The die is cast: 27 campaigns have made it onto this year's shortlist - and thus prevailed among 154 submissions. They impressed with their fresh ideas, novelty, strong visual implementation and lasting advertising impact.
Who will ultimately win one of the coveted awards - or even be named "Campaign of the Year" - will remain under wraps until the big awards ceremony on September 4 at the industry event WOOHW! in Zurich. The anticipation is growing!
The ASW agency network published guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in communications agencies back in fall 2023 (Markt-kom.com reported). These principles have now been supplemented by an everyday guide: the tool-independent, activity-based AI radar.
The decision matrix is intended to ensure that generative AI in particular can be responsibly integrated into the agency's day-to-day work and that neither ethical nor legal frameworks are violated in the process.
"Our intention is to be able to continuously supplement the AI Radar together with the entire industry," says Benno Frick, Managing Director of the ASW agency network. In addition, the AI Radar will be adapted to current case law as required.
The KI-Radar is now available to communication agencies, designers, photographers, audio and video producers and other creators at Ki.asw.ch at your free disposal.
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Fachwerk Advertising is delighted to welcome Nina Suma to the team as its new Senior Client Director. With Nina Suma, the advertising agency is gaining a marketing strategist who will strengthen the team in Sursee from September. In her new role, she will drive forward the acquisition of new clients and the strategic development of existing business relationships.
Nina Suma has a special connection to the agency, as she knows the working methods and collaboration first-hand. As the former managing director of Wellness-Therme Fortyseven in Baden, she was responsible for the implementation of the strategy, brand development and positioning in the Swiss market - a project that was realized in close partnership with Fachwerk Advertising.
"I really appreciated Fachwerk Advertising's work as a client and am impressed by their strategic approach and creative skills. Now I'm looking forward to expanding this expertise together with the team and helping our clients move forward," explains Nina Suma.
As an ASW member, Fachwerk Advertising focuses on creative excellence and innovative approaches in the digital and analog advertising world. The portfolio includes customized strategies, concepts and implementations in the areas of branding, campaigning, employer branding, pharma & health marketing and media.
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The "7 principles for dealing with AI-supported work tools" are intended to serve as an ethical and legal guide for both its own members and other agencies in their day-to-day work, the agency network wrote in a press release on Tuesday.
The principles deal with the responsibility of using generative AI, where the tools should and should not be used, and that the output should always be checked.
Members of the agency network also receive a decision matrix that offers them certainty in the ethical classification and legally unobjectionable use of generative AI models.
"These AI principles tie in seamlessly with our code of values and are a clear commitment to responsibility and transparency towards all stakeholders," Nadine Huggel, President of the agency network ASW, is quoted as saying in the press release.
The AI principles can be found on the Website of ASW viewable.
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Last week, the 60th General Assembly of the agency network ASW took place. The most important decision of this anniversary general meeting was the unanimous vote for the initiative "Young Agencies". This chapter is to accompany owner-managed newcomer agencies on their way to professional structures and support them with advice and action from its own ranks.
In the past twelve months, all members of the agency network were recertified according to the new, stricter criteria. All agencies have basically met these more far-reaching requirements, even if one or the other agency had to make partial improvements, especially in administrative matters. A few additional sustainability certificates were also issued in the course of these reaudits.
For the first time, the newly created Member Award was presented to the first twelve agency representatives.
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In addition to a name change, new member categories were introduced, a code of values adopted and a new certification process approved. The former Alliance of Swiss Advertising Agencies ASW is now called the ASW Agency Network. And although hardly a stone was left unturned, the voters stuck to the basic rule of "owner-managed communication agencies".
Network as a model for the future
The change of name from Alliance to Agency Network is intended to better reflect the actual purpose of the association: An association of different agencies that connect with each other, exchange ideas and thus benefit each other.
"We are convinced that the move from an alliance to an agency network is the right one and that member agencies will be able to benefit even more in future. Not only in the area of further training and legal issues as before, but especially in the exchange among each other," says President Ivan Zumbühl.
In future, the ASW agency network will have an interdisciplinary structure. The agency compartment will be opened up and the network will thus offer space for specialized agencies.
New member categories
The ASW agency network now recognizes two new member categories, namely lead agencies and focus agencies. While lead agencies have a proven command of all instruments in the communications universe, focus agencies concentrate on specific segments of this universe, or to put it more strikingly: lead agencies can write coherent scores for a variety of instruments, conduct the entire orchestra and inspire the audience, while focus agencies stand for individual groups of instruments, for example wind instruments, percussionists or strings.
The code of values as a fundamental commitment
Unique in the industry is the Code of valueswhich the members of the ASW agency network have adopted and which also applies to future members. This code of values forms the basis for subsequent certification.
Lead agencies are:
- Overall communication agencies
- Complete agencies
- Full-service agency
- Strategy and service agencies
- Consulting agencies for integrated communication
Focus agencies are specialized in:
- Digital Communications, Digital Marketing
- Corporate (identity, branding)
- Design (packaging, signaling, UX/UI)
- Content (publishing, campaigning)
- Live communications (events, interior design)
- Display (app, AR, VR, 3D)
- Dialog marketing
Certification fields:
New member categories
The ASW agency network now recognizes two new member categories, namely lead agencies and focus agencies. While lead agencies have a proven command of all instruments in the communications universe, focus agencies concentrate on specific segments of this universe, or to put it more strikingly: lead agencies can write coherent scores for a variety of instruments, conduct the entire orchestra and inspire the audience, while focus agencies stand for individual groups of instruments, for example wind instruments, percussionists or strings.
The code of values as a fundamental commitment
Unique in the industry is the Code of valueswhich the members of the ASW agency network have adopted and which also applies to future members. This code of values forms the basis for subsequent certification.
Certification instead of entrance exam
"Our clients want guidance and investment security," explained Ivan Zumbühl, President of the ASW agency network. "That's why we have retired the previous entrance exam. It has been replaced by a transparent certification process. It consists of 20 certification fields, all of which are publicly visible. This allows our members' clients to see that they can trust agencies whose qualifications are well above average."
However, this also means that membership for life is over; in future, recertification will be due every three years, Zumbühl added.
Advertising service contract became agency service contract
Rather incidentally, the industry standard was renamed Agency Service Agreement, revised in parts and made available at the new URL Agenturleistungsvertrag.ch.
Executive Board and office
The members have already elected the new Board of Directors at their Annual General Meeting on June 12, 2020 in Lenzburg and there will be no changes to the responsibilities at the head office.
Ursula Grob took over the management of the office together with her husband Peter Grob in the fall of 2001. After Peter Grob's unexpected death in September 2012, she continued to run the office single-handedly, accompanied by Managing Director Benno Frick.
"Ursi is a talented organizer. And she has always tackled and implemented her tasks with foresight and care," says ASW Managing Director Benno Frick, praising Ursula Grob's way of working. "She has a large network of contacts and knew the industry inside out, which has been of great service to the ASW over the years, for which we are infinitely grateful to Ursi," he adds.
Anna Preisig will take over the office in 2020 and is also no stranger to the industry. Via the agencies GGK Basel, Wirz, Bischof & Partner and Seiler DDB, she joined the agency "ergo communication asw" in 1998, which is managed by her husband and ASW board member Claude Hitz.
As she is now also the mother of two boys of a demanding age, Anna now only works part-time at her husband's agency. "But with the ASW mandate, we will be together more often during the day again in future," says Anna Preisig about her new role. This also means that although the ASW office will remain in the city of Zurich, it will move from District 8 to Granitweg in District 6, the home of her husband's agency, on January 1, 2020.
The continuing price erosion could have been successfully countered with standardized processes, writes the agency association in a press release on Monday. The model of the owner-managed communications agency has thus once again proven to be a success factor in an uncertain environment. In addition, the high level of trust on the part of clients as well as short decision-making processes and low fluctuation on the part of agencies contributed to this pleasing overall result.
The owner-managed communications agencies in the ASW expect 2019 to be another challenging year, but do not anticipate any changes in employee-related gross operating income.
The Alliance of Swiss Advertising and Communication Agencies (ASW) is the association of owner-managed communication agencies in Switzerland. It is committed to fair competition and supports its members with all available tools and resources, particularly in ensuring quality standards and continuous professional development.
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Question: Do you think tobacco advertising that reaches children and young people should be banned in Switzerland?
Michael Hählen, President Leading Swiss Agencies (LSA) and CEO of In Flagranti Communication: In my opinion, the initiative unfortunately misuses a legitimate issue. Obviously, the initiators want to put pressure on an ongoing parliamentary discussion with a radical demand. In doing so, they use a populist formulation to prevent a well-founded discussion of how we deal with addictive behavior and addictive substances in our society. Both are of least use to those who are at stake: young people, who should learn how to deal with cravings, consumption, pleasure and addictive substances.
Donato Cermusoni, Managing Director and co-owner of the Cermusoni Agency: Advertising should be effective. This means that tobacco advertising for children and young people should encourage them to smoke. Studies have shown that smoking starts at this age. Every advertiser must decide for himself or herself morally whether he or she wants to promote this. I am therefore of the opinion that the ban makes sense.
Flavia Nicolai, Head of Content Marketing & Media, Swiss Cancer League: Yes. Tobacco consumption is detrimental to health. Eight out of ten cases of lung cancer, for example, are attributable to tobacco. However, the cancer-causing substances in smoke damage not only the lungs, but the entire body. This is why smokers are several times more likely to develop other types of cancer, such as cancer of the oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, pancreas or bladder, than non-smokers of the same age. The associated suffering for those affected and the resulting massive economic costs allow no other conclusion than that there is no longer any place for tobacco advertising.
The vast majority of smokers (57%) start using tobacco under the age of 18. Tobacco advertising has been proven to have a major influence on this age group. The popular initiative aims to prevent children and adolescents from being exposed to the influence of tobacco advertising. They should be able to develop healthily. Therefore, the Cancer League supports the popular initiative.
Ivan Zumbühl, Managing Director Syn, Agency for Design and Communication ASW: The tobacco industry imposed a communicative self-restraint on the target group of children and adolescents years ago. This has proven itself to this day and is completely sufficient.
Roger Koch, Head of Marketing, Home: The fact that children and adolescents should not be encouraged to smoke is undisputed by everyone who is in their right mind. And that is why a corresponding regulation was already anchored in the Tobacco Ordinance in 2004. It states: "Advertising for tobacco products and for smoking products with tobacco substitutes that is specifically aimed at young people under the age of 18 (adolescents) is prohibited". (TabV, Art. 18). This is therefore by no means a new concern. It has already been regulated by law for a long time. There is no need to tighten it up.
Roland Ehrler, Director, Swiss Advertising Association SWA/ASA: In principle, advertising for legally available products and services should not be banned. There are already enough restrictions to protect children and young people and, in addition, the tobacco industry has imposed far-reaching self-restrictions on itself.
Editors: Ann-Kathrin Kübler, Thomas Häusermann
More answers to questions such as: What kind of restrictions in advertising make sense to protect young people from tobacco advertising and what consequences an adoption of the initiative would have for the advertising industry in this country, you can read in the current issue of Werbewoche 11/2018.
Nothing more to miss? To the subscriptions.
With the advertising service agreement, the ASW created an industry standard 17 years ago that comprehensively regulates the contractual basis of cooperation between advertising clients and communications agencies in every respect.
In its entirety, the advertising service contract embodies a fair basis for trusting cooperation between agencies and their clients, whether in a permanent relationship or as part of an individual order.
The advertising services contract was launched in 2001. Today, it is part of the curriculum at renowned training institutes, has found its way into numerous legal documents and is also regularly referred to in case law.
After a few days' delay, the ASW was able to publish the 2009 Website with a more modern but still clearly structured site.
"We focused on simplicity and reduction right from the start," says ASW Managing Director Benno Frick, who is also responsible for the structural design and the user interface. "That's why we did without any visual frills. Anyone looking for a communications agency or wanting to become an ASW agency wants to find the information they are looking for directly".
Ivan Zumbühl, President of ASW, adds: "We have also taken a new approach with the agency portraits of our members. They are deliberately kept short and snappy. For daily updated work samples, we link directly to the respective agency website. Nevertheless, our agencies still have the opportunity to publish their news on the ASW homepage. And as an association of owner-managed agencies, our focus is not on rankings and bare figures, but on the faces of the responsible people with whom we work on a day-to-day basis."
Ursula Grob, Deputy Managing Director, explains why the site could not be launched earlier as planned. "There were still a few technical hurdles to overcome. But a functionally flawless site is more important to us than the time of launch. What's more, after so many years, a few days no longer mattered," she adds with a smile.
The new website was officially handed over to members at the ASW end-of-year event on November 3, 2017 at the Rote Trotte in Winterthur and launched in style with a toast or two.
Overall responsibility, concept, design: ASW office (Ursula Grob and Benno Frick). Typo3 implementation: Webstobe (Andrea Inauen).
Zumbühl heads the Syn agency in Stans together with his partner Silvan Bucher. He took over from Michael Waldvogel, IDFX Zurich, who had held this position for the past nine years. Andy Ruf, a long-time member of the board, was elected vice president. The entire board with Roger Bosshart, Claude Hitz and Michael Waldvogel was unanimously confirmed.
In addition, a new member was welcomed to the ranks of the ASW: Felix Rinderer, Designalltag Rinderer in Winterthur, received his well-deserved diploma as an excellent agency.
The event was accompanied by nasty mountain weather at the beginning - fog, drizzle and thunderstorms competed for air supremacy - but according to the announcement, this did not dampen the mood of those who arrived. The two-part journey by nostalgic train cable car and the convertible cable car alone made hearts beat faster and the impressive panoramic view of 100 kilometers of the Alps and ten Swiss lakes formed an imposing backdrop in clear conditions.