Coop is merging its marketing, digital services and IT departments into the new "Digital & Customer" directorate. In doing so, the retailer wants to place its customers, partners and employees even more at the center of its decisions, according to a statement on Monday.

Agile and interdisciplinary teams

The merger of the departments will take into account the development in digitalization towards agile and interdisciplinary teams, the statement continues. This will enable Coop to respond more quickly and in a more targeted manner to the constantly changing needs of its customers, to pick up on new trends earlier and to implement projects more efficiently.

Schwetje takes over management

Against the backdrop of the realignment, there will be a change in leadership. Thomas Schwetje, previously Head of Marketing and Digital Services, will head the newly formed Directorate 7 "Digital & Customer". With this step, he will move up to the Executive Board of Coop Group Cooperative as of January 1, 2023.

Reto Conrad, the former head of Directorate 7, is leaving the company. According to Coop, this is being done "by positive mutual agreement". The retailer plans to fill other new key positions internally wherever possible. No job cuts are planned, the company said.

Read the m&k interview with Thomas Schwetje from 2021 here.

With the introduction of the SZKB Twint app, the bank is fulfilling a need and long-awaited wish of its customers, according to a statement. Until now, customers could manually top up their credit via the Prepaid Twint app using an SZKB account, which will now no longer be possible with the direct account connection and the new app. As of September 22, it will no longer be possible to top up the prepaid app directly via an SZKB account.

Support on site

As part of specially organized digital days from August 26 to September 15 throughout the canton, the bank is supporting its customers as they take steps into the world of digital banking services. To this end, employees of the cantonal bank will be available in person to demonstrate how to install, activate, optimize and use electronic banking tools such as e- and mobile banking or the new SZKB Twint app.

Digitization continues to advance

In 2022, SZKB took a number of important steps in the digital world, including the connection of the new Visa debit card to Apple and Samsung Pay or the SZKB Twint app.

Recently, Netflix has been losing customers, while rivals like Disney have been making strong gains. On its 25th birthday at the end of August, the streaming market leader is under pressure as rarely before. That's why Netflix is focusing on new strategies and breaking with its traditions. For many users, this could soon have unpleasant consequences.

In the coming year, Netflix plans to start taking stricter action against customers who share their login data with others. The company assumes that more than 100 million households are using the streaming service without authorization in addition to the nearly 221 million regular subscribers. Up to now, Netflix has taken a relaxed approach here, but this is now to come to an end.

But can freeloaders be turned into paying customers so easily? "Netflix has to proceed carefully so as not to scare users away," says expert Simon Baker of the money house Société Générale. U.S. surveys indicated a relatively high propensity to churn.

Competition becomes larger

After the streaming boom at the beginning of the pandemic caused a rush of subscribers, Netflix lost more than one million customers in the first half of 2022. Particularly in the increasingly oversaturated home market of North America, where there are numerous competing offerings, many users opted out. After years as a stock market darling, Netflix is now also having a hard time on Wall Street: The share has fallen by almost 60 percent this year - significantly more than the overall market.

And now, of all times, the competition is gaining momentum. Rival Disney+, which started as a Netflix hunter less than three years ago, gained around 14.4 million subscriptions in the three months to the end of June - not least thanks to the Star Wars series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" - and now already has a good 152 million user accounts. If you add Disney's other streaming services Hulu and ESPN+, the Hollywood giant has already more or less caught up with Netflix. (Werbewoche.ch reported).

However, Disney also helped out a lot with discounts and special offers in the past few years. In addition, the figures are only comparable to a limited extent, since Disney lures many users with combination deals. Whether the Mickey Mouse Group can maintain its strong growth also remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Netflix looks weakened at the moment.

Netflix version with advertising

To get back on track, founder Reed Hastings even gave in on one of his biggest taboos. In view of the poor development of user numbers, Netflix is launching a cheaper version of its streaming service with advertising clips. Actually, Hastings had always resolutely rejected this. The advertising version is to be launched in 2023, initially in "a handful of markets.

Will it bring the hoped-for momentum? "Subscription growth should initially benefit from the cheaper version with advertising," says a Barclays study. However, there is a risk that many old customers will switch to the cheaper new offer.

Netflix has already said goodbye to another trademark. For example, the online video service no longer released all episodes of the latest seasons of "Stranger Things" and "Ozark" at once as usual. Netflix is thus abandoning its tradition of providing the material for marathon binge-watching of new series.

The reform is designed to keep customers interested for longer - series fans can no longer watch everything in one go and then cancel their subscription. While it is customary in the traditional TV industry to publish only one episode a week, Netflix is breaking its long-standing standards.

Founded as a DVD rental

After all, the company has a lot of experience in adapting its business models - and has had a lot of success in the past. After all, Netflix was originally a DVD rental company. Legend has it that the company's history began with a rental video.

Founder Hastings misplaced a cassette of the movie "Apollo 13" - annoyingly, the video store accumulated $40 in fees because of it, he later recounted. On his way to the gym, Hastings saw the light: For $40 a month, you could work out there as much as you wanted. This was the idea behind Netflix's subscription model: for a monthly fee, you could have as many DVDs as you could manage in a month sent to you by mail.

But unlike the video store giant Blockbuster, for example - which rejected the takeover of Netflix in 2000 at the now seemingly ridiculously low price of $50 million - Hastings recognized the signs of the times. DVDs haven't played a role for Netflix for years; since 2007, it's been all about streaming. While Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010, Netflix, as a pioneer of online video services, became the big shocker for cable TV.

In the meantime, however, the empire is fighting back - not only Disney, but also the major US media groups Comcast, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are fully committed to streaming. Tech giants Amazon, Apple and Google are also upgrading their services - and Netflix is finding it increasingly difficult. (SDA)

While social media before the TikTok era became more and more an unattainable ideal world, TikTok today is the playground for creativity and individuality. Boring brand- rather than content-driven content is punished mercilessly. With its claim "It's just normal", PostFinance is taking the opportunity to tell stories from normal life on TikTok - produced by content creators and not by the brand itself.

In a first wave, various creators have reinterpreted the "Ist doch ganz normal" campaign track. New lyrics, acoustic versions and remixes were created. The next wave revolved entirely around the claim, which was deliberately used to break down everyday situations and personal idiosyncrasies: "Falling asleep in class? It's normal.". Many imitators then created their own versions of the "Ist doch ganz normal" posts.

In the latest and current wave of PostFinance, the creativity of the creators continues to be given free rein. And it gets playful: The Swiss taboo topic of "money" is taken up honestly and unfiltered and placed at the center of the street game entitled "Honest Money". For this, the social team of Jung von Matt Limmat works together with creators such as Mr. Suisse. For PostFinance, they ask passers-by in German, French and Italian to choose between the game "Truth or Dare": "Honest Money or Risky Cash". Whatever the outcome: It's perfectly normal.

Responsible at PostFinance: Rose Portmann, Fabian Christ (Social Media Manager), Jelena Mesic, Florian Grützner (Marketing Manager), Francisco Moreno (Head of Marketing Concept). Responsible at Jung von Matt Limmat: Régine Cavicchioli (Creative Direction), Jonas Bayona (Social Creative Direction), Anouk Karrer (Text), Jan Theus (Art Direction), Lara Zehnder (Social Creative), Adam Keel (Video Production), Cédric Knapp, Melissa Diday, Sebastian Kaps (Account Management), Marianne Sauter, Marcel Walzl (Account Direction), Wolfgang Bark (Managing Creative Direction), Thomas Steiner (Managing Partner). Responsible at Webrepublic: Michael Zenhäusern (Social Media Marketing Consultant), Vanessa Pinter (Client Solutions Manager).

Rosarot has been one of Switzerland's leading agencies since August 2022. Initiated in 2007 as a startup by René Karrer, the agency has grown continuously, currently 23 people with profound expertise are committed to brands. The agency combines the three core areas of design, content and digital into a single unit and positions itself as a "brand booster".

In recent years, the agency has supported various brands, including Credit Suisse, Zürich Versicherung, Brother, Amag, Orell Füssli, Fujifilm, ETH Zurich and Schulthess, and currently Focus Water, Vontobel and Pet Recycling Schweiz.

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), around 40 million people are enslaved worldwide. Every year, around 2.5 million people become new victims of human trafficking - hundreds of them also in Switzerland.

With TV commercials, e-boards, a WebsiteThe alliance of NGOs is using all channels to draw attention to the grievances, including social media posts, a blog, flyers and more. Highlights include a national media conference in the Federal Parliament and a major rally on the Bundesplatz in Bern on September 24, 2022.

Modern slavery and human trafficking have become topical, especially with the war in Ukraine: The Federal Office for Refugees SEM warns against human trafficking among refugees because of the war in Ukraine. Especially during the flight and in the time after arrival in the host countries, women are at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.

In addition to the well-known sexual exploitation in the red-light milieu, cases of human trafficking are increasingly occurring in other areas of work, such as in cleaning establishments, in the hospitality industry, in the construction sector and in agriculture. "Switzerland is not an ideal world. We raise awareness and mobilize the Swiss population around the issue of human trafficking. Sexual exploitation and labor exploitation happens in our midst. Human trafficking is modern slavery here in Switzerland," is how Ueli Haldemann, campaign manager, describes the goal of the campaign. Crime in Switzerland is on the rise if human trafficking is not combated.

Broad-based campaign

The whole campaign is based on the new website Gegen-menschenhandel.ch. All important information, a blog, a specially composed song "Schweigen darf nicht sein", the media release and pictures are hosted there.

Mobilization takes place via direct channels with NGOs and organizations: In addition to the ten official partners, other organizations have also pledged their idealistic support. Awareness will be raised via social media - YouTube, Facebook and Instagram will be used. Many people will spread texts via their social media accounts and publicize the campaign with large-scale rallies. A TV spot has been played out since Friday and will run for six weeks on SRF 1 and 2 as well as on selected regional stations. In addition, the spot will be shown in abbreviated form on APG e-boards in the eight major Swiss train stations from September 18 to 24, 2022.

The campaign will culminate in a major public rally on Saturday, September 24, 2022, on the Bundesplatz in Bern.

Responsible for Campaign against human trafficking: Ueli Haldemann (campaign manager), Béatrice Käufeler and Barbara Inäbnit (project managers), Gallus Tallheimer (project manager). Responsible at agency b-public: Markus Baumgartner (communication concept, content, media spokesperson), Christian Winiker (content). Responsible for Agency A4: Patrik Frei (director), Brigitte Frei (conception). Responsible for TV commercial production: Joël Brunner (production), Kevin Staub (camera assistant), Stefanie Colombo (make-up artist), Magnolia Joe Good, Sabi Ingold, Gjergj Berisha (actors/actresses). Responsible for the song: Ueli Haldemann (text), Matthias Heimlicher (music and production), Patrik Frei (video production).

The campaign focuses primarily on authenticity and highlights the emotional side of cancer from the perspective of affected patients. "The campaign was realized with the active participation of patients with cancer and their relatives, which creates a high degree of authenticity in all our contributions," explains Ralph Schröder, Head of Content and Campaign Management at KSA.

About Living with Cancer

Cancer is complex in terms of cause, progression and therapy, but for those affected it is always a stroke of fate. With this core message, the KSA is addressing the general public and the medical profession as part of its new health and education campaign. The focus of all contributions, whether in the accompanying magazine, on the campaign website Cancer.ksa.chPatients are featured on social media and in movies and videos. They tell their illness and life stories, report on fear and hope and the psychological handling of the disease. After all, those affected by cancer and long-term survivors are challenged above all mentally. For them, "healing" or "improving the quality of life" means above all psychologically coming to terms with the disease in order to preserve or regain the courage to face life. The campaign concept symbolizes precisely this important dimension of the disease.

"Communicating about cancer was a multifaceted challenge. The only way to convince patients and doctors alike was to use words, images and sound to make the emotional life of those affected visible, audible and tangible," explains Tarja Zingg, Managing Director and Campaign Manager of the Lumina Health agency.

The campaign website, via social media, ads, on billboards, with videos and cinema advertising, as well as in the forthcoming patient magazine, will focus on various aspects of cancer, treatment options and the recovery process.

Responsible at KSA: Julien Buro, Ralph Schröder, Claudia Morach. Responsible at Lumina Health: Tarja Zingg (Strategy & Concept), Debi Balmer (Design), Lena Rauh (Digital Campaign Management), Stefan Zingg (Concept & Text). Photography: Phil Wenger. Google Ads: Click workshop. Media Planning: JBW Media. Video: Maybaum Film.

As in previous years, the summer slump is also noticeable in advertising print. Compared to the previous month of June, the decline is -17.4 percent.

The tobacco (-80.9%), telecommunications (-54.9%) and vehicles (-38.0%) sectors in particular are reducing their advertising pressure compared with the month of June. Only energy recorded a significant increase of 9.2 percent.

The total value print January to July 2022 is 3,550 million gross francs, 36.9 percent higher than in the same period last year.

Advertising pressure in the overall market

Development of advertising print as of July 2022 in millions of gross Swiss francs.

Retail trade continues to record the highest advertising pressure

15 out of 21 industries increase their advertising pressure in July compared to the same month last year. The biggest increase was in the energy sector (+50.7%). Construction, industry, furnishings (+45.2%) achieved the second-highest percentage increase, defending its 2nd place in the overall annual ranking behind retail trade (+25.7%). Leisure, hospitality, tourism follows in 3rd place. The sector increased its advertising print by 11.9 percent in July.

The three sectors are thus keeping up their advertising pressure and further extending their lead over the rest of the advertising market.

Six sectors with less advertising pressure than in the previous year

Six sectors recorded lower advertising pressure compared with the same month of the previous year. The sharpest downturn can be observed in the cleaning sector (-50.7 %).

Further, the Food sector (-12.9%) lowers the advertising pressure also in July. Initiatives & Campaigns (-15.3%), Vehicles (-14.3%), Cosmetics & Personal Care (-9.7%) and Telecommunications (-15.5%) do the same.

Top Advertisers & Products

The top advertisers and most advertised products as well as services (excluding assortment, image advertising and collective categories) in July.

Media Mix for the month of July

Rod Kommunikation had been responsible for the mandate for the Zurich City Police until 2021. Now Die Antwort was able to prevail in a pitch for the new employer branding campaign.

In the future, the agency will support the Zurich City Police in its search for suitable police officers. The client wanted a new, fresh look for its public image and invited us to a pitch.

The new image is intended to be authentic and creatively offer real insights into the activities of Switzerland's third-largest police corps with over 2,000 employees. The campaign will be launched in January 2023.

Bold - the headline of the new Faces Output is the program. The entire team around Editor-in-Chief Patrick Pierazzoli and Creative Director Florian Ribisch has been working flat out on the magazine's relaunch in recent weeks. The September 2022 issue, which will be published on Fridays in Switzerland and on Tuesdays in Germany, shows the Faces now for the first time with new paper, in a new format, with a new layout and even more content.

The "new Faces with a larger format and new feel has more space for stories and important voices. Weighing approximately 900 grams, the magazine will now be published eight times a year in Switzerland and Germany, with a print run of 40,000 copies in each case. The price will increase to 8.50 Swiss francs and 7.50 euros respectively and, according to the press release, will be "in line with competitors in the luxury sector. An increase in advertising rates is not planned for the time being.

With its new appearance wants Faces become even more of a collector's item and thus also more sustainable. With an additional 48 pages, the magazine comes to Coffee Table level with a total of 180 pages and has plenty of space for stories, people, voices, and even more fashion, design, and art.

Home office, video conferencing and limited contact options due to Covid restrictions were also reflected in the booking and occupancy figures of conference centers. This was also the case for Conference House, a young provider of conference and event infrastructure in the Ambassador House not far from Glattpark in Zurich North.

To boost bookings, Havas Village in Zurich developed a social media strategy to increase the Conference House's visibility and generate additional demand. In addition, the campaign design was created in such a way that it can be used to collect data that provides insights and information about the target groups and their behavior.

The social media strategy comprises a media and a creative concept, both of which cover the different information needs of the target groups over the various campaign phases. Due to the close integration of media, digital and creative at Havas Village Zurich, the Conference House is offered a one-stop solution - from strategy to conception to implementation.

The campaign launches in mid-August on LinkedIn with moving image and static conversions.