The merger of Ecomedia, Oridis and Papedis, the three indirect sales divisions of the Office World Group, creates the Office World Trade brand. With the new wholesale company, the companies are pooling their strengths and expanding their offering for customers in the stationery, retail and trade sectors in Switzerland.

The new brand presents itself not only as a wholesaler, exclusive general importer and provider of own brands with a wide range of office supplies, supplies, office technology, school and craft supplies, IT accessories, but also as an innovative provider of service solutions for the industry in logistics, rack jobbing, POS design and digital products.

Partner & Partner was responsible for the rebranding of the full-service provider - from brand architecture, re-naming, logo creation, corporate design and visual language to change management support. In addition, a New website realized - and the web store, which was merged from three existing stores, was also given a gentle redesign.

A grid structure, inspired by the topography of Switzerland, serves as a secondary design element in the background and subtly emphasizes Office World Trade's connection to Switzerland. The website has a modular structure and is designed so that the customer can continue to work with it independently.

Responsible at Office World Group: Felix Brunner (CEO), Jan Haeuter (Project Management), Daniel Zuber (Head of Office World Trade). Responsible at Partner & Partner: Luc Holzach, Manuel Specker (Partner and Senior Consultant), Nina Diem (Project Management), Federica Mele (Art Direction), Dominique Martin (UX Design), Lawrence Markwalder (Consulting Development).

The SLK is the self-regulatory body of the communications industry and monitors compliance with the rules for fair commercial communication.

With 221 complaints procedures in 2024, the SLK has reached a new high. A record of 124 proceedings had already been recorded in 2023, but the 200 mark has now been exceeded for the first time. A major factor in this increase was a controversial billboard advertisement by a brothel operator, against which around 100 complaints were received - 70 of them in a single day. The accusation was sexism. The complaints will be dealt with in the first half of 2025.

If this wave of submissions is deducted, the number of complaints procedures remains at the 2023 level. In the long term, the average is around 100 cases per year. The leisure, tourism, hotel and catering sector accounted for the most complaints in 2024 (12.3 %), followed by food and beverages and services and administration (10.9 % each). There was an increase in the areas of trade, industry and services, while mail order, food and home & garden declined.

In the media sector, a third of complaints (33.3 %) related to online advertising, followed by direct marketing (22.6 %) and out-of-home advertising (12.5 %). Social media and product labels were also the subject of proceedings. In terms of content, most complaints concerned misleading advertising, which accounted for 39.6 % of all cases. This also included complaints about greenwashing, i.e. questionable environmental promises. Sexism was the subject of 12.3 % of cases, while aggressive sales methods (21.6%) were on the decline.

More than half of the appeals submitted (52.8 %) were upheld, 34.7 % were rejected and the Boards were unable to hear 12.5 % of the cases. All appeals were rejected. The SLK emphasizes that appeals are often filed with the aim of forcing a reconsideration, which is not the purpose of the procedure.

In addition, public and media interest in the work of the SLK is increasing. In 2024, over 50 media inquiries were received from all parts of the country. Questions about influencer marketing and the transparent labeling of commercial partnerships were particularly frequent. The use of artificial intelligence in advertising and greenwashing were also recurring topics. The SRF format "10 to 10", for example, was dedicated to the question of how AI is used and declared in advertising.

Individual exemplary decisions of the SLK are in the activity report to read.

Fabian Muster will contribute his extensive expertise at Maz to the implementation and further development of the Diploma in Journalism (DAJ), the CAS Journalism and other journalism training courses within the framework of university cooperation.

"Local journalism is the backbone of democracy and strengthens social cohesion: it is close to the people, deeply rooted in the regions and promotes public discourse. With Fabian Muster, we are gaining an experienced professional who will contribute his in-depth knowledge and leadership experience to the journalistic training of the next generation," Maz CEO Martina Fehr is quoted as saying in a press release.

Experienced local journalist

The 45-year-old Muster began his career in 2007 at the Solothurn newspaper. From 2010, he worked in various roles for AZ Medien and later CH Media - first as a print and online editor, later as deputy head of online, project manager and page editor at the Aargauer newspaper. Since 2016, he has been Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and from 2020 Editorial Director at Oltner Tagblatt. Most recently, he was also deputy editor-in-chief of the Solothurn newspaper and of the Grenchner Tagblatt. As a graduate of the Master's course and the leadership training at Maz, Fabian Muster already knows his new employer and what it has to offer very well.

"Strong local journalism is essential for a functioning democracy: this is where most politicians take their first steps, for example; journalists should accompany them critically and independently from the very beginning," says Muster. "I look forward to passing on my knowledge and experience at Maz and inspiring the next generation of journalists for this important task."

In the run-up to the 2025 European Women's Football Championship in Switzerland, the IdéeSport Foundation is launching the Sports heroines" booklet. The magazine, designed as a sticker album, is aimed specifically at 8 to 12-year-old girls and makes female sports role models visible to young girls.

On 28 pages, the project portrays 90 female athletes from a wide range of disciplines - from football and athletics to lesser-known sports such as rollerball, hula and rugby. The booklet shows the diversity of girls' and women's sport in all its facets.

Target group-specific design

The particular challenge of this project lies in the specific target group: girls aged 8 to 12. In close cooperation with IdéeSport, Evoq developed the editorial structure of the magazine and developed a design concept that is geared towards the target group's world - without simplifying or stereotyping.

The design of Evoq combines high aesthetic standards with a target group-oriented approach. The visual language focuses on authenticity and combines personal snapshots with eye-catching illustrations and expressive typography. The result is a visual language that creates closeness and at the same time conveys self-confidence.

"The design deliberately avoids stereotypical depictions and instead relies on powerful, authentic imagery that enables identification," explains Livia Brandenberger, Head of the Collector's Booklet Development Team at IdéeSport

Innovative storytelling

Unlike traditional sports magazines, the project does not focus primarily on top female athletes. Instead, the focus is on the athletes' personal stories, their passions, challenges and motivation. The spectrum ranges from well-known names such as football team captain Lia Wälti and slalom world champion Camille Rast to dedicated amateur sportswomen who pursue their passion alongside their job or training.

Varied, colorful layouts and numerous illustrative elements convey the content in a playful way and invite readers to browse, read and collect. Interactive features such as challenges, stickers and hands-on activities make the magazine a holistic experience.

"We want to show that there can be a sports heroine in every girl - regardless of her background, abilities or previous achievements," explains Reto Mayer, Managing Director at IdéeSport

A first step

The collection booklet is the centerpiece of a broader initiative by the IdéeSport Foundation. It accompanies planned events in the Month of Sports Heroines and creates lasting points of contact with the topic - not only for the girls themselves, but also for their caregivers, youth and sports organizations and schools.

An initial print run of 30,000 copies of "Sportheldinnen" will be distributed free of charge via various partner organizations, schools, neighbourhood clubs, libraries and all IdéeSport OpenSunday locations. The aim is to reach as wide a target group as possible.

Responsible at the IdéeSport Foundation: Livia Brandenberger (Head of Development Team Collector's Booklet), Nina Balzer, Melina Neuenschwander, Larissa Zimmermann (Development Team Collector's Booklet), Reto Mayer (Managing Director). Responsible at Evoq Communications: Susanne Pfäffli (mandate management, concept and editing), Markus Wohlhüter (concept, art direction), Marta Freitag, Kira Riccius (graphic design), Daniel Kuster (project management, production).

Pxlstrm was founded as a spin-off of the adtech company Adello and specializes in AI-supported video advertising. The Zurich-based provider officially announced its expansion into Germany on Monday. The company presented its AI-supported video advertising technology Pxlstrm GP at the AdVantage Microsoft Advertising Event in Munich. The event, organized by Sowespoke, offered agencies insights into the Microsoft advertising ecosystem.

CEO and co-founder Wei Phung presented the solution to a specialist audience of agencies from the SWS Alliance. Launched by Sowespoke, the alliance comprises around 100 digital marketing agencies in Germany that now have access to the technology behind Pxlstrm. "Germany is a crucial market for Pxlstrm's growth. Through our partnership with the SWS Alliance, we are enabling emerging online marketing agencies to leverage AI-driven contextual targeting to maximize ad relevance and effectiveness," said Phung.

Pxlstrm GP uses artificial intelligence to analyze various elements of video content - including visual features, dialogue and moods - in order to place ads as relevant as possible. This is intended to improve user engagement and ensure brand safety. The company claims that the technology increases the relevance of ads by 110 percent on average.

The vast majority of PR professionals see their professional situation as stable: 81% rate their job as secure or very secure. This means that the feeling of security in the industry remains almost at the same level as the previous year, when 87% saw their job as secure. At the same time, many companies are struggling with cost-cutting measures that also affect communication budgets. Almost half of those surveyed (45%) expect budgets to shrink, while only 15% expect them to grow.

Communication under cost pressure

The main reason for the falling budgets are company-wide cost-cutting programs, which 80% of respondents cite as the reason. Budget shifts to other areas of the company (37%) and an increased focus on in-house PR instead of external support (27%) are also putting pressure on communication budgets. Just under a fifth cite investments in more cost-effective digital channels and an increase in efficiency through technical support as reasons.

According to the survey results, insufficient measurability (16 percent), the reduced importance of communication for the company (15 percent) and the reduction of communication activities due to a reduced need for communication (7 percent) are less significant.

Despite the financial restrictions, business development remains stable: 42% rate it as satisfactory, while 34% expect a positive development. However, around a fifth (21%) see poor to very poor prospects for 2025.

Mixed career prospects

A differentiated picture emerges with regard to personal career prospects. While 31% of respondents expect an improvement, 36% expect the situation to remain stable. However, the proportion of those who fear a deterioration in their professional situation has increased: 30% expect a negative development, compared to 25% in the previous year.

In its 15th year, the Swiss Brand Congress One topic in particular was at the forefront: the sophisticated combination of data-driven marketing, artificial intelligence and creative excellence. After all, innovative technologies alone do not automatically lead to success. Rather, the decisive factor is how well companies master these tools and use them to create outstanding experiences for their target groups.

The congress is divided into 14 specialist forums and two main stages. The strategy stage and the tech/digital stage. On the Strategy Stage, key issues of brand management, creative excellence, innovation and brand emotions will be discussed, while the Tech and Digital Stage will focus on AI, technological innovation and digital transformation.

Jochen Sengpiehl, former Global Head of Marketing at Volkswagen and most recently based in China, also describes what can be expected from AI tools at "China Speed" in the future. The brand expert, who has received several awards from Forbes, says that companies need to prepare for this today. Executives from well-known brands such as Beiersdorf, Deutsche Bank and L'Oréal use specific examples to describe what is needed.

But technology is not the only thing on the agenda. Innovative concepts that address social changes are just as important. The Swiss company Microlino, for example, is presenting its approach to rethinking urban mobility with an electric mini-car. German company Rügenwalder Mühle is also showing how it has been able to drastically increase its market share with vegan products without alienating its traditional customers. Frosta, on the other hand, took a laborious route to convince consumers of healthier and more sustainable products and has received the German Sustainability Award several times for its efforts.

#LikeABosch CMO Boris Dolkhani demonstrates that even rational B2B products can arouse emotions. He explains why even an elaborate Super Bowl commercial can be effective for a company, even if customers are making superficially sober purchasing decisions. Olaf Geuer from Swisscom, on the other hand, emphasizes why creative excellence is essential and how companies can specifically promote it. And finally, Motel One shows how even budget brands can become love brands.

In addition to these examples, companies such as UBS, Ricola, Lindt & Sprüngli and Ricardo will also provide insights into their strategies at the Brand Congress.

The police profession is multifaceted and entails a great deal of social responsibility. The aim of the collaboration between Fe Agentur and the Zurich Cantonal Police is to make the diverse job profiles of the Kapo more visible, attract new talent and strengthen the loyalty of existing employees.

According to the agency, it was able to impress with an approach that focuses on people's personal strengths and shows that many already have the potential for this profession. "We want to convey the world of the cantonal police in a genuine and unfiltered way, break with stereotypes and develop an employer brand that matches the values and real-life experience," explains Managing Director Karin Renold.

The implementation of the campaign will start in the coming months, with an initial roll-out in the second half of the year.

Without the people who slip into the role of the Easter bunny every year, there would be no Easter: the current Migros campaign is therefore a declaration of love to all the moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, godmothers and godfathers who make Easter a wonderful holiday for their loved ones time and time again. And the huge Migros range makes it easy for them.

To underline this, the "real" Easter bunny is used in the campaign: following the popular Christmas campaign with Finn the elf, the agency has now developed another cute CGI protagonist for Migros for Easter. The new character is unceremoniously run over in the story and urgently needs help hiding eggs.

The campaign focuses on the "temporary bunnies", as Rémy Müller, Head of Marketing & Communication at Migros, emphasizes: "Of course we want to promote our product range, but the campaign also shows that Easter is more than just chocolate and egg hunts - it's about the people who put their hearts into making the celebration a success for their families." And we want to honor that with this story.

In addition to the main film, the adventure is extended with shorter online films. And on several (D)OOH subjects, displays and social ads, the bunny ensures further Jöö moments and anticipation for a colorful Easter. The Easter platform also features Easter.migros.ch Information about the range and inspiration and the opportunity to take a selfie with the Easter bunny and send it as a digital Easter greeting.

Is the Easter bunny a longer-term communication measure? Nuria Grab, Campaigning Project Manager at Migros, is mum on the subject: "Initial talks are underway. But for now, he needs to recover properly after the accident anyway."

Responsible at Migros Supermarket: Rémy Müller (Head of Marketing & Communication), Frédéric Zürcher (Head of Campaigning & Sponsoring), Désirée Strassmann (Head of Campaigning), Nuria Grab (Project Manager Campaigning), Tanja Krause (Project Manager Digital Campaigning), Simone Blaser (Head of Media), Celina Bernasconi (Media Manager). Responsible at Wirz Group: Livio Dainese, Jan Kempter, Patric Franz, Lorenz Clormann, Evelyn Schellenberg, Simone Jehle, Eva Bachmann, Florian Avdic, Julia Keller, Erasmo Palomba, Giovanni Bucca, Yussef Serrat, Oliver Fäs, Corinne Räber. Production: Czar Film (production, post-production), Bart Timmer (director), Postoffice Amsterdam (director animation, post-production), Jingle Jungle (sound SFX), Spacetrain (music).

The Annual industry meeting "Sport Tourism Forum" moves to the Google Cloud and sets an example for transformation. Around 40 experts will discuss how AI is revolutionizing travel planning, how digital platforms are redefining outdoor sports and whether hiking can be a sustainable alternative to traditional winter tourism all year round.

AI and digital platforms as drivers

Whether booking platforms, interactive tools or technical assistants - data-based solutions are increasingly shaping destination management. The TTA-VConnector, a tool for the intelligent networking of travel planning, will show how tourism regions can use these developments. Komoot and Decathlon will also be presenting strategies for reaching outdoor communities digitally. Practical examples will illustrate how data-driven innovations are shaping sports tourism.

Year-round hiking as an alternative to ski tourism?

Winter hiking, urban hiking and specialized hiking villages are establishing themselves as alternatives to skiing. Representatives of the Swiss Hiking Trails, the Austrian Hiking Villages and the German Hiking Association discuss what infrastructure is needed and how destinations are responding to this trend.

Generation Z: travelers with new priorities

Generation Z travels differently to previous generations. Shorter but more frequent trips, a growing focus on individuality and a willingness to spend more on winter experiences characterize their behaviour. Alexander Dyskin from Simon-Kucher explains how destinations should respond to this.

New formats: From e-ski to gamification

The increasing demand for yoga retreats, fitness festivals and classic sports camps reflects the changing needs of travelers. What formats can tourist regions use to create added value? E-ski, for example, promises a new form of mobility in the mountains, while digital reward systems such as the Alpenbrevet Extended strengthen guest loyalty. The forum will show which concepts have already been successfully implemented.

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday life not only brings efficiency gains but also cognitive challenges. As can be seen from a Study of the SBS Swiss Business School, heavy use of AI tools can impair critical thinking skills.

The study entitled "AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking", in which 666 people from various age groups and educational backgrounds took part, revealed a negative correlation between the frequency of use of AI tools and users' critical thinking skills. A negative correlation means that one variable behaves in the opposite way to the other. In this case, that means: Frequent use of AI tools is accompanied by an absence of critical thinking skills. According to the study, the effect is due to the phenomenon of "cognitive offloading".

What is cognitive offloading?

The study defines cognitive offloading as the transfer of thinking tasks to external aids such as AI systems. While this frees up cognitive resources, it can also lead to people thinking less deeply and reflectively. The analysis shows that younger participants in the study (17 to 25 years old) in particular exhibited higher AI usage along with lower critical thinking scores than older participants (over 46 years old).

Higher education protects

An important finding of the study is that a higher level of education was associated with better critical thinking skills, regardless of AI use. This suggests that education can also provide a protective effect against the potential negative effects of AI use or the associated cognitive offloading.

The research results also show that participants with a higher level of education were more skeptical of AI results. Better educated people were more likely to check information and engage more in the critical evaluation of AI-generated content. Participants with a lower level of education, on the other hand, were more likely to express concerns that they could lose their own problem-solving skills through the heavy use of AI.

Trust in AI increases cognitive relief

Another observation of the study is that increased trust in AI tools correlates with increased cognitive offloading. Users who trust AI systems are more likely to rely on them for decision-making, thereby reducing their engagement in critical thinking processes. This trust, fostered by the perceived reliability and convenience of AI tools, promotes a cognitive dependency that reduces the need for active cognitive effort.

As the author of the study notes, a cycle is also forming - one could also speak of a vicious circle: The more users trust AI, the more cognitive tasks they delegate to the systems, which in turn further accelerates the reduction of their own critical thinking skills.

Interventions recommended

In his conclusion, study author Michael Gerlich also calls for educational interventions to promote a critical approach to AI. Educational institutions, political decision-makers and technology developers need to work together to create a balance between AI use and cognitive development.

For future research, he suggests conducting long-term studies on AI use and cognitive development, investigating the different effects of specific AI tools, conducting experimental studies with interventions against AI dependency and conducting comparative cultural studies. Gerlich also suggests analyzing individual differences in susceptibility to cognitive offloading. (Marc Landis/NetzKI Bot/jor/swi)

This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

A clearly structured concept, methodologically sound instructions and tips from writing research: The Thesis Journal is designed to make the process of writing academic papers easier. It is aimed at students and researchers from all disciplines and guides them through the most important steps - from the precise choice of topic to structuring and fine-tuning the language. The journal was developed by Leuchtturm1917 in collaboration with writing experts Dr. Stephanie Dreyfürst and Zara Tariq.

The Thesis Journal is based on findings from writing research and established methods from leading universities, as detailed in a press release. It shows how to clearly narrow down a topic, formulate a research question and find relevant literature. It also provides support in getting started with the writing process, revising texts and choosing a precise, academic style.

Leuchtturm1917 sees handwritten notes as an important part of the thought process - a philosophy that can also be felt in the Thesis Journal. At a time when academic papers are written digitally, it offers a haptic supplement that promotes structure and clarity. The A5 hardcover notebook has been available in two colors since mid-March 2025.