Uphill and downhill ride

Last week, the Xaver, the Swiss award for trade fairs and events, was presented at the Maag Event Hall in Zurich's Westend: The event has made a quantum leap compared to last year's event. Although the award ceremony still took a little longer, the professionalism and offerings of the subsequent stand-up party made up for everything. This was in contrast to previous editions, after which the organizers had to put up with some criticism. Too cramped, problems with the supply of drinks, an unsatisfactory show block - all was forgiven, all forgotten. The Maag Event Hall swallowed up the numerous visitors without any problems. The hall set-up with countless small standing buffets and a flying drinks and finger food service guaranteed everyone a place in the sun. The drummers from the Basel group Top Secret caused a sensation and a lot of belly laughs. It was pretty racy what the dashingly dressed men showed off with their sticks and metal buckets. No wonder, Top Secret are the winners of last year's Edinburgh Military Tattoo (which is not a military-inspired body decoration, but a music festival). Presenter Claudio Zuccolini, who had over twenty prizes to hand out, also had his work cut out for him. But even more work was done by the numerous guests, who turned the party into a super event late into the night.
The invitation to Juniorcom, the Swiss conference for young talent in communication, media and marketing in Davos, was therefore very welcome.
Days later. As mountain air is healthy and the
Juniorcom program is worthwhile, more than 200 young marketing and communication specialists made the trip to the Landwasser Valley alongside the shortlisted author. Before we run our mouths too full - the praise is for the well put together, exciting program of the conference, but not for the presentation of the Davos Media Prize and the Swiss Text Awards (we are already very spoiled when it comes to award ceremonies).
What began quite decently with an opening speech by the President of the Swiss Press Association, Hanspeter Lebrument, unfortunately ended in a bland adulation of the nominated journalists. Moreover, the presentation of a 15,000-franc cheque to a representative of the reporting guild - Roger de Weck, of course, an excellent one - has little to do with marketing communication. The media prize simply won't get rid of the stigma of being a foreign body in the Juniorcom program. Even the somewhat more upbeat, but at times rather helpless, Text Award ceremony was unable to compensate for this. The opportunity to inspire over two hundred promising young talents with a good award show was wasted.
The cozy part of the evening was more conciliatory. Everyone met for dinner in the ski hut ambience of the "Bolgenplaza",
before embarking on an extended tour of Davos, ending in the piano bar of the Europe.
Beat Fritsch had to roll up his sleeves last week. At the beginning of the week
with the Xaver, the Swiss Exhibition and Event Award, an event
which lasted well into the night - just as it should when event specialists organize something. There was a bit of relaxation at the Juniorcom - not because it was less stressful, but because the event took place in the healthy mountain air of Davos.
We locate where the communications, media and publishing industries meet for their parties at the scene's various events. Do you already have something to report? Pick up the phone (01 296 97 98) or hit the keys ([email protected]). Event tips and more shortlist pictures are available online at www.werbewoche.ch.
Provided the belly laugh: drummer-guard from the Basel Top Secret.

Trophy of the Swiss Text Award - a sharp steel pen.
Delighted to receive a Xaver Award: Michèle Reinau and Patrick Bruno (l.) from Viollier with Urs Hofer, member of the Creaworld management team.
Karen (l.) and Tina used their charm to sweeten the excellent catering provided by catering manager Hajo Tanner from SV-Service.
The ladies from the artist and culture agency Swissandfamous: Rea Eggli, Flurina Attinger and Nathalie Vautier (from left).
Mike Meyer (l.) from cigarette multinational J. T. International with Kim Hilario and Baschti Walz from Freak Productions.
Presenter Claudio "Zucco" Zuccolini (r.) had a great chat with prize winner Andreas P. Messerli from Messerli Messebau.
Christian Bonnot (l.) from Bonnot's Eventhouse with assistant Esther Rawyler and Jörg Birrfelder, technical director of Mediarent.
Celebrating at the lively Xaver party: Internet specialist Boris Manhart (l.), Eyemedia, and Oliver T. Röhl from Allmedia Tower.
Trimedia Executive Board member Barbla C. Schaerer with Xaver jury member Philip Kramer from Orange.
Ex-radio man Andrej Voina (l.), new at Jenni Kommunikation, and jury member Urs Seiler from the trade fair and event magazine Expodata.
Xaver winners and luxury colleagues: Marc Glaeser, Maurice Lacroix, event specialist Joko Vogel and Filippo Castagna from Lever Fabergé (from left).
Sacha Goldstein, Managing Director of the promotion agency All Access, with his promo girls Sarah (l.) and Lisa.
Jacques Hansel from General Motors Suisse with Johannes Milla, Milla und Partner, and Knud Schneider (from left) from Opel Germany.
Axpo advertising manager Andy Wild with Reto Caviezel from Art on Ice and Christoph Menti (from left), Managing Director of Carré Communication.
Laurence Antiglio (l.) is looking for a job in the fashion industry and came with Patrizia Franz from plastic card manufacturer Trüb AG.
Making a big splash with their Puros: Roland Höfler, Adrian Gull and Jürg Lüthi (from left) from DaimlerChrysler Switzerland.
The Bolgenplaza trio: Brigitte Kuster (l.) with Juniorcom initiators Germaine Hiltbrunner and Franco Item.
The SPRI crew: Nadine Hofmann, Marketing, Director Cyril Meier and Marie-Christine Schindler (from left).
Jeannette Wyssen (l.), Walker Gastro- und Detailhandel, with Michael Mätzener, Victorinox, and Sabine Rojahn, Parkhotel Waldhaus Flims.
Urs Eggenberger, Head of Private Leasing at CS, with Jan Tanner and Mike Neuhaus (from left) from Tanner Communications, Basel.
Each received a text feather for their achievements: Ann-Katrin Oeschger from SF DRS and David Marquis from Gossweiler Medien.
The podium of the City of Davos Media Prize: Michael Freund, Roger de Weck and Joachim Schubert-Ankenbauer (from left).
Thanks to the Juniorcom copywriters' conference in Davos: Michael Scharenberg, Stephanie Hugentobler and Roger Hausmann (from left).
Almost Juniorcom veterans: Tamara, Elena and Aileen (back from left) with Andi, Eveline and Flo (front from left) in the Bolgenplaza sofa.
Copywriting colleagues in a ski hut atmosphere: Mona Sieber, Anton Neuenschwander from Gysi Knoll and Lovey Wymann (from left).