EBL wanted to document its 125th anniversary with a book that goes far beyond a traditional company chronicle. To this end, it engaged the Basel agency Yellow. Working closely with historian Dr. Florian Blumer, the team developed a concept that sheds light on the company's history from an external perspective. However, it also takes internal aspects into account in order to show the interactions with the social, economic and cultural developments of the time. This approach is in line with Yellow's philosophy of illuminating topics and brands from the perspective of their target groups.

The book entitled "125 Joor verbunde" is divided into ten sections, each beginning with an overview of EBL's development. The individual chapters show how the energy supplier has responded to changes as an organization serving society, the economy and culture and has itself contributed to the modernization of the Oberbasel region.

In addition to the content concept, Yellow was also responsible for the design and typesetting of the book, which was included in the program of Verlag Baselland - the official publishing house of the canton of Basel-Landschaft.

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Responsible at EBL: Kathrin Woiwotka (Head of Marketing and Communication). Responsible agency: Yellow.

According to the 2024 city ranking, Munich is one of the most attractive cities in Germany. One of the reasons for this is the forward-looking urban policy, which has recognized that a growing metropolis only remains worth living in if the transport policy course is set correctly. This is why the local public transport system has been systematically expanded.

In spring 2022, the Munich transport company MVG brought the Zurich agency Ruf Lanz on board to increase the use of streetcars, buses and the subway. "Ruf Lanz has built up a good reputation beyond Switzerland's borders, thanks in part to its pointed communication for Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich. The agency impressed us with its public transport expertise and fresh ideas," says Matthias Korte, Head of Mobility Communications at MVG.

Although Ruf Lanz is a partner from outside the EU, a two-year pilot project was launched in 2022. Since then, several "made in Switzerland" appearances have been realized in Munich - including on prominent billboards.

In addition, creative director Markus Ruf gives an insight into four unrealized subjects: "Of course - as always - some ideas ended up on the sidetrack. For example, we wanted to juxtapose the BMW slogan 'The joy of driving' with 'The joy of being driven' with a wink. That was a little too daring. Just like the allusion to the only traffic light that can still annoy you if you choose MVG: the one in Berlin."

At the end of the pilot project, Ruf says: "Working with Matthias Korte and his team was a lot of fun! We will be happy to get involved again if the framework conditions allow it. And that doesn't require Switzerland to join the EU."

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Responsible at Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft: Matthias Korte (Head of Mobility Communications), Oliver Schwankl (Head of Communications Management and Positioning), Sina Ojo (Communications Manager). Responsible at Ruf Lanz:  Markus Ruf (creative direction), Mario Moosbrugger (art direction), Armin Arnold (DTP and CI implementation), Gian Marco Juon (consulting management). External Swiss partners: Flaeck (CGI), Lorenz Wahl (image editing).

In the USA, you can talk to ChatGPT and ask questions by calling 1-800-CHATGPT (+18002428478). One 15-minute conversation with the software per month is free. In other countries, ChatGPT can be reached at this number for text chats on WhatsApp.

OpenAI employees demonstrated in a video stream that calls to ChatGPT also work with an old flip phone and a telephone with a dial.

The software was initially launched two years ago with written chats only, but it has been possible to talk to it on computers using the voice function for some time now. (SDA/swi)

m&k: Benno Maggi, your column for m&k started in 2016, after several years of interpreting and explaining technical language for the NZZ Folio. Why this focus?

Benno Maggi: I've always been fascinated by technical jargon. During my trial apprenticeship as a butcher, they talked about mincing, grinding, boning and hanging. These were all words that I didn't know and made me feel like an expert as soon as I used them. To this day, I still use the word "hanging" when it comes to judging something that I'm not sure is really good. Then I let it hang like meat and see if it's still good or even better the next day.

 

Why are there so many terms in the MarCom industry that require explanation? 

Technical terms are almost like a language of their own and should therefore be translated. This does not only apply specifically to the MarCom industry. This industry simply likes to steal more and more terms from outside the industry and make them its own. At least that's my assessment.

In the meantime, you have discussed over 150 technical terms for m&k. Where did you find the inspiration and what criteria did you use to select the terms?

I didn't have any criteria. I rather "random" chosen - to name one of the 150 terms right away. There's a list on my cell phone that I'm constantly adding to. Sometimes I pluck a word from it that has been on there for a long time, but just happened to fit a topical issue. Most of the time, these were words that I picked up in meetings, on train journeys, in canteens and corridors. Some perhaps only once, others regularly. And if I heard them again and again, that increased the chance that I would write about them.

 

What did this writing work mean to you?

I often knew the word and its meaning, but had no idea about its origin. The dictionary is great for that. So is ChatGPT, but sometimes I was overwhelmed or simply wrong. Writing this column often had a therapeutic purpose for me. When the use of a word increasingly annoyed me, it was healing to write about it or the people who used it excessively.

 

What was the feedback like?

At first I thought: "No one will read this." But I got a lot of feedback. Mostly positive and from a wide variety of people. Clients, agency colleagues and also from the private sphere. Sometimes just text messages: "Did you mean me?" or: "Do I really need this so often? I'll never say it again!"

 

Have you noticed a development in technical language in recent years?

Not really. Anglicisms are dominant, of course. But they always have been. When the financial industry was still subject to little critical scrutiny, perhaps more came from this corner. Today, it's more likely to be terms from psychology that find their way into marketing: Frames, Trigger, Resilience and so on.

 

In some cases, you have also been rather critical of the industry. Where do you see the pain points? 

The industry takes itself far too seriously. If everyone was as loud as the agencies, CMOs and marketing futzes, you wouldn't be able to hear your own words for all the noise. I also think that advertisers are often bad entrepreneurs. Instead of delivering clean offices and making their agencies sustainably successful, most of them want to make a lot of money quickly and win awards. They chase after big budgets or fancy brands, get tangled up in lumpy risks and end up being surprised when they have to lay people off, the agency goes bankrupt or is swallowed up by networks.

 

Are there any issues that you have not yet been able to tackle but now seem more urgent?

No. I've actually always attributed a certain urgency to the choice of terms. The first was "Funnel" for the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which last "end-to-end" before the auguration of the Trump/Musk administration in the USA.

 

As indicated in your last columnevery end also means a new beginning: Sarah Pally is taking over your column at the end of this year. Why the change now?

Sarah has also inspired me over the years. She always knew the latest shit and I borrowed a few terms from her. She is also a gifted writer and should finally publish under her own name in the industry - and not just as a ghostwriter for our clients.

Sarah Pally: I don't know if that's such a good thing to have been the inspiration for Benno's column. (laughs)

 

Sarah, what appeals to you about writing a column - and what doesn't?

I actually find writing under my own name a challenge, but that's also the appeal for me: no double bottom line. The deadlines certainly help you to jump over this shadow. Apart from that, it is of course a special form of text where the balance between relevance and entertainment has to be right - and in the smallest possible space.

 

To what extent would you like to continue Benno's column - or give it your own touch?

I will stick to my guns when writing this column. I am a linguist "by training". Our everyday life in advertising, marketing and communication is an endless source of remarkable things to do with language: from misunderstood text types to more or less successful language games - and the odd "latest-shit-would-be-technical term". I won't reveal any more.

 

What ultimately makes a good column for you?

For me, a good column is like an overlong aphorism: charming, clever, entertaining and, in the best case, enlightening. So it's not something you just "throw in".

Maggi: One that I enjoy reading and perhaps even remember afterwards.

 

Benno, what are you hoping for from Sarah's continuation of the column?

That she does her thing. With her own lightness, humor and sharpness.

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Read Benno Maggi's latest column for m&k here, "End-to-end".

No: it is not the great swan song for the world, democracy and humanism after the election of Donald Trump with his godfather Elon Musk in tow. But their methods reflect the principle underlying the term "end-to-end" quite well: developing things holistically and controlling as many processes as possible internally. The "bromance" in the White House will probably soon do the same.

"End-to-end", often abbreviated as E2E, comes from IT and describes a holistic approach there and now also generally in project management, in which a process or system is considered, developed, optimized and controlled from start to finish. It means that all steps of a workflow or application are covered without having to resort to external solutions or subsystems. This is definitely different in the creation of this column.

The end is also the beginning

"Give me the Manfrotto from the flying case!" was my first encounter with technical jargon. I was very young, on my first assignment as a roadie in Zurich's Hallenstadion. The order came from a tattooed muscleman and I didn't understand a thing. He demonstratively opened the black wheelie bin: "Flying case!" Then he tapped a tripod: "Manfrotto!" I memorized: Flying Case = backstage rolling case, Manfrotto = tripod for mounting a follow spotlight.

I never used these technical terms again later. But technical terms have fascinated me ever since and have always accompanied me. I wrote them down in meetings, on train journeys, in canteens and corridors.

For me, technical terms are insignia of knowledge and power. If you know them, you belong, if you look askance when they are mentioned, you are disqualified. Technical terms are used at all hierarchical levels, in every situation of everyday business life, in all areas of life: for demonstration, for confirmation, for exclusion, as an end in itself and occasionally because there is no "normal" term for it.

So in 2007 I started in the NZZ Folio to "translate" dialogs from all kinds of industries under the heading "From the trade" and did so for years. Since 2016 I have been interpreting for m&k (thanks to Anna Kohler, Sarah Willi and Johannes Hapig) Terms that I encountered in the world of advertising, marketing and communication. If I didn't know them, I had them explained to me by experts. Over time, I also got a kick out of asking users about them and embarrassing them. And yes: men tend to brag about technical terms more than women. And they also like to explain technical terms - especially to women, of course. But that's all over now, at least here. After over 150 columns, it's time to stop.

Incidentally, these three terms have attracted the most attention over the years: "Crunchtime", "semi" and "Interpretative order". I was mainly asked about the latter by German colleagues who thanked me for finally understanding what the term means (back to field one), where it comes from (Swiss army) and why things take so long in Switzerland (endless loop).

Crunch time" is back in fashion: when the end of the year comes around and it becomes clear whether agencies can save the year and clients can blow their budgets. But the many clicks on the column in question probably came from a few lost members of the growing crowd of American football fans whose vocabulary "crunch time" comes from - let's be honest.

But "semi" is also topical again, but for personal reasons. It describes a feeling that is creeping around the writer right now, when writing these last lines. On the one hand, I really enjoyed doing it, but on the other, the time has come to stop. But end-to-end is always also a beginning. A beginning of something new that you can already look forward to.

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* Benno Maggi, co-founder of Partner & Partner, is handing over his column to Sarah Pally at the end of 2024. Read more here the interview.

Lucas Bally works as a strategy and communications consultant at Feinheit. He has extensive experience in public administration. Bally worked for the City of Zurich for nine years in the building construction department, most recently as head of communications. As a result, the 47-year-old is very familiar with the political system, the media landscape and administrative processes. "What appeals to me about my new role at Feinheit is that I can act beyond the municipal political scene and work on new topics," says Lucas Bally.

Important reinforcement

The appointment of Lucas Bally comes at the right time for the agency: Feinheit announced at the beginning of 2024 that it would be strengthening its political strategy consulting for authorities, organizations and companies. "Lucas is the ideal addition to the existing team. With him, we can make even better use of our strengths in political analysis, strategy and communication," says Isabelle Bamert, Partner at the agency.

Born in Basel, he brings with him numerous other skills that he can put to good use at Feinheit: After completing a master's degree in journalism, sociology and computer science at the University of Zurich, he initially worked for an internet start-up. He then moved to Swiss Radio and Television, where he managed online projects and introduced the first cross-departmental social media strategy.

The aim of Caritas Switzerland's 2023 cross-media Christmas campaign was to generate donations and raise awareness of the non-profit organization's (NPO) work abroad. Caritas Switzerland combined several channels to achieve this: Direct mailing, OOH, DOOH, print ads, email, display, social media ads and SEA.

The impact study conducted by Exactag on behalf of Post Advertising examined how well this cross-media mix worked and which channels generated the most donations. It was compiled with the help of "marketing mix modeling" - a "complex but particularly informative methodology", according to Exactag.

"The findings of the marketing mix modeling help us to use the media budget for the next campaign in a more targeted way and to address the relevant target groups even more precisely," says Christoph Keiser, Co-Head of Fundraising + Marketing at Caritas Switzerland.

Valuable insights for all industries

Marketing mix modeling is based on a large amount of data, most of which is confidential. This is why the results are hardly ever published. "The fact that Caritas Switzerland is providing an insight into the results of this study is remarkable," says Daniel Schönmann, Head of Advertising Research & Communication at Post Advertising. "As a large NPO, it is deliberately making the findings of the study accessible to smaller organizations and companies from other sectors. This means they can also benefit from it and optimize their cross-media campaigns."

Direct mailings are particularly effective

The impact study shows that well over 50 percent of the donation volume during the campaign period can be attributed to the cross-media advertising campaign. These additional donations are also referred to as incremental donations. It is the net increase in donations that would not have been expected without the advertising measures. Direct mailings make the greatest contribution to the impact of the media mix, which confirms their dominant role as a medium that triggers action in fundraising. OOH and DOOH also have a disproportionately high impact on the generation of donations with appropriate advertising pressure.

Increased cross-media increases efficiency

In addition to the effectiveness of the channels, the study also examined the efficiency of the campaign. In the 2023 Christmas campaign, Caritas Switzerland increased its net campaign costs by ten percent compared to the previous year, thereby increasing incremental donations by a disproportionately high 37 percent. As a result, the return on advertising spend (ROAS) rose by 24%. This higher efficiency is primarily due to the increased cross-media approach - the cleverly expanded media mix. According to the efficiency analysis, direct mailing is the top performer in terms of ROAS, followed by DOOH and display advertising. These three channels reinforce each other.

Three recommendations for the cross-media strategy

The study derives three key recommendations for NPOs and companies from other sectors to optimize their cross-media strategy. Firstly, they should utilize the synergies between the three top performers direct mailing, DOOH and display advertising. Such a realignment of the media mix increases the overall effectiveness of their campaigns. Secondly, the study recommends optimizing campaigns regionally: Data & Analytics can be used to identify regions of great importance. If advertisers specifically increase their advertising pressure in these areas, they not only increase the impact but also the efficiency of their campaigns. Thirdly, optimizations in campaign setting and media mix should be made in small steps in order to continuously monitor the effect.

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The Impact study by Exactag on behalf of Post Advertising is based on marketing mix modeling. This combines three methodological steps: long-term analysis, campaign analysis and intra-channel analysis (environments). The procedure was closely coordinated with Caritas Switzerland. The data came from various sources, was anonymized and validated together with the NPO. The use of statistical methods and machine learning processes made it possible to identify patterns in the data. Correlations between advertising expenditure and donation income became visible, enabling targeted optimization.

As Chief Sales Officer, Nadler will play a key role in strengthening Zattoo's advertising marketing, as the TV streaming provider writes in a press release. In his position, he will drive the development of innovative, data-based advertising formats and advertising strategies, tap into new revenue potential in the area of connected TV and ensure that the advertising solutions meet the requirements and expectations of stakeholders. As CSO, he is also responsible for the management and strategic control of all advertising-related teams at Zattoo. This includes the Ad Sales team in Switzerland and Germany, Ad Operations & Programmatic Management and Key Account Management.

Nadler has more than 25 years of experience in strategic leadership, digitalization and business development of media and communications companies. Since October 2023, he has been a Partner at Leader Selection Executive Search, specializing in the placement of leaders in the fields of digital transformation, technology and media. Previously, he was Lead Partner Digital Marketing at Deloitte, where he and his team developed and implemented innovative strategies for data-driven marketing and media solutions.

From 2017 to 2021, he was CEO of Carat Germany. Further stations in his career include leading positions at the Goldbach Group, where he was responsible for the digital focus and market entry in Germany, as CEO of GroupM Services in Switzerland and at IP Deutschland (RTL Group) and Versatel.

"I am looking forward to further advancing Zattoo's advertising strategy and developing innovative solutions for our advertising partners together with our highly qualified team," the new CSO is quoted as saying. "By focusing on data-driven advertising formats and concentrating on the needs of our customers and users, we will position Zattoo as the leading partner for digital advertising in the DACH region."

Zattoo justifies Oliver Knappmann's departure with a realignment of the position as part of the ongoing strategy process. "I would like to thank Oliver Knappmann for his great contribution to the development and successful establishment of our advertising business and for the introduction of numerous innovative advertising formats, in particular Dynamic Ad Substitution. He was an extremely valued member of the management team and played a key role in shaping Zattoo for more than a decade," said Zattoo CEO Roger Elsener.

The industry magazine Swiss journalist:in annually determines which journalists have done exceptional work in the year. In the 2024 election, 1126 participants voted.

This year's winner was Susanne Brunner, foreign editor and head of the foreign desk at Radio SRF. "A very nice recognition after an extremely turbulent year in the Middle East and other regions of the world: not just for my work, but for SRF's foreign reporting," says Brunner about her award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 goes to Roger de Weck, Media Manager of the Year is Mark Dittli. In addition, 14 other journalists were honored in various categories. The winners are as follows:

• Editor-in-chief: Dominique Strebel (Observer)
• Politics: Philipp Loser (Tages-Anzeiger)
• Reporter: David Nauer (SRF)
• Economy: Reto Lipp (SRF)
• Research: Adrienne Fichter (Republic)
• Company: Mona Vetsch (SRF)
• Column: Anna Rosenwasser (Republic)
• Culture: Simone Meier (Watson)
• Sport: Florian Raz (Tamedia, from December View)
• Newcomer: Gina Bachmann (NZZ on Sunday)
• Local journalism: Simon Jacoby (Tsri.ch)
• Photo/Video: Laurent Gilliéron (Keystone-SDA)
• Audio/Radio: Salvador Atasoy (SRF)
• Editor of the year: Woz

The award ceremony will take place on March 24, 2025 at the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich.

The OMG study examines the various facets of Christmas in Switzerland. The results show that the majority of Swiss people associate the end-of-year holidays with joy, traditions and family get-togethers.

According to the study, 62% of those surveyed are looking forward to Christmas, the colorful lights, decorations, mulled wine and presents. However, 22 percent find the Christmas commercialism annoying. For two-thirds, especially older people, the focus is on being together with family, followed by childhood memories and decorated Christmas trees. Younger respondents, on the other hand, are more likely to look forward to presents and mulled wine.

Since October, stores have been full of Christmas merchandise and are trying to get customers in the mood for the festive season. 44 percent of respondents feel that the early start is inappropriate, while 18 percent welcome it as a way of getting into the festive spirit. However, not everyone is organized enough to get involved in this early start to sales.

This means that there is still considerable potential for retailers just before Christmas Eve. Many people have not yet finished their preparations a week before Christmas, which offers opportunities for retailers and advertisers.

In the hot phase of Christmas shopping, one week before Christmas, around half of the population is still busy with preparations. Men tend to be more indecisive than women and often do not yet know what they are going to buy or cook for Christmas. On average, everyone in Switzerland plans to spend 270 francs on presents. Men and older people tend to spend more than women and younger people. The most popular gifts this year are vouchers, followed by toys, clothes and accessories. Books and everyday items tend to be at the lower end of the popularity rankings.

Purchases are made both online and offline, with most people using both channels. Pure online or offline shoppers are rather rare. The 30-44 age group is the most active when it comes to buying Christmas gifts online. Christmas markets are less about buying presents and more about socializing.

"Our study shows that Christmas in Switzerland remains a celebration of joy and traditions despite the commercial pressure. We see people's short-term shopping and preparations as positive for advertisers, as it shows that there is great potential for advertising until shortly before Christmas," says Michael Selz, Managing Partner Insights & Strategy at OMG Switzerland.

With the appointment of Täschler as Managing Director, the company is underlining its commitment to "consistently expanding Cineman's user reach and further strengthening its position as the leading platform for cinema lovers, operators and partners in the film industry", Cinergy wrote in a press release on Wednesday.

Täschler has extensive experience in the strategic management and further development of companies. As CEO of Cinergy, he has already made a significant contribution to the successful direction of Cineman, the statement continues. With his new operational responsibility, he will drive forward various core objectives, specifically the expansion of user reach, the connection of additional cinemas and the strengthening of the platform for partners.

"I am delighted to now also be able to make my contribution operationally, working with the team to further expand Cineman's services as Switzerland's largest film and cinema platform for film enthusiasts, cinema operators and distributors," comments Täschler on his new role.

Recently the new Lovely Smile website online. The Bern-based agency Newsroom Communication supported the company in its repositioning from the outset and developed a new branding and numerous campaign measures. The aim was to present the entire Lovely Smile website in a modern, fresh look.

Lovely Smile relies entirely on non-invasive treatment options and emphasizes the longevity of teeth. In order to convey these values to the outside world, the old CI/CD was completely revised. The dental practice's website is now trilingual, with English firmly integrated alongside German and French. In the background, Newsroom Communication optimized the processes and functions of the website and redesigned the conversion tracking.

Appearance for the "dentistry of the 21st century"

From small details to the new choice of colors and fonts, the design team at Newsroom Communication has optimized the Lovely Smile brand. It now has a fresh, clear aesthetic with harmonious colors and minimalist design elements. This clearly conveys Lovely Smile's message of "21st century dentistry". Thanks to the generous use of color and typography, the brand requires virtually no visuals, making it efficient and cost-effective. At the same time, the elements appear professional and modern to evoke a positive association with dental care.

Campaign to raise awareness

Preventive health measures are quickly lost in the flood of advertising. With numerous target group-specific campaigns, partnerships and social media activities, Newsroom Communication and Lovely Smile are facing up to this challenge and creating awareness for sustainable dental health. The focus is particularly on younger and health-conscious people who are watching their wallets.

The collaboration and sponsorship with the football clubs BSC Young Boys and Servette FC, the ice hockey club Genève-Servette Hockey Club and individual professional athletes is intended to help reach precisely these people.