Large communication platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are being used more and more, including to shape public opinion, the Federal Council wrote in response to Wednesday's decision. The platforms, which belong to globally active companies, are thus increasingly influencing public debate, but are hardly regulated.

Weak position of users

Users of the platforms are currently in a weak position, writes the Federal Council. If platforms delete posted content or block an account, users cannot defend themselves or can do so only insufficiently. And the systems that decide who gets to see and read what are not transparent.

The Federal Council therefore wants to strengthen the rights of users and demand more transparency from the platforms. However, it does not want to restrict the positive effects of platforms on freedom of expression. Thanks to the platforms, for example, individuals can contribute to public debates.

Contact point and legal representation

The planned provisions are to apply to operators of large communications platforms, so-called intermediaries. It is not envisaged that authorities will be able to intervene in content more than in the analog world. Where it makes sense, the provisions are to be based on the rules of the EU's Digital Services Act.

The Federal Council has defined several points: Large platforms should be required to designate a contact point and legal representation in Switzerland. Users should be able to easily report calls for hate and violence as well as depictions of violence. The platform must check the report and inform users of the result.

If content has been deleted or accounts blocked, those affected should be able to request a review of the measure from the platform. In addition, the platform operators should have to finance an independent Swiss arbitration board.

More transparency in advertising

Advertising must be identified as advertising. In the case of advertising aimed at specific groups, it must be roughly clear how it is played. According to the Federal Council, this should make it easier to understand who sees what advertising and why.

The consultation draft should be available by March 2024; the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) has been commissioned to prepare it. The Federal Office of Justice will also be involved in the work. (SDA)

Since the beginning of 2023, designer Sara Streule has been supporting the Concept Communication team as Creative Director and is responsible for Campaigning, Creative Visual Content and Corporate Design. Due to her experience as a content creator, Sara Streule also works at Contcept in the areas of social media and influencer management and also supports the PR department with ideas.

Streule is a trained graphic designer and holds a degree in visual communication from the Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK. Most recently, she worked at various design studios and agencies in Switzerland. She worked in branding, managed a team there and trained apprentices. Sara Streule has also gained experience in editorial design and was responsible for the new conception and redesign of magazines. According to her own statement, however, she was most influenced by her work at the Mind Design studio in London, where she was able to implement projects for the industrial designer Tom Dixon. In addition to her career, Sara Streule has also established herself as an influencer under the name "Sara is in Love with..." and regularly realizes various art projects on her Instagram channel.

The award will be presented at the "Swiss Press Award" ceremony on April 28 in Bern, according to a statement on Wednesday. The main winner, the press photographer of the year, will also be chosen then. This prize is endowed with 25,000 Swiss francs.

The winner of the photo category "Topicality" is Fabrice Coffrini from the French news agency AFP with a picture of a glacier. In the "Everyday Life" category, the winner is Karine Bauzin of Le Temps the first prize for an observation of life in beach cabins.

Eleni Kougionis from Swissinfo.ch is the winner of the "Swiss Stories" category with pictures of waste detectives. Karin Hofer's portrait of the writer Peter Bichsel for the New Zurich Newspaper makes the race in the corresponding category.

In the "Sports" category, Dominic Steinmann of the Observer won first prize with its series "The Weirdest World Cup in the World. In the "Foreign Countries" category, Alex Kühni from Tamedia is the winner. He documented the war in Ukraine.

The Swiss Press Awards are presented by the Fondation Reinhard von Graffenried. (SDA)

The Zurich agency Campbell & Jones was founded in spring 2017 by Oscar Martin and Marc Steimer. The agency's claim is to surprise with unconventional and unique concepts and ideas in every project.

Chelsea Horiuchi joined the agency in 2019 as a senior project consultant. She has now been named the third partner. "Chelsea has been instrumental in building the agency," said Oscar Martin. "She has been an important part of the team from the beginning, with her great personal commitment and social vein. She has worked tirelessly and proactively for the further development of Campbell & Jones over the past four years," adds Marc Steimer.

Horiuchi already brought experience from the PR and communications industry and has successfully managed various large projects at C&J, such as for BMW Mini, Jelmoli or Microsoft Switzerland. "It quickly became apparent that in addition to project management, she is also strong in conceptualization and strategy development," Marc Steimer.

As the first company member of the Messerli Group, the Andreas Messerli AG obtained the sustainability certificate in collaboration with Expo Event Swiss LiveCom Association. In an extensive process, an overarching sustainability concept was drawn up for the Messerli Group in advance, which serves as the basis for the certification of the various companies. Three more Messerli Group companies are to be certified this year. The Group is pursuing a long planning horizon and would like to steer all member companies towards climate neutrality in the long term.

The Andreas Messerli AG sees climate protection as a cross-cutting task at all stages of the value chain. The high degree of value creation in-house enables a direct influence on the reduction of emissions and the active conservation of resources. The Sustainability concept "Vision 2035 of the company is based on ten guiding principles and provides for a series of objectives and measures that are applied to the topics of environment, society and governance. In this way, the company is making an active contribution to using resources responsibly and continuously reducing CO2 emissions. The goal is to achieve climate neutrality (net zero) by 2035.

Designing live experiences sustainably

The Board of Directors is convinced that live experiences at events such as trade shows, events and congresses will continue to be of great importance. The pent-up demand for face-to-face encounters continues unabated in the wake of the pandemic. It is therefore all the more important to set an example in the sustainability of events and to actively shape this process. Chairman of the Board of Directors Andreas Messerli and Managing Director Hugo Keller are convinced that customers and employees will increasingly judge companies by how sustainably they work and act.

Beat Hürlimann is a familiar face in the marketing and communications industry in Switzerland: Whether as an advertiser, a social media specialist, a journalist, a videographer - or, as he says himself, "all in one by now" - he has not only made a name for himself through creative, interested reporting. He also has a sizeable network that appreciates his engaging nature and his openness to future topics. As a qualified advertising manager and with a master's degree in communications, he also has the academic background to anticipate trends, classify their significance for the national market and offer readers orientation.

At m&k advertisingweek.ch Hürlimann will be primarily responsible for online reporting and social media. He will represent the editorial team at events, continue his video reports, which are appreciated by many stakeholders in the industry, and deal with topics such as metaverse applications, AI and new technology.

"Enormously strong sign"

Beat Hürlimann will work closely with Sarah Willi, Head of Online at m&k advertisingweek.ch, and online editor Julia Gundelach will work together. The co-editors-in-chief, consisting of Anna Kohler and Johannes Hapig, will continue to focus on the print magazine m&k as well as coordinate the overall strategy and interaction of the print and online presence.

Anna Kohler and Johannes Hapig are happy to welcome Beat Hürlimann to the team: "We are on course for growth! We already have more reach and impact in print than any other industry medium in Switzerland, and with Beat's support, we're striving to achieve the same goal in the digital space. We are honored that he is joining us as a freelance editor. And, last but not least, it's an enormously strong sign that we're on a positive path to the future."

Beat Hürlimann says: "After three and a half exciting and intensive years at Horizont, I am very pleased to be joining the m&k-Advertisingweek.ch-community with relevant stories. Anna, Jo, Sarah and Julia are counting on my strengths - and I'll put them to the best possible use."

m&k advertisingweek.ch: Congratulations, André Hefti. How does it feel to win the title "Advertiser of the Year" to wear?

André HEfti: Surreal, great, grateful. Approximately in this order. And for me it is already a surprise. Andrea, Andy and Manuel do a great job and would have deserved the title at least as much.

There is so much work, commitment and passion for advertising behind the title. The recognition does you good, doesn't it?

The fact that the work of my entire team and of Switzerland Tourism has received so much recognition fills me with pride and happiness. We are all overwhelmed and find it a nice confirmation that what we do makes sense. We are simply very grateful that we can do what we do.
do

The phase from nomination to title was long. Was there a lot of support from the community, perhaps also criticism?

Clients are rarely nominated for this award. And never anyone from the tourism industry. It was nice for me to see how the whole Swiss tourism pie was happy about this nomination. That's how I interpret the invariably positive feedback I was allowed to receive. "We have been nominated," the industry has said. Now I'm even greeted at events with the words: "Lueg, de Wärber!"

What accents do you want to set as "Put advertiser of the year?

My role as CMO at Switzerland Tourism is primarily about successfully developing our brand. In doing so, we want to remain innovative and focus on the issue of sustainability. As an "advertiser," three things are close to my heart: First, I am convinced that Switzerland as a creative location receives too little attention internationally and that there is still potential here. Second, I am a great advocate of holistic brand management. The topic is more topical than ever and has many exciting facets. Thirdly, I would like to take the opportunity to promote and challenge talent in the communications industry even more consciously.

What would you like to change if you were given the opportunity? What topics are hot in the industry for 2023?

I'm convinced that at the moment we're still making far too little use of the opportunities offered by sustainability in Switzerland and exploiting them as a strength. I wish that the communications industry in particular would really take off here. For themselves, but above all together with and for their customers. In tourism, we have launched the "Swisstainable" movement and are well on the way to positioning Switzerland as the most sustainable travel destination.

Are there any other topics?

Another topic that is evolving almost exponentially is the changing nature of content. In the age of universal information availability, consumer expectations about where and how they interact with content have changed dramatically. We need to be much faster and better at serving the clientele the content they are looking for, on the platforms they want, at any given time. And clearly, artificial intelligence is a big topic that will shape all of us in the coming years. We're only beginning to see the impact of AI on the way we work. We still have a lot to learn as an industry about how best to use AI to deliver better experiences to our clientele while increasing our efficiency.

Do we still need awards today? What is your opinion of this type of competition?

Awards continue to play an important role, providing recognition and appreciation for excellence and creative work. They help raise standards in the industry by recognizing and promoting the best campaigns and ideas. And they are definitely a reason to really celebrate! Despite everything, however, the focus must not be on winning an award. The main goal of our work must always be to create effective campaigns that really make a difference.

Which campaign that you were able to implement in 2022 makes you particularly proud?

At Switzerland Tourism, everything revolves around recharging one's batteries embedded in Swiss nature, both in leisure and business tourism. The slogan for this is "I need Switzerland. We were able to positively charge this with good stories and many successful activities. Each individual campaign made its contribution to the overall success. The one with Roger Federer and Anne Hathaway was certainly a great success and went down as the most successful campaign in the history of Switzerland Tourism. However, my personal highlight was "100% Women". The energy and enthusiasm that this campaign was able to unleash in the community was overwhelming.

After all, creative output doesn't come to order. How, where and with whom are you most creative?

Creativity is a process that cannot be activated simply by pressing a button. Like a pinball machine, we have to trigger many flashes of inspiration to hit the jackpot. At Switzerland Tourism, I'm inspired by working with a global network of 37 offices and more than 1,000 partners from the tourism industry and being supported by the most creative minds from the best Swiss agencies. A special highlight is our collaboration with Roger Federer and his team, who offer us a unique perspective and always inspire us to new
Inspire ideas.

What do you do when self-doubt overtakes you and you feel strongly challenged? How do you turn that energy into something positive?

A round with my road bike has already solved many a challenge. I get my head clear, the knots almost untie themselves, I breathe fresh air and recharge my batteries. Besides, I live by the principle: "There's no such thing as can't!" There is a solution for (almost) everything.

Who has influenced you on your way to becoming "Advertiser of the Year 2023"?

First and foremost, I would like to thank my great team at Switzerland Tourism. We have a dynamic, powerful and enthusiastic team that gets to work every day on what is arguably one of the most beautiful products. Then my thanks also go to the network of partners with whom we work closely. In the foreground are probably Livio and Petra with Wirz, Mauri and Fabian with Sir Mary and Dominique von Matt. We also have excellent support from the team at Bold, MRB, Webrepublic and Made. This title belongs to a wonderful network of great personalities who all have a lot of Switzerland in their hearts.

There hasn't been such an exciting race for the Egon in a long time. The jury of experts had already voted, and two favorites had emerged. Then, in a second step, the online voting began. Subscribers to the newsletter can vote for one of the nominees. One vote per subscription. This part of the voting counts, just like the jury evaluation, 50 percent. For a little more than a week the online voting window was open and ... the net almost collapsed (I exaggerate only slightly), so strongly did the nominees mobilize their community. Sign-ups for a newsletter subscription skyrocketed and a breathtaking head-to-head race ensued. In total, more than 800 people cast their votes. When the window closed, the online votes and jury results were tallied using a percentage key that has been in place for years and revealed: Switzerland Tourism's Head of Marketing, André Hefti, wins the voting and is "Advertiser of the Year" 2023.

What is good advertising?

How creative can or must you be as a head of marketing? André Hefti laughs. Without ideas and a clever way of implementing insights, nothing works, says the Advertiser of the Year. Digitalization, he says, is overrated. If everyone pursued insights and creative ideas as intensively as the hype of digitization, some brands could gain a sustainable competitive advantage. In his opinion, creativity will become more important despite digitization, or perhaps because of it. But he thinks the life cycle of even good advertising has become very short. Successfully activating even outstanding advertising over a longer period of time is a challenge, he says. Strategic foresight, focus and the highest standards are required for this.

It is crucial to build communication platforms that can be used in the long term. Many do not have the patience for this. Switzerland Tourism has been doing just that for years. Naturally, in close cooperation with outstanding agencies. But also with the most likeable person in the world. With Roger Federer. "The fact that we were able to win Roger Federer as an ambassador for Switzerland as a travel destination was certainly the best thing my team and I have done in recent years," reflects André Hefti. But also the cooperation with international celebrities like Robert de Niro, Anne Hathaway and Trevor Noah would strengthen the charm of Destination Switzerland.

Who is the man behind the successful marketing measures?

André Hefti grows up in a world without brands. There is no television in the Hefti home, but he knows and senses that there is a world out there waiting to seduce him. This triggers a fascination that he cannot escape. As a student, he applies twice to an advertising agency, but is rejected both times. He has to laugh at the absurdity of reflecting on this now as the reigning "Advertiser of the Year," and adds, "Maybe I'll apply there again now."

Before André Hefti takes up the post of Chief Marketing Officer at Switzerland Tourism in 2018, where he is responsible for global marketing, he is active in various international marketing functions in the consumer goods industry. He is married, the father of three children, and lives with his family in French-speaking Switzerland.

Can the Swiss advertising industry keep up internationally?

Hefti feels that the Swiss advertising industry does not receive enough appreciation on the international stage. For international clients, London, Paris, New York - the usual suspects - still get the nod. Unjustly, says the marketing expert: "They're also just cooking with water."

LAUDATIO

"You masterfully demonstrate what communication is today".

David Schärer was "Advertiser of the Year 2021/22". In his laudation, he honors the newly crowned winner of the Egon.

"Who would have thought more than thirty years ago, in the playground of the Spiegelfeld schoolhouse near Basel, that we would one day meet again at what is probably the most honorable moment our industry has to offer? That I could hand over the baton to you because you are now "Advertiser of the Year"? I want you to be proud today. Proud of your achievement; proud that with your work - I'll go so far today - you've written advertising history. Because what campaigns are has changed fundamentally in recent years, and the primacy of measurability is often to the detriment of magic. But your work shows how to create a sensation today. Your work for Switzerland Tourism is groundbreaking and a shining example of what modern communication is. Communication that delights the audience and brings results. It is particularly noteworthy that you succeeded in this high-profile, one could say courageous communication in times when it was particularly challenging to promote a destination of all things.

We are living in difficult times, but I will nevertheless allow myself an aphorism from the military: A U.S. general once said that amateurs talk about strategy, but professionals talk about logistics. We all know that paper is patient, especially when it comes to concept papers. The best ideas are nothing if they don't find majorities, and you masterfully forge those majorities in your organization. I can think of hundreds of objections why a campaign with Federer, Hathaway, de Niro and Co. is too big a ladle (we are a modest country after all) and why the message of the campaign is actually a negation. And the best strategy is worth nothing without its implementation. Nelson Mandela's bon mot "It seems impossible until it's done" hangs as a flag in my office. Your campaign is an example of this courage to simply go through with something like this. I am a little envious that you and your esteemed colleagues at Wirz recently succeeded in staging a PR happening out of a film shoot at Zurich's main train station and then not even confirming that it was you. That's a lesson in how to organize hypes. Looking back, it's always difficult to say exactly how great work is created. What's certain is that it takes a great team and a client who is internally convincing, who finds alliances and works closely together to make the campaign better and better so that its message can work. You have succeeded brilliantly in this with your work. You can be proud of the coups in the last five years, which is why you are the absolutely deserved "Advertiser of the Year".

As a tourist, you also live in one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland. I hope that you will succeed in making the title of advertiser more prominent in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Take this opportunity to raise the profile of our profession and inspire young people to take up this profession. My warmest congratulations to you, dear André."

In an election that was exciting right up to the last second, André Hefti, Chief Marketing Officer and member of the Management Board of Switzerland Tourism, prevailed over fellow nominees Andrea Bison, Thjnk Zurich, Manuel Wenzel, TBWA\Zurich and Andy Lusti, independent Creative Director.

Hefti was nominated for the coveted industry award for the first time. Following Beat Mühlemann, head of advertising at Migros and "Advertiser of the Year 2005," and Martin Walthert, CMO of Digitec Galaxus and "Advertiser of the Year 2020," this is the third time in the award's history that an advertising client has been honored - instead of, as is usually the case, a personality from a Swiss agency. The "Werber:in des Jahres" jury is thus honoring the extraordinary successes that Hefti has achieved with Switzerland Tourism in recent years - as well as the globally successful campaigns of his organization, which he has significantly shaped and driven forward.

The new "Advertiser of the Year" received his well-deserved "Egon" statue on Monday evening at an intimate award ceremony on Lake Zurich in front of almost 60 colleagues from the marketing and agency industry. His predecessor, "Advertiser of the Year 2021/22" David Schärer, paid tribute to him with a laudatory speech - and reminded Hefti, who like Schärer has Basel roots, of their school days together: "Who would have thought more than thirty years ago in the playground of the Spiegelfeld schoolhouse near Basel that we would one day meet again at what is probably the most honorable moment our industry has to offer? That I could pass the baton to you because you are now 'Advertiser of the Year'?" With Switzerland Tourism, Hefti has demonstrated time and again "what modern communication is. Communication that delights the audience and brings results." And this in special times: Promoting a destination during a pandemic in which extensive travel bans are in place is at least as impressive as the campaigns around testimonial Roger Federer, for which co-stars such as Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, and now Trevor Noah could be won.

André Hefti's path to the marketing and advertising industry was by no means preordained. In his parents' house, he recalls, there was no television set - and therefore no TV advertising. Nevertheless, his fascination with well-made advertising, which he saw outside the four walls of his home, grew so strong that he applied to two agencies during his studies. Both turned him down. "Maybe," the newly crowned "Advertiser of the Year" joked at the awards ceremony, "I should apply there again now?!" Hefti was then initially drawn to the consumer goods industry before accepting the post of Chief Marketing Officer at Switzerland Tourism in 2018. For this role, he commutes between Zurich and French-speaking Switzerland, where he lives with his wife and three children.

In his role as "Advertiser of the Year," André Hefti wants, among other things, to ensure that Swiss advertising also receives more recognition on the global stage. At international awards, the supposedly "small Switzerland" is often treated somewhat stepmotherly - even though our country also has creative excellence to offer. "I would like to focus on this," Hefti announced.

Also nominated were...

Andrea Bison

Six years ago, Andrea Bison founded Thjnk Zurich with Alexander Jaggy. Before that, she worked in Hamburg at Jung von Matt, Springer & Jacoby, Kkempertrautmann and Thjnk for clients such as Bild, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and McDonald's. She was nominated "Advertiser of the Year" for the third time. The German-Swiss native is the mother of three children and lives with her family in Zurich.

Andy Lusti

Five years ago, Andy Lusti set up his own business as a creative director and concept designer/copywriter. "Drawers are for furniture, not for me," he says, and developed his own creative collective with insighters, working with clients and agencies from the DACH region. Previously, the Grisons native worked at FCB, Jung von Matt, Advico Y&R, KSP, KNSK and Publicis.

Manuel Wenzel

Manuel Wenzel has been part of the management team at TBWA\Zurich since August 2016 and has been solely responsible for creative since 2019. Before moving to Switzerland, he was a creative for Jung von Matt, DDB and Serviceplan and a lecturer at the Miami Adschool in Berlin for five years. He has had the privilege of representing Switzerland internationally on juries at Clio (film), OneShow (audio) and ADCE (brand experience). In the context of the LSA Bootcamp as well as the Young ADC, he is also committed to the up-and-coming generation of the industry.

More links

• The article about this year's nominees can be found at here.
• The interview with the freshly elected "Advertiser of the Year 2023" can be found at here.
• The Hall of Fame of all previous "Advertisers of the Year" can be found at here.

About the award

Werbewoche has been awarding the "Advertiser of the Year" since 1977, and since 2001 the winner has received the "Egon" designed by Zurich artist Max Grüter. The three candidates were nominated by the jury of experts. The final decision as to who would win the title was then made 50 percent by the readers of Werbewoche.ch via online voting and 50 percent by the jury. Each jury member was allowed to cast one vote. m&k Werbewoche.ch itself, as the organizer of the award, abstained from voting.

The jury of experts

The "Advertiser of the Year" jury is made up of former "Advertisers of the Year", representatives from French-speaking Switzerland, nominees from previous years, as well as personalities from science and the media. The 2022 jury members (in alphabetical order):

• Alexander Jaggy (Thjnk Zurich)
• Andrea Bison (Thjnk Zurich), Anja Janoschka (HLSU)
• Anja Janoschka, Professor Marketing & Multichannel Communication HSLU
• Curdin Janett, David Schärer (Rod Communication)
• Dennis Lück (Brinkertlück Creatives)
• Gabriel Mauron (Havas Genève)
• Livio Dainese (Wirz)
• Martin Walthert (Digitec Galaxus)
• Maurizio Rugghia (Sir Mary)
• Michael Kamm (Agence Trio)
• Peter Brönnimann
• Petra Dreyfus (Wirz)
• Regula Bührer Fecker (Rod Communication)
• Thomas Wildberger (Prophet)

It is well known that strong brands are more successful and guarantee a higher ROI. On average, the top 50 strongest brands in the BAV ranking perform more than one and a half times better than the average of all brands in stock indices such as Dow Jones or S&P. The BAV shows that strong brands have a pronounced brand stature on the one hand and high brand vitality on the other. The combination of esteem and trust on the one hand and relevance and differentiation on the other makes brands true powerbrands. Starting in 2022, Wunderman Thompson will conduct the world's largest brand survey in Switzerland on an annual basis, and this year there are some surprises in the ranking.

Tech brands push forward

The biggest winners in the top 10 this year are the technology brands Microsoft, Apple and Samsung. They have made massive gains and are in the top 10 for the first time. Microsoft moves up 17 places to land in third place; Apple is close behind in fourth place (+26 ranks); and Samsung makes up an impressive 35 ranks to land in sixth place in the overall ranking. With Google still unchallenged in first place, as well as WhatsApp and YouTube, this means that 7 of the top 10 brands are from the digital sector.

On the one hand, this may have to do with the fact that technology and digital platforms have become an integral part of everyday life. Especially in the post-Corona era, which is characterized by remote work, zoom or team meetings, and digital interaction, these brands are becoming increasingly important for everyday life. This strengthens the familiarity but also relevance of these brands. On the other hand, brands like Apple or Samsung have a high pace of innovation. And since innovativeness is one of the main drivers behind brand vitality, these brands can put themselves at the top of the winners.

Another brand that made it into the top 10 for the first time is Victorinox. The Swiss original is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and is therefore probably particularly present in the minds of the Swiss. Beyond that, however, the brand has also done quite a bit in recent years to stay fresh and up-to-date. Not for nothing was Victorinox honored with the Swiss Marketing Award by the Gfm in October (Werbewoche.ch reported). No longer in the top 10 is the company Coop, which loses 8 ranks and "only" lands in 15th place.

Four pillars of brand strength

In the most differentiated brands, Tesla and Apple are the clear winners in the first two places. Lego and IKEA also score here and, as in the previous year, land in the top 5. Dyson was included in the list of 800 brands surveyed for the first time this year and promptly lands in 4th place, just like the Swiss vitamin drink Focus Water in 9th place. The Swiss sneaker brand On can improve by 166 ranks and moves up to 6th place. However, "Swissness" no longer seems to be a driver in the differentiation: the Swiss originals Rega, Toblerone, Ovomaltine, Rivella and Ricola all slip out of the top 10.

In terms of relevance, the well-known brands can defend their top positions. Migros, WhatsApp, Google, Coop and Microsoft are once again among the most relevant brands in Switzerland. Twint improves by 37 positions to rank 6. In 2022, supermarkets and digital brands will still be enormously important for Swiss consumers, not only among the top 10, but in the overall ranking.

There are also no surprises among the most trusted brands: Migros, WhatsApp, Coop, Google and Swisscom are all in the lead, similar to last year. These brands are firmly established in the everyday lives of the Swiss and are therefore very familiar. It is interesting to note that SBB has moved up seven places to 10th place. Perhaps this is an indication that the understanding of mobility is changing and people are increasingly relying on public transportation.

Major changes are visible in terms of appreciation: Migros, Victorinox and Rega are similarly far ahead as in 2021, but there is a lot going on behind them: Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Kärcher, Bosch and Zug can gain between 35 and 79 ranks and move ahead of Coop, which falls back to 10th place. There could be different explanations for this dynamic. As in the main ranking, Microsoft, Samsung and Google are very strong digital brands that are firmly established in everyday life. In the case of Kärcher, Bosch and Zug, we are talking about brands related to the household - and here the current crises certainly play a role. The term "cocooning" has previously been used to describe the phenomenon of people focusing more on their immediate surroundings in times of crisis. In addition, this year for the first time the image attributes "reliable," "high quality" and "leading brand" are included in the calculation of appreciation, and here traditional brands like this year's top 10 naturally have a clear advantage.

"Most loved brand" Migros

This year, the "Love Brands" of Switzerland are also determined for the first time. For this purpose, the survey explicitly determined per brand with a scaled question how much it is liked. Apart from WhatsApp and Google, the ranking includes a list of well-known Swiss brands. As expected, Migros lands right at the top, and the Cumulus Card is also very popular in this country. Twint, Rega, Victorinox and Caran D'Ache are also among the Love Brands. Lindt and Raclette Suisse are the only two food brands in the top 10, but there are already eight in the top 20 - including Ragusa, Ricola and Zweifel. While "Swissness" no longer seems to play a major role in brand strength, Swiss origin is apparently an absolute must if you want to be a Love Brand.

All in all, this year again shows that the brand landscape in Switzerland is constantly in flux. Some brands are moving forward in terms of perception, while others are losing ground in terms of reputation. Some of the changes certainly have to do with external circumstances such as the current crises. But it is precisely the dimensions of differentiation and familiarity that are driven by communication. Therefore, even in difficult times, an investment in advertising and marketing can be worthwhile in order to build and maintain a strong brand.

Responsible at Wunderman Thompson: Peter Petermann (Head of Strategy) Galina Helbling (Senior Strategist), Giselle Vaugne (Chief Operating Officer and Co-CEO, overall responsibility), Swen Morath (Chief Creative Officer and Co-CEO, overall responsibility). Responsible at Ogilvy: Matthias Müller (Strategy Director), Jonathan Schipper (CEO). Responsible at Scholz & Friends: Mathias Rösch (CEO).

The Brand Asset Valuator BAV is the largest and most comprehensive brand study worldwide. In Switzerland, the study has been conducted since 1995. Since this year, the study has been produced jointly in annual waves by the WPP agencies Wunderman Thompson, Ogilvy and Scholz & Friends. This has made it possible to massively expand the FOT. Now, 8,000 Swiss people aged 18-74 are surveyed annually about their brand preferences. The number of brands surveyed has more than doubled to over 800. The study is representative of the Internet population of German- and French-speaking Switzerland according to the official structural data of Switzerland. The survey period was from August 31 to October 18, 2022.

At Ringier's Annual General Meeting, Nancy Cruickshank and Anna Mossberg were elected by shareholders as new members of Ringier's Board of Directors.

Anna Mossberg started her career in 1996 at the Swedish telecommunications group Telia. In 2010 she became CEO of the Internet provider Bahnhof, in 2012 Senior Vice President Strategy and Portfolio Management at Deutsche Telekom, and in 2015 she joined the management team of Google Sweden. From March 2021 to February 2022, Anna Mossberg served as Managing Director of Silo AI, the largest Scandinavian AI lab. She currently serves as a board member at Volvo Cars, Swedbank AB, Swisscom and global FMCG company Orkla ASA. Previously, Anna Mossberg was a board member of Schibsted ASA. Anna Mossberg is a member of the Axcel Management Advisory Board and the World Economic Forum's Impact Forum for Sustainability board. Anna Mossberg holds an M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Luleå University of Technology and Executive MBAs from Stanford and IE Universities.

Nancy Cruickshank is Operating Partner at Exponent PE, where she leads the portfolio companies GoCity and Wowcher. Her previous roles include Chief Digital Officer at Carlsberg Group and Non-Executive Director at TelecityGroup. Her startup MyShowcase was named one of the 15 fastest growing startups in the UK. Cruickshank previously founded Condé Nast online in 1996. She was also instrumental in the development of Handbag.com, the market leader in beauty & fashion, and led the digital business of Telegraph Media Group. Nancy Cruickshank holds a BA in History from the University of Leeds.

"With Nancy Cruickshank and Anna Mossberg, we are expanding the digital and technological expertise of the Board of Directors of Ringier AG," Michael Ringier, Chairman of the Ringier Board of Directors, is quoted as saying in a communiqué.

Laura Rudas, Executive Vice President at Palantir Technologies and a member of the Ringier Board of Directors since summer 2020, did not stand for re-election. In the 2023/2024 term of office, the Ringier Board of Directors will thus be composed of Chairman Michael Ringier, Vice Chairman Uli Sigg, and the members Roman Bargezi, Urs Berger, Claudio Cisullo, Nancy Cruickshank, Lukas Gähwiler, Anna Mossberg, Prof. Felix Oberholzer-Gee, and Michèle Rodoni.

Sandro Inguscio, Editor-in-Chief of Blick.ch and Blick TV, is delighted with the new addition: "Alex Terwey is a digital crack who brings expertise, speed and drive. I'm convinced that we can learn and benefit a lot from each other."

Terwey, 31, is also excited about the new challenge. "I'm extremely excited to be able to step on the gas with the great team and on all channels, and at the same time get to know the needs of new users," he was quoted as saying in a statement on Monday.