The Locarno Film Festival is once again relying on a work of art of international standing for its visual identity: Wolfgang Tillmans, one of the most influential contemporary photographers, has designed the poster for the 78th edition of the festival. The motif shows a leopard embedded in a composition of yellow and violet tones, created using Tillmans' experimental Xerox technique. The blurred texture gives the image a peculiar depth, while the psychedelic color palette is reminiscent of earlier festival posters.

"The Locarno poster must show a leopard and the color yellow," was the briefing. For his interpretation, Tillmans combined a photo of a leopard taken in Kenya with faux fur mittens in a leopard pattern that he had sewn himself as a teenager. "The copier scans in four passes for the four CMYK colors, and I moved the photo and the fluffy mittens so that a particularly large amount of yellow appeared in the printout during the scanning process, while other colors flashed at the edges," explains the photographer.

Maja Hoffmann, President of the Locarno Film Festival, describes the poster as a celebration of imagination: "This year's festival poster captures the bold, emotional and vibrant spirit of cinema. In his work, Wolfgang Tillmans - one of the most important artists of our time - blurs the boundaries between abstraction and reality. Like cinema itself, his work explores the different levels of perception with a sensitivity that challenges common conventions."

The Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 6 to 16, 2025. The official poster is now available in advance.

The web agency Destinazio from Valais is the first Swiss company to receive the Webflow Enterprise Partner Label. The content management system Webflow has established itself as an alternative to traditional web development platforms and only awards this label to agencies with proven expertise in the implementation of large, international digital projects. According to information, such labels have so far been awarded primarily to agencies in major cities such as New York, Paris or London - now one of the coveted certifications is going to Switzerland for the first time.

According to Managing Director Chris Bachmann, the award is a confirmation of the company's many years of work: "It was an incredible moment to know that our work and technical expertise are being recognized worldwide."

From Valais to the international web industry

Destinazio was founded twelve years ago as part of a funding program of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais) and originally started with the development of a semantic search engine for mountain bike tours. In the years that followed, the company developed into a specialized web agency. While classic CMS such as WordPress or Typo3 were used in the beginning, Destinazio has relied entirely on Webflow since 2019.

Today, the agency's clients include local companies as well as international corporations such as PepsiCo, public institutions and national associations.

Successful project with trading platform Deriv

Destinazio took the decisive step towards the Webflow Enterprise Partner Label with a project for the global online broker Deriv. The company, which has over 2.5 million registered users and 21 million monthly website visits, was looking for an agency that could implement a multilingual web platform with high technical standards.

"Our multilingualism, the 'Swissness' factor and a professional pitch helped to build the necessary trust," explains Bachmann. Over the course of six months, Destinazio migrated over 6,000 pages for the new financial platform and coordinated the project across three time zones with 30 participants.

The successful project ultimately also impressed Webflow: Destinazio was the first Swiss agency to be awarded the Enterprise Partner Label - a milestone for the company and a signal for the Swiss digital industry.

Eveline Kobler, a well-known voice, is returning to SRF in the fall of 2025. Until the end of 2022, the 48-year-old from Zurich was the presenter of Radio SRF's "Samstagsrundschau" show, where she spent eleven years putting big names from business and politics under the microscope. She was also head of the business desk at Radio SRF for several years. She is currently Head of Group Communications at Swiss Life, where she is responsible for the Group's communications.

"I am delighted to be returning to journalism", Kobler is quoted as saying in a press release. "Making economic topics accessible to a wider audience is a matter close to my heart. At 'Eco Talk', I can also pursue my passion for conducting conversations again and make it the main focus of my work."

Andi Lüscher remains part of the moderation team

Andi Lüscher will continue to present "Eco Talk" alongside Eveline Kobler. In future, the 44-year-old from Schwyz will take on a "Eco Talk" presenter's workload of 30 percent and will also present the "SRF Börse" program as usual. Lüscher will also continue to co-head the TV business editorial team with Matthias Pfander.

Reto Lipp is expected to host his last "Eco Talk" program in December 2025.

Who hasn't seen them: written messages that were obviously written with - let's say "emphasis". With eight to twelve exclamation marks, sometimes interspersed with ones because of angry typos. All in bold letters, in a shade of red that is not very affectionate. Also in capital letters. Perhaps with underlining, depending on taste, a question of style. And possibly even with a yellow background. To be on the safe side.

You have to assume that the sender doesn't care that it doesn't come across as soooo confident. On the contrary: the message is as clear as day - at least the one between the lines. And that is often "I am desperate."

Leeching teenagers
It's true that not every exclamation mark is based on naked despair. But surprisingly often. It's like shouting at a teenager: you're making a fool of yourself. What shows your own desperation, your own inability to make yourself heard better than shouting? Desperation and inability are weak points that every teenager craves. The pulsating wound that you just have to stick your finger in. Anxiety like in Tom & Jerry.

When using each exclamation mark, you should therefore urgently ask yourself: Is this already desperation or is it still emphasis? Or better still, a little more reflectively: Why did I actually want to shout now? Am I unable to get to the heart of what I want to say and was I looking for a way out with the exclamation mark? Is my statement per se not powerful enough, so that I have to clarify it by other means? Do I feel deep down that my message is not convincing enough without the exclamation mark?

Painful self-knowledge
Yes, self-awareness is painful. But it's worth thinking again about the message and the crux of the matter before putting up the poster. After all, nobody really likes being shouted at, not even in writing. The readers will smell your desperation. Yes, they certainly will. But there are exceptions here too - just like everywhere else: If you want to express your enthusiasm, really important information or something positively surprising, you can! Go for it! Party on!

Better not to sign with blood
Exclamation marks are rarely clever when it comes to claims. Sometimes too much is promised. You don't necessarily have to sign that in blood - or shout it out with an exclamation mark. For those who think that's exaggerated: The Red Bull group was sued in the USA in 2013 because the drink Red Bull does not give you wings after all - neither real nor proverbial. The lawsuit was settled for 13 million dollars. Imagine if there had been an exclamation mark behind it!

So are all exclamation marks stupid now? No! And if you're honest as a copywriter (yes, I know: haha), then you have to admit that you use it crazy often. Never out of desperation, of course, NEVER! But: very often to give orders. After all, it's called CALL to Action. And it's also called: Call to ACTION.

Analyzed since 2025 Sarah Pally In her column "Blossoms and Pearls", she comments on industry-related terms with a personal touch, from a linguistic perspective - as well as with a precise view of developments in the industry. Pally is a partner in the Partner & Partner agency in Winterthur. She has been working in the fields of content marketing, text/concept and storytelling in the communications and marketing sector for 15 years.

AI-supported videos open up new perspectives for media, companies and creatives. But as technological advances grow, so do the challenges: How is AI changing storytelling? What risks does automation entail? And how can quality, ethics and credibility be ensured in a media world increasingly shaped by AI?

These questions are at the center of the Themed conference "AI videos - opportunities and risks"which Maz will be holding in Lucerne on May 21, 2025. The event is aimed at media and communication professionals, creatives, scientists and decision-makers who want to find out about the latest developments in the field of AI and video.

Use cases and overarching perspectives

To kick things off, satirist and director Patrick "Karpi" Karpiczenko will shed light on the impact of AI-generated videos on journalism - with a critical but also humorous look at the media landscape. Filmmaker Jan Janutin and communicator Antonia Zahner will then show the extent to which AI videos can already be found in film production, marketing and corporate communications.

Prof. Touradj Ebrahimi from EPFL Lausanne and Dr. Patrick Raemy from the University of Fribourg will introduce the technical and scientific part of the conference. They will analyze the current possibilities and limitations of AI-supported videos and discuss the effects on credibility and media ethics.

The event will conclude with a panel discussion in which all speakers will debate the potential and risks of AI videos for media houses and companies.

Google is expanding its search engine with a new function. The "Overview with AI" feature is designed to make life easier for Google search users who want to compile information. The AI-based overview makes it possible to get an overview of a topic and find relevant answers and websites more quickly and easily than before, writes Google.

According to Google, existing users of the new function are more satisfied with the search results and are provided with a wider range of websites in response to complex questions thanks to the AI overview. In Google searches, links in overviews would also generate more clicks than if the page appeared as a conventional web entry in the search engine.

The AI-based overview, which was previously only available in the USA, can now also be used by registered users aged 18 and over in Switzerland - in German, French, Italian and English. Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Poland, Portugal and Spain now also have access to the function. In all other European countries, the overview is available in a maximum of two languages (one of which is English). (Dajana Dakic/jor)

This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

Sports enthusiasts can now discover the Ochsner Sport range in 100 stores across Switzerland. This innovation pays tribute to the claim "Switzerland is our sports ground", which has been in place since 2019.

The platform is therefore being recharged with an image campaign. The film shows the special attraction that Switzerland exerts on athletes. Its diverse landscape - from dense forests and green meadows to eternal snow - makes it the perfect arena for any sport. Snowboarders, bikers, runners and other athletes set off from the vastness of space. Their destination: the Swiss sports arena.

A print and (D)OOH campaign is being launched alongside the film. The motifs show the vastness and beauty of Switzerland and invite you to discover it for yourself - whether on skis, a bike or in running shoes.

Responsible at Ochsner SportMarco Greco (Head of Marketing), Patrizia Fiechter (Team Leader Classic Communication), Claudio Keist (Team Leader Content & Social Media). Responsible at Thjnk ZurichAlexander Jaggy, Pablo Schencke (GF Creation), Lukas Amgwerd, Lukas Frischknecht (Creative Direction), Josephine Jeanguenin (Graphic Design), Andrea Bison (GF Consulting), Andrea Häfliger, Roxane Bründler, Cornelia Nünlist (Consulting), Gordon Nemitz (GF Strategy). External partnersHillton (Production), Mona Bertschinger, David Bertschinger Karg (Executive Producer), Mischa Rozema (Director, Jan Mettler (DOP), Jingle Jungle (Sound Studio).

Foxtrail brings with it "Foxtrail Go" is launching a new experience for puzzle and outdoor fans. Instead of fixed routes and start times, the digital offer focuses on flexible, independent play with the smartphone. Participants explore the city, solve tasks and collect virtual rewards.

A new step for Foxtrail

This is a further development of the classic concept: Puzzles are not only hidden in the city, but also staged digitally. "We wanted to create an experience that combines the analog world of Foxtrail with digital interactivity," explains Ursina Berchtold-Heim, CEO of Foxtrail.

The digital adventure begins with the purchase of an access code for 19 francs per person. The app sends players on a search for clues through the city. By solving puzzles, they receive virtual components for the fictitious machines of "Ferdie Fox", who guides them through the tour as a digital companion. The first version of Foxtrail Go is being launched in Zug and Schaffhausen - in Schaffhausen in collaboration with Schaffhauserland Tourismus. Other cities are to follow.

The advertising market in Switzerland also closed down in February 2025. Advertising pressure from "traditional" media amounted to 255.8 million gross francs, which corresponds to a decline of 3.6% compared to the same month last year. Print, TV, radio and cinema were particularly affected, while out-of-home was the only media category to increase, with growth of 8.7%. Nevertheless, the ranking in the media mix remains unchanged, with TV ahead of print, followed by out-of-home, radio and cinema.

After the first two months of the year, cumulative traditional advertising expenditure amounted to CHF 517.3 million, which corresponds to a decline of 4.8% compared to the previous year.

Digital advertising: Search remains ahead, YouTube continues to grow

Search continues to hold the top position in the digital advertising market with a share of 45.4%, although Google adjustments led to a decline in advertising pressure. Display advertising follows with 35.5%, while YouTube is the only category to record a positive development with 19.1%.

Retail trade dominates the traditional advertising market

Of the 21 sectors analyzed, only seven were able to escape the general negative trend. Retail led the ranking with growth of 32%, further extending its lead. The telecommunications sector (+15.6 %), financial services (+13.6 %) and the energy sector (+38.4 %) also showed a positive trend.

The tobacco industry recorded the largest losses (-84.3 %), which is attributable to the new advertising bans. Food (-8.5 %), leisure/hospitality/tourism (-24.7 %) and pharmaceuticals/health (-17.2 %) also suffered significant declines.

Digital vs. traditional advertising: a comparison of sectors

The leisure, gastronomy and tourism sector leads the digital advertising market, followed by retail and financial services. In the traditional advertising market, however, the retail trade is in the lead, while the financial services sector is only in fifth place.

Tobacco products, events and cleaning products occupy the last places in the digital advertising market, although some of them were able to make year-on-year gains. In the traditional market, the tobacco industry remains in last place, directly followed by the energy, media and transportation sectors.

Most popular products in February

In the display area, spusu.ch is at the top, while booking.com has the highest advertising presence in search. On YouTube, the Audi A6 E-Tron is in first place. Tui Reisen and Tui.ch also made it into the top 10 digital advertising campaigns.

For a long time, media use on mobile devices was the focus of attention. However, since the pandemic at the latest, the classic TV set has experienced a renaissance - whether as a platform for linear television or as a multimedia hub for streaming and digital content. Mediapulse has now summarized comprehensive data on the distribution and use of TV sets in Switzerland for the first time under the term "Big Screen Data". The first report with figures from 2024 is now available free of charge.

Empirical basis for trends in TV consumption

The "big screen data" is based on two established surveys. Firstly, the Mediapulse Establishment Survey, an annual survey of 12,000 households, provides reliable information on the technical equipment of Swiss households with regard to TV and radio channels. This survey has been in existence since 2008 and provides a detailed picture of the development of reception devices.

Data from the Mediapulse TV Measurement Panel, which has been operated by Kantar Media Switzerland on behalf of Mediapulse since 2013, is also included. The panel measures the use of TV content to the second (Mediapulse TV Data) and, since 2021, also the use of non-TV offerings (Mediapulse Streaming Data).

Regular updates and future outlook

The first "Big Screen Data" report summarizes the findings for the year 2024 and will be updated annually in the first quarter. The evaluations are intended to help answer key questions in the media industry: How is reach developing? How is the use of smart TVs and streaming services changing? Which target groups still rely on traditional television?

In addition to the standard report, Mediapulse is currently examining further options for providing data. In-depth analyses over longer periods of time and more detailed target group segmentation are conceivable in order to map trends in TV and streaming usage even more precisely.

The digital transformation remains a strategic focus for the NZZ. While the number of editors has risen continuously since 2015, the focus is increasingly shifting to new digital formats. The "Digital Knowledge" training initiative, which has now been completed after almost two and a half years, was a central component of this development, as the NZZ writes in a press release.

Since the beginning of 2023, around 300 editorial staff have completed an average of five days of training. The training courses were developed specifically for the NZZ in collaboration with the Maz Institute for Journalism and Communication and covered open source intelligence (Osint), data journalism, editorial data analysis and the use of artificial intelligence in journalistic work processes.

Editor-in-chief Eric Gujer emphasizes the importance of these investments: "The ongoing development of artificial intelligence is leading to an even greater flood of information - and therefore also to an increasing risk of disinformation and manipulation. This makes it all the more important that we as NZZ offer guidance with fact-based, credible journalism."

Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Head of Operations, Carola Ettenreich, draws a positive balance: "The high number of participants and the consistently positive feedback show that our employees really appreciated the training program. The investment in digital skills was right and important." Maz CEO Martina Fehr also sees the initiative as a forward-looking model: "The NZZ is taking on a pioneering role with this comprehensive training program."

Even after the completion of the program, the strengthening of digital skills will remain a focus at NZZ, the statement continues. In addition to further training, the company is investing in innovation and technological development in order to actively shape the digital transformation. Last but not least, these measures are also intended to strengthen the company's economic base in Switzerland and Germany.

Shortly before the start of the IIHF Women's World Championship 2025 in the Czech Republic, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation SIHF is creating its own digital platform for Swiss women's ice hockey. The new Instagram account @swissicehockeywomen puts the focus on both the women's senior national team and the junior national teams. The platform is intended to increase the visibility and recognition of women's ice hockey and offer fans a more direct point of contact.

The new channel now offers interested parties an exclusive look behind the scenes, the latest news on the national teams, training insights and interviews. The existing accounts @postfinance_womensleague for the top women's league and @skyswissleagueofficial for the second division will remain unchanged.

The existing Instagram account @swissicehockeyfederation will remain the central platform for all other areas of the SIHF - including the men's national teams, the National Cup, Swiss Ice Hockey Day and Swiss Ice Hockey Night. In the future, the federation plans to introduce a separate Instagram account for the men's national teams as well.