As a supporting member, Standing Ovation knows Avenir Suisse up close - and at the same time brings an external perspective with strategic foresight. The focus of the collaboration is on sharpening Avenir Suisse's image of itself and others, further developing its positioning and designing an effective dialog space - in particular through live formats that make the exchange with stakeholders tangible. The aim is to highlight Avenir Suisse's central themes even more clearly and to position the think tank for the future in terms of communication.

A particular focus is on digital presence and strategic communication. Standing Ovation is developing a clear guideline for topics, formats and digital touchpoints so that Avenir Suisse can introduce its reform ideas into the social discourse in an even more targeted manner and make a lasting impact.

"The collaboration with Standing Ovation is a decisive step for us in communicating our vision even more precisely and strengthening our position as a leading think tank. Thanks to Standing Ovation, we will be able to introduce our ideas into the dialog with our stakeholders in an even more targeted way in future and create sustainable added value for Switzerland. Their co-creation approach was of enormous value, especially in our strategy work," explains Jürg Müller, Director of Avenir Suisse.

French-speaking Switzerland is experiencing strong economic growth. As a strategically important region for the healthcare sector, finance and research, it is home to important national and international hubs. The new Furrerhugi site on Rue du Bourg is located in the immediate vicinity of the political institutions of the canton of Vaud. In this way, the agency aims to further expand its role as a bridge-builder between the linguistic regions and bring the perspectives of French-speaking Switzerland into the national discourse in a targeted manner.

Newsletter in French

The Furrerhugi newsletter is now also published in French with content from French-speaking Switzerland. Every month, "Influence" analyzes political, economic and social issues, provides in-depth background reports and stimulates public debate.

"We have been supporting companies from French-speaking Switzerland in their expansion into German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino for years. Now we are strengthening our presence in French-speaking Switzerland in order to better connect the economic players with each other - across language borders," explains Chrystel Domenjoz, Furrerhugi's partner for French-speaking Switzerland and former producer of the RTS program "Forum".

"As a national agency, we are convinced of the importance of local roots," adds CEO Andreas Hugi. "Our employees are at home in all language regions. Our team in French-speaking Switzerland combines expert knowledge with a first-class network in the cantons of French-speaking Switzerland. This benefits both our customers in French-speaking Switzerland and those from other language regions who want to develop further in French-speaking Switzerland."

The conference was entirely dedicated to the rapid development of AI in marketing. As it was already very well received, the organizer decided to expand the event from two to four stages. Among others, Sabine Lehmann from Google Deepmind, Claudio Mirti from Microsoft, Dr. Imanol Schlag from the ETH AI Center and Ivana Lachner from Adobe took to the stage.

In keynotes, masterclasses and panels, the 32 experts shared their knowledge on topics such as generative AI, the automation of marketing processes and the legal challenges involved in using AI. Particular attention was paid to the practical use of tools for producing texts, images and videos as well as for optimizing marketing strategies.

"We want to prepare marketing managers in Switzerland for the challenges of the AI future and ensure that they have the right tools and knowledge to be successful in an AI-driven world," says Tanja Herrmann, founder and managing director of the "AI in Marketing Conference". Participants were shown how important it is to get to grips with the technology at an early stage in order to remain competitive and develop future-oriented marketing strategies.

The next edition will take place on April 23, 2026.

Full concentration when your head would rather go into snooze mode? Ennio Kubli, Leon Bossard and Ljam Oehninger developed the matcha chewing gum "Chew Up" during their time at secondary school as a practical and natural solution for more energy in everyday life. After their successful appearance on "Höhle der Löwen" - they were the youngest participants in the show's history - they needed a strong performance to gain a foothold in the functional food market.

Chew Up brought Allink on board for this. The Zurich-based agency has created a striking design that emphasizes the natural benefits of Matcha and strikes a chord with a young target group. The focus is on the packaging design, which picks up on current food trends and deliberately breaks with the classic conventions of the chewing gum segment. The bold typography sets "Chew Up" apart from its competitors. Stylized leaf illustrations and fresh shades of green convey the invigorating properties of the natural energy boost.

Allink developed a customized brand image and communication concept to match the branding and packaging design. The strong visual identity is intended to appeal to the lifestyle of a young, active target group. This gives the start-up the tools it needs to position itself in the market and establish itself as a brand.

Responsible at Energetic Innovations: Ennio Kubli, Leon Bossard, Ljam Oehninger. Responsible at Allink: Christoph Schlatter (Creative Director, Partner), Jonas Koutrios (Senior Designer), Simon Zangger (Photo & Film Director), Manolo Breton (Photography Apprentice).

In reference to the term "artificial intelligence", the Woz now the construct "Antifascist Intelligence". The play on words is intended to show that the terms "antifascist" and "artificial" are almost identical.

The Woz counteracts problematic international trends with precise and intensively researched reports written by committed and experienced journalists.

The motif has been on display at Zurich main station, on various OOH channels and on kiosk posters since Thursday.

Responsible at the Woz:  Camille Roseau, Dominik Müller. Claudia Gillardon (advertising department). Responsible at Friendly regards: Pascal Deville, Samuel Textor (Creative Direction), Julia Felder (Graphics), Eva Brun (Consulting), Media: Peter Stirnemann (Generation Media).

AR and VR glasses can fundamentally change the way we interact with the digital world. In the latest edition of the AI podcast, journalist Christoph Soltmannowski talks to "Mr. Vision" René Vogel about the revolutionary possibilities of this technology. Glasses such as Apple's Vision Pro seamlessly connect digital content with the physical environment and are operated by eye, hand and voice control.

The influence of AR and VR on everyday life

René Vogel emphasizes that the Vision Pro is not only suitable for entertainment purposes, but also has serious applications in the business sector. For example, users can design virtual rooms or people with limited mobility can virtually explore their future home. The glasses make it possible to place multiple virtual screens in the room, which can be particularly useful for productivity on the move.

Despite the high price, Vogel considers the value of the glasses to be justified, especially in comparison to high-quality home cinema and computer systems. According to him, the Vision Pro marks a significant step towards the "spatial computing" proclaimed by Apple. This could fundamentally change the way we interact with digital content.

The "computer on your face"

Will "smart glasses" soon replace laptops? Vogel is convinced that the glasses have the potential to function as a fully-fledged computer. He sees many exciting applications coming our way.

The Video podcast "AI and society - paths into the new world" is produced by the Swiss Text Academy, which also offers courses on artificial intelligence. Two episodes are published monthly on Spotify , YouTube and other podcast platforms.

The way in which consumers shop is changing rapidly - driven by the increasing use of artificial intelligence. Generation Z in particular sees AI as an integral part of the shopping experience. According to the latest "Connected Shoppers" report from Salesforce, 63 % of Gen Z consumers worldwide would use AI agents to do their shopping for them. The technology could fundamentally change retail.

AI agents as new shopping assistants

In Switzerland, AI is already being used for this purpose. 53 % of the consumers surveyed stated that they had already discovered new products using AI. Intelligent shopping assistants are particularly appreciated for faster customer service responses (76 %) or for automated purchases at predetermined prices (75 %). In addition to AI, social media remains an important influencing factor: 40 % of Gen Z are inspired to buy new products via TikTok.

Generative AI plays a central role here: 54 % of Gen Z consumers have already used it to search for or evaluate products - compared to 39 % of the overall population. Generation Z is also significantly more open to AI-supported purchasing decisions: They use AI-supported product recommendations ten times more often than baby boomers and are 2.7 times more likely to let AI agents shop for them.

Swiss retail sector relies on AI

Swiss retailers have also recognized the potential of AI. 86 % of companies are investing more in the technology, and 82 % are convinced that AI agents will be decisive for their competitiveness in the next twelve months. The focus is particularly on AI-supported shopping assistants, interactive store helpers and optimized customer services.

Luca Pastorino, member of the Executive Board of Salesforce Switzerland, sees this as a great opportunity: "In an increasingly fragmented shopping landscape, in which social media platforms also play a significant role, understanding and meeting individual customer needs is becoming a key competitive factor." AI makes it possible to automate operational processes and free up employees for other tasks.

Difference between generative AI and AI agents

Generative AI creates content such as texts, images or product recommendations based on existing data. AI agents go beyond this: they make independent purchasing decisions, trigger orders and optimize customer processes. While generative AI generates product suggestions within an online store, for example, an AI agent can handle the entire purchasing process autonomously.

The data for the "Connected Shoppers" report come from two anonymized surveys conducted in 21 countries between 27 November and 26 December 2024. 8,350 consumers and 1,700 decision-makers from the retail sector were surveyed, including 500 consumers and 100 decision-makers from Switzerland.

Dreame Technology was founded in 2017 and is a future-oriented consumer goods company specializing in smart household appliances. The company offers robotic vacuum cleaners, wet and dry vacuum cleaners, cordless stick vacuums, lawn mowers and hair care products, among other things.

PRfact has been providing Dreame Technology with media and public relations support since the beginning of March this year. In addition to daily media work, the agency's mandate also includes the communication of new products and support at trade fairs and events.

With the change, Raphael Thommen, previously CCO, will take over the position of CEO. Thommen has many years of experience in the advertising market and founded the brochure app "Profital" in 2017, which merged with Bring! Labs merged in 2021. Jürg Egli, previously Head of Product, will become CTO. He has been with the company since its early years and played a key role in its technical development. Juan-Pablo Schmid, previously Head of Retail Advertising Switzerland, joins the Executive Board as CCO and will be responsible for the advertising business in future. The new management team is completed by Simone Kühn as COO and Alessandro Del Fabro, who will head up the finance department on an interim basis.

Marco Cerqui and Sandro Strebel will remain with Bring! Labs as members of the Board of Directors and advisors. "Handing over the management is not an easy step for us. But we are handing over a successful, healthy and growing company," says Cerqui. Bring! Labs claims to have 21 million users worldwide and works with over 150 brands and retailers.

The company was founded in 2015 and grew out of the Bring! shopping list app, which Cerqui and Strebel developed back in 2012. Today, Bring! Labs claims to be the leading Swiss mobile tech company in digital offer communication for the retail sector. The merger with Profital in 2021 served as a strategic step to expand the advertising business.

The new CEO Raphael Thommen is confident about the future: "Even though Marco and Sandro are leaving a big gap, the founder gene will remain in the management team. With the internal replacements, we have positioned ourselves very competently and powerfully for the future."

"The Pilot Suisse team impressed us from the very first meeting with their many years of detailed expertise in the Swiss market and their feel for the essentials," says Nicolas Bill, Head of Marketing at Obi Switzerland, explaining the decision. "We deliberately chose Pilot Suisse for the Swiss market because we not only found an agency with excellent market knowledge, but also a partner that thinks beyond national borders. The Pilot agency group already successfully supports Obi Germany, which allows us to create valuable synergies and further develop our brand strategy in Switzerland in an even more targeted manner."

Ahmad Hoteit, Managing Partner of Pilot Suisse, is delighted: "Especially as a young media agency, we are delighted to have such a well-known client as Obi - especially because it is a very exciting task to quickly make such a challenger brand visible in the local market environment."

"It's great to see that the USPs with which we launched in Switzerland last year are being accepted and appreciated by clients and are working as a decision criterion for our agency," adds Ben Moser, Managing Partner of Pilot Suisse.

Maja Riniker opened the Central meeting of the entertainment industry in Andermatt. In front of around 500 participants, the President of the National Council emphasized the importance of the event industry. "Events generate a great deal of economic added value. Switzerland is not just about milk, cheese and chocolate, there is also entertainment," said Riniker. Hans-Willy Brockes, co-host and Managing Director of ESB Marketing Network, added: "Events are also emotionally important anchor points in society."

Oliver Niedermann, co-host and CEO of Ticketcorner, was delighted with the positive market development in recent years: "As a ticketing company, we are an important cornerstone in the event value chain and are delighted with the positive development in recent years.

Two major concerts show economic boom

International music events are not only cultural highlights, but also important economic factors. A study conducted by the HWZ Zurich University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with Ticketcorner shows the economic importance of major international concerts for Switzerland. Using the example of two major concerts in Zurich in summer 2024, a total value added of CHF 92.5 million was documented. With positive effects for tourism, trade and gastronomy. Prof. Dr. Claude Meier, Head of the Center for Research & Methods at the HWZ, explains: "The results show that major international concerts have a broad economic impact that goes far beyond ticket sales alone."

AI in the media house

AI is also being used more and more in media companies, where it helps with the automated creation of content or the analysis of user data. Ladina Heimgartner, Head Media at Ringier and CEO of Ringier Media Switzerland, addressed the topic: "2.5 billion Swiss francs, around 80 percent, of digital advertising money flows to international tech giants and thus abroad". The industry representatives discussed the consequences of AI for the media and event world - from personalized ticket sales to automated content production. However, the differences in quality between conventional journalism, social media and AI-driven content are immense: Heimgartner explains the thesis using an example: "The tech giants will never send journalists to the rockslide in Brienz to talk to the people affected on site".

Exclusive insight into the ESC

After 36 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is returning to Switzerland this year - an event of historic importance for the national music and entertainment landscape. Co-Executive Producers Reto Peritz and Moritz Stadler, Head of Communications Edi Estermann and Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling, former Chairman of the ESC Supervisory Board, provided exclusive insights into the "inner workings" of this gigantic show. They report on the challenges of the organization, the logistical feats and the immense appeal of this spectacle, which fascinates millions of viewers worldwide and also puts the entire Swiss entertainment industry in the international spotlight.

At the 360° Entertainment Forum in Andermatt, industry experts, creatives and decision-makers came together in discussion rounds, networking sessions and interactive formats to analyze new trends, develop forward-looking strategies and forge valuable partnerships. The next edition will take place on March 24 and 25, 2026.

The international GAMRIC conference is dedicated to the fight against the global increase in resistant pathogens, also known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The UN and WHO describe the increasing resistance to previously reliable therapies as one of the ten greatest threats to global health. The focus of GAMRIC is on medical innovation and close collaboration between academic and commercial research.

Co-organizers alongside the WHO are CARB-X (Biopharmaceutical Accelerator, Boston), GARDP (Global Antibiotic Research & Development, Geneva), ESCMID (European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectiology, Basel), LifeArc (Life Science NPO, London), BEAM Alliance (European Industry Alliance, Lyon) and AMR Solutions (News Hub, Manchester and Houston).

Scholtysik developed the new conference brand in close cooperation with the organizers. The logo is created from a movement of individual graphic elements that overlap and ultimately come together to form a multi-layered, multi-colored hexagon. The hexagon is not only reminiscent of the representation of chemical formulas, but is also a common symbol for an ecosystem, in this case that of resistance researchers in universities, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.