Since the company was founded 30 years ago, Ribag has been committed to developing the highest quality solutions for a demanding clientele. The company offers complete planning solutions: From the first project meeting to comprehensive lighting planning and project acceptance.

Ribag commissioned Erdmannpeisker with an online campaign for the product launch of the "Viorx" lamp. The campaign is aimed at (interior) architects and interior designers. The message: When designing a building, architects are faced with many decisions - Ribag wants to make this decision easier for them with the campaign.

The campaign is aimed at triggering sample orders and thus consultations for the product. The campaign is used on news portals and LinkedIn.

Responsible at Ribag: Melania Gehrig (Head of Marketing & Sales). Responsible at Erdmannpeisker: Gabriel Peisker (Creative Director), Jenny Ziörjen (Art Direction), Sybille Erdmann (Consulting), Christian Hungerbühler, Chantal Salzgeber from Designraum (Image), Mediaschneider Bern (Media Planning).

The rapid growth in recent years with numerous acquisitions has made the organization more complex, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. The Group's organization has not been able to keep pace with market developments. Management has therefore come to the conclusion that "certain deficits" in the organization need to be rectified.

Brands made more prominent

One measure is the renaming: the previous holding name Competec was less well-known to the public than the Brack and Alltron brands. The company will therefore also operate under these two names in future. Alltron as a brand for supplying retail customers and Brack.ch as a retailer for private and business customers will continue to be the company's primary front office.

In the background, however, the Group is making some changes. For example, the entire product range expertise of the various subsidiaries will now be bundled under the new Commercial division, while sales will be brought together in the Sales division.

Marketing reports to the management

Furthermore, the Group now reports directly to the Executive Board.

According to the press release, the current Competec CEO Stefan Fraude will remain head of the new organization. The current head of Competec Logistik, Thomas Gasser, will be appointed Chief Operations Officer for Brack Alltron. The current head of Alltron, Andrej Golob, will be in charge of sales for the entire company. Tobias Gründer, who was previously in charge of business process development, will become Chief Commercial Officer for the Group.

As previously announced, Roman Reichelt will also be joining the company in mid-September (Markt-kom.com reported). He will take over as Head of Marketing and Communications. The position of Head of IT has not yet been filled. Meanwhile, the previous CEO of Brack.ch, Marc Isler, is leaving the company at his own request, according to the press release.

In addition to the online retailer Brack.ch and the wholesaler Alltron, the Group also includes the home and living distributor Jamei, the private label manufacturer Furber, the logistics service provider Competec Logistik and the central services combined under Competec Service. More than 1,300 employees worked for the company at the end of 2023. Annual sales amounted to around 1.14 billion Swiss francs in 2023. (SDA/swi)

Business at RTL Group, the largest revenue generator, is running in line, with significant growth in other areas. The Gütersloh-based international media, services and education company named the book business Penguin Random House, the music division BMG, the service provider Arvato as well as the education and investment businesses.

Bertelsmann, with more than 80,000 employees worldwide, is primarily known for its media and book businesses. The portfolio includes RTL Group, including TV channels and magazines such as Star and Geo and the book publishing group Penguin Random House.

Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe said: "The growth rates in the first half of the year exceeded our expectations and we are confident that this positive development will continue in the second half of the year." He also told the German press agency DPA: "We are raising our Group forecast."

Group net profit above the billion threshold in 2023

The company did not provide exact figures or percentage growth for the year as a whole, but expects a significant increase in turnover and earnings. However, it could still result in a decline. The reason: Bertelsmann sold the Majorel call center services business and its shares to the DDV media group in Saxony.

In 2023 as a whole, turnover exceeded the 20 billion euro mark for the second time in a row and remained largely stable at the previous year's level of 20.2 billion euros. At 1.3 billion euros, Group profit was once again above the billion euro mark and increased compared to 2022, when it amounted to 1.1 billion euros.

In the first six months of 2024, Group sales fell by 7.5% year-on-year to EUR 9 billion - due to the sale of Majorel. Excluding this, organic sales growth amounted to 3.7%. The Group result rose by 60% to 416 million euros.

USA becomes biggest sales driver

The company from North Rhine-Westphalia operates internationally, and the USA has become increasingly important in recent years. "We make around 50 percent of our investments in the USA," Rabe told DPA.

These include the Fremantle production business, the book market, the music division, Arvato and the education business. "We have invested massively in the USA."

The USA has now become Bertelsmann's largest market. Rabe added: "This is a continuous development, not a snapshot." Looking to the future, he said, investments will be made in digital health in the US.

According to the company, the US share of sales in the first half of 2011 was 13.6%. In 2017, it was 20.7 percent. In the first half of this year, the figure was 28.4%. By comparison, the share of sales in Germany was 28.2%. (SDA/swi)

The measures in force from October include a uniform nationwide ban on sales to young people under the age of 18 and stricter advertising restrictions, for example on posters, on public transport, in cinemas, in publicly accessible buildings such as train stations and airports and on sports grounds. Tobacco products of all kinds may no longer be advertised there. Wherever there is already a smoking ban, this will now also apply to heated products and electronic cigarettes. There are also new pictorial warnings on tobacco packaging, for example.

In addition, the sponsorship of events with an international character or for an underage audience is no longer permitted, as the Federal Council announced on Wednesday. This includes music festivals, for example. The distribution of free samples is prohibited, as are competitions with corresponding gifts.

These nationwide rules are considered the minimum standard. The cantons can still issue stricter rules in the areas of advertising, sales promotion and sponsorship, as stated further.

The goal: better protection for minors

According to the Federal Council, the Tobacco Products Act is intended to protect the population, especially minors, from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine consumption. The sales ban in the Tobacco Products Act is intended to prevent minors from buying a product that is harmful to their health and becoming addicted to it.

Whether there will soon be further tightening is still uncertain. Parliament is currently debating the revision of the Tobacco Products Act. The reason for this is the "Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising" initiative, which was approved by the people and cantons in February 2022. It calls for tobacco advertising to be banned where it reaches children and young people.

According to the Federal Council's draft, advertising is to be banned in print media, at kiosks and, under certain conditions, on the internet and at festivals. The National Council and Council of States are struggling with implementation. A solution with majority support that conforms to the constitution is not yet in sight. (SDA/swi)

Konnex has been working with Salt, Switzerland's third-largest telecommunications provider, since fall 2023. As part of the collaboration, the Winterthur-based agency focuses on the planning, implementation and analysis of multichannel campaigns - both on a national and regional level.

Salt is an important addition to the Konnex team's portfolio, the agency writes in a press release. The agency will work with great enthusiasm and vigor to achieve the campaign goals and position Salt even more successfully in the Swiss market.

Orbiz offers smart solutions for modern flex offices that adapt seamlessly to the individual needs of tenants. Orbiz should be seen as a place that not only offers functional workspaces, but an entire work culture that supports and promotes the success of tenants.

The Zurich agency Wecatch created a branding for the Orbiz universe with the new website at its heart - followed by an OOH and digital campaign. The branding is based on a dynamic, flexible and consistent design language: bright, high-contrast colors ensure recognition and symbolize energy and innovation. The central metaphor of the orbit stands for movement, growth and networking. The design reflects Orbiz's adaptability and openness, with room for innovation and individual design.

A modern, clear font with typographic hierarchy ensures legibility and navigation. Dynamic, circular elements symbolize the journey in the Orbiz universe and convey movement and flexibility.

Website as flagship

The website was developed with a modern and user-friendly design that emphasizes the flexibility and efficiency of Orbiz's wide range of services. The user and brand experience was optimized with the launch of the website and the customer journey was simplified.

The visual concept developed for Orbiz combines a strong, recognizable brand identity with the adaptability needed to function across multiple locations. The bright colors, dynamic shapes and modern typography create an image that makes the Orbiz brand not only visually striking, but also deeply rooted and meaningful in terms of content.

Responsible at Pensimo Management: Bruno Fritschi (Head of Mandate / Portfolio Manager). Responsible at Immodea Solutions: Deborah Schaller (Marketing Lead), Daniel Hediger (Strategy). Responsible at Wecatch Creative Agency: Kevin Casado (strategy, consulting), Patrik Ferrarelli (consulting), Delia Guerriero (design lead), Lucia Trucchi (design), Anja Meier (design), Maria Galluser (design), Patrice Gerber (animation) Text: Markus Rottmann.

According to the NZZ, the new app offers an optimized product experience, innovative functions and personalization options. The app is geared towards reading habits, and an algorithm is trained while the app is being used to continuously adapt the content to the user. There are automatic summaries at article level, and topics and authors are also recommended for further reading and in-depth study.

In parallel, the premium subscription model "NZZ Pro" further expanded. In the areas of geopolitics, security policy, technology and the global economy, there is now "even more analytical depth". In addition to ad-free use, Pro subscribers also benefit from access to the digital editions of the New Zurich Newspaper and NZZ on Sunday in the new app. The NZZ VisionOS app, which can be used with the Apple Vision Pro, will also be launched in September.

"Following the strong growth of our digital subscriptions in recent years, around 80 percent of our print and digital subscribers now use the NZZ digitally," Johannes Boege, Chief Commercial Officer, is quoted as saying. "We therefore want to lead with the NZZ not only in terms of outstanding journalistic quality, but also in terms of the digital product experience. The launch of the new generation of apps and the expansion of our premium offer 'NZZ Pro' are important milestones in our digital transformation. Our valued subscribers to the printed NZZ will also benefit from this. For them, 'NZZ Pro' is now directly included in their subscription."

The new NZZ app replaces the previous news app in Switzerland and Germany. The app update will be rolled out in stages in the app stores and will be available in the next few days.

To demonstrate the taste of the new Ricola sweets on various levels, the campaign is based on a multi-sensory experience: in addition to sampling, the distribution areas are sprayed with a raspberry scent. This additional component is intended to immerse passers-by in a fruity atmosphere.

The spool promoters can be found at the largest Swiss train stations until the beginning of September, where they will be presenting the new Ricola creation.

Responsible at Ricola: Andrea Bonetti (Partnership & Events Manager). Responsible at Spool: Malin Lutz (project management), Marcel Brauchli (productions), Patrick Egg (logistics).

After working as a freelance journalist, Maximilian Fankhauser finally entered the world of journalism in 2021 with a diploma in journalism from Maz in Lucerne and a stage at CH Media. At BaselMedia, he completed the video journalism course at Maz.

Fankhauser is looking forward to his new role: "It is important to make a contribution to opinion-forming with independent online journalism for the region. At the same time, we also want to entertain users with good stories and further develop our still young portal Baseljetzt", the 27-year-old is quoted as saying in a press release.

"Maximilian Fankhauser knows the processes and synergies that can be used in a convergent media company. I'm looking forward to working with him," adds Editor-in-Chief Philippe Chappuis.

The independent BaselMedia Foundation operates the television station "Telebasel", and since January 2023 also the news platform Baselnow and since July 2024 the video manufactory Bildwerk Basel.

With the message "Din Platz i de Migros", the Migros Cooperative Eastern Switzerland wants to attract and interest future apprentices. To this end, Truestory produced a video in various formats that shows the variety of career opportunities in which an apprenticeship at Migros Ostschweiz can be completed.

These include professions such as retail, commercial, logistics and system catering, as well as plant management and textile care. The video portrays a total of ten professions presented by apprentices from Migros Ostschweiz - with dynamic edits set to a driving beat.

In addition, a single promotional video was produced for the retail trade professions at Migros Ostschweiz, which shows the everyday life of an apprentice with authenticity and humor.

Responsible at the Migros Ostschweiz Cooperative: Lea Dürst (Marketing Communications), Nicole Ramseier (Employer Branding), Desirée Egger (Head of Junior Staff Development). Responsible at Truestory: Konstantin Schmidt, Lukas Horst (project management). Production: Marco Egger, Milo Ruder, Luca Steiner, Philip Ziegler (Script).

Aargau is not a tourist canton, said an FDP spokesperson. The municipalities are free to introduce such a tax. However, this would contradict liberal ideas. The SVP spoke out against new taxes and fees. It was unnecessary to take francs out of visitors' pockets.

The SP, Center Greens and GLP spoke out in favour of the guest tax. The revenue could strengthen regional offers. Switzerland Tourism recognizes the tourism potential of the Aargau, said the SP. The canton still suffers from labels such as "highway canton" and "transit canton". Yet Aargau is a canton of spas and castles.

All praise for the beautiful Aargau

With a cantonal solution, the guest card could be valid for the whole of Aargau, a Mitte spokesperson stated. Guests should be able to benefit directly from the tax.

The Greens also praised the "beautiful canton of Aargau" and called for more self-confidence. Regional solutions are also needed. It should therefore be examined whether a legal basis for a canton-wide guest tax should be created.

Cantonal Councillor Dieter Egli (SP) said that Aargau has an incredible number of treasures, but that these are too little known. The offers would have to be coordinated in order to be able to offer more. Open questions should still be clarified.

Thermal resorts know tax

According to the cantonal government, the canton of Aargau counts around 800,000 overnight hotel stays per year - mainly business travelers. There are also many day visitors. The thermal spa towns of Rheinfelden, Bad Zurzach and Baden have municipal taxes for tourists.

Various cantons have introduced a guest tax in recent years. These include the cantons of Thurgau, Nidwalden and, a few years ago, the canton of Basel-Landschaft. (SDA/swi)

The IAA Swiss Young Professionals are associated with the IAA Swiss Chapter - they describe themselves as the "young guns of the International Advertising Association in Switzerland" and are an exclusive network for ambitious and knowledge-hungry young professionals under 35 from advertising clients, media companies and communication and advertising agencies. There are regular events for members with selected speakers on exciting topics. Members are also invited to attend the events of the IAA Swiss Chapter - the "Seniors".

Around 50 guests accepted the invitation of the IAA Swiss Young Professionals on Tuesday evening. The "seniors" enjoyed themselves together with the "juniors" at Seebadi Enge until late into the night. The focus of the event was on the extremely valuable exchange of ideas for the transformation of the industry.

Chantal Landis, Managing Director of the IAA Swiss Chapter, is more than satisfied with the evening: "The Young Professionals have held a very popular summer party for years - in the Rimini Bar. We have finally decided to organize a party again where the focus is on the young professionals." Landis is convinced that the need is there. "It can once again become a major event where everyone can come together and exchange ideas, network and benefit from each other." In general, the IAA does a lot to promote young talent - for example with "Speed Mentoring" in October.

Matthias Kiess takes the same line. The IAA President has had enough of "generational talk", because ultimately everyone is pursuing the same goals and facing the same challenges: "The only difference is how we deal with them. Senior citizens are shaped by experience - and it is precisely events like this that serve to foster mutual understanding," explains Kiess. "It's about giving young people access and showing them perspectives. Everyone can talk to each other openly, it's about encouragement, sometimes also about demands."