DIRECT! by Post Advertising 2025 - From AI to cheese without holes: an afternoon full of inspiration
More than 300 marketing and communications experts gathered at the Kaufleuten on Wednesday for keynote speeches, case studies, and discussions that shed light on the future of the industry—from artificial intelligence to brand management, and from sustainability to leadership.
The event kicked off with Prof. Dr. Anne Scherer, who impressively demonstrated that AI is far more than just text and image generation. Her plea: the real added value lies in strategic customer understanding. "The future belongs to those companies that recognize customer needs not just when they arise, but before they arise."
Christof Stulz, Head of Marketing at Ovomaltine & Caotina, explained how a Swiss cult brand with attitude, continuity and a feel for change remains relevant across generations.
The panel discussion was both entertaining and profound: stand-up comedian Charles Nguela, Advertiser of the Year 2025 Philipp Skrabal and Karina Chodorowska from Post Advertising discussed humor in advertising - and the fine line between courage, art and tastelessness. Nguela aptly remarked: "Who dares, wins! Courage is everything. Advertising without courage is like cheese without a hole: it works, but nobody talks about it."
With a clear edge, PD Dr. habil. Tino Meitz spoke about "sustainability washing" and posed the question of how much brand responsibility is real today and how much is just staging. And he got straight to the point: "Sustainable advertising impact appears to be the eternal fairy tale with a short half-life - a bright flare-up, rapid fizzling out, hardly any trace of behavior. Instead of substance, Potemkin villages of self-assurance emerge: KPI dummies for those involved that pretend to be effective and postpone change."
Multisensory brand management was the topic of Olaf Hartmann (Multisense Institute). His message: brands that appeal to all the senses remain more firmly anchored. André Burri (Lucerne Tourism) used the "City, Country, Click" case to demonstrate how cross-media can awaken a desire to travel.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jenewein brought the event to an emotional close with his keynote speech on "Courage, mindset, action". His appeal: managers should not just manage responsibility, but actively shape it.
During the subsequent drinks reception with a DJ, ideas were discussed in greater depth, new contacts were made and ideas were spun. Sabrina Wettstein, Head of Sales at Post Advertising, summarized the event:
"The atmosphere in the hall, the energy on stage and the honest conversations in the foyer - that's what makes DIRECT! so special for me. These moments stay with you, and that's what our work is all about."
