native of Schaffhausen, will be co-owner of TM Kommunikation as of October 1, 2019. With Da Pra, the agency for text, concept and design brings an experienced manager and entrepreneur on board. He has worked for the industrial and construction sectors his entire professional life to date.

For 20 years, he managed the Swiss sales organization of a globally active industrial company. Prior to that, as an independent entrepreneur, he was responsible for setting up and expanding sales and marketing departments in medium-sized and large companies. Most recently, he was managing director at a large trade fair and live marketing organizer.

With the participation of Da Pra, TM Kommunikation expands its range of services to include interim management, consulting and coaching for sales, marketing and management with a focus on the B2B sector.

ViiV Healthcare is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to progress in the treatment and care of people with HIV. The agency brought the legendary Stonewall Inn bar from New York to Switzerland for its client and made a lot of noise at the Prides in Zurich and Geneva.

Similar to 1969, the birth of the militant LGBTIQ movement, which began to loudly defend itself against arbitrary police violence and social exclusion, the agency staged demonstrations at Prides, led by YouTube star Raffa Plastic and drag queen Agyness Champagne, among others. 

If you study the overview of the planned changes to the Federal Act on Tobacco Products and Electronic Cigarettes, various other points stand out. For example, according to the Council of States, it should no longer be permitted in future to give away free samples to promote tobacco products. Sponsorship of international events by the tobacco industry is also to be banned.

Lex Philip Morris

Specifically, the Council of States wants to write into law that events and activities organized by the federal government, cantons and municipalities may not be sponsored by the tobacco industry. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis was recently criticized because a cigarette manufacturer was scheduled to sponsor Switzerland's appearance at Expo 2020 in Dubai. In the end, the Department of Foreign Affairs renounced the money from the tobacco multinational.

With its decisions, the Council of States goes further than the current law and the Federal Council. Today, advertising for tobacco products is only prohibited on radio and television. It is also forbidden to advertise harmful products that are specifically aimed at young people. The free distribution of advertising products to young people is also prohibited. All these bans are currently regulated in the Federal Foodstuffs Act and will be integrated into the new Tobacco Products Act in future.

A little more business-friendly

An initial tightening of the rules on tobacco products failed in parliament three years ago. At that time, the Federal Council proposed further regulations for the cigarette lobby in addition to the measures now approved by the Council of States, such as a ban on poster advertising or commercials in cinemas. Various cantons already have such bans, but at federal level the issue is off the table for the time being.

Discounts on tobacco products are to remain partially permitted. Direct sales by hostesses, mass mailings to adults, advertising at points of sale and on consumer goods as well as the sponsoring of national events are also still legal. The latter is currently only prohibited in the cantons of Solothurn and Valais.

Finally, the new Tobacco Products Act ensures that the tobacco industry is obliged to declare its advertising expenditure and to label permitted advertising with a warning. Today, this is voluntary.

Initiative in the neck

In the overall vote on Thursday, the bill received a clear majority of 32 votes to 3 with 5 abstentions in the Council of States. The matter now goes to the National Council. The broad support in the small chamber is at least an indication that the law, which has been revised by the Federal Council and further tightened by the Council of States, could also find favor there.

The majority in the small chamber praised the clear focus on the protection of minors. This was not the case in the first draft, according to the conservative forces in the Council of States. They had referred the matter back to the Federal Council in December 2016.

The recently submitted popular initiative "Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising" is also likely to have had an impact. The petition for a referendum, which is supported by the Council's Left Party, calls for a ban on all advertising that can reach minors.

WHO requirements fulfilled

In the Council of States, the classic compromise prevailed. This had been worked out by the Health Committee, which had advised the Council in advance. Both isolated demands for more self-regulation of the tobacco industry and even more far-reaching bans on the cigarette industry failed to gain a majority in the plenary session.

Commission spokesperson Joachim Eder (FDP/ZG) said that the amendments created the conditions for ratifying the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. "The doors are now wide open." Due to the lack of restrictions on advertising and sponsorship, Switzerland has not yet been able to ratify the convention.

Effective protection of children and young people and compliance with the minimum requirements of the Convention are the top priority for the majority, said Eder. The new law would also make an effective contribution to reducing healthcare costs.

Calls for more expensive e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes are also being targeted. According to the Council of States, these - whether nicotine-free or containing nicotine - should be subject to the Tobacco Products Act. The small chamber also wants to tax such products. The National Council also still has to decide on a corresponding motion.

The lower risk profile should be taken into account with a lower rate than for conventional cigarettes, as stated in the explanatory memorandum to the motion. E-cigarettes are currently exempt from taxation due to a parliamentary resolution, as they are an aid to quitting tobacco addiction.

As the issue had not been the subject of the consultation, the committee had decided not to include a provision in the law, said Councillor of States Eder on behalf of the committee. The Federal Council agrees with the request. (SDA)

As part of a follow-up campaign, Coca-Cola Switzerland wanted not only to increase awareness of the brand, but also to anchor Fusetea's brand values in the target group - to inspire and encourage consumers to create their own fusion of "either-or" to make life more diverse and fulfilling. As with the launch campaign in 2018, USP is responsible for the conception, planning and implementation of all live marketing activities.

The crucial trade-off in a millennial's life is most likely the choice between a fast and successful career versus a perfect work-life balance - knowing that both are not possible at the same time, which in turn disrupts their will to get everything they want.

A "don't have to decide" oasis

To address this issue, USP designed an oasis where the target group can take a break from their complex lives and not have to make any decisions.

The live marketing activity was designed accordingly: The stand offers the target group the opportunity to relax and work, to switch off alone or together with friends, to be online and still be in the real world - not a place for "either-or", but rather for "both-and" and therefore a retreat without remorse.

In the bar, which is located in the center of the stand, you could have a mocktail prepared from a selection of herbs, fruits and your favorite Fusetea.

The live marketing activity was framed by mass sampling at the six busiest train stations in Switzerland. In total, USP was able to generate around 275,000 trials for Fusetea with these activities.

The Syndicom union is "particularly pleased" with Swiss Post's willingness to negotiate, it said on Thursday. DMC's core business includes the nationwide delivery of unaddressed advertising mail. Of the employees, 4430 work part-time in delivery.

The CLA would bring considerable benefits for employees, writes Syndicom. The pressure on working conditions and wages would be countered by minimum standards agreed in social partnership. A CLA with a social plan obligation, minimum standards and annual wage negotiations would be a "special protection for employees".

Annual wage negotiations would help wages keep pace with inflation. And through the social partnership, an expansion of company participation could be ensured.

Social plan negotiated

Syndicom demanded the CLA after Swiss Post bought Distriba in Basel and integrated it into DMC. As a result, 25 employees were threatened with job losses and more than 3,000 employees with a reduction in working hours. The union also demanded a generous social plan for employees who lose their jobs and the inclusion of employees in the negotiations.

According to Syndicom, these demands were also largely met by Swiss Post. A union negotiating delegation had been admitted to the social plan talks.

A social plan was negotiated that provides for compensation. Seniority and degree of employment will be taken into account, the statement said. The employees affected will receive a maximum compensation of three months' salary.

From the union's perspective, a collective labor agreement at DMC would be a further step in union coverage of the delivery industry. In the medium term, Syndicom is aiming for an industry agreement from which all those working in delivery could benefit. (SDA)
 

Here, Amazon has so far been at a disadvantage against Alexa rivals such as Apple's Siri and Google Assistant, which are ubiquitous on smartphones. The point is to make the assistance software available to users always and everywhere, stressed Alexa boss Tom Taylor.

Alexa is also expected to become much smarter. In the future, for example, it will be able to warn when the batteries in a networked device or the ink in the printer are running low. The camera doorbell from the Ring subsidiary will be able to talk to people standing outside the door thanks to a "concierge" function.

Trailing the competition

In the future, Alexa will also be able to recognize when users are frustrated with her. To do this, the software will analyze the voice - and then be friendlier. This function will initially be available when controlling music playback. Another voice command that will be introduced is the question "Alexa, why did you do that?", which users can use to ask the voice assistant to explain unexpected behavior. If the software executes a voice command incorrectly, the question "Alexa, what did you hear?" will help in the future.

With the first Alexa earphones, Amazon is entering a new product category that has so far been dominated by Apple's AirPods. One application idea, for example, is that you can ask in a supermarket of the in-house organic supermarket chain Whole Foods in which aisle certain groceries are located. The earphones have built-in ambient noise suppression from hi-fi expert Bose and, at $129, are also cheaper than comparable technology from other providers.

In total, Amazon announced more than a dozen products on Wednesday - at prices that, as is so often the case with Amazon, undercut the competition. For example, Amazon's chief technology officer Dave Limp introduced a Ring security camera for the home for just 59 euros.

Lower prices

Another new Amazon device is a networked speaker with significantly improved sound. The company is thus strengthening its competition with Apple and hi-fi specialists like Sonos. The Echo Studio model is supposed to provide all-around sound and also adapt the sound to the room. Amazon set the price at around 200 euros, which is significantly lower than competing models - a HomePod from Apple, for example, costs 329 euros. Amazon also released new versions of previous Echo speakers.

As experimental products, Amazon is releasing a pair of glasses and a ring with microphones and tiny speakers for using Alexa. They will be available in limited quantities in the US. The glasses have neither camera nor display, but are intended only for voice communication with Alexa.

The acquired Wi-Fi specialist Eero will also be integrated into the Alexa world: For example, individual devices can be disconnected from the network by voice command. Voice control will also be available via interfaces with WiFi routers from other providers. Amazon plans to bring the Eero device family, which is currently only available in the U.S., to Europe soon.

Focus on data protection

Limp stressed that data protection was one of the basics for all functions. Amazon - like other providers of voice assistants such as Apple and Google - had been criticized in recent months for also allowing employees to hear recordings of conversations with Alexa, while users were not aware of this. They are now explicitly made aware of this and can object to the use of their recordings to improve voice recognition.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos stopped by briefly at the event at the company's Seattle headquarters and said in response to questions from reporters, among other things, that he would welcome regulation of facial recognition technology and that the company was working on proposals to do so. Amazon developed a facial recognition technology called "Rekognition" that is also used by government agencies in the United States.

With the "Amazon Sidewalk" service, the group wants to create a new infrastructure for the Internet of Things in the future. The proprietary radio format in the 900 MHz range is intended to bridge distances of several hundred meters. The technology is initially intended to connect devices outside the home, such as irrigation sensors, in a power-saving way. But if many sidewalk networks are running in a neighborhood, it could also be used to track runaway animals, for example. (SDA)
 

These are the findings of an analysis carried out by Carpathia together with the Swiss Mail Order Association. The result is a poster that can be downloaded free of charge as a PDF.

All figures are based on average values for trade in goods with end consumers (B2C). Services such as tickets, flights, downloads, etc. are not included.

285 parcels every minute, 44 small goods shipments from Asia

285 parcels are on their way every minute, 34 of which are on their way back to the retailer as returns. However, more parcels than are returned arrive in Switzerland as small goods shipments from Asia and the rest of the world: 63 per minute, 44 of which come from Asia.

More payments by credit card internationally than in Switzerland

Credit cards (including Paypal) are used more frequently for purchases from retailers abroad than in Switzerland. Abroad, 31 orders per minute are paid for by credit card, compared to just under a third less in Switzerland, namely 22 orders. Invoices are still the most popular method for purchases from Swiss retailers, with 117 uses per minute.

Ljilja Mucibabic was already a VJ for the northeastern Swiss regional broadcaster for around a year and a half from 2010 to 2011. Since then, the 40-year-old has been working in the TeleZüri newsroom. Mucibabic gained her first experience in video journalism, among other things, as editorial manager of the TV station ZüriPlus (today Tele Z).

Nicole Zintzsche is her new deputy. The 27-year-old gained her first journalistic experience at Tele Top and returned to Winterthur just under six months ago after a detour to TeleZüri. Since then, she has been working as a VJ and producer.

There will also be a change in program management at Radio Top. Corinne Wacker will move to Tele Top as a presenter with a 40-percent share as of November 1, 2019. However, the 37-year-old will remain with Radio Top as a 20 percent presenter. Wacker will use the remaining percentage for private projects.

The new Editor-in-Chief, Ljilja Mucibabic, succeeds Kathrin Röder, who is leaving the station at her own request at the end of the year. 

Nicole Zintzsche takes over her future role from Philippe Pfiffner, who is now responsible for program management at Radio Top and is moving to the executive board in a structured process. The 38-year-old from Winterthur was previously deputy editor-in-chief of Tele Top. He will retain his duties as quality assurance manager in his new functions.