Rawcut Cultural Marketing: Relevance Over Reach

The Zurich-based creative agency Rawcut has realigned its positioning and will now focus exclusively on Rawcut Cultural Marketing. The agency is responding to a market that, according to its own statements, has undergone fundamental changes: Reach alone is no longer enough—brands must become culturally relevant. Under the guiding principle «We do culture,» Rawcut brings together its philosophy, methodology, and approach.

«Marketing has a relevance problem. Brands can communicate constantly these days, and yet so much of what they say remains interchangeable. For us, cultural marketing means that brands understand how people live, what they talk about, and what credible role a brand can play in this world,» says Vanessa Menegola, Managing Director of Operations at Rawcut.

Take communities seriously—don't just use them for your own purposes

According to Rawcut, the focus on cultural marketing is no coincidence. Communities are becoming increasingly important, yet many brands lack genuine access to these spaces. Rather than simply advertising to scenes and target audiences without truly being a part of them, Rawcut aims to bridge this gap. The agency’s teams are expected to actively engage with the scenes that many brands want to reach: music, fashion, sports, gaming, and pop culture.

«Many campaigns today are like a brief spike. They make a splash for three weeks and are then completely forgotten. We’re interested in work that connects with culture and has a lasting impact. Cultural marketing doesn’t mean copying codes or slapping a logo on an event. It’s about taking communities seriously, making a genuine contribution, and developing formats that build relevance,» says Sabrina Livia Weber, Managing Director of Business Development at Rawcut.

Long-Term Formats with Cultural Impact

Rawcut sees itself as a sparring partner for brands that want to make their mark in the cultural sphere. The agency focuses on long-term formats, cultural intelligence, and direct collaboration with communities. «Today, relevance isn’t created in a playbook. It emerges where people help shape culture. That’s where we want to make our mark alongside our clients,» adds Sabrina Livia Weber.

With this repositioning, Rawcut is also pursuing clear growth goals. According to the agency, it plans to expand its strategic capabilities, forge new cultural partnerships, and develop recurring platforms and formats with cultural impact.

More about Rawcut and the cultural marketing approach: https://rawcut.ch

Responsible at Rawcut: Vanessa Menegola, Managing Director of Operations; Sabrina Livia Weber, Managing Director of Business Development.

The creative agency Rawcut, part of the Thryve Group, is repositioning itself. Since the beginning of February 2026, Vanessa Menegola as Managing Director Operations and Sabrina Weber as Managing Director Business Development have been jointly responsible for the strategic direction and further development of the agency.

Vanessa Menegola has been part of the management team since 2022 and has played a key role in shaping Rawcut as Head of Operations. In November 2025, Sabrina Weber was brought into the management team to initiate the next development phase together with Menegola. The dual leadership is a conscious decision.

From implementer to strategic partner

"Relevance is not created through volume, but through attitude. We are sharpening our profile as a creative agency that strategically builds brands and consistently translates this attitude into communication. Our claim is clear. We want to develop brands that have an impact on the market and connect culturally," says Sabrina Weber, Managing Director Business Development.

Rawcut was founded by Creative Director Harun Dogan as a design agency with a strong focus on branding, production, art and experience. In recent years, the agency has consistently evolved - away from being an implementer and towards becoming a strategic sparring partner for brands. Today, Rawcut provides companies with holistic support, from branding and positioning to cross-channel brand communication.

The realignment is a response to changing market requirements and the clear connection to the Thryve Group. Within the group, Rawcut is taking on the role of creative lead agency and positioning itself as a partner for brands with cultural aspirations.

Sharpened value proposition

The decision to have dual leadership is part of this strategic sharpening. Two perspectives, two areas of expertise, one common goal. For customers, the change in leadership means one thing above all: a sharpened value proposition and clear responsibility at a strategic level.

"We not only manage brands creatively, but also entrepreneurially. Our clients get an agency that thinks strategically, takes responsibility and implements consistently across all channels. From positioning to communication," explains Vanessa Menegola, Managing Director Operations.

Harun Dogan remains Creative Director and part of the agency. In future, his focus will be more on the cross-group role within the Thryve Group and on cultural impulses from art, pop culture and experience, which will continue to flow into Rawcut's work.

"I am proud that Vanessa and Sabrina are taking over the agency management and shaping the future of Rawcut. Both stand for clarity and responsibility. I will remain at their side in an advisory capacity and continue to contribute my cultural and experiential perspective," says Harun Dogan, founder and Creative Director.

Expansion of the creative team

At the same time, Rawcut is expanding its team. From April 2026, a new Creative Director with many years of experience in the advertising industry will join the agency. This will strengthen Rawcut's expertise in campaign management and integrated brand communication in particular.

With the new management, a sharpened positioning and the expansion of the creative team, Rawcut is clearly focused on growth. The aim is to establish itself as a relevant creative agency in the Swiss market and to assume a central role in brand management within the Thryve Group.

rawcut.ch

Tankbar takes the step from the office to everyday life. Following the successful B2B phase, in which the smoothie filling stations were placed in companies, the Zurich start-up is launching B2C in January 2026. Customers can now also order the smoothies directly to their home. Rawcut was commissioned as the lead creative agency for the market launch in the end customer business and developed the "Juicy January" multichannel campaign.

From B2B product to consumer brand

The launch is deliberately designed as a brand-building campaign. The aim is to anchor Tankbar in the relevant target group in a short space of time and at the same time make the new direct sales channel visible. To achieve this, the campaign relies on a combination of reach and performance. DOOH creates a presence in public spaces and ensures recognition. Social media takes on the role of an explanation and conversion platform, where attention turns into interest and interest into orders.

A campaign that reframes January

Many brands play in the same tonality in January: renunciation, discipline, reset. Tankbar turns the tables and turns the month into "Juicy January". The idea: if everyone makes January alcohol-free, Tankbar makes it juicy. The framing works as a counter-concept in terms of content and at the same time provides a clear communicative bracket that can be used consistently across all channels.

The focus is on concise headlines that are read quickly and stick. They work as a hook on DOOH and as an introduction to social assets, where the product and its application can be further communicated. Examples of this are "Gym Bro Kkoli" or "Raw New". The look remains reduced so that the product acts as a hero and the message sits in seconds.

Founder effect as a marketing lever

Co-founder Janosch Nietlispach is the face of the campaign and brings additional reach and credibility to the launch as an influencer. He is used as a brand ambassador in the social formats and combines product benefits with entertainment and suitability for everyday use. Tankbar was founded by Nietlispach together with his business partner Ralph Buess.

"With the campaign, we wanted to show what Tankbar stands for: uncomplicated, honest and with a good dose of attitude. Juicy January is our statement against going without: Switzerland can still have a taste for indulgence in January," says Janosch Nietlispach, co-founder of Tankbar.

Media and Performance implemented within the Thryve Group

Rawcut was responsible for the concept, creation and visual language of the campaign. Media and social media performance were implemented by the partner agency Swissper. Both agencies are part of the Thryve Group.

Responsible at Thryve: Sophia Maria Kramer (Creative Direction & Text), Eve Kelemen (Art Direction), Sabrina Livia Weber (Account Direction), Vanessa Menegola (Consulting), Nicolas Bernauer (Media), Kevin Toma (Managing Director Swissper)

Rawcut has many years of experience in supporting major lifestyle brands and will continue to develop the Amorana brand strategically and creatively. "We are very pleased about the trust and cooperation with Amorana," says Vanessa Menegola, Head of Operations at Rawcut. "Our aim is to exploit the communicative potential in the sexual wellbeing sector in a targeted manner and to position the brand with a clear attitude, lightness and impact."

Brand communication for the Lovehoney Group

Amorana was founded in 2014 by Lukas Speiser and Alan Frei and is now one of the best-known Swiss brands in the sexual wellbeing sector. The company offers a wide selection of sex toys, lingerie and lifestyle articles from over 300 brands. For some years now, Amorana has been part of the international Lovehoney Group, the world's largest erotic and sex toy group.

Rawcut was awarded the contract with a concept that focuses on the emotional development of the brand and addresses the high demands placed on the customer experience.
"Rawcut impressed us with a convincing strategic approach and creative precision," says Miriam Otero, Senior Brand Manager & Lead at the Lovehoney Group. "The combination of in-depth expertise, AI competence and tangible passion for our brand was particularly decisive."

Holistic approach

Rawcut is the creative agency of the THRYVE Group based in Zurich and Istanbul. The agency specializes in identity & design, campaigning and brand experience. It develops and implements communication solutions that bring brands to life in a holistic way - digitally, physically and immersively.

Openair Frauenfeld is reinventing itself and repositioning itself as an experience festival with an international character that combines music, culture and community in a new way without losing its cultural roots. With the relaunch, Openair Frauenfeld is positioning itself as a place where music, style, visuals and community merge - a festival experience of the next generation.

Under the new motto "Skyline of No Limits", the festival opens up a visual world that goes far beyond the classic music festival. The look was developed by the agency Rawcut together with the strategy partner Superlobby. The focus is on a bold design with dramatic elements such as petard smoke, 3D elements and brute concrete monoliths.

"The new design not only conveys music, but also a feeling of boundless energy and community - in the spirit of 'No Limits'," explains Harun Dogan, Creative Director at Rawcut.

The visual change is particularly evident in the new festival logo: a pink, blown-up typography that is used as a key visual in animations, out-of-home subjects and digital applications. The new brand world is dynamic, colorful and emotional - and is intended to appeal not only to die-hard hip-hop fans, but also to a broader, international audience.

In addition to various key visuals, an image film, short fitness clips and social media reels, the campaign is accompanied by radio spots and classic print and online campaigns. This was supplemented by an extensive social media part, which was realized by the partner agency Swissper and included conception, strategy development, content and influencer management as well as 360-degree media planning. The media partners were 20Minuten and Ringier.