Sports Sponsorship Study on the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship

The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, held from May 15 to 31, was not only a sporting highlight for Switzerland—it also provided valuable insights for brand communication. As part of a sports sponsorship study, Omnicom Media Group Switzerland examined the sponsorship activities surrounding the tournament and arrived at a key finding: there is only a weak correlation between advertising exposure and brand image transfer. Authentic creativity and emotional relevance have a stronger impact.

The study is based on pre- and post-event surveys of the Swiss population and compares expectations with actual impressions—both regarding the event itself and the accompanying sponsorship initiatives.

From 67 to 85 percent: The event reached nearly all of Switzerland

Awareness of the World Cup rose from 67 to 85 percent, meaning nearly the entire population of Switzerland was aware of it. According to the study, the shift in participation is particularly noteworthy: Just one week before the tournament began, about one-third of those surveyed had no intention of watching a single game. As the tournament progressed, however, more than half of these skeptics were motivated to watch after all. By the end, only 13 percent had not watched a single game.

According to the study, this demonstrates the emotional power of a live event, which was further amplified by the Swiss national team’s success. The dramatic overtime final against Finland and the silver medal win moved the public beyond the traditional ice hockey fan base. Six out of ten respondents were pleased with the silver medal—the study notes: Switzerland won silver; it did not lose gold.

New Target Audiences Through Euphoria and Shared Experiences

The World Championship also engaged target groups that are not typically interested in ice hockey. According to the study, women and young people with little interest in ice hockey were swept up in the collective enthusiasm and shared experience. For brands, such an event thus offers a reach that extends far beyond the sport’s core target audience.

Marginal Utility of Advertising Budgets: Sports Sponsorship Study Debunks the "Presence" Logic

One of the key findings of the Sports Sponsorship Study concerns the so-called marginal utility of advertising budgets. While established top sponsors with a strong media presence are associated with the World Cup, the positive image transfer is subject to marginal utility, according to the press release. Conversely, brands with significantly less visibility could have achieved a strong positive image transfer—provided the fit between the brand and the theme was right.

The study's conclusion is clear: It's not just about the amount of exposure, but about the quality of the message, its emotional relevance, and how well it fits with the event.

Michael Selz, Managing Partner of Insights & Strategy at Omnicom Media Group Switzerland, summarizes: «The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship has shown that major sporting events offer enormous potential for brand communication—but only if they are leveraged with authenticity, creative relevance, and an emotional understanding. The days when sponsorship budgets generated brand equity simply through presence alone are over.»

The full study, including detailed findings, is available. For more information about Omnicom Media Group Switzerland and its services in the areas of strategy, media planning, and research, please visit https://www.omnicommediagroup.ch.

A study by Omnicom Media Group Switzerland shows that sponsorship in the context of the Euro was received positively by fans. Acceptance increased during the tournament - as did the willingness to buy sponsors' products. Young target groups were particularly enthusiastic: 75% shared content or talked to others about the European Championships.

"Sponsorship is not a sure-fire success," says Michael Selz, Omnicom Media Group. "The effect only really unfolds when accompanying campaigns reinforce the commitment." It is striking that popular sport associations work better than pure performance narratives in certain target groups.

Conclusion according to Omnicom Media Group: Women's Euro 2025 has confirmed sponsorship as a powerful instrument - provided that brands combine reach with clever activation.

OMG Switzerland is now responsible for the SHV's marketing strategy. The collaboration includes developing a sponsorship and sales concept, conducting target group and image analyses and providing operational marketing support.

The first visible measure was a joint campaign in the run-up to the Switzerland-Germany European Championship qualifier in Zurich's Hallenstadion on May 7, 2025. Between April 14 and May 6, a DOOH campaign was played out in sports-related environments in Zurich and Winterthur.

Jens Brecht, CEO of OMG Switzerland and Austria, is delighted about the partnership: "Handball is booming in Switzerland and we have two successful national teams that we can support with our expertise."

Chantal Wick, Head of Marketing at the SHV, adds: "With Omnicom Media Group Switzerland, we now have a professional partner at our side who will support us in strategically developing handball in Switzerland and making it more visible. The first joint steps, such as the new strategy and the campaign for the European Championship qualifier in the Hallenstadion, already show the great potential of this collaboration."

Pascal Jenny, Central President of the SHV, emphasizes the strategic importance of the mandate: "One of our strategic goals is to double marketing revenue in order to enable the further development of the Swiss Handball Federation and the implementation of the vision 'Swiss handball strengthens the cohesion of a modern, constantly changing society'. This requires creative approaches and concepts, an efficient sales force and a lot of passion for the sport of handball."

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.

The latest wave was conducted in November 2023, directly after the 2023 National Council and Council of States elections. On the one hand, the study reflects the population's expectations for the next four years. On the other hand, it serves as a situation analysis of the post
Pandemic time. In summary, it can be said that the mood in Switzerland has improved since the pandemic, but it is not really optimistic.

Immigration is a major, if not the biggest, problem, particularly among the older population. However, little impact on the labor market is expected. In contrast, younger people in Switzerland are far more optimistic about the future. Work, health, mobility and nature are all in the green, and economic security is not currently a problem for younger people either.

Switzerland lives more consciously

Online shopping has developed faster during the pandemic and barriers have been broken down. However, online food retailers are still struggling. The Swiss place more value on the haptic experience directly in the store. Not only to feel the quality, but also to save on delivery fees, which are considered very expensive in this country. As a result, the growth of online retail in the food sector is very limited.

Although the pandemic has had an economic impact around the world and in Switzerland, more and more people are now seeing the positive side of the situation and are using the current situation as an opportunity to live more consciously. More and more people are consuming and eating more sustainably, buying more consciously and being more economical. Larger purchases are being put on hold for the time being.

At the same time - and this is more evident in German-speaking Switzerland - many younger people are also striving for more hedonism, enjoyment and pleasure in life. Smaller purchases and, above all, experiences are becoming more important, and restaurants are being visited more often than before the pandemic. Despite all the sustainability and frugality, there are few restrictions when it comes to vacations. Half want to travel in winter, and air travel is very popular, with sustainability having to take a back seat to individual enjoyment.

However, while half of Swiss people plan swimming, family, city and sports vacations in winter, the other half stay at home, largely for financial reasons. "The study shows us that there is a certain fatigue and inconsistency among the population. People want to live more consciously and sustainably, but only do so in some areas, namely where it doesn't hurt so much," says Managing Partner Insights & Strategy Michael Selz.

The market is changing

"We realize that the market is changing and the areas of Employer Branding, Recruitment, and Talent Acquisition & Development are becoming more and more important and we also need to strengthen our company in these areas. With these goals, a strong HR team is essential," says Jens Brecht, CEO Omnicom Media Group Switzerland.

From a small agency in the Seefeld district of Zurich to one of the largest Swiss media agencies with almost 100 employees: On Wednesday, Omnicom Media Group Switzerland celebrated its thirtieth anniversary together with employees, customers, media and partners at Lake Zurich.

Jens Brecht, CEO Omnicom Media Group Switzerland and Manfred Kluge, Chairman D-A-CH welcomed the nearly 200 guests during a speech with insights into the past, present and future of Omnicom Media Group Switzerland. "We would like to thank all employees, customers, media and partners for their support over the past 30 years," Brecht concluded the speech.

With Guy Marks, CEO EMEA and Peter Poelzlbauer, CFO EMEA & Asia Pacific, the company also welcomed international guests from the Omnicom Media Group network.

In addition, OMG will be the first marketer in Europe to gain access to new podcast advertising formats and selected original and exclusive content, giving it the opportunity to create exclusive incentives for its advertising clients.

Strongly growing audio segment

Omnicom Media Group manages around €35 billion in global advertising spend each year. The holding company's customers include PepsiCo, Chanel, Volkswagen GroupM, AT&T, HSBC, Activision, McDonald's and State Farm. As the world's most popular audio streaming platform with a dedicated global listenership of 422 million people, Spotify has the reach and innovative ad technology to further expand audio advertising

Initially, the partnership will be rolled out with a focus on France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. There is an option to expand into other European markets at a later date. In addition, OMG will focus on the Analysis tools from Podsights once this service is launched in Europe. Both partners are also working on a joint agenda that will address topics such as creative audio performance, neuro-research for audio advertising, especially for OMG clients, and the role of podcasts in increasing listener attention and engagement.

Advertising impact of podcasts becomes more measurable

"The number of podcast listeners in Europe continues to grow, so now is exactly the right time to strengthen such an important partnership," emphasizes Rak Patel, Head of EMEA Enterprise Ad Sales at Spotify. "By sharing Spotify's reach and our extensive range of advertising formats with OMG's clients, we will be able to better unleash creativity in addressing diverse audiences. In addition, we will be able to better measure podcast advertising impact as well as listener:brand interaction."

This partnership follows recent Spotify acquisitions of Podsights and Chartable: Podsights helps advertisers better measure and scale their podcast advertising. Chartable is a podcast analytics platform that enables publishers to better understand and analyze their podcast audience to expand reach.

In 2021, Spotify's annual advertising revenue exceeded 1 billion euros for the first time. In the first quarter of 2022, Spotify's advertising revenue increased 31 percent to €282 million, the largest first quarterly ad-supported revenue result ever.

Most parts of social life have largely returned to normal - 63% are happy to be able to go to restaurants again, half of the car purchases postponed during the crisis have now been made up for, and shopping habits and media use are back to pre-corona levels. The number of people who are worried about their family's health has halved from 37% in winter to 18% now. Personal stress levels are also decreasing.

However, this joy is also accompanied by an incipient laxity towards the FOPH's hygiene measures: men in particular are less and less willing to comply with them. After all, compared to other countries, people in this country feel that they have made good progress through the pandemic. Comparatively speaking, the situation is well under control - that is the general opinion of more than a third of the population - and the trend is rising.

But not everything is normal yet: two thirds of Swiss people believe the crisis is far from over. Public transport remains a source of anxiety for many and the obligation to wear masks on public transport (29%) and when shopping (40%) is seen as an annoying evil. The fewer restrictions remain, the more present they are in the minds of the population.

In view of the summer vacations, 47 percent are particularly bothered by the remaining restrictions on travel: means of transport, destinations, quarantine rules and the uncertainty that everything can change at any time are causing problems for almost half of the Swiss and their travel planning.

Nevertheless, the vacations were eagerly anticipated. More than a third are traveling during the summer vacations, while a further 17% are planning for the autumn vacations. However, around half remain rather pessimistic about traveling in the near future - these are mainly the older respondents over 50.

Overall, the pandemic has also led to some fundamental changes in society - 7 percent have seen their private relationship break down and the same number have lost their job. 12% have changed their living situation, 11% have looked for a new job and some have moved to the countryside.

"The study shows that a number of things have changed in the attitudes and lifestyles of the Swiss over the past year, and possibly for the long term," says Michael Selz, Managing Partner Insights & Strategy at Omnicom Media Group, who is responsible for the study. "Many people have used the pandemic as an opportunity to take a closer look at their living situation, change their priorities and live their lives more consciously. After all, we humans are very adaptable and try to make the best of the situation."

The figures also show this: 36% try to get out of the house more, 32% take more time for themselves and 27% pay more attention to their work-life balance. It is interesting to look at the genders here: while women seem to enjoy having more time for themselves and using it productively, men are increasingly looking for variety through new hobbies, more sweets or alcohol.

There are also (slight) changes in working life: Employees are still - even in July - spending an average of just under two thirds of their working hours working from home - down 3 percent compared to May. For most, this means a better work-life balance, but also lower productivity - 45% are of the opinion that they are less productive when working from home.

The OMG Corona tracker examines how Switzerland is experiencing the coronavirus crisis, the lockdown and the reopening in several waves of surveys. Nine waves have been conducted since March 2020 and more are planned. In each wave, 450 people from German- and French-speaking Switzerland aged between 16 and 75 were surveyed.

Since the GDPR/DSGVO came into force, it is clear that the concept of third-party cookies has had its day and digital marketing and advertising must be rethought. Browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox and Apple's Safari have long since integrated anti-tracking methods. And Google has followed suit with Chrome. Users should regain control over their data.

What does this mean for advertisers? How will the role of media agencies change in the future, what alternatives are there to third-party cookies, and how is the Chinese market dealing with this issue? These are the questions that agency heads Jonas Eliassen and Wei Phung explore in the third edition of the LSA Lunch Time followed up.

Every advertising campaign causes CO2 emissions, regardless of the medium in which it appears. OMG Switzerland therefore asked itself what it could contribute to climate protection as a media agency and how it could take more responsibility for its own corporate activities in the future. In a corporate social responsibility project group, the environmental initiative Media Flights for Good was launched. Together with the participating customers, an amount is donated for each campaign in favor of climate protection, as OMG explains in a press release. The customers and Omnicom Media Group are pooling their resources for this purpose. The proceeds from Media Flights for Good will be used to support local climate protection projects run by partner NGO Myblueplanet. The NGO has set itself the task of using innovative solutions at the local level to encourage people in Switzerland to adopt a climate-friendly lifestyle.

"It was important for us to choose a partner that operates on a local level and organizes projects that we can also contribute to as a team with our manpower" explains Jens Brecht, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Switzerland. "It's not just about a fundraiser for us, we want to create something sustainable with Media Flights for Good and raise awareness that we can all contribute something to climate protection."

A tree for each team member

In addition to the "Media Flights for Good" campaign, another OMG Switzerland project is in the starting blocks. In 2021, a tree is to be planted for each team member of OMG Switzerland together with Myblueplanet. This tree donation will also be continued for future employees.

Last year, OMG Switzerland already organized various internal CSR activities with the OMD and phd agencies, such as a plogging group and clean-up days. In addition, low-waste measures and recycling have been implemented and optimized in the agency for several years.