Yardbird Southern Fried Chicken is the third restaurant concept from Thomas and Kirtanya von Matt, the husband-and-wife team who own the Von Matt Hospitality Group (VMHG). VMHG operates several restaurants, primarily in Zurich, including The Bite Gourmet Burger Restaurant, Brisket Southern BBQ & Bar, and LA Brea SoCal Tacos.

Back to School

Throughout September, students and apprentices will have the opportunity to play the famous game «Moorhuhn» on a PlayStation 1 at Yardbird near Zurich’s main train station. Whoever achieves the high score will win a meal for themselves and their friends. At the same time, a promotional campaign is running on Yardbird’s social media channels.

The Ediii agency was responsible for developing the concept, as well as for planning, production, design, development, and media planning—including the motion graphics for the screens and ordering kiosks. In addition, it set up a retro gaming zone at the point of sale and created social media content.

Person in charge at Yardbird: Kirtanya von Matt (Managing Director, Von Matt Hospitality Group), Thomas von Matt (Managing Director, Von Matt Hospitality Group), Megan Mukai (Social Media & Marketing Assistant). Contact at Avolta: Raffaela Corbetti (Head of Marketing and Communications, Autogrill by Avolta), Eliane Spahr (Marketing Specialist, Autogrill by Avolta). Person in charge at Ediii: Cédric Wiestner, Frédéric Prinz. Production: Niko Kitsakis (Motion Design). Video production: Gian-Andrea Lüthi. Media: Cédric Wiestner, Frédéric Prinz.

Why do patients have to wait in the emergency center even though they were there first? How does the triage system work? An animated explanatory video by Videodesign for the Kantonsspital Baselland addresses the often misunderstood triage system, which determines the order of treatment according to urgency - and not the time of arrival.

The video explains to patients why more serious cases have priority and how waiting times can occur. The aim is to promote understanding of the process and minimize potential dissatisfaction.

The video is used on the screens in the waiting areas of the emergency wards as well as on the KSBL website. It makes a valuable contribution to communication between the emergency teams and patients.

Responsible at KSBL: Astrid (Deputy Head of Marketing). Responsible for video design: Tamara + Lorena (Project Management), Reiza (Illustration), Surya (Animation), Graziana (Key Account Management).

SwissAccounting, formerly Veb.ch, is the largest Swiss association for accounting, bookkeeping and controlling, representing almost 10,000 members from all over Switzerland. The association has been in existence since 1936 and is the professional training organization responsible for finance, accounting and controlling in the world of work.

Strong basis created

As a successful organization with innovative offerings and a strong member focus, it was time to further develop the traditional brand in terms of name and appearance. To this end, Jung von Matt Brand Identity worked with the association in a strategic process to sharpen the purpose, brand personality and brand promise and set them down in a manifesto. "In the process of sharpening the brand, we worked out together what SwissAccounting stands for, what makes the association unique and what it promises its members. The resulting brand profile was the basis for all further implementations," explains Nathalie Weiss, Senior Brand Consultant at Jung von Matt Brand Identity.

Renaming was also an important step in clearly expressing what the association stands for. The name Veb.ch was outdated, restrictive and caused high communication costs. With the new name SwissAccounting, the association is sending a clear signal for a stronger presence and appeal at national level.

At the Annual General Meeting, President Dieter Pfaff convincingly explained the reasons for this important step: "Many in the industry know the acronym Veb.ch, but are unable to understand its origin and meaning - let alone those who have never heard of our association."

Trust and modernity

Based on the new positioning, Jung von Matt Brand Identity developed a brand design that reflects the familiar, fresh and committed style of the brand. The design experts deliberately incorporated the brand heritage into the creative process in order to emphasize continuity in terms of quality and expertise. The former Veb.ch logo was used to create flexible components that express the diversity of further education, the individual development of specialists and Swissness. The colors were refreshed and give the appearance energy and radiance.

The modern typography emphasizes the future orientation of the association, while the imagery focuses on the people. "Our aim was to create a visual identity for SwissAccounting that expresses the move into a new era without neglecting its origins. The result is a design system that can be used flexibly and still emphasizes the uniqueness," says Simon Fuhrimann, Senior Brand Designer at Jung von Matt Brand Identity.

The new website and communication tools have been in use since Thursday.

Responsible at SwissAccounting: Dieter Pfaff (President), Susanne Grau (Vice President), Marija Atanasova and Pia Käser (Co-Head of Office), Bettina Kriegel (owner of Kriegel Kommunikation). Responsible at Jung von Matt Brand Identity: Simon Fuhrimann (design), Nathalie Weiss (project management), Fabian Ellersiek (strategy).

The protest came around two weeks after the announcement of a downsizing plan by Switzerland's largest publisher (Markt-kom.com reported). The plan envisages the elimination of 90 jobs in the editorial offices and 200 jobs at the printing plants in Bussigny VD and Zurich, which are to be closed.

The western Swiss titles such as the Tribune de Genève, 24 Heures or Le Matin Dimanche could be particularly hard hit. According to their projections, one in four or even one in three jobs would be lost.

This massive restructuring plan means the slow death for the Tribune de Genèvewhich has already lost around a third of its workforce in the last ten years, said its staff representative Rocco Zacheo on Thursday. For his colleague from 24 HeuresErwan Le Bec, it is "a simple and straightforward destruction of the editorial offices".

Details on dismantling soon

When asked by the Keystone-SDA news agency, Le Bec explained that questions had been addressed to Tamedia's management, in particular to find out what the group's "exact plans" were and how many people would be made redundant.

These questions have so far remained unanswered. Details of the restructuring are to be announced in stages next week and in the first week of October.

State Council meets with Tamedia executives

The Vaud State Council discussed the planned restructuring with the management of Tamedia at a joint meeting, as announced by the Vaud government on Thursday. The State Council had asked those responsible at the media company to extend the consultation procedure in connection with the planned closure of the printing plant. The company has agreed to this.

At another meeting, the government also met with staff representatives from Tamedia, the printing plant in Bussigny VD and the trade unions. The State Council understands and shares the concerns of the workforce, it continued. (SDA/swi)

Provides AI for art and cultureffend a threat or is it rather perceived as an opportunity?

Eva Pauline Bossow: Both depend on various factors - for example, the artistic discipline. A game designer is more likely to use AI applications and see them as an opportunity than a violinist. You could say that the more analog an artistic practice is, the greater the leap.

Are you arguing that this does not have to remain the case?

That's right. Many musicians have been working with AI tools in production, marketing and composition for a long time - different applications are used at different stages of the value chain. Whether this happens also depends on their own access to and understanding of the technologies.

Why do you think it is important that we as a society talk about how to deal with AI and the platform economy?

Because both are already having a profound impact on our everyday (working) lives and have far-reaching effects on the economy, labor market, democracy and culture. Most of us are not even aware of the extent of this. However, the first step in discussing AI and the platform economy is knowledge.

And you want to share this knowledge at the of the public event CLTR 2024 offer?

Yes, because only when we understand what AI will mean in 2024, where it is already being used and what developments can be expected, can we discuss what is sensible, desirable and difficult in the second step - and take action.

Eva Pauline Bossow is an entrepreneur and consultant with many years of experience in the creative industries, digitalization, innovation and entrepreneurship. She was Managing Director of the Zurich Centre for Creative Economies and a member of the Digital Council at Zurich University of the Arts as well as Head of Communications and Marketing at Zentrum Paul Klee and IT service provider adesso. Today, as a strategist and member of various committees, she supports organizations and start-ups with a focus on the "Future of Work". She is involved in the public event CLTR 2024 as a moderator.

The public event CLTR 2024 of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property sheds light on the future of Swiss cultural and creative work in the age of artificial intelligence and digital platforms. The technological changes raise both legal and ethical questions. Together, we are committed to the responsible handling and successful use of AI and digital platforms.

m&k is media partner of the public event CLTR 2024

As the share of the fees charged by SRG will not be adjusted in line with inflation, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) will have to save a total of CHF 50 million next year. RTS in French-speaking Switzerland will be affected to the tune of ten million francs. Director Pascal Crittin is quoted in the press release as saying that RTS wants to do everything it can to limit the impact on staff. The company is relying "as far as possible on natural fluctuations".

This means that fewer than 30 of the 1800 employees are to be made redundant. Savings are to be made primarily in production. The production of programs is to be simplified - this applies to news as well as sports and magazine formats. Certain non-priority programs could be cut altogether. All proposed measures will be presented to staff for consultation.

Falling fees

These newly announced cost-cutting measures are in addition to those that have already been implemented since 2016. The elimination of the full adjustment to inflation and the commercial losses would also force RTS to make major savings in 2026, the company warns. From 2027, RTS will then have to take into account the proposed gradual reduction in fees.

The future cost-cutting measures will also be implemented as part of the digital transformation, RTS explains. This has been successfully initiated. The company wants to continue to adapt to rapidly changing user behavior and audience needs. (SDA)

"Phase II investigations are not unusual in the telecommunications sector," explained Swisscom on Thursday. "Swisscom remains convinced that the transaction is pro-competitive." The Swiss industry leader officially notified the €8 billion takeover of Vodafone Italia to the Italian competition authority - the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato - in mid-August.

Overall, the 8 billion euro takeover of Vodafone Italia is proceeding according to plan, Swisscom now wrote. To this end, the Swiss telecoms provider secured the financing for the purchase price in May. It has also received unconditional approval from the Swiss Competition Commission (Weko) and the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers on the basis of the Golden Power Law.

In addition, the listing rules in the UK were changed as of July 29, 2024. This means that the British telecommunications company Vodafone Group does not have to have the transaction approved by the Annual General Meeting.

Completion of the deal in the 1st quarter of 2025

The closing of the transaction is still subject to further regulatory approvals, it was announced on Thursday. Swisscom continues to expect the transaction to be completed in the first quarter of 2025. "We will continue to work closely and constructively with the Italian competition authority to obtain approval in a timely manner," the Group wrote.

The "blue giant" announced its plans to take over Vodafone Italia at the end of February (Markt-kom.com reported). The purchase agreement was then signed in mid-March. From the Federal Council's point of view, all conditions for the purchase were met.

Future number two

Vodafone Italia is to be merged with the Swisscom subsidiary Fastweb. Fastweb boss Walter Renna has been appointed as the new head of the joint company in Italy.

Vodafone Italy and Fastweb complement each other well: while Fastweb has a broadband network, Vodafone Italy contributes a mobile network. The merger of Fastweb and Vodafone Italy is expected to generate synergies of EUR 600 million per year from 2029, according to earlier statements.

According to the information at the time, this will create the second-largest telecoms provider in Italy behind top dog Tim, with a combined turnover of EUR 7.3 billion and a combined operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of EUR 2.4 billion. (SDA/swi)

Yvonne Seitz-Strittmatter has a broad track record in strategic and operational HR management in various industries. Before joining RMS, she had been Head People & Culture at WePractice / Medbase since 2023, and prior to that was Head HR, CSR & Communication at Abacus Research as a member of the Executive Board.

Yvonne Seitz-Strittmatter worked at AXA Switzerland from 2015 to 2021. Initially as Head of Diversity, Culture & Engagement, from 2019 as HR Business Partner. Yvonne Seitz-Strittmatter began her professional career as an editor and presenter at SRF and 3sat and as a freelance journalist for various Swiss media. She holds a Master phil. I from the University of Bern.

As Head HR of RMS, Yvonne Seitz-Strittmacher reports to Marieke Bos van den Berg, Chief People Officer of the Ringier Group.

The postulants from the SP and the Greens stated that the information provided by the city - for example on municipal votes - does not reach everyone today.

The city must strive to communicate even more inclusively, said Anna-Béatrice Schmaltz (Greens). People with a mental impairment, reading difficulties or with a non-German first language also need to understand the information in order to be able to contribute. More measures are therefore needed to "improve the accessibility, clarity, comprehensibility and legibility of official communication", added Leah Heuri (SP).

Only the SVP spoke out against the postulate: Samuel Balsiger said that the proposal was a left-wing culture war. "That's not necessary." However, a clear majority deemed the proposal worthy of consideration and referred it to the city council. (SDA/swi)

The two electricity companies Ewz and EKZ have entered into a cooperation for the current lateral entry campaign. Under the motto "Join Team Power", they are looking for potential career changers from other related trades who would like to do an apprenticeship at one of the two companies for a full salary.

Grid electricians ensure that Zurich is supplied with electricity. The Freundliche Grüsse campaign dramatizes this aspect directly in the advertising material. As smartphones are ubiquitous today, the video ad begins with an empty battery being recharged by a grid electrician. The slogan "Join Team Power" is aimed specifically at professionals who might be interested in a career change as a grid electrician. And the basic idea of the campaign makes it clear how important the work of grid electricians is for the entire canton.

The campaign uses video ads to quickly bring the professional world of network electricians to life, as well as real network electricians from EKZ and Ewz. It has a clear mobile and social-first approach and leads to the landing page Teampower.chwhere interested parties can register for the information event or send a quick application directly to Recruiting.

Responsible at Ewz / EKZ: Sonja Auf der Maur (Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding EKZ), Eliza Garbacik (Marketing Manager EKZ), Sophia Siegenthaler (Media Spokesperson EKZ), Thöme Jeiziner (Media Spokesperson Ewz), Hadrien Jean-Richard (Head of Storytelling & Services), Julia Weber (Social Media Specialist Ewz), Nora Baltermia (HR Specialist Ewz). Responsible at Friendly regards: Laura Leuenberger, Seraina Meier (art direction), Julian Riegel, David Elmiger, Kevin Zysset (text/concept), Damian del Fabbro, Sandro Matter (consulting), Pascal Pfohl (film production), Fabian Biedermann, Samuel Textor, Pascal Deville (overall responsibility), Roli Deluxe (3D, motion), Attackera (media).

m&k: Gesa Lischka, neuromarketing combines two fascinating disciplines - neuroscience and marketing. What inspired you personally to bring these two fields together and build a career in this area?

As a cultural and media scientist, I have always been interested in how people make decisions - not only consciously, but also unconsciously. I find it particularly fascinating how colors, shapes, codes and language work on a subtle, unconscious level and influence decisions without us noticing it directly.

Where did your journey into neuromarketing begin?

On a boat in New York. After a successful conference, Prof. Dr. Bernd Weber and I found ourselves on a relaxing cruise around Manhattan Island. During this trip, we decided to pool our expertise and carry out studies and projects together. We quickly realized that our collaboration could yield valuable insights. This work has been a steep learning curve for me. I have attended countless conferences, studied scientific papers and given my own presentations on our experiences. One of the biggest challenges is that while there is a lot of talk about findings, few actually put the research results into practice. This is exactly what I am trying to change with our team at Kochstrasse.

How do you implement this?

With a team of over 70 creative and strategic minds and national and international clients, some of whom we have had relationships with for decades, I have the opportunity not only to understand scientific findings but also to put them into practice. I often see myself as a kind of translator between science and practice, making sure that groundbreaking research findings don't just remain in theory, but also have a tangible impact in the real world.

How can companies use neuromarketing to better understand and address their customers?

Based on neuroscientific findings, we can make statements about the unconscious drivers behind purchasing decisions and use these specifically in design and brand communication. When relaunching a major travel brand, for example, we were able to immediately increase the brand's appeal and willingness to pay just by slightly changing the color and type of the logo.

Neuromarketing is still a relatively new and complex topic for many. What simple principles or techniques could companies apply immediately to improve their marketing strategies?

There are many heuristics and biases* that people unconsciously apply when making purchasing decisions, for example the availability heuristic, where people make judgments based on the ease with which they can think of relevant examples, or the confirmation bias, where people tend to look for or interpret information that confirms their existing beliefs. These heuristics and biases are a good and low-threshold starting point without the need to use complex technologies.

In an increasingly digital world, consumers are constantly exposed to new stimuli. How can neuromarketing help a brand stand out from this flood of information and be remembered?

Through neuromarketing, we have gained a deep understanding of how processes take place in the brain - what the brain takes in and how it processes this information. We use this knowledge to develop campaign strategies that are precisely tailored to these neuronal mechanisms. While creatives and designers often used to rely on their gut feeling to design successful campaigns, we can now make well-founded and data-based design decisions thanks to neuroscientific findings.

Your presentation at Woohw! will certainly also deal with the ethical aspects of neuromarketing. How can companies ensure that they use this powerful tool responsibly and transparently?

This is a central point in our work. Despite all the technological possibilities and fascinating insights into the human brain, we must never lose sight of the human being. We strive to use our findings responsibly and strictly adhere to ethical standards. Our aim is to develop marketing measures that support and enrich people rather than manipulate them. This also means that we are constantly reflecting and developing our methods to ensure that people and their needs are always at the center. As an agency, we have a very clear position here: Enter tomorrow. Brave and safe. That is our promise. To our clients and to the society in which we live.

Neuromarketing expert Gesa Lischka will be appearing at the Woohw! event in Zurich on September 19. If you would like to find out more about the event online all information. As a media partner, m&k will be reporting on the event in detail.

* On the website Kochstrasse.agency/neuro/ the agency has listed 100 neuroinsights free of charge and explains how they can be applied to everyday marketing.

Zurich is regularly awarded top positions in numerous quality of life rankings. The city on the Limmat and the greater Zurich area are also attracting more and more tourists - measured in terms of overnight stays, 2023 was an absolute record year.

However, a pure focus on growth contributes neither to the quality of tourism nor to the quality of life of the population. Zurich tourism is entering a new era, characterized by innovation, high quality awareness and sustainability. "Zürich Experience" - initiated by Zürich Tourism as part of destination development and, according to its own information, the first Swiss city congress - addresses the opportunities and challenges and aims to promote dialog about the future of city tourism.

"The industry event will take place regularly in future and enable all parties involved in Zurich tourism to exchange ideas and transfer knowledge. In terms of content, our aim is to take a holistic and broader view of the concept of tourism," says Thomas Wüthrich, Director of Zürich Tourism.

The new corporate design for the congress is based on the corporate design of Zürich Tourism, which was also developed by Studio Marcus Kraft in 2017. For example, the corporate typeface created at that time is also being used. A new signet inspired by the flag of the city and the canton was designed. Eight triangles in "Züriblau" form a radiant, round, graphic symbol that will stand for the event in future.

"The appearance for Zürich Experience fits seamlessly into the existing appearance of Zürich Tourism. The fact that the new logo is made up of the Zurich flag is a consistent continuation of the citation of existing elements in the city," explains art director and designer Marcus Kraft.

The newly developed signet is expandable and can also be used as a pattern - this was particularly emphasized in the numerous moving image sequences throughout the event. The new look was implemented across a variety of print and digital media.

The event took place for the first time at the end of August 2024 at The Circle congress center at Zurich Airport with around 350 participants. The next edition of the congress will take place on August 26, 2025.

Responsible at Zürich Tourism: Thomas Wüthrich (Director), Janine Rupf (Head of Marketing), Anita Lutz (Manager Branding & Production), Tanja Cvetko (Project Manager Partner & Events), Kathrin Pfäffli (Lead Partner & Events). Concept, art direction, design, animation, sound: Studio Marcus Kraft.