He doesn't miss anything that's going on in the media industry. He has already been a journalist, editor-in-chief, publisher of the news magazine Facts, for six years on the executive board of Tamedia. Later editor-in-chief of the trade journal Swiss journalist:in and now for years much read Weltwoche-Columnist.

Zimmermann discusses what he thinks of the macho culture in Tamedia's editorial offices and how he views the Corona Leaks in an interview with Reto Lipp.

The Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) Roundtable, held in collaboration between the Gesellschaft für Marketing Schweiz GFM and Deloitte at Zurich's Trustsquare Eventspace, gave experts and entrepreneurs the opportunity to share their insights from the publication with the audience. Their perspective combines the knowledge from research with the experience from practice.

During Thursday's discussion, panelists emphasized the need for companies to be flexible in their marketing strategies. The CMOs from Breitling, Läderach, Zurich Insurance and Bank Cler also spoke about the challenges posed by the ever-changing marketing landscape. It is crucial to stay one step ahead of the competition, they said.

Swiss innovative power in transition

"Strategic thinking and curiosity are two important qualities we look for in new employees," says Daniele Calderoni, Group Head of Brand Marketing at Zurich Insurance. However, only 28 percent of the companies surveyed in Deloitte's study, published in mid-February, consider themselves willing to take risks (Werbewoche.ch reported). Creativity or a positive error culture is considered less important in a global comparison.

The presence of Swiss companies in the Metaverse also leaves something to be desired. While in other nations only 8 percent of respondents said they had no plans yet regarding Metaverse, in Switzerland the figure was 12 percent. Virtual opportunities are gaining relevance, however. Breitling CMO Tim Sayler, for example, says that as early as 2020, Breitling will begin issuing an NFT with every watch sold.

For a sustainable economy

However, in terms of sustainable products and long-term commitment to sustainability, Switzerland is a frontrunner in an international comparison. Sustainability must be firmly anchored in the corporate strategy, he says. "First deliver, then communicate," says Gregor Eicher, Head of Marketing & Sales at Bank Cler, at the CMO Roundtable. Economic considerations are seen by participants as an opportunity, not a risk, and are already largely present in corporate decisions.

For the last five years, Carolin Schulze worked for Cembra, where she served as media spokesperson, developed and implemented project-specific, integrated communication concepts, and laid the foundations for the bank's social media strategy, among other things. In addition, her responsibilities included internal communications and advising management on communications issues.

Previously, Carolin Schulze communicated for the international sustainability competition Green Talents, which is implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research by the project management organization of the German Aerospace Center. She began her career in logistics, where she implemented internal communications for DHL Express Switzerland for just under five years and set up media relations in the country.

The large, bilingual traveling exhibition will start its tour in St. Gallen, where it can be visited from March 4 to July 2, 2023, and will travel throughout Switzerland until 2026, the museum informed on Friday. The show, designed by historians, is a project of the Journalistory association.

The exhibition includes eight stations with films, games and stories and invites the public to actively participate and collect points. At the end, they receive a "press pass" for this. The centerpiece is a newsroom where visitors can do their own research and produce an article.

"Journalism is essential for the formation of our opinions and for democracy," write the exhibition's creators. Knowledge of facts and public discussion are indispensable. "At the same time, we need information to organize our lives and orient ourselves in society."

Facts and Fake News

A station about facts and fake news offers a quiz and an infotheque, calls for critical examination of news and addresses media use. The audience should not fall for fake news and is given the opportunity to spread false "facts" and conspiracy theories themselves.

A historical section entitled "Media and Society" is devoted to important events that have moved Switzerland over the past 60 years, from the vote on women's suffrage to the Ukraine war. In another station, media professionals talk about their profession, its appeal and challenges.

In addition to the traveling exhibition, the St. Gallen Museum of Culture has designed a local section. It deals with media history and media change in St. Gallen. Outstanding topics included the controversy surrounding the "traitor to the country Ernst S." in the 1970s and the St. Gallen Easter riots of 2021. (SDA)

With this step, the future of the privately operated medium is secured, Knechtli announced on Friday. He had decided to pass his company on to younger forces. The terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The new editorial management is committed to remaining true to political journalism and contributing to media diversity in the region, the statement said. The DNA of Online-Reports as an "independent, critical and fair voice" should also be preserved in the long term.

According to its own information, the news portal is financed by advertising and voluntary public donations to the Rechechier Fund. Online reports has been in the black without exception for the past 25 years, according to Knechtli.

Pioneer in Swiss online journalism

The portal, which regularly makes news in the Basel region with exclusive reports, is considered a pioneer of online journalism in Switzerland. It began commercial operation at the end of October 1998 after a one-year laboratory trial.

Alessandra Paone has been working as a domestic editor at Tamedia newspapers for almost two years. Jan Amsler started as an intern at Online reports. He currently heads the politics team on the local desk of the Basel Newspaper.

According to Knechtli, he will assist his successors in an advisory capacity during the transition phase and will "continue to appear in a journalistic capacity" when the opportunity arises, according to the statement. (SDA)

To develop the necessary leadership culture, which Thomas Meier describes as "the key ingredient," he enlisted the support of TheNextWe. "It all starts with the mindset," says Meier. The mindset that fits a global player was successfully developed individually and implemented sustainably in a worldwide executive coaching session in which the management board also participated.

"We export 90 percent of our products around the globe, and internally we have retained the feeling of a family business where togetherness is very important. At the same time, we can step on the gas a lot more with our brand. Together with TheNextWe, we have succeeded in realizing the necessary mindset for this. Everyone looked at themselves and asked themselves 'What's stopping me from taking this step?' That was the liberation we were looking for," explains Ricola CEO Meier.
René Schori, Chief Human Resources Officer, adds: "That was the main task: that we enter a transformation from an export-oriented Swiss SME to a global company that has a play-to-win mindset."

The entire Executive Board and managers working at the headquarters in Laufen as well as in the USA, Singapore, Italy, France and Belgium took part in the twelve-week program. In the first four weeks, TheNextWe worked with them on an individual level to identify their attitudes and reservations in connection with the topic of "leadership. Each participant was assigned their own coach for this purpose. On this basis, TheNextWe helped to establish a new collective mindset across all areas that fits the upbeat character of a global player.

The new behavior resulting from this work was practiced and consolidated for eight weeks. TheNextWe app served as the central platform for coaching throughout, guiding participants through inspiring exercises, coaching conversations, and setting and achieving personal milestones.

The program concluded with an event where all participants could share what they had experienced. Together, they noted a great collective change resulting from the liberation from self-limiting mindsets. Leaders reported, for example, that they were now able to address difficult issues directly and use the talents in their teams more effectively.

Rosa Riera, co-CEO of TheNextWe, sums up: "In the family-run SME sector, major changes are on the horizon, often involving a change of leadership from owner to external manager. This transformation is not trivial. Keeping the genuine togetherness while establishing the performance mindset - that's what enables a traditional company to remain successful as a global player."

The first "Parents' Magazine for the Education and Care of the Child" appeared in 1923. 100 years later, the magazine - now called We parents and is produced under the umbrella of CH Media - still. Then as now, it provides information for parents and people in family planning - on topics such as family, health, education, leisure and lifestyle. According to CH Media belongs We parents is one of the oldest journal titles in Switzerland and one of the few with a complete archive stock since 1923.

The anniversary issue is published on Friday and looks back on the 100 years of existence. To do so, the editors have searched the archive volumes for the most moving stories, the best anecdotes and long-outdated or surprisingly enduring parenting tips. What has preoccupied society in relation to the topic of family, then and since? How has the subject of birth changed, and why did children's homes used to place page after page of advertisements? The anniversary issue aims to provide answers to such questions.

Agap2 Switzerland approached Farner with a simple insight: talent is increasingly difficult to recruit, and retaining current employees has become a real challenge. In this context, Agap2 has many little-known competitive advantages.

Farner's employer branding teams met with employees and consultants to identify Agap2 Switzerland's personality and what makes the company different. Because job security and the variety of tasks offered are key, Agap2 Switzerland has adopted the claim "Let's make work an adventure," based on the following three major values: "Relying on the match," or the promise to assign projects in a way that meets employees' needs. "Providing variety," or the promise to offer a true professional adventure that employees can grow from. And "Accelerating progress," or the ongoing anticipation of clients' needs to help them develop projects that will shape the future.

To bring these newly identified values to life, a visual concept was devised and applied to the brand's internal and external communication tools: a new career portal on the website, an activation strategy via the company's LinkedIn professional network, and an internal newsletter program for all employees.

According to a brief statement Friday morning, De Schepper's departure is "due to current differences of opinion as a leader of the media company." Susanne Walder, the previous co-chief editor of Interview, will take over as editorial director with immediate effect.

Interview by Ringier appeared for the first time in November 2021. The title, featuring interviews with personalities, was launched with a circulation of 130,000 copies.

Accusations without consequences

In 2017, the Tages-Anzeiger an article about alleged sexual harassment by de Schepper in the workplace. The article was based on statements by several female employees, who remained anonymous. The media office of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland stated at the time that it had no knowledge of such incidents. De Schepper did not comment publicly on the matter. The accusations had no criminal consequences.

From 2003 to 2007, De Schepper was editor-in-chief of the View. After stations at the Aargauer newspaper and Tele Bärn, the Belgian-Swiss dual national became co-chief editor of the Swiss Illustrated. de Schepper had started his career with the Solothurn News.

(SDA/swi)

Swiss German dialects are complex and diverse. When dialect is used in advertising, some people today try to use a "standard Swiss German" or "Olten-Bahnhofsbuffet dialect" that is as neutral as possible. Since such a dialect does not exist, a specific Swiss German dialect is inevitably and sometimes unconsciously used. In individual cases, specific dialects such as Züritüütsch, Bärndütsch, Baseldytsch, etc. are also deliberately used.

In addition, the way of writing is not as banal as it may seem at first, writing is always only a reflection of what is spoken.

Not all dialects are well recognized in written form

Not all Swiss residents assign advertising messages in dialect to the correct region. Bärndütsch is best recognized as such. The majority of messages in Züritüütsch, Baseldytsch and others were not correctly assigned.

Many opportunities in advertising

Communication in written dialect offers opportunities. About every second person surveyed prefers Swiss German as the language of the brand message. Use cases show that a brand communicating in Swiss German can potentially increase its local positioning and perceived closeness to customers. This potential is even greater for foreign or international brands than for companies already strongly anchored in Switzerland.

Specific written Swiss German dialects trigger different effects depending on the language area of the recipient. Which dialect is the right one in an individual case depends on a variety of factors of the communicating brand and the receiving person.

In individual cases - and if poorly implemented - the use of Swiss German by a foreign company can be perceived as ingratiation and lead to reactance. The risk of negative effects is about three times greater for international companies than for Swiss companies.

The risk of a deliberate negative evaluation due to poor comprehensibility of written dialect is low as long as the written texts are not too long. In the cases studied, the comprehensibility and the perception of the advertising brand in terms of reliability and competence do not suffer when communicating in Swiss German.

The effect between national and regionalized campaigns in dialect is comparable, if only because even a national campaign must always use a specific dialect due to the lack of a "neutral Swiss German". Advertising in standard German remains a "safe way", but forgoes the additional chance to position the brand "close to the people".

Consequences for advertising

The study underscores some assumptions that have been suspected in communication until now. The fact that standard German is received so well - and in some cases better than Swiss German - in some situations and language regions is surprising. Another new finding is that just because a dialect is likeable, it does not necessarily have a positive effect in written form. And the fact that only Bernese dialect and standard German can be unerringly assigned in written form is just as surprising.

For the Study "Ädvertising - Dialect in Advertising" of the research community consisting of HWZ Zurich, Htp St.Gallen, Link, Publicis Zurich and the Swiss Idiotikon with the University of Zurich, 6,300 inhabitants:inside from the German-speaking part of Switzerland aged 15 to 79 were surveyed online from November 2022 to February 2023.

31-year-old Jasmin Annaheim studied journalism and communications at the University of Zurich and worked for six years in event marketing at Radio Energy. In recent years, she has headed the marketing department of the Zurich Film Festival. Now she will lead and actively support the creative team of Echowerk together with Sarina Langloh.

"With Jasmin Annaheim, we have gained another event professional with a large network. With her, we are strengthening our core competencies in event communication. I am looking forward to the hands-on collaboration and the inspiring exchange in the strategic questions of event communication," says Langloh, who is a partner at Echowerk and previously held Annaheim's role.

Galaxus Agency has developed a campaign on behalf of the Italian Trade Agency ITA - the Italian organization for export promotion. Under the name "Buongiorno Bellezza" the campaign promotes "Made in Italy" brands: "From premium products to trendy small brands, everything is included," says Laura Zieglmeister, who is supporting the project on the category management side. At the same time, Galaxus is doubling the number of Italian beauty brands.

The campaign was implemented entirely in-house. The Galaxus creation team developed various subjects that will be played out on social media from March to July. The motifs are inspired by old-fashioned wax tablecloths, which are sometimes still found in Sicilian nonnas' homes.

The Galaxus Agency promotes the sale of the products with additional text and shopping ads in the Google search engine. The media planning and control of the campaign is also carried out entirely in-house. After the "Design Made in Italy" campaign in 2021, this is already the second project that the agency has developed and implemented on behalf of ITA.

The online measures are also accompanied by an exhibition: From March until the end of May, customers can visit the Beauty Lab by Galaxus & En Vogue in Zurich to experience a selection of Italian beauty products up close.

Responsible at Digitec Galaxus: Flurin Spring (Creative Director), Luisa Silvestri, Julian Stauffer, Alessandro Thüler (Art Direction and Implementation), Nina Hoss (Project Management and Media Consulting), Kim Dietschweiler (Digital Marketing), Flavia Ulrich (Text), Laura Zieglmeister (Category Management), David Kübler (Corporate Communication).