At the bottom line, profits even jumped from 4.6 billion dollars a year ago to 14 billion dollars. Meta set the quarterly dividend at 50 US cents.

At the same time, the Group continues to spend a lot of money on the development of virtual worlds and the devices for them. The operating loss of Reality Labs rose to 4.65 billion dollars from 4.3 billion dollars a year earlier. Meanwhile, the division's turnover rose from 727 million to just under 1.1 billion dollars.

Investors had repeatedly expressed concern that Meta was spending too much money on a technology with uncertain profit prospects. The doubts became stronger at times last year when the online advertising business as a whole slowed down. However, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg had already reiterated at the time that he saw the future in the Metaverse and would therefore keep investments high.

However, investors greeted the latest figures with enthusiasm. The Meta share price rose by over twelve percent at times in after-hours trading.

Facebook now has 2.11 billion daily active users. And 3.19 billion users access at least one of the Group's apps every day. Meta also includes Instagram and WhatsApp, among others. (SDA)

Although Gonon is regarded as an inventor and pioneer in the field of EPS insulation materials, the almost 100-year-old company itself is still little known and has to assert itself against the two dominant Swiss market leaders. Gonon therefore needs a new communicative bracket to position itself as a brand for the future. And an attention-grabbing campaign to differentiate Gonon in a competitive environment and create more visibility among the relevant target groups in the construction industry.

Positioning in a nutshell

From the very beginning, founder Monsieur Gonon focused on independent product development and pioneering innovations. Today, the company continues to live this inventive spirit just as consistently, as demonstrated by several world firsts. This high level of expertise and the great commitment of all employees are immediately noticeable in the factory: they identify one hundred percent with their mission. No one in Switzerland knows EPS better and does more for it. In short: Gonon are the EPS experts: inventive, committed, unique.

Small beads big time

Because the product always takes center stage at Gonon, this should also be the case in the advertising. Because there is also enough to tell about it. The communication therefore focuses entirely on the product and zooms in on every detail. The properties of the various Gonon innovations are dramatized using individual EPS granules. In this way, Gonon's inventive spirit is also conveyed directly through the product. The EPS beads become the stars of the campaign, bringing together all of Gonon's know-how. The casual tonality is also intended to ensure that Gonon not only convinces on a factual level, but also conveys its expertise as entertainingly as possible - and thus stands out in the B2B environment.

A well-rounded appearance on all channels

The new, self-confident image is being launched at the same time as the redesigned website. At the start of the campaign, several motifs bring the product diversity and EPS expertise to life - in addition to EPS qualities, topics such as recycling management, integrated fire protection and moisture control are dramatized.

The campaign is present on all communication channels - as header subjects on the website, as social media posts, as advertisements in specialist media and as product flyers for direct contact. The two animated product films for the EPS world premiere are a particular highlight.

The strategy, concept, art direction, photography and texts for the campaign were created entirely by TBS. The explanatory films were realized with Frame Eleven.

Due to demographic change and longer life expectancy, pension provision is under pressure worldwide. Many OECD countries have therefore already linked the retirement age to life expectancy or will be introducing such a mechanism in the next few years. Due to demographic trends, the AHV is running up more and more debt. Future generations will have to pay for these debts. "We want future generations to still receive an AHV. That's why we are giving future generations room for their dreams," explains Marcel Schuler from Campaigneers.

The commercials were produced by Studio Nord. The direct address "I want to be an astronaut one day. And then a pensioner" is intended to convey closeness and show that there is still a time after working life. The campaign relies on high-quality visuals to present the concerns of future generations as clearly as possible. The films should appear authentic and convey the positivity and emotions of the children.

The campaign videos were presented to the media at the national media conference in Bern on Thursday and will be played online throughout Switzerland from Friday.

Responsible at Campaigneers: Marcel Schuler (Managing Director & Campaign Manager Pension Initiative). Responsible at Studio Nord (production): Nadja von Burg, Valentin Kathriner (film production and direction).

Netflix is not planning any restrictions on in-house productions, even though Hollywood studios are once again offering more of their films and series to the streaming market leader. "That doesn't make me change my mind at all," Netflix manager Bela Bajaria, who is responsible for content, told journalists. The service regards the catalog titles of other studios as a supplement to its own program.

In recent years, Hollywood studios have tried to withhold their films and series exclusively for their own streaming services. This was intended to entice viewers to subscribe to them. The calculation only worked to a limited extent. Most of Netflix's streaming competitors are in the red - even though Disney+, for example, has gained millions of users thanks to expensive Star Wars and Marvel series. However, Netflix remains the number 1 in streaming with around 260 million user households.

The financial situation of some Hollywood studios' streaming offerings and the continued dominance of Netflix have recently led to a turnaround in their behavior. They are once again prepared to show more series and films on the market leader, where they can find many viewers. For example, the series "Suits", which was actually completed years ago, recently became a surprise hit on Netflix once again.

Industry observers wondered whether Netflix would use this situation to take fewer risks by investing in its own programming with an annual content budget of around 17 billion dollars. But Bajaria has now rejected this idea.

Even the latest exclusive deal with the American wrestling league WWE only ties up a small part of the expenditure, she calculated. Three hours of live broadcasts per week - that corresponds to the cost of "a few films and a series or a few series and a film".

At the same time, Bajaria showed little interest in showing more Netflix-produced films in cinemas. The service will always remain focused on ensuring that its customers find films on the Netflix platform that interest them, she said when announcing highlights of the Netflix program for 2024 on Thursday. According to media reports, outgoing Netflix film boss Scott Stuber has been pushing for more films to be released in cinemas first in recent years. (SDA)

Have you ever wondered why there are people and institutions that have a tiny blue tick to the right of their profile on social media? Influencers, celebrities and large companies have them, for example. The former celebrate it like a crowning glory and show it off like others with their vintage cars or watches. The difference: you can't buy blue checkmarks. It simply means that the account is verified. This means that the account is legitimate and belongs to the person or company that it claims to be. So far so good, that would be all of us, except for a few lurkers or other miscreants on the net.

But why don't mere mortals also have a blue tick? It is only reserved for high-profile accounts, i.e. profiles of influencers, celebrities or global brands. Meta, Tiktok and X determine who is one of them.

Everyone knows Tiktok. They're the evil Chinese who spy on us while we endlessly scroll through videos. But who is Meta? It's not the mysterious higher level, the level that people like to refer to when they don't know what to do next. No, it's the company of that guy who still believes in the future of connection in the metaverse.

And what the hell is X? The platform of the madman who shot down the blue bird last year, and which nobody has known what to say about since then. With a paltry 250 thousand users, it may be a lightweight, but it is still of great importance because of a user that everyone knows and who may soon be ruling a world power again.

Private or blue - you can't have both

Meta, Tiktok and X therefore filter who of the 2.7 billion Facebook, 1.92 billion Tiktok and 1.33 billion Instagram users meets the following requirements. In order to be verified on social media, certain criteria must be met. The first criterion for Instagram, for example, is that the account must be public. It is therefore not possible to set a limit that only those who are invited to see the posts can do so if you are aiming for a blue tick. But that is not enough. In addition to authenticity and completeness (profile picture, bio, website link), regularity (when posting and interacting with others) also counts.

You also need a certain number of followers, namely at least 10,000 on Instagram. Tiktok, on the other hand, does not care who follows you, as the number of followers is not decisive for verification. Instead, if a person or brand is of public interest - i.e. mentioned in various news sources, for example - a blue tick is also awarded.

So anyone who has applied for verification using an application form and waits a few days or weeks until he or she perhaps receives the blue tick can then rejoice. He or she is then admitted to the Olympics of social media.

Is it worth it? Yes, because a verified account gives you access to certain functions such as exclusive filters and analysis tools that can help you better understand target groups and gain more followers. So stop joking about people celebrating their blue tick like others celebrate their new electric Porsche.

It's better to make fun of why it's called a blue hook when the hook is actually white. Only the background is blue.

* 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.

The startup Cada Fertility has set itself the task of providing empathetic and goal-oriented support to people who want to have children, making every step transparent. As CMO, Daniel List will support the team and use his wealth of experience from many years in marketing. List was previously Vice President Marketing working for BexioHe gained further experience in marketing in various positions at Coop - including the development of the Mondovino brand - and Orell Füssli Thalia.

List's extensive experience in marketing will "definitely benefit the start-up". Founder Benedikt Förster is delighted with the appointment: "As the development of Cada is medically complex, we are particularly pleased to have gained an expert in the areas of strategic brand development/management, digital business models, data-driven marketing, content marketing and patient journeys in Daniel List."

The practice with diagnostic laboratory was opened in Zurich in December, while the fertility clinic is still under construction.

Together with the founders and the core team of Bauernschänke, which includes the Neue Taverne and Neumarkt restaurants as well as the restaurant of the same name, Branders has defined the brand identities for the new restaurants Brasserie Süd and The Counter. Both are based on the existing philosophy of creating inspiring culinary experiences and constantly setting new trends in Zurich's gastronomic landscape. While Brasserie Süd is dedicated to an urban flair inspired by French and international influences, The Counter aims to enrich Zurich's haute cuisine.

The brand identity of Brasserie Süd is inspired by the location and its atmosphere. The colors and fonts harmonize with the historic architecture and the newly created modern elegance of the space. The cosmopolitan ambience with its dynamic hustle and bustle that characterizes this meeting place in the heart of Zurich inspired the curved lines that characterize the corporate design as a design element in various forms.

The brand design for The Counter also creates a design reference to the interior architecture: the characteristic shape of the counter that gives the brand its name is echoed in the obtuse angle that makes the logo's lettering unmistakable and is used as a recurring design element in various applications. The dark color palette is intended to underline the dignified sensuality that also accompanies the culinary experience.

Both brand designs therefore have a high degree of independence, whereby the creative inspiration for both was derived from their immediate spatial environment.

Responsible at Bauernschenke: Valentin Diem (Partner); Nenad Mlinarevic (Partner, Creative Director); Sue Dervichian (CEO); Muriel Steenhaut (Project Management). Responsible at Branders: Thea Ferretti (DirectorCommunications), Philippe Knupp (Strategy Director), Sarah Hepp (Senior Brand Designer), Andrea Bissig (Senior Brand Designer).

By reducing the reception fee per year and household from the current CHF 335 to CHF 300 from 2029, the Federal Council wants to offer "a kind of counter-proposal" to the so-called halving initiative. In addition, 60,000 companies are to pay less. The consultation on amending the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO) ended on Thursday.

SRG assumes that the reduction in fees will lead to a reduction in revenue of around CHF 240 million and a reduction of around 900 SRG jobs in all regions.

According to SRG, the measure would also have an impact on sports coverage at major events. The number of Swiss series and films supported and the number of cultural events broadcast would have to be reduced.

Swiss Olympic also described the Federal Council's plans as a "threat to SRG's sports reporting and therefore to Swiss sport as a whole". The loss of media visibility for sports would also have consequences for sports promotion, sponsorship and national cohesion.

Quality of public service at stake

For the media unions Syndicom and SSM, the planned cuts would fundamentally jeopardize the quality of the public media service. Switzerland would run the risk of providing the population with less and less reliable, critical and independent journalism. Swiss film and music production and the entire cultural sector would also be affected.

The smaller, independent media, which have joined forces in the association Media with a Future VMZ, warn that any weakening of the SRG would have "drastic consequences for Switzerland as a media center, the political system and society". This is because the SRG ensures that all linguistic and peripheral regions of Switzerland have access to independent, high-quality information.

For the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP), a reduction in the household and corporate fee is only acceptable if private media are not affected.

For the Swiss Media Publishers Association (VSM), the focus of the discussion is not on the level of fees, but on SRG's online offering. It is calling for SRG to limit this and focus more on non-commercial offerings such as culture and fringe sports in its linear programming. Should the fees be reduced, this should not weaken cooperation with the private media and should not be at the expense of regional TV and radio providers.

Clarity is required

Swisscopyright, an association of Swiss collecting societies such as Pro Litteris, Suisa and Suissimage, expressed concern "about tendencies to successively dismantle the public service" and thus to curtail or call into question the services of creative artists. Swiss artists are dependent on substantial cooperation with the SRG. If the fees were to be reduced, it would be necessary to determine, among other things, how the SRG should fulfill its mandate in the area of culture.

The umbrella organization of the film and audiovisual industry Cinésuisse recommends leaving the household levy at CHF 335 in view of the "already strained financial situation of the SRG".

Trade unions, the SP and the Greens criticize the fact that the Federal Council's proposal would further weaken the Swiss media in the midst of the media crisis. Diverse media with high-quality reporting are essential for a democracy. The proposed cuts would also jeopardize numerous local radio and television stations in all language regions and offerings for minorities.

The GLP also rejects the proposed partial revision of the RTVO as unsuitable and premature and calls for a serious and well-founded discussion of the public service mandate and the financing model first.

The center is "considering" a medium-term reduction in household fees to CHF 300 and an increase in the number of companies exempt from the obligation to pay fees.

The partial revision was rejected by the SVP. Although a reduction in the household fee is generally to be welcomed as a step in the right direction. The SVP fears that this revision will "sweep under the carpet" the discussions on the fee reduction initiative and the SRG's universal service mandate.

FDP and business associations in favor of exempting SMEs

The FDP supports the "moderate reduction" in fees because this takes account of the change in media consumption. SRG would still be able to fulfill its core mandate even with the reduced revenue. All companies should be exempt from the fee and the fee share for broadcasters of local-regional programs should be increased.

For Economiesuisse, the "thrust" of the proposal is correct, but it does not go far enough. In the medium term, it would be appropriate to abolish the corporate levy altogether. A further reduction in fees for households should also be examined.

The Swiss Trade Association is calling for the complete abolition of what it calls the media tax for SMEs. Gastrosuisse proposes increasing the limit to companies with a minimum turnover of two million francs per year. (SDA)

Fachwerk Advertising focuses on "innovative and creative solutions for national and international clients in the analog and digital advertising world", according to a press release. Its services include campaigning, branding & brand development, employer branding & social recruiting, pharma & health marketing and media strategy.

According to the information provided, nothing will change for existing customers. Cooperation and the use of synergies between the sister companies in the areas of advertising, events and promotional items will continue. Ongoing projects will continue as usual.

"After twelve years of successful activity as a strategic business segment, the time is now ripe. We can only meet future requirements if we operate as an independent advertising agency with a clear positioning on the market," explains Nektarios Thanasis, CEO of Fachwerk Advertising. He manages the new agency together with COO Damian Wolfisberg and CD Tino Heuter.

Teo Jakob is a furnishing and interior design company that creates spaces with atmosphere and character. Teo Jakob's exhibitions are designed to make furnishing an inspiring experience. Over 100 experts work at the locations in Zurich, Winterthur, Zug, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva.

From February 2024, PRfact will support Teo Jakob in its media work. The focus is on increasing media presence and awareness as well as positioning Teo Jakob as an expert in the area of living. The mandate pursues a 360-degree communication approach in media relations with a focus on lifestyle.

"The healthcare sector is evolving every day - and we at Farner are evolving with it," says Evelyn Ruckstuhl, Unit Lead Healthcare Communications. "With Thomas Schüler, we can expand our pharmaceutical marketing expertise and provide our customers with even more holistic support."

Farner covers the entire range of positioning, communication and marketing of healthcare brands in the areas of prescription (Rx) and non-prescription (OTC) medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and nutrition.

Thomas Schüler holds a doctorate from the University of Marburg and has been working in the healthcare industry for 18 years after research and teaching. On the agency side, he has successfully accompanied the market launch of numerous healthcare brands across a broad spectrum of therapeutic categories in the DACH region. Prior to Farner, Thomas Schüler worked for various agencies in Germany and Switzerland. Among other things, he played an active role in shaping and developing healthcare communications at Ogilvy Switzerland for five years.

Consumers are confronted with numerous decisions in front of the shopping shelf: Is the product healthy enough, organic, regional, environmentally friendly or fairly traded? With its "Fairbruary" campaign, Fairtrade Max Havelaar is calling for a fair lifestyle, but does not want to increase the pressure when shopping. The motto is therefore "The main thing is that you look for it fairly". The casual approach and playful structure of the "Fairbruary" campaign are intended to further increase awareness of the Fairtrade label and sensitize consumers to consciously pay attention to Fairtrade when shopping.

Simply make a positive impact and win

On the Campaign website interested parties can find recipes, inspiration and a competition. The task: anyone who takes part in four different challenges for fair trade has the chance to win attractive prizes in the form of shopping vouchers from Swiss retailers.

In order to reach as many new consumers as possible, Fairtrade is focusing on broad visibility: digital advertising posters in six Swiss cities are calling on people to shop fairly. A comprehensive social media campaign on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and TikTok aims to increase Fairbruary's visibility online. This will be accompanied by publicity reports in various Swiss media. Fairtrade is working with 28 high-reach content creators to ensure a wide reach and new target groups. They receive a box with selected products from brand and retail partners to implement recipes, create their own ideas and encourage their community to get involved.

"Fairbruary is now in its third year and is Fairtrade's biggest campaign aimed at consumers throughout Switzerland. We want to use simple and humorous messages to encourage participation and reach convinced Fairtrade fans and new Fairtrade shoppers. Because every fair purchase promotes the Fairtrade idea," says Mike Coray, Marketing & Communications Manager at Fairtrade Max Havelaar.

In addition to Fairtrade Max Havelaar, the Fairtrade organizations from Germany, Austria and Denmark are also calling for Fairbruary.