The SWA annual meeting took place on Tuesday in Zurich-Oerlikon with over 400 members and guests from the advertising industry. The association also celebrated its 75th anniversary. On the topic of "Next Gen Marketing", the two keynote speakers Paul Kemp-Robertson, Chief Content Officer at Lions from London and Jens Polomski, LinkedIn Top Voice for AI & Co-Founder snipKI from Cologne, gave an insight into how they see the future of marketing and communication.

Last year, the long-standing SWA President, Roger Harlacher, announced his resignation to the Board of Directors at today's 76th General Assembly. Harlacher was elected to the Board in 2006 and became President of the Association in 2009. During his time in office, the SWA has developed into a strong lobby group and a valuable partner in the advertising market, according to the association. Roger Harlacher was made Honorary President at the AGM in recognition of his services.

Jan De Schepper, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Swissquote Bank, will take over as Chairman. De Schepper has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018. He began his career in branding at Feldschlösschen and continued it at Bacardi-Martini, Saatchi & Saatchi and McDonald's. In 2015, he moved to Swissquote to head the marketing department. In 2019, he was promoted to CSMO and became a member of Swissquote's Executive Board. De Schepper is also a member of the Board of Directors of Neobank Yuh and holds an MBA in International Management from the University of Geneva.

The importance of social media in the marketing mix is constantly growing - but until now there has been a lack of neutral comparative data on advertising activities on the major platforms. Media Focus closes this gap and provides a new data source with "Social Ad Insights". Since January 2025, advertising activities and user behavior on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn have been recorded on a daily basis.

To this end, Media Focus relies on on-screen tracking of 1,000 Android smartphones in Switzerland. The method reads app usage directly from the participants' cell phone screens and thus provides detailed insights into users' everyday contact with social ads.

"With this innovation, we are creating comparability in the social media advertising market for the first time and obtaining neutral data on the advertising behavior of over 1,000 companies on the six relevant platforms," explains Ueli Weber, CEO of Media Focus. The combination of tracking and targeted user surveys also enables a more precise classification: "This allows us to recognize how active companies are and which target groups they reach with which messages."

The surveys are conducted in collaboration with the market research institute Intervista. Based on the tracking data collected, users are specifically asked about their perception, motivation and opinion. This gives advertisers not only quantitative but also qualitative insights into the effects of their campaigns.

Among other things, the new analysis tool enables benchmarking and cross-channel analyses, more precise target group segmentation and data-driven targeting. With this methodology, Media Focus provides a comprehensive basis for decision-making for companies that want to further optimize their social media strategies.

Matthias Kost worked for Radio Zürisee for a total of 22 years - first as Head of Marketing, then and for the past nine years as CEO. Under his leadership, the station has reportedly developed into the market leader in the greater Zurich/Lake Zurich area despite a challenging market and media environment and has provided important impetus for the future.

The 53-year-old now wants to change career direction. However, he will remain strategically involved with the station as Delegate of the Board of Directors. "We would like to thank Matthias Kost for the years we have spent together, his exceptional leadership and his flair for inspiring people. We also appreciate the incomparable level of trust that has characterized our collaboration. Together, we have made Radio Zürisee a success story - and we are deeply grateful to him for this", said Fabian Villiger, Chairman of the Board of Directors, in a press release.

Daniel Merkle, Program Director of Radio Zürisee since 1 July 2024, will take over the management as of 1 July 2025. He previously worked at CH Media in the REM division (radio, online, TV) and as Program Manager at FM1 in St. Gallen.

The 40-year-old radio professional Merkle began his career at Antenne 1 in Stuttgart, later worked at Radio Regenbogen and joined FM1 in Switzerland in 2012. In addition to his work in the radio sector, he has continued his education in marketing, communications management and leadership and completed an Executive MBA in Digital Transformation at the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden in 2024.

After six years at CH Media, four of them at Watson, Tarkan Özküp, Chief Commercial Officer and member of the Executive Board, has decided to take a new direction. "It has always been a great enrichment for me to work with dedicated colleagues and a privilege to make a joint contribution to the financing of journalism," says Özküp. "After six intensive years, I have made a conscious decision to gain new perspectives. I am looking forward to contributing my experience and skills in a new environment and developing personally." He will continue to oversee the transition until the end of 2025 and the large accounts.

CEO Michael Wanner thanks the outgoing CCO for his commitment: "Watson's success in the national advertising market is largely down to him. With the development of the All Media business for major clients and the Commercial Content and Innovation Unit, he has also set a decisive course for the future at CH Media."

New organization as of 1 April 2025

At the same time, CH Media is reorganizing its marketing as of 1 April 2025. The aim is to create a "powerful organization that addresses the challenges of the market environment in the best possible way while taking into account CH Media's strengths", the media company announced.

To this end, marketing will be more closely interlinked with the brands and media channels and will be the responsibility of the respective divisional heads Wolfgang Elsässer (national TV), Florian Wanner (regional e-media) and Thomas Wegmann (publishing). National key accounts including all media, digital marketing and the development of the new Commercial Content and Innovation business area, which offers customers comprehensive communication solutions, will continue to be managed centrally. These areas will continue to be managed by Tarkan Özküp until the end of the year.

"We have learned a lot over the last two years and now want to develop the organization further. On the one hand, we will link the individual sales units more closely with the products again, particularly in the regions. On the other hand, we continue to see great potential in all-media offerings in the national business and in offering creative services for large customers," explains Michael Wanner. "The new organization takes both into account and distributes responsibility across several shoulders."

The campaign presents four different types of excursion, each of which embodies an aspect of the diverse region. Time-out artist Susie stands for relaxation and enjoyment, bucket-list heroine Esther wants to discover the big highlights, experience captain Nick stands for family-friendly adventures and curiosity pioneer Paul explores insider tips and hidden places. These four personas are designed to help users identify with the various experiences in the region and discover their ideal excursions.

Interactive elements and targeted content

The campaign combines video productions with an interactive landing page including a quiz that assigns users to their excursion type. High-quality imagery and static assets ensure a strong visual identity on digital platforms and social media. A competition also offers additional incentives for participation.

Emotions and added value staged digitally

Jim & Jim is responsible for the design and implementation of the content campaign, which uses videos, social media content and playful user guidance to showcase the Lake Zurich region as an attractive excursion destination. The targeted approach to the Swiss target group raises awareness of the destination and encourages interaction with potential visitors.

Responsible at Zürich Tourism: Janine Rupf (Head of Marketing), Andrea Scherrer (Project & Content Manager). Responsible at Jim & Jim: Overall direction: Robin Steiner, project management: Clarissa Crincoli, idea and concept: Melanie Luu, Robin Steiner, Clarissa Crincoli, Carolina Jimenez, Angela Ehrsam, Andrin Buchli, Bianca Stofer, Fabio Emch, on-set production: Robin Steiner, Clarissa Crincoli, Director: Melanie Luu, DOP: Carles Mas Clemente, Gaffer: Barnabas Kelemen, AC: Marc Guerraz, Sound: Diego Reiwald, Photography: Bianca Stofer, Social Media Content: Chiara Hess, Styling, Hair & Make-Up: Kim Joëlle Steiner, Runner: Iocco Cappellari, Art Direction & Graphic Design: Angela Ehrsam, Texting: Florian Schneider, Tobias Imbach, Post-Production: Lea Schnegg, Bianca Stofer, Color Grading: Barnabas Kelemen.

The welfare of disadvantaged children has been a concern of presenter Kurt Aeschbacher since 2004, when he was appointed ambassador for Unicef Switzerland and Lichtenstein. But his heart beats for girls and boys in need not only now, but also when it stops beating. The United Nations Children's Fund is taking a new approach with a fundraising campaign that focuses on donations via a legacy in a will.

A guide has been developed for this purpose, which is available free of charge online at Unicef.ch/testament can be ordered. The topic is vividly presented in the book. Kurt Aeschbacher shares his thoughts via print advertisements and in a video that is shown both online and in selected cinemas. The concept was developed by Unicef's in-house agency and implemented together with external partners. Care was taken to ensure that the productions were as lean as possible without compromising on quality.

Creation and consulting: Unicef Inhouse Agency. Photo: Mirjam Kluka @VisualEyes Artists. Assistance: Elias Gmünder. Grooming: Lena Fleischer. DTP: Marjeta Morinc. Direction, production, voice recording, post production: Benedikt Schnermann. Steadicam: Raphael Werner. Audiomix: Tom Wenger, recording studios Z. Colorist: Jürgen Kupka, Our Colors.

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Konsulenten has gained an experienced communications strategist in Ursula Nötzli as a new partner. The long-standing Head of Communications at TX Group will take up her new role on September 1, 2025 and will focus on positioning leaders and supporting companies during transformation phases. She will also bring her expertise in financial communications, capital market transactions and ESG reporting to the communications consultancy.

Nötzli, who announced her departure from the TX Group at the end of last year, had been Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer there since 2021 and a member of Group Management since 2022. She was responsible for corporate communications, investor relations and the media group's sustainability strategy. During her time in office, she oversaw the founding of the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group joint venture and the acquisition of Clear Channel Switzerland, among other things.

Nötzli began her professional career as a business and stock market editor at the NZZ as well as the Finance and economy. She later headed up communications at ABB Switzerland and was Director of Communications and Strategy at Credit Suisse. With a doctorate in economics from the University of St. Gallen, she also completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Her move to strategic consulting is a logical continuation of her previous career. At Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Konsulenten, she will advise companies and their managers on strategic and communication issues - particularly in challenging market phases and transformation processes.

The conscious use of gender roles in advertising is increasing, as the latest Stereotype Analysis 2024 by the Gislerprotokoll association shows. In the 300 commercials examined, only 16% featured stereotypical male or female role models. This is a significant decrease compared to previous years. Nina Bieli, President of Gislerprotokoll, sees this as a positive development: "What we have seen much more often this year is that although companies and agencies still work with stereotypes here and there - for example, with an expert explaining something to the audience - their use is more reflective and more deliberate."

It is noticeable that traditional role assignments are increasingly being broken down. The number of commercials with caring male or female characters is now evenly balanced (10 vs. 12 commercials), and female experts are also shown more frequently (15 commercials, experts: 22). Only in the "humor" genre does the picture remain unchanged: Male-read characters continue to dominate humorous advertising roles, while only two spots feature a funny female-read main character.

"We are delighted with this positive development. Male and female characters are being given more facets, advertising is becoming more diverse in terms of gender roles. This once again underlines the message that the Gisler Protocol has been advocating since the beginning: it's not about banning the use of stereotypes, but about us as an industry becoming aware of the unquestioned gender concepts that we reproduce again and again with our work. And then to use these less frequently and, if we do, then in a more reflective way - which often means that a stereotype is also broken straight away. Our propagated goal of 'breaking stereotypes' is therefore increasingly becoming a reality, thanks to our more than 200 fantastic members," says Nina Bieli.

Diversity in advertising: progress, but no breakthrough

In addition to gender stereotypes, the Gisler protocol also analyzed other dimensions of representation. Homosexual couples were shown in 10 percent of the commercials with couple situations, which according to the data corresponds roughly to the statistical proportion in the population. The situation is completely different for genderqueer people: They only appeared in two commercials, although according to a study, around 13 percent of the Swiss population identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Also nonwhite According to the analysis, people are still underrepresented in advertising. Although they appeared in 52 of the commercials analyzed (17%), they only played leading roles in 21 cases. However, they were more likely to play a leading role outside of advertising, even without celebrity status or a connection to a specific topic - such as development aid. Older people, on the other hand, are well represented both quantitatively and qualitatively: 15 percent of the commercials featured people over 70, often as vital individuals interested in life.

Slow but constant changes

Compared with the previous year's results there are signs of a gradual improvement. In 2023, around 50 percent of the commercials examined still contained stereotypical portrayals; by 2024, this figure had fallen to just 16 percent. The decline in the so-called "potted plant test" - i.e. the purely decorative depiction of women or minorities - is particularly striking. This was still used in 30 commercials in the previous year, but the figure fell further in 2024.

Despite this progress, there is still room for improvement. Advertising is becoming more diverse, but true equality and representation have not yet been achieved. While gender roles are increasingly being broken down, the representation of other social groups is lagging behind. Gislerprotokoll President Nina Bieli summarizes: "Many companies are implementing more diverse communication - in terms of gender stereotypes, but also in terms of other diversity dimensions. Nevertheless, something must and may still happen."

Following the takeover of the Migros Do It + Garden stores and the expansion with a total of three additional locations in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, Obi launched a large-scale advertising campaign on Monday.

Local poster campaign with pink

For the Swiss market, Obi is relying on a customized out-of-home poster campaign, which was developed together with the Zurich agency Rosarot. The campaign positions the Obi brand as the first port of call for DIY and garden projects in Switzerland. The subjects are placed at highly frequented locations in urban and rural regions to ensure maximum reach and visibility.

International TV campaign with a strong message

In parallel to the local activation, Obi is launching an international TV campaign that will be broadcast simultaneously in nine countries, including Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Zum goldenen Hirschen and E+P-Films conceived and developed the commercial, which has the slogan "Nothing stops us!" and calls on people to boldly tackle new projects with Obi.

Pilot Suisse was responsible for media planning for the entire Swiss campaign, including the poster campaign and moving images on TV and digital. The campaign focuses on strong emotions, team spirit and the joy of working together. The highlight of the commercial is the background music with the legendary anthem "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen.

Marketing focus: Local relevance meets international appeal

For the campaign, Obi is combining locally focused brand communication with an international brand message. The aim is to inspire customers and establish Obi as the leading DIY partner in Switzerland. "With our new spring campaign, we are impressively demonstrating that Obi is really taking off in Switzerland and is ready to enrich the market with creative and inspiring solutions. The combination of a local OOH campaign and international TV presence enables us to create both emotional proximity and a strong brand identity," says Nicolas Bill, Head of Marketing at Obi Switzerland.

Amnesty International Swiss Section sheds light on the right to demonstrate and brings it into the focus of discussion with a petition. Demonstrating is not just a privilege, but a fundamental human right - even in Switzerland, where it is increasingly being restricted. Numéro10 has designed a campaign to promote the petition. The focus is on dance as a powerful analogy for this right.

Dance is one of the most primal forms of human expression. Long before we found words, we were able to communicate emotions, hope and the call for freedom through dance. Today, in Switzerland, we have the right to dance - just as we have the right to demonstrate. This parallel underlines the importance of every movement and every step as an expression of freedom - a right that should be as self-evident as freedom of expression itself.

The national online campaign will be accompanied by influencers Lisa Christ and Nidonite, who will address the topic critically, transparently and authentically. The campaign will be launched in mid-March, supplemented by accompanying offline measures in the summer.

The focus is on real and relevant questions from entrepreneurs. This authentic approach is intended to make it clear that PostFinance, as a partner, takes the needs and challenges of its corporate customers seriously and understands them.

"A strong partner must know the concerns and challenges of its customers. That means they have to listen. Our campaign conveys precisely this message - this is the only way we can offer solutions that do justice to real concerns," explains Daria Meier, Marketing Manager at PostFinance.

Three commercials show the complex challenges of everyday business life. Elaborate tracking shots in an industrial hall, an MRI practice and an outdoor specialist store set visual accents and make the many facets of the corporate world tangible. At the end, the entrepreneurs themselves have their say and name the challenges they face on a daily basis.

The commercials are flanked by various (D)OOH and advertising motifs, publicity reports and other digital assets, social media measures and content formats. On the landing page, the most pressing issues are addressed in blog posts and guest contributions, while suitable products can be presented directly as concrete solutions.

Responsible at PostFinance: Daria Meier (Marketing Manager / Project Management), Dennis Lengacher and Yves Ekmann (Head of Marketing Communications as co-leads), Yvonne Schönbächler (Team Leader Campaigning B2B & Payment Solutions), Sibylle Graf (Marketing Manager), Alessandro Di Leta (Head of Customer Centricity & Innovation Design), Julia Mehr (Market Manager Corporate Clients). Responsible at Sir Mary: Adrian Merz (Executive Creative Director), Katrin Espelage (Creative Director), Lukas Wietlisbach (Art Director), Jacqueline Rufener (Copywriter), Jan-Florian Ege (Copywriter), Florian Maissen (Graphic Designer), Flurin Hardt (Account Director), Sara Lopez (Account Manager), Nicolas Hostettler (Managing Director), Daniel Zuberbühler (Managing Partner). Production: Hillton; Mona Bertschinger (Executive Producer), Yanik Müller (Producer), Gustaf Richter (Line Producer), Tobias Bonfanti (Director), Patrick Pichler (DOP), Marc Angele (Postproduction Coordinator), Marvin Kühner (Editor), Per Kasch (Photography), DubDub Studios GmbH (Sounddesign & Mix), Felix Geen (VFX Supervisor /Lead), Julia Rossetti (Grading), Luca Colaci (Music Composition). Media:
Havas Media, Webrepublic.

For the fifth year in a row, NZZ Connect presented the Swiss Economic Forum Woman Award at The Circle Zurich. One of the three women honored was Paulina Grnarova, according to NZZ Connect. Grnarova, co-founder and CEO of the AI start-up Deepjudge, received the award in the "Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year" category.

Born in North Macedonia, she founded the ETH spin-off Deepjudge in 2021 to transform the legal search process with artificial intelligence. According to the press release, Grnarova holds a doctorate in computer science and has already been included in the Forbes 30 under 30 list.

The Swiss Economic Forum presented another award to Bea Knecht. As the founder of the TV streaming service Zattoo, she has developed new business models in the technology sector and is an expert in digital transformation, according to the press release. For this, the organizers named her Honorary Award Winner of the Year 2025. Alpiq CEO Antje Kanngiesser also received the award in the "Entrepreneur/CEO of the Year" category. (Dylan Windhaber/rja)

This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

The SEF.WomanAward honors women with an outstanding entrepreneurial track record and at the same time creates a powerful and future-oriented platform for female entrepreneurs.