That was the 360° Entertainment Forum in Andermatt

Naguib Sawiris, Chairman of the Board of Orascom DH, opened the forum in Andermatt with a simple but profound sentence: "Events are incredibly important for people". This was a recurring theme throughout the forum, which highlighted the importance of live entertainment and the potential of data and innovation, among other things. Oliver Niedermann, co-host and CEO of Ticketcorner, began by taking a look at the industry, which was also in excellent shape in 2023 with record volumes. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of data for future action.

Partnership beyond sponsorship

Hans-Willy Brockes, co-host and Managing Director of ESB Marketing Netzwerk, gave the participants the perspective of "partnering instead of sponsoring". The motto reflects the growing importance of authentic experiences and sustainable relationships between brands and the audience.

Sponsors from the telecommunications, food, insurance and banking industries emphasized the importance of core entertainment values for their customers. It's about awareness and image, said Gabriel Thomann, Head of Sponsoring and Events at Sunrise. With Sunrise Starzone, his company is heavily involved in the music market. However, the sponsor representatives also emphasized that a partnership requires the event organizers to get involved. For example, in political discussions about sponsorship, or that money is not the only factor in the collaboration.

New challenges and opportunities

The discussion about the transformation from "Love Brands" to "Trusted Brands" highlighted the current challenges facing the industry. Selective media perception and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in distorting reality require a new type of brand management. Christian Jungen, Artistic Director of the Zurich Film Festival, also emphasized the social responsibility of entertainment in this context: "Kids are losing contact with each other. It is also the task of entertainment to bring them back together."

A lot of attention was also paid to cinema at this year's 360° Entertainment. After all, the medium that was declared dead is on the rise again - the market is growing. Stefan Gubser, actor and producer, is not least pleased about this. And he is convinced that his profession will continue to defy AI for a long time to come. In many ways: "For stories that touch, you still need people."

AI: entertainment industry as the key to the future

Pascal Kaufmann, founder of Mindfire Foundation & AlpineAI, would probably agree. The neuroscientist is convinced that the entertainment industry will become a key industry in the age of AI. "What will people do in their free time when AI takes over? They will use and enjoy more entertainment. The entertainment industry is one of the most important industries of the future," he appeals to industry representatives. After all, Homo Faber - the producing human being - will be followed by Homo Ludens - the playing human being.

Market forecasts and statements

The industry is also optimistic about the near future. "Switzerland will remain an exciting market for artists," predicted Oliver Rosa, Managing Partner of the Gadget abc Entertainment Group. He even emphasized the growing importance of the Swiss market. Thomas Dürr, CEO of Act Entertainment, added: "Live music cannot be copied", and referred to the uniqueness of the live experience. This was also emphasized by dialect icon Sina in her conversation with Sven Epiney, in which the two looked back on 30 years of the artist's musical work in a lively Valais dialect. Another moment that underlined the importance of events for people.