The year 2024 is all about marketing effectiveness, because the proof of performance for successful marketing is back and focuses on what really counts: The effectiveness of communication and its value contribution to the company's success.

With the launch of the new Effie.ch websitewhich has been implemented in collaboration with Jung von Matt Tech in recent months, also marks the start of the Effie Year 2024. 12 tried-and-tested categories, which have been adapted and now focus on the relevant communication disciplines and challenges, can be submitted from March 11.

Before the "Call for Entries" starts, the sponsors are inviting all interested parties to an event on February 20, 2024. Online workshop "How to Effie" one. Dennis Hoffman, Managing Strategy Director at Jung von Matt Limmat, explains what is involved in a successful submission and what is important.

In addition, on March 5, 2024, Michael Selz, Managing Partner Insights & Strategy and Michel Bächtiger, Senior Manager Data & Business Development at Omnicom Media Group Switzerland, will present the Online workshop "Effie submissions for media agencies" carry out.

Zurich-based asset managers Survista employ around 15 people. The financial professionals attach particular importance to a personal relationship with their clients. "Our client wanted a website that would stand out within the industry and underline Survista's strong position as an established asset management company," explains Flo Wacker, Partner and Creative Director at PinkSquirrel.

The agency developed a new screen design and layout and programmed the site. The result is a modernized website designed for different channels with a strong visual language that showcases Survista's customer promise - far-sighted and prudent asset management and financial advice.

Responsible at Survista: Peter Gut, Reto Hubmann (project managers). Responsible at PinkSquirrel: Flo Wacker (Creative Direction), Cedric Schweizer (Art Direction), Thomas Ammann (Text), Dany Kielholz (Strategy), Flavia Salvisberg (Consulting Management), Joan Minder (Photo).

Kontaktstelle Wirtschaft Zug has commissioned the Zug-based agency Dynamite to develop the content for the new website and to take contemporary photos of the economic area in the canton of Zug. Various architectural and innovative company locations as well as the attractive working environment were captured in photographs.

Among other things, the website shows that the canton of Zug attracts international specialists. The architectural diversity, scenic beauty and recreational areas in Zug contribute to the quality of life.

Responsible at the Business Contact Point Zug: Beat Bachmann (Head); Thomas Fuchs (Deputy Head); Ursula Kottmann Müller (Media and Marketing); Yvonne Valentino (Office Manager). Responsible for Dynamite: Roger Bosshart (consulting and text); Ralitsa Ruseva (art direction); Aleksandra Wolkow (graphics); Fotosolar (photography).

The digital radio audience has been growing continuously since 2015, as reported by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) on Friday. Usage via DAB+ almost doubled from 23% to 41% in 2023. 39% listened to radio via IP (2015: 26%).

French-speaking Switzerland preferred reception via IP with 41%. In German-speaking Switzerland, reception via DAB+ predominated with 43%. 45% of the population listened exclusively to digital radio, 10% exclusively via FM. 31% used both. Twelve percent of the population never listened to the radio.

As a result, digital radio usage stabilized at a high level, according to Bakom. As new cars are equipped with DAB+ as standard, in-car use will also increasingly be digital.

Grace period for FM

In October, the Federal Council extended the FM radio licenses for the radio industry for the last time until the end of 2026, after which radio stations can only be broadcast digitally.

This gives radio stations the flexibility they want to complete the migration from analog to digital broadcasting. However, they can also end analog broadcasting earlier. Originally, FM should have been switched off at the end of 2024.

Ultra-short waves (VHF) are electromagnetic waves in a frequency range of 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), which corresponds to wavelengths between ten meters and one meter. (SDA)

The company announced on Friday after the end of the consultation process that it had been able to reduce the number of redundancies announced by 48 to 96, mainly through early retirement and continued employment at Ringier. A social plan will apply to all those affected.

Swissprinters announced in mid-January that it would be closing its printing plant for various Swiss magazines at the end of September (Werbewoche.ch reported). The reason given for the discontinuation was a constant decline in order income coupled with difficult economic prospects for the future.

The Syndicom trade union said in a statement on Friday that it regretted and criticized the definitive closure of the plant. It had called for the business to be continued in a smaller form. The printing plant had been the heart of the Ringier Group for decades.

Swissprinters, the subsidiary of Ringier (70 percent) and NZZ (30 percent), says it will contact customers and other printers to find follow-up solutions, preferably in Switzerland.

A tender is being prepared for the Ringier and NZZ Group magazines. Printers in Switzerland and abroad will be invited. It is hoped that as many orders as possible can be placed in Switzerland. (SDA)

In the Revue a selected health topic is presented in an easily digestible and in-depth way. The magazine provides information on current health topics and is intended to offer an insight into the wide range of medical services offered by the GZF.

The current Revue illustrates how relevant "movement" is for the human body. It is dedicated to the topic with a wide range of articles, fresh illustrations and atmospheric pictures. The magazine reflects on the human need for activity in different life situations - from a newborn baby to a senior citizen with a femoral neck fracture. An interview with the leading doctors at the Center for Movement reveals a look behind the scenes. Personal case studies and interviews with specialist therapists show how patients get back on their feet after accidents and operations.
The Basel agency is responsible for corporate publishing, the overall visual concept, the editorial design, the design of the infographics, illustrations and images, and provided further support to the editorial team.

In terms of content, the magazine aims to impress with a lively mix of topics and reader-friendly articles. On a visual level, dynamic image elements and a pedometer guide readers through the magazine. Further QR codes, exercise tips and questions for readers motivate them to be mentally and physically active. A series of images of the Rhine locates the health center in close proximity to this energetic body of water. Fresh pastel shades are intended to create lightness and a good mood.

With the continuous change in the media landscape and the increasing use of digital platforms, radio consumption via digital distribution channels is growing steadily. This makes it possible for radio stations to reach their target groups precisely via digital broadcasting in addition to linear broadcasting. In this context, Media Focus has taken this initiative in collaboration with Swiss Radioworld.

"Media Focus' decision to report the gross advertising volume of digital audio is an important step for our industry," said Ralf Brachat, Managing Director of Swiss Radioworld, in a press release. "I am convinced that this expansion represents a valuable contribution to the development of audio advertising. We at Swiss Radioworld are delighted to be part of this development and will continue to do so on behalf of radio stations in the future."

Read and watch here a current interview with Ralf Brachat.

Secure digital services for prisoners are only available in isolated cases in the correctional and reintegration institutions (Juwe), and the corresponding systems are outdated, the justice department announced on Thursday.

If internal procedures and rules are communicated in prisons, appointments made, purchases made, meals coordinated or requests made in up to 15 languages, employees and inmates would still communicate almost exclusively on paper. "This is where modernization should take place."

The aim of "SMAZH" is to provide prison staff with a modern tool for looking after those who have been committed to prison, according to the minutes of the government council meeting. A key feature is, for example, a modern translation function, thanks to which "idle time due to linguistic misunderstandings" is to be avoided.

Inmates should also benefit from digitalization: "The better they are prepared in prison for a crime-free life in freedom, the better their reintegration will be." Digital education and support in preparing for release - for example with job applications - can be a valuable help. The aim is to close the digital gap between prisons and the outside world.

An initial basic version is to be introduced in a pilot institution this year. Individual services will then be rolled out in stages.

According to the council minutes, the "project implementation costs" will total just under CHF 15 million by 2033. The expenditure is deemed to be committed. The renewal of the existing solution is a prerequisite for being able to carry out the execution of justice in accordance with the law, according to the government council. (SDA)

A quick message via WhatsApp, uploading references - and the new job is already lined up? For most companies, this is still a dream of the future. But more and more HR departments are turning to the popular messenger in their search for employees. Including very traditional sectors.

In Germany, the Bremen-based port logistics company BLG launched an initial test phase for applications via WhatsApp in January, initially for drivers and warehouse logistics specialists. Interested parties can scan a QR code with their smartphone and are taken directly to the WhatsApp application.

After all, according to BLG Head of HR Ulrike Riedel, WhatsApp is an everyday and natural means of communication for most people. They now want to use this for job applications too.

The private rail and bus operator Transdev is also planning to launch a pilot project this month. The first step will be to target bus drivers, says a spokesperson. The travel group Tui and the parcel service Hermes are also preparing similar trials, but have not yet given any dates.

WhatsApp often the first step

After scanning the QR code, applicants will have to answer a few predefined questions and can then send the application directly to the HR department via WhatsApp, a Transdev spokesperson explains the process. "The entire application process will therefore be possible via WhatsApp."

After that, however, the process continues in a different way: the company contacts the applicant by telephone again. At BLG, it should also be possible to upload references and CVs via WhatsApp.

Applications via WhatsApp are already in use at the DHL Group, which also includes Deutsche Post - albeit only in some regions, as a spokeswoman explains. The messenger has been used since 2019, but generally only to initiate contact.

"In our experience, it is an uncomplicated way of making contact, for example to clarify questions quickly," says the spokesperson. "The inhibition threshold seems to be lower than by phone or letter, especially for younger target groups."

This has also been the experience of the personnel service provider Manpower. They have been using WhatsApp to find employees since 2015. On average, 10 to 25 percent of applications are received via WhatsApp. A spokeswoman does not see any restrictions on certain professions.

Social media increasingly important for job applications

Overall, the use of social media in the search for employees has increased rapidly in recent years. According to the latest survey by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), 42% of all successfully filled positions in 2022 were also offered via social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp or Xing, usually in addition to other advertising channels. Social media was even the decisive recruitment channel for one in fourteen vacancies.

In 2015, only 15 percent of jobs were advertised on social media at all. In the meantime, social networks are already the fourth most important tool for finding employees after personal contacts, internet job exchanges and the company's own homepage.

However, WhatsApp is clearly not a panacea for the labor shortage. A tradesman from Oldenburg, who was one of the pioneers of WhatsApp applications in 2018, is now disillusioned to say the least.

Initially, the company was delighted and found a new trainee after just a few months. However, the head of the company reports that on average there was hardly more than one application per year via Messenger. And all of them came to nothing after initial enquiries. "As a result, we scrapped the whole thing again." (SDA)

With OneID, the Swiss publishers and their marketers Audienzz, CH Media, Goldbach and Ringier Advertising are jointly creating a basic technology in the form of a digital advertising ID. This enables advertisers to address Swiss users easily and without overlaps across publishers via programmatic buying platforms, which was previously only possible on the major international platforms.

According to the press release Refluenced the "world's first platform" to provide access to TikTok campaigns. This expansion reflects the adaptation to changing consumer behavior and the use of social media as a source of information. According to Forbes, more than 51% of Gen Z already prefer social media channels such as TikTok or Instagram to traditional search engines for information. An authentic and wide-reaching presence on these platforms is therefore a must for successful brands.

The expansion of Refluenced's offering comes "at the right time", according to the statement. TikTok is gaining massive popularity worldwide and has established itself as one of the leading platforms for storytelling and branding with one billion monthly active users. With the expanded offering, advertisers will be able to use TikTok's reach and user engagement efficiently and measurably for brand building and maintenance.

"Advertisers can attract several influencers for their advertising campaigns with little effort. New offers can be publicized quickly and effectively. Brands always remain authentic and credible, as the participating nano- and micro-influencers create the content themselves and in a media-friendly way," explains Quirin Hasler, co-founder and CEO of Refluenced. "In addition, the creative implementations can also be used by companies to promote their own channels."

With the ability to set up a campaign in less than ten minutes and the use of so-called "Spark Ads" to promote the best performing content, new standards for efficiency and effectiveness in influencer marketing are being set. "Our team has integrated the process of working with multiple influencers into a simple and clear data cockpit. This allows advertisers to consistently optimize campaigns for maximum impact based on verified performance data in real time," says Jonas Holzer, co-founder and CTO.

Platform expands to Germany

According to the company, Refluenced has quickly established itself as an indispensable tool for social media managers and contemporary brands. This is because the platform maximizes engagement and reach while saving time and resources.

Now the platform expands to GermanyRefluenced operates its first foreign office in Berlin and is working on customized offers for the German market.

In October 2023, Beat Hürlimann from Werbewoche.ch spoke with co-founders Quirin Hasler and Jonas Holzer. Click here for the interview.

The "NZZ Live" event format has developed successfully since its inception five years ago, according to an NZZ press release. As part of NZZ's continued growth strategy, the events and also the sponsorship and media partnership offers will be further expanded.

The newly formed "Partnerships & Live Events" division is professionally and organizationally embedded in the user market and will be managed by Ina Bauspiess. Silke Wolf will continue to manage and develop NZZ Live with her team and will report to Ina Bauspiess as deputy head of the newly created division. The strategic development of the newly created division will be driven forward together, the statement continues. Media partnerships and live events will be marketed in collaboration with the NZZone marketing organization.

Bauspiess studied German, French and Spanish in Cologne. After holding various professional positions in Germany, Ina Bauspiess has lived in Switzerland since 2007. Until the end of 2022, she worked for the Blick Group for a total of eight years, where her responsibilities included heading up Strategic Partnerships & Marketing. After completing her current role as Head of Marketing & Sponsoring of the UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling World Championships Zurich, she will join NZZ at the end of the year.