The Results of the test series were sobering, because the chatbot answered 48 percent of the questions posed correctly, not even half. In addition, 78 percent of the answers were inconsistent on various levels compared to human answers - but they were more formal, more analytical and the tone was less negative. Only just under one in five results (22 percent) had matches with the answers given by humans.

However, ChatGPT scores a plus point in terms of comprehensibility, according to the report. The bot is 65% understandable and the answers are easy to read. However, the abundance of irrelevant information still remains a problem. (pte/swi)

Five companies were awarded the "Green Business Excellence" label in May: Fagus Suisse, Haelixa, LEDCity, Microlino and Namuk. They were given the chance to present their solution to the jury chaired by Doris Leuthard. In a neck-and-neck race, three companies ultimately prevailed and are thus in the final of the "Green Business Award".

DNA marker for raw materials

Transparent supply chains are becoming increasingly important. We want to know where our products come from and what happens in their value chains. A technology co-developed by ETH chemical engineer Gediminas Mikutis should now make exactly that possible.

In Haelixa's chemical solution, raw materials are provided with a DNA marker, enabling them to be traced along the entire supply chain. Haelixa's solution is used, for example, by the jewelry and fashion industry for textiles but also for raw materials or precious stones. "Intransparent supply chains can become a problem for companies, especially in terms of sustainability. With Haelixa's innovative process, companies ensure 100 percent transparency," says Doris Leuthard, jury president of the "Green Business Award".

Intelligent lighting system of the future

LEDCity founder Patrik Deuss has dedicated himself to a challenge in energy supply: How to make lighting for commercial buildings more comfortable and resource-efficient? LEDCity's intelligent lighting system automatically adjusts the light to the actual light duration and intensity required. This is said to save an average of 90 percent energy compared to conventional fluorescent tubes. The data collected by sensors can also be used to optimize operation.

"LEDCity hits the nerve of the time: With rising energy prices, the need for solutions like LEDCity's is also growing," says Cédric Habermacher, director of "Green Business Switzerland", about the jury's decision.

High quality outdoor clothes for kids

Franz Bittmann would not have founded his brand without his first son. Levi loved to romp around outside, and his clothes were constantly breaking. A solution was needed, which is how Bittmann founded Namuk, the first Swiss children's outdoor label that processes robust materials into high-quality, durable functional clothing for children.

With its own ReUse program, Namuk buys back used clothes and sells them via its own second-hand platform. "What convinced us about Namuk was its comprehensive approach to sustainability - from its values and its own quality standards to its ReUse program," says Doris Leuthard, explaining the company's choice.

The final of the "Green Business Award", which is endowed with 25,000 Swiss francs, will take place on September 12 and 13, 2023, on the occasion of the Sustainable Switzerland Forum in Bern.

Mareen Eichinger, looking back, what development was particularly important in PR?

Mareen Eichinger: The answer is quite clear: the Internet, or rather the digital revolution. Today, online PR is an integral part of the communication strategy for most companies and brands. With the onset of digital PR, the possibilities of previous press relations were blown up. In the past, press and public relations was often separated from the rest of marketing, but today it is an essential element. For me, PR is the supreme discipline of brand communication.

Nevertheless, the topic of press relations or public relations is often underestimated. What could be the reason for this?

There are people who think: It can't be that difficult to write a few lines about a company or product and then send it to journalists. The craftsmanship, the technical know-how and the years of building up contacts, precisely what we do as PR consultants, is often underestimated. What I then find at the beginning of a cooperation with the customer are advertising texts that have been distributed indiscriminately to the media by e-mail, not a single placement or no clippings in the media and perplexed faces. Public relations is not advertising and is simply done on the side.

What is your recommended course of action in such a case?

I'll tell you a story. Let's turn the whole thing around. Let's put ourselves in the position of a journalist. Every day, she is on the hunt for exciting stories or the latest trends - depending, of course, on the medium for which she works. She will hardly be able to tell the editor-in-chief that the content of her article consists of the fact that Meier has launched new black socks on the market. And let's think about it again: Who wants to read something like that in the newspaper on Sunday morning at the breakfast table? But what if the Meier company has been around for 100 years, a family business with a lot of charm and tradition, and for the first time in the company's history it dares to produce black socks? There is potential in such a story, but less in the black socks.

In contrast to classic PR work, strategic online PR focuses on the Internet as a communication channel.

Yes, the Internet has changed everything and is now our most important tool for us in the agency in the context of PR work. In B2B, print media still play a somewhat larger role, but in B2C, we focus 90 percent on online. Young brands or startups in particular focus almost exclusively on online PR. They want and need to attract the attention of their target group in order to earn money quickly. This can be achieved through online media. I deliberately say "can," because the competition here is fierce. Editors are inundated with messages - they receive up to 500 press releases in their e-mail inboxes every day.

What particular strengths do you see in online PR?

Online PR, unlike traditional PR, is less focused on corporate news. Here, much revolves around content and how the company wants to position itself. As I mentioned earlier, the main advantages of online PR are speed and efficiency. We can create a story within hours, prepare it and send it to the media. It often happens that the first placements are made just a few minutes after sending it out. That is, of course, the best case scenario. And don't forget that content can also be communicated directly to the public via channels such as social media or the company's own website. But online testing or online reviews in product PR by editors, bloggers or influencers are also incredibly valuable. They have a high information content, are positive in the best case and have an enormous trust factor.

When do you personally talk about successful PR?

I've experienced it all in the past. We had a client where three minutes after sending out the press release, four news agencies called me, followed by radio and TV productions, and we couldn't save ourselves from print and online clippings. Reporting took days and the media service ended up costing the client a fortune. Something like that doesn't happen every day, but it was a great feeling and I knew at that moment why I love my job. But that doesn't necessarily happen in B2B or product PR, but rather in business or political topics, when the story is so good that it ends up on the daily news and virtually everyone is talking about it. Still, success is always in the eye of the beholder and is often defined by the client. There are PR projects that I considered successful because, as an expert, I know what's possible, but the client didn't see it that way. He had other ideas and was difficult to satisfy. Most of the time, we part ways and look for a new agency, where things usually work out similarly and only then does the client have the "aha" moment.

What PR tip would you give to startups or SMEs?

I find the topic of CEO PR and personal branding super exciting at the moment. People want to see faces, read stories, feel values and feel connected to brands. That's why I especially recommend founders to "show their faces". But this also applies to CEOs and executives who have been around for a while. Most of them are experts or specialists in their field and can therefore do a lot for the external perception of a company or a brand. In addition, as a public figure, which is what every CEO is, it is important to show a clear stance, to speak out on social issues, and not just to act hidden away in the closet. The younger target group in particular attaches great importance to transparency and committed action. They no longer just blindly buy products, but want to feel close to the company.

Which topics are currently relevant for PR managers and will be in the coming year?

There are various developments that will accompany us in the coming months. I see it as extremely important to keep up with progress here as a PR agency, but also as a press office within a company. Great potential lies above all in digital technology and tools such as ChatGPT, which can already create texts with the help of AI. In addition, sustainable and socio-political positioning of companies is becoming increasingly important. This requires effective communication and, of course, sufficient substance on the part of the company.

What other aspects are there?

PR and marketing need to pull together even more. An integrated communications approach is extremely important, because PR should not be a loner. Everyone should be allowed to dance at a party. PR experts must continue to be on the lookout for new creative channels to place messages, such as podcasts or their own YouTube formats. Companies and brands must remain agile and constantly question themselves anew in order to be truly perceived.

* Mareen Eichinger founded the agency for PR and Digital Macheete in 2011 and has since then implemented the conception and realization of communication campaigns in the areas of brands, products, people and lifestyle. Born in Mecklenburg, she has lived in Berlin for 16 years.

The Press Council concluded that the republication of the article again violated the duty of truth, the body announced Friday. The person had again been unjustifiably identified. The Press Council therefore approved a complaint against the newspaper.

Among other things, the front page contained an article about a crime and mentioned a person by name who had been arrested for the offense. However, the information was false. A court had already condemned the newspaper for this. According to the court, it had already been unjustified to mention the name of the innocent person in the first publication.

Nebelspalter: Human dignity violated by SP National Councilor

The Press Council also partially reprimanded the satirical political magazine Nebelspalterbecause it had violated the human dignity of Bern SP National Councilor Tamara Funiciello in an article. According to the Press Council, the medium went too far in its satire. The magazine had insinuated with derogatory statements about Funiciello's height, weight and physique that she had been successful as a goalkeeper solely because of her stature.

Kath.ch: "Tschugger" interview published despite objection

The Press Council also issued a reprimand against the Catholic online portal Kath.ch following the publication of an interview with the author, director and main actor of the TV series "Tschugger. On the one hand, it had not been told that the interview, which was in part critical of the church, appeared not only in a German film trade magazine as agreed, but also in the Swiss online medium with a religious orientation. Secondly, the Press Council criticized the fact that the interview was not deleted despite the interviewee's request.

"Perfidious association" in the Gipfel Zytig

According to the Press Council, the Bündner Tourismusblatt also unjustifiably portrayed two black people as liars. Summit Zytig with a "perfidious association" on its joke page. There it had printed at the top two black people, each holding a German passport in front of the camera, and inserted into the picture the comment: "We are Germans." Below that were heads of two lions with the phrase, "And we are vegetarians." (SDA/swi)

As Director Marketing & Purchase, Luis Alvarez has played a key role in shaping marketing and procurement strategies over the past five years, according to a statement issued on Friday. The implementation of the new web landscape and the reorganization of marketing and purchasing would ensure the continued growth and success of DQ Solutions even after his departure.

Before joining Apple reseller DQ Solutions, Alvarez worked for Sunrise, among others. He will leave DQ Solutions in mid-October to take some time off to travel before embarking on other "professional adventures," according to the statement.

CEO Felix Kündig regrets the departure of Luis Alvarez, but understands and accepts the decision and emphasizes: "His professional demeanor and his sensitivity to the needs of our customers have made him a valued and respected business partner."

This was said by company CEO Linda Yaccarino to US broadcaster CNBC on Thursday. In the interview, she announced the hiring of new employees.

After twelve years as advertising chief at media conglomerate NBCUniversal, Yaccarino had taken the helm of the short messaging service two months ago, replacing Elon Musk at its helm (Werbewoche.ch reported). The multi-billionaire, who bought the company last year, remained CEO.

Musk is focused on product design and working on the future of the platform, and she is running the rest of the company and "taking it to market," Yaccarino said. In doing so, she is autonomous, the X boss stressed when asked by the CNBC journalist.

Technology billionaire Musk took over the platform last year for 44 billion dollars and initiated a radical restructuring. He dismissed the top management and more than two-thirds of the approximately 8,000 employees. As a result, advertising revenues collapsed. Musk also made far-reaching changes for users, including the introduction of a payment subscription for account verification.

Most recently, Musk renamed Twitter X at the end of July and gave the platform a new logo. His vision is to transform the platform into a super app based on the Chinese model WeChat, which can also be used to make online purchases and payments. (SDA)

The study was conducted this spring in 91 countries with around 13,000 people - 224 of them from Switzerland. Overall, more women (63% worldwide, 57% in Switzerland) than men (37% worldwide, 43% in Switzerland) participated. This indicates that the topic of DEI - short for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion - may have a higher relevance for women.

DEI is a reason to quit for nearly one in seven people

The results of the study show that around 14 percent of the marketing professionals surveyed worldwide would like to leave the industry due to a lack of diversity, equality and inclusion. In Switzerland, around 8 percent of respondents would like to turn their backs on the industry. This figure rises to 11 percent for people with disabilities - and even 17 percent for LGBQ+ people.

Swiss companies make progress in terms of DEI

Based on the answers to the questions relating to well-being, positive behaviors and the absence of discrimination, the global DEI inclusion index is 63 percent worldwide. Switzerland scores above average, with an index of 70 percent above the global average. The Inclusion Index is made up of three sub-indices, "sense of belonging," "absence of discrimination," and "presence of demeaning behavior," based on employees' perceptions of their work environment and the company.

In this context, 57 percent of the Swiss marketers surveyed agree with the statement that their company is taking active steps toward more diversity and equality. 49 percent believe that the situation has improved with regard to DEI compared to the last two years.

According to the study, all minority groups are relatively well represented in the Swiss advertising industry - compared to global data. Only persons with disabilities are underrepresented at 6 percent, compared to an international average of 22 percent.

The most common grounds of discrimination: Age, gender and marital status

Globally, the study cites age, gender and marital status as the most common forms of discrimination. Forty-one percent of women, 42 percent of parents and 39 percent of dependents believe family responsibilities hinder careers.

It is particularly interesting to note that both 12 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 15 percent of 55- 64-year-olds say they have experienced discrimination because of their age. Some because they are too inexperienced, others because they are too old.

The situation is very similar in Switzerland: 22 percent of respondents think that age is an obstacle. This figure rises to 28 percent among respondents aged 44 to 54. Furthermore, 44 percent of those who have dependent children believe that marital status hinders their career in their company.

Significant wage differentials in Switzerland

The study shows a considerable pay gap for women at all positions in Switzerland: -22% at executive management level, -9% at senior level, a considerable -32% at specialist level and -2% at junior level.

For ethnic minorities, this wage gap exists only at the lower levels with -25% at the junior level. One possible reason for this could be that the new employees are not sufficiently familiar with the wage structure. No corresponding differences could be identified at the other function levels.

Interested parties can download the entire study from the SWA website. The international results on "The Global DEI Census 2023." there are here. The "Deep Dive" Switzerland is available here.

The GKMV comprises the 95 brass bands and youth bands of Graubünden. In order to push the recruitment of young musicians and members and to strengthen the image of brass music in the public and especially among young people, Yes! Creative Digital Marketing from Chur launched a large-scale cross-media campaign for the GKMV. "Young people should see that brass music is anything but antiquated," explains project manager Shirin Luchsinger.

The main idea of the campaign is the casting for a "GKMV All-Star-Band", the leading figure of the campaign is the 24-year-old singer Chiara Jacomet from Grisons. With a strong media presence, Jacomet spent six weeks looking for enthusiastic brass musicians for a "GKMV All-Star Band", the "Caprihorns". The "goodie" for the winners of the auditions is to record a song together with Chiara, which the Swiss singer Nickless has written exclusively for the Caprihorns.

Jacomet adorns the campaign's key visual, the color scheme is colorful and bold, and the general look and feel is dynamic with clear, concise typography. Interested parties could sign up via Instagram, TikTok or via the specially created project website. Caprihorns.ch apply.

To accompany the casting, Yes! created varied content for Instagram and TikTok to get followers excited about brass band music. The cross-media campaign has been running since the beginning of June and is mainly distributed via social media. It is also accompanied by display and video ads as well as a broad OOH/DOOH campaign.

The casting is now complete and the eight members of the Caprihorns have been determined. Yes! presents them every Friday on Instagram and Tiktok.

Responsible at Yes! Creative Digital Marketing: Richi Brändli (Concept), Dominik Kurmann (Art Direction), Shirin Luchsinger (Project Management, Development), Erina Dvorak (Campaign Management), Elisabeth Duis (Social Media, Creative Design), Mena Dressler (Text). Photoshoot, styling: Nicola Dutoit (vonda.ch photography), Sarah Casault (styling).

The question is whether this public service is still necessary in times of digitalization, Erni said in an interview with CH Media printed on Thursday.

At the end of July, it became known that Swiss Post intended to buy the two logistics companies Quickmail and Quickpac, which had been actively seeking buyers. The takeover still had to be approved by the Weko competition commission. That would leave Swiss Post with little competition in the mail business, Erni agreed in an interview. "Here, politicians have failed to create framework conditions that would have enabled competition." But the parcel business is fiercely competitive, he said.

Quickmail mainly sends advertising mail and has a volume of around 100 million items per year, Erni said. "Still, we only cover 53 percent of Swiss households. We would have to reach 85 percent to seriously compete with the Post." The letter business has long been profitable, he said. But, "Letter volumes are steadily declining due to digitization. While Corona had brought us higher volumes for a while, the decline in mailing volumes accelerated sharply after that," Erni said. In addition, the hopes for a liberalization of the mail market were never fulfilled, he said. (SDA)

The McDonald's brand is particularly popular with Gen Z. To appeal to potential employees, the TBWA\Zürich agency launched a campaign for the fast-food restaurant under the motto "Switch Sides". On the subjects, three well-known products on the McDonald's range are seen from the perspective of McDonald's employees - from behind.

In a campaign initially launched on social media and OOH, the "Switch Sides" call-to-action will take the target group directly to specific job offers on the McDonald's website. An extensive digital and content campaign is to follow in the fall.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Jean-Guillaume Bertola (Chief Marketing Officer), Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager). Responsible at TBWA\Switzerland: Manuel Wenzel, Reto Clement, Monelle Kanza, Nadja Stickl, Marcel Mägerle, May Schneiter (consulting), ViDo Production, ViDo Video (implementation). 3D/CGI: Cloudscape.

As of August 1, Iva Bozovic has taken over the role of Business Director from long-time Managing Director Danijel Sljivo, who has moved to Ammarkt. (Werbewoche.ch reported). She brings with her many years of experience in the communications industry. Most recently, she was Chief Marketing Officer and a founding member of the Zurich startup Gomental, and before that, in her role as Head of Strategy and Marketing at Ringier Advertising, she was responsible for setting up the in-house agency, among other things. She also heads the "Political Communication" module in the "Multimedia Communication and Publishing" master's program at the Bern University of the Arts.

As Business Director and member of the Executive Board, Bozovic will lead the consultancy and focus on building and expanding existing and future client relationships. "I have been fortunate in my career to get to know the communications landscape from very many angles, Abroad, in Switzerland, through diverse industries, on the agency, publishing and client side," Iva Bozovic is quoted as saying in a statement. "In doing so, I always pursued the question: 'How do we achieve the greatest possible impact on each channel?' It's one of the core questions in the module I teach, and in my opinion, the most important question in communications. And it's by no means just content-related. Now I get to explore this question in one of the strongest networking agencies in the world, which brings a whole new dimension. So I'm looking forward to further strengthening our clients' impact in their respective fields with our offering."

Hester Bosma joined TBWA\Zurich at the beginning of May as Director of Innovation & Consulting and member of the Executive Board. Her previous roles include Customer Value Strategist at Microsoft, Design-led Innovation Lead EMEIA at EY and Innovation Design Lead at Accenture's global innovation center in Dublin. In these roles, she supported both multinationals and SMEs in developing future-proof strategies, building corporate ventures, and empowering organizations, teams, and individuals to adopt user-centric and agile ways of working.

At TBWA\, Bosma is responsible for building the new TBWA\Shift unit, which focuses on brand and innovation consulting and helps companies innovate within the context of cultural/societal trends. "With TBWA\Shift, we are expanding our offering by painting a picture of the future through deep cultural insights and insights," explains Hester Bosma. "In doing so, we focus on new business models and future-proof products and services that create a holistic brand experience for our clients."

With "Fulfilled by TikTok", the company wants to take over the storage, packaging and shipping of ordered goods on behalf of sellers. This is intended to shorten delivery times and increase customer satisfaction.

The logistics program is designed to make it "easier than ever" for sellers in the UK to sell their goods on TikTok, TikTok says. FBT is designed to take all the time-consuming work away from merchants and offer them a simple, fast and cost-effective solution to do so, it said. "It allows them to better focus on important aspects of their business, such as marketing or content and product development," the initiators said.

"For a small, independent company like us, it's always good to find new ways to increase efficiency," stresses Ning Cheah, founder of makeup brand The Beauty Crop. He says his company has been testing the program for some time. "Thanks to FBT, we have been able to increase our sales volume by 30 percent, and shipping times have become 36 percent shorter. That makes a big difference for us," Cheah explains.

Merchants hand over goods to TikTok

Merchants who want to use FBT transfer part of their goods directly to TikTok. They can choose which products they want to store and ship through the program. Once the items arrive at the FBT warehouse and an order is received, the goods are picked, packed, labeled and finally shipped.

To take advantage of the program, however, retailers must be based in the UK and also deliver there. There is no word yet on whether the offer will be extended to other European countries. Parcels must not exceed a weight of 30 kilograms or a volume of 31.5 cubic liters per shipment. Merchants will be charged by TikTok for warehousing, shipping and other services. (pte/swi)