This convention, the first of its kind, will guarantee that artificial intelligence respects the legal norms of the Council of Europe with regard to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, was quoted as saying in a press release on Friday. The text remains unpublished at present.

The convention was drawn up by the 46 member states of the Council, other observer states, international organizations, companies, civil society and academia, according to the Council of Europe's website.

The committee was chaired by Thomas Schneider, Deputy Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). In the end, the will on all sides to draw up an agreement with global reach prevailed, Schneider told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

Swiss AI law not before 2025

The text must now be formally adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This will take place in the coming weeks, according to the press release. States will then be able to ratify the convention and implement it in national legislation.

To this end, the Federal Council commissioned an analysis from the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) in November 2023, Bakom announced at the time. Among other things, this should take into account the regulation of the Council of Europe and the European Union. The latter adopted an AI law on Wednesday.

The Swiss analysis should be available by the end of 2024, it was announced in November. Based on this, the Federal Council planned to issue a concrete mandate for an AI regulation bill in 2025. (SDA)

Marianne Schoch has many years of experience in fashion design and product management on both the corporate and agency side. After developing collections for brands in the sportswear sector as a designer, she headed up product management and the supply chain at Qwstion for five years. She now wants to expand her knowledge of brand management and communication.

Schoch has a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and an MAS in Product Management.

Recycling is an important part of the circular economy. Every year, around 126,000 tons of CO2 emissions are saved in Switzerland by recycling PET beverage bottles.

True to the theme #RecyclingHeroes, the soft drink Moonspring and PET Recycling Switzerland are launching a heroic awareness-raising video in collaboration with snowboard pro and Moonspring ambassador Nicolas Huber to mark Monday's "Global Recycling Day".

Nicolas Huber recycles during daring jumps and demonstrates in a spectacular way on the slopes of Laax that every, really every (moonspring) bottle can be recycled correctly: "For me as a snowboarder, clean mountains and untouched nature are the greatest good. By recycling PET bottles, I am actively helping the environment. I hope that many others will do the same. We can all be #RecyclingHeroes and help to keep our playing fields clean - and preserve them for future generations," says the professional snowboarder.

The campaign is currently running on Instagram, Meta and TikTok and can be seen on Monday as TopView on TikTok with the new SuperLike technology. With the Raffle The #RecyclingHeroes campaign "Win 1 year's supply of Moonspring now" also uses gamification to raise awareness of recycling in a fun way.

Responsible for PET Recycling Switzerland: Sharon Lehmann (Marketing/Communications). Responsible for Tresch Athlete Management. Tobias Tresch (Video). Responsible at Trivarga: Rebecca Wicki, Sven Hug, Marco Hübner, Kay Schmid, Silvio Porcelli, Cyril Schicker (Marketing/Creation).

The media platform follows the principle of writing honest texts - driven and inspired by its community. "Let's be honest" wants to address all topics relating to parenthood openly and without taboos. Creating an "honest" brand world was therefore the logical consequence. The fact that the name says it all is also reflected in the unusual use of the logo: Complemented by a colon, it integrates directly into strong statements or sub-brands.

"The English 'me' in the short form of the logo is no coincidence. The key to a happy family life often lies in parents' self-care," says Selina Eugster, Creative Director at Solid Identities and responsible for the new brand identity on the agency side.

Comprehensive rebranding

The rebranding project included support in the naming process, the development of the entire brand identity including the logo, social media formats, the UX design of the new website with a concept store and the development of the digital guidelines. The brand values of self-confident, familiar, honest, empathetic and humorous were translated into an independent and high-quality brand identity that conveys and supports the luminosity of this company.

Distinctive appearance

With the colon as a symbol and the animated pictograms formally derived from it, a strong color scheme and a modern font, "Mal ehrlich" aims to communicate with an unmistakable and approachable language. With this appearance, the brand is equipped for future requirements and needs of the community. At the same time, it is a reflection of the company, its values and attitude.

"Our aim was to develop a brand toolbox that could honestly communicate its incredible range of formats and content. The new website needed to be lively and easy to use without sacrificing the consistency of the brand," continues Eugster.

Responsible at Mal ehrlich: Rebecca Krausse (Management / Project Management Rebranding), Anja Knabenhans (Head of Content), Andrea Jansen (Strategy and Development). Responsible at Solid Identities: Selina Eugster (Creative Direction), Levin Bissig (UX & Motion Design), Séverine Telley (Brand Design), Elmar Müller (Naming).

The "UBS Kids Cup" is the most successful youth sports project in Switzerland. A triathlon consisting of a 60 m sprint, long jump and ball throw encourages children between the ages of 7 and 15 to develop the basic forms of movement that are fundamental to all sports. Through local competitions, the kids qualify for the Swiss final at Letzigrund Stadium, which takes place after the legendary Weltklasse Zürich athletics meeting. UBS and Swiss Athletics have created a 365-day platform that makes athletics more successful in the long term and raises the reputation of UBS in all regions of Switzerland to a new level. Over 1.7 million kids and millions of adults have become part of the community since the launch in 2011.

"The UBS Kids Cup is a unique success story in the Swiss sponsorship landscape. The initiative by Weltklasse Zürich and Swiss Athletics has become the largest national platform for young talent and popular sports. It has permanently changed Swiss athletics and also the reputation of UBS," says Urs Wyss, jury president of the Sponsoring Excellence Award and member of the board of Sponsoring Switzerland, in recognition of the winning project.

Four special prizes and an audience award

The eight-member independent jury scrutinized all 23 projects submitted, paying particular attention to the criteria of innovation, relevance, creativity and impact. As in the previous year, many projects achieved high scores, which led to four special prizes being awarded to BKW, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd, Die Mobiliar and BLS.

Special prices Pioneer

• Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd - NEXT: NEXT promotes interdisciplinary research into megatrends in the arts, science and technology with the aim of stimulating innovation and promoting dialog between generations.
• Mobiliar - Indoor sports commitment: Mobiliar joined the company in 2013 with an innovative approach to sponsoring the four indoor sports of floorball, handball, volleyball and basketball and is now an integral part of the "indoor sports ecosystem".

Special price Responsibility

• BKW - sustainability partner in snow sports: BKW is committed to promoting more sustainable snow sports, together with Swiss-Ski and other partners and for generations to come.

Special price Surprise:

• BLS AG - Hockey partnership: With the new field hockey train, BLS has been a partner of the four ice hockey clubs on its network (SC Bern, HC Fribourg-Gottéron, EHC Biel-Bienne, SCL Tigers) since the start of the season.

Of the 23 projects submitted, the 13 nominated for the main prize and the special prizes were presented live to the large audience at the Zurich Kunsthaus. More than 250 people from the Swiss sponsorship scene voted online for the first time for the Audience Award. PostFinance Top Scorer. The concept has existed since 2002 and pays money into the junior coffers of the ice hockey clubs. Over the years, the project has been specifically activated and expanded.

20 Minuten has for the first time comprehensive journalistic guidelines and makes them accessible to the general public. On the one hand, the guidelines explain the journalistic principles that 20 Minuten follows, such as how it deals with sources, research, the involvement of the 20 Minuten community and how it handles advertising and artificial intelligence. At the same time, they also show how 20 Minuten deals with the three major social challenges relating to news consumption: content overflow and news fatigue, misinformation and disinformation, and filter bubbles.

Because information is now available around the clock via countless channels, people are constantly overwhelmed, which is referred to as "content overflow". In addition, many people have developed news fatigue due to the pandemic and the ongoing wars. At the same time, the problem of misinformation and disinformation is more relevant than ever because everyone can create content and reach an audience of millions in a matter of seconds with sometimes unverified content. In addition, audiences today often operate in filter bubbles in which their own opinions are confirmed rather than questioned.

In this context, 20 Minuten wants to emphasize the growing importance of journalism and the traditional media. Because "independently and correctly informed citizens are the prerequisite for a functioning direct democracy", according to a press release.

Neutral, compact journalism with entertainment value

Against this backdrop, 20 Minuten has expanded its traditional news sections, strengthened its reporting from the Federal Parliament and introduced a fact-checking task force. Reporters are also increasingly reporting from abroad. The Lifestyle and Entertainment teams provide inspiring and entertaining elements to counteract news fatigue.

This offering, which is "politically neutral and independent" and represents the "entire spectrum of opinion in a balanced way", is intended to reach the whole of society. The aim is to enable readers to form their own opinions and participate in social discourse.

"We are delighted that we are now making our journalistic guidelines transparently accessible to the general public. Fake news, filter bubbles and preachy words have no place at 20 Minuten. Instead, there is verified news, different opinions and balanced, ideology-free reporting. And of course: lots of entertainment and inspiration," says 20-MinutesEditor-in-chief Désirée Pomper quoted.

Internal training and further education program established

The internal training program "20 Minuten Academy" has also been set up to further strengthen the skills of the editorial team and the quality of reporting. The more than 25 regular courses are mostly short and compact and cover important topics for the editorial team, from fact-checking and titling to an introduction to photography or creating infographics.

The courses are all led by employees who have in-depth expertise in the respective area. Participation is open to all interested employees from 20 minutes. Interns attend all parts of the course in order to complete their practical training with a solid theoretical foundation. The 20 Minuten Academy is led by Sofie Erhardt, Head of Visual & People Lead, and Gaudenz Looser, Deputy Editor-in-Chief.

A word as old as mankind. So let's start with Adam and Eve. The literal translation of the term creator means maker or creator. Creatures that have created, brought forth or shaped something significant. Wasn't that God? Yes. At least that's what is believed in certain circles. These circles used to gather en masse in churches. These are the large houses with a tower, clock and bells that can be found in every village. Storytelling was practiced there on a grand scale. Stories like that of Adam and Eve, the first human couple and therefore, according to tradition, the progenitors of all humans. God, the Creator, first created Adam and then his counterpart, Eve, from his rib. So the tradition goes.

Most people who believe this Adam and Eve story can reconcile it with natural science and the theory of evolution. Despite certain uncertainties. Not so the so-called creationists: they interpret the Bible literally and therefore consider the theory of evolution to be blasphemy. Creationists therefore also doubt the age of dinosaur fossils, among other things. And still others believe that Charles Darwin compiled everything essential on the subject of evolution in 1859 that is relevant today. And then there are those who believe nothing at all, because for them it's all "fake".

Not everything that is created is relevant

Back to the "creator", or also called "influencer". Fortunately, they are not creationists. Even if they sometimes behave like one. "My followers" or "my community" sounds quite religious. Creators are people who create content on social media that is then viewed by as many other people as possible. Most of them belong to GenZ. It's no wonder that being a creator is such a popular career choice among the under-30s. Everyone wants to be a creator. Preferably on the side. Alongside their job, studies, school and so on. Because: content is king. And if that's the case, then female content creators are therefore queens. In fact, many of the successful creators are female and easily manage three million likes on Insta and like to trumpet this to the world in their podcasts, on their YouTube channels or in the comments. Much to the annoyance of the old kings in the dusty editorial offices.

The fact that content is king was already echoing like a canon through the corridors and canteens of media companies in the noughties, and yet at the same time more and more jobs were being cut in a rhythmic quarterly cycle. First of all, the seasoned, noble feathers - mostly old and male - were replaced by child soldiers. Yes, that was the arrogant and disrespectful term used by print editors - rarely female editors - when talking about their younger, digital counterparts. In other words, those online journalists who tackled research and texts in such a way that they were cool, casual or cringeworthy and not well-founded, proofread and bulletproofed. They generated clicks and likes - and that was a stronger currency than readership figures. This activity was also known as clickbaiting. Today it's more like SEO optimization. Or content creation, done by content creators.

So it's no wonder that the last dinosaurs in the editorial offices are amazed at the success of these young, mostly female creators and comment caustically on their actions in their remaining columns. Perhaps editorial dinosaurs and creators would do well to take themselves a little less seriously and admit that they have both simply created, produced or designed something. Whether this is significant or not can then be judged later by the Gamma and Delta generations.

* Benno Maggi is co-founder and CEO of Partner & Partner. He has been eavesdropping on the industry for over 30 years, discovering words and terms for us that can either be used for small talk, pomposity, excitement, playing Scrabble, or just because.

From January to the end of March 2024, Vaudoise Insurance will sponsor the national weather forecast "Meteo" on RTS, SRF and RSI, which will be communicated with sponsorship trailers, among other things. Based on the new communication concept developed by the agency, the trailers combine a playful tone with branding featuring the color green and the "Vaudoise" speech bubble.

Short motion design animations are intended to ensure dynamism so that the sponsorship always catches the eye of the weather forecast's loyal audience. In order to leave a lasting impression, Franz&René has designed different intros and outros for the months of January, February and March, each based on the weather.

Responsible at Vaudoise Insurance: Aurélia Guillot, Marine Lintanf (Communication & Branding). Responsible at Franz&René: Valérie Pecalvel (Strategic Direction), Luciano Gerber (Client Service Direction), Vincent Eichenberger (Client Service Direction & Digital), Sascha Schilt (Senior & Digital Consultant), Eric Kohler (Art Direction), Stéfanie Flückiger (Graphic Designer), Yannic Sommer (Graphic Designer), Audrey Grossenbacher (Graphic Designer), Clara Bragagnini (Account executive). Motion Design: Giant Ant.

The large chamber approved the bill on Thursday by 175 votes to 12 with two abstentions. The no votes came from the SVP parliamentary group. The Council also approved a total of around one hundred million francs for the development and operation of the necessary systems. The bill now goes to the Council of States.

In the National Council, the tenor was that the new bill was much better than the previous one. The Federal Office of Justice had drawn the right conclusions from the defeat in 2021. It was also good that the opponents of the bill at the time had been included in the drafting of the new bill.

There was talk of a "mature proposal" (Maya Bally, AG, on behalf of the Center Group), "significant improvement" (Min Li Marti, ZH, SP Group) and "very good proposal" (Sibel Arslan, BS, Green Group).

E-ID: Free and voluntary

In 2021, the first e-ID law clearly failed at the ballot box after a referendum was held against it. Security concerns were the deciding factor for the people's "no" vote, according to post-voter surveys. At the time, the Federal Council still wanted to leave the issuing of the e-ID to private individuals.

The new E-ID Act has been fundamentally redesigned, said Justice Minister Beat Jans in the National Council. According to the new bill, the Federal Office of Information Technology and Telecommunications will provide the trust infrastructure required for the e-ID. The Federal Office of Police will be responsible for issuing the e-ID.

Jans went on to say that great importance had been attached to decentralized data storage in the design: personal data would be stored on the E-ID user's cell phone. There they are protected in multiple ways. Regular checks of the system, including by external parties, are planned.

The E-ID will be free of charge and voluntary - it will not replace the current identity cards or passports. It could also be used by people with disabilities. It is planned that the E-ID will be available online, but also at passport offices.

"The aim is for us to be able to identify ourselves securely and easily in the virtual world from 2026," said Jans. This will make life easier for everyone and save time. According to parliamentary documents, one specific use case is ordering an extract from the criminal record electronically or providing proof of age when buying alcohol in a store.

Foundation for digital transformation

The Federal Council also wants the state infrastructure created for the purpose of the e-ID to be available to cantonal and communal authorities as well as private individuals. In future, it should also be possible to manage documents such as confirmations of residence, business register extracts and diplomas as digital proof on a smartphone.

In presenting its proposal in November 2023, the Federal Council wrote that the Confederation was thus creating the basis for Switzerland's digital transformation.

According to the Federal Council, anyone who wants an e-ID will have to download an app on their smartphone and scan a Swiss-issued ID document using a camera. A selfie must then be uploaded. The Federal Office of Police must then check the authenticity of the information.

Several amendments approved

The National Council approved several of the Commission's amendments without discussion after they were adopted. These amendments are intended to further increase the protection of personal data and emphasize the role of the federal government. The detailed debate on the bill was thus over in a flash.

Specifically, the Commission is calling for an expansion of the e-ID architecture to ensure anonymous identification, for example to enable anonymous online proof of age.

It also wants the source code of the trust infrastructure software to be published in full and the Confederation to publish disclosure guidelines. (SDA/swi)

The "App Gelenkt?" campaign implemented by the Zug-based agency Agentmedia was launched on Wednesday with a clear message about greater safety on the roads of the canton of Zurich. The aim is to raise public awareness of the risks of distraction caused by smartphones in road traffic. The Prevention Department of the Zurich Cantonal Police developed this initiative in close collaboration with Agentmedia in order to reach drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.

The website App-guided.ch serves as the central information platform for the campaign, which aims to raise awareness among road users over the next three years. This is taking place against the backdrop of the road accident statistics presented on Wednesday: a slight increase in the number of accidents was recorded in 2023, but also shows a decline in serious injuries and fatalities on the roads. Vulnerable road users are particularly affected, which underlines the urgency of the campaign.

Innovative approaches and clear messages

"App Gelenkt?" aims to captivate with a creative and appealing way of communicating. A clever play on words between "distraction" and "app" combined with powerful visuals - be it car, bike or pedestrian - conveys the core message of the campaign in a catchy yet profound way. The use of the "smiley" icon is intended to add a humorous touch without undermining the serious subject matter.

The campaign aims to strike a balance between entertainment and education by using a wise but not instructive tone and portraying the police in a sympathetic role. Posters in all municipalities of the canton and practical give-aways for safe cell phone stowage while driving, as well as postcards with a QR code link to the landing page, further enhance the impact of the campaign.

Campaign management: Zurich Cantonal Police, Prevention Department. Concept, design and development: Agentmedia. Illustration: Patrick Oberholzer.

In a world where art is redefining the boundaries of what is possible, LUKB and Grip want to set an example of innovation and accessibility. Together, their latest initiative brings together the vibrant energy of street art and the progressive dynamics of cryptocurrencies to simplify access to digital currencies.

Luzerner Kantonalbank enables the trading and safekeeping of a selected range of cryptocurrencies directly via its own custody account. According to the bank, this innovative concept makes "complicated processes such as the use of wallets and private keys superfluous" and opens the door to "revolutionarily simple" crypto investments.

In close collaboration with the agency Grip, a campaign was created that links this initiative with the vibrant world of street art. "Street art is a symbol of new beginnings, new things and, ultimately, revolution," explains Florian Steiner, Senior Art Director at Grip. This quote sums up the core of the campaign, which uses playful and artistic motifs to symbolize the easy accessibility and democratization of cryptocurrencies. A goal that LUKB is pursuing with its new offering.

"The innovative dynamics during the development phase and the opportunity to test new concepts in collaboration with Grip were extremely enriching for us," says Marco Brütsch, Head of Marketing Sales at LUKB. "We are certain that we have really picked up on the target group with this campaign. The initial feedback has already been very positive."

Since the beginning of March, this communication has been rolled out via social media, the company's own channels and a targeted digital campaign. The digital campaign includes various ways of reaching the young and affine target group. Prominent and innovative formats such as the Hypercube or the Vertical Scroller are being used.

Responsible at LUKB: Marco Brütsch (Head of Marketing Sales), Corinne Steiner (Project Manager Marketing). Responsible at Grip: Daniel Schranz (CD), Florian Steiner (Concept/Art Direction), Patrick Meyer (Text), Gina Armellino (Consulting). Image processing: Süsstrunk. Animation: Spin Animation. Media: Stefanie Mayr (DotKom Digital Communication).

The company insists that the aim of the law is to ban the app in the US, while US politicians emphasize that they merely want to ensure that Chinese authorities cannot influence Tiktok in a way that harms American interests. The company and its parent company Bytedance deny all allegations.

The bill could lead to Tiktok being banned from American app stores if there is no change of ownership. It was passed by a large majority in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday and must now pass the Senate, the second chamber of parliament. President Joe Biden has already indicated that he will sign it.

300,000 jobs at risk

Shou Chew pointed out that the law would give "a handful of other social media companies" more influence. The Tiktok boss also claimed that the bill would jeopardize 300,000 jobs in the USA. His company often points out that small businesses use the service for advertising. Tiktok claims to have 170 million users in the USA.

It is still unclear whether the bill will receive sufficient support in the Senate. In the House of Representatives, a cross-party majority of Republicans and Democrats came together with 352 votes to 65. In the Senate, where Biden's Democrats hold a narrow majority, there are supporters and critics of the bill on both sides.

Concerns about freedom of speech

One of the concerns is that a ban on Tiktok could be challenged on the basis of the freedom of speech enshrined in the US constitution. This is why Donald Trump once failed in court as US President in his attempt to force a change of ownership at Tiktok. And it is also why a prohibition law in the US state of Montana is currently on hold.

Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said this week that the issue is not a Tiktok ban, but a change of ownership. He then asked the rhetorical question: "Do we want Tiktok as a platform to be owned by an American company - or owned by China?"

Tiktok rejects all concerns and emphasizes that it does not see itself as a subsidiary of a Chinese company. After all, Bytedance is 60 percent owned by Western investors and the company is based in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. Critics counter that the Chinese founders hold a 20 percent stake thanks to higher voting rights and that Bytedance has a large headquarters in Beijing. (SDA)