Daniel Mönch, Chief Portfolio & Operations Officer of TX Group AG, on the acquisition of the block of shares: «The purchase of these shares reflects our confidence in SMG’s strategic positioning, the quality of its market platforms, and its long-term growth potential. We believe that SMG is well-positioned to deliver sustainable value to its shareholders and to successfully contribute to TX Group AG’s results in the coming years.»

With the SMG Cybersecurity Day, held for the first time, the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group promotes the exchange between business, politics and authorities. The aim of the event was to share insights, openly discuss challenges and jointly develop measures against cybercrime. Christoph Tonini, CEO of SMG, kicked off the event. He emphasized that trust is the foundation of digital marketplaces and that security must be continuously strengthened to ensure this. Cyber security is also a prerequisite for innovation because it creates the basis for implementing new solutions responsibly and sustainably.

SMG's practical insights into the protection of online marketplaces

The SMG Group Security, Safety and Trust team gave an insight into the interplay between technology, processes and prevention when protecting online marketplaces. Group CISO/CSO Mostafa Hassanin made it clear that cyber security is a matter for the boss. The decisive factor is not the level of investment, but maximum, risk-based and clearly prioritized protection in the right places. No matter how much is invested, there is no end state. Attackers are constantly evolving and you have to continuously improve.

The dual role of artificial intelligence was also discussed. Attacks are becoming more scalable, while at the same time AI can relieve the burden on security teams and support detection, provided it is embedded responsibly in processes. A second presentation focused on digital identity. Examples were used to show how identities and access on SMG's platforms can be protected in a more phishing-proof and context-dependent manner in order to reduce account takeovers and attempted fraud, for example through passwordless logins and registrations.

Situation from the perspective of the federal government

Florian Schütz, Director of the Federal Office for Cybersecurity (BACS), provided an overview of the current threat situation. He categorized cyber security as a task for society as a whole. With increasing digitalization, crime is also shifting into the digital space. Attacks, dependencies on infrastructures and rising security costs not only affect individual organizations, but also the resilience of the economy and society as a whole. This makes cooperation between the state, business and local institutions all the more important. Schütz cited investment in product security and high minimum standards as further levers.

Perspectives from authorities, prevention and business

In the panel discussion that followed, Florian Schütz, Fabian Ilg (Managing Director of Swiss Crime Prevention), Mostafa Hassanin and Jessica List (Chief Corporate Officer SMG) discussed key issues relating to cyber security and the roles that business, authorities, prevention actors and the media can play in this. A common denominator was found: Reaction alone is not enough - prevention must start earlier. At the same time, criminal prosecution and professional management of incidents remain crucial.

Education and comprehensibility were also emphasized: cyberattacks are often successful not because they are technically particularly complex, but because risks are misjudged in everyday digital life, reinforced by increasing AI-supported social engineering methods. The media was cited as an important multiplier for classification, everyday protection tips and reliable expert voices. At the same time, it became clear that cybersecurity requires continuous work. The protection of digital platforms is an ongoing process and requires a balance between user experience, data protection and security measures.

Mostafa Hassanin summarizes: "Cybercrime is a lucrative business model as long as the return is high and the risk is low. Prevention is therefore crucial. We need to detect attacks earlier, make monetization more difficult and raise people's awareness so that they recognize warning signals more quickly and react correctly. This is exactly what we work on every day at SMG."

SMG is further expanding the protection mechanisms on its online marketplaces through improvements in technology, processes and education. At the same time, cooperation with authorities and prevention partners is to be intensified in order to contain cyber risks even more effectively.

The sustainability report published at the same time defines SMG's strategic guidelines in the areas of environment, social affairs and corporate governance (ESG). Key progress includes a 14% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous year, the use of 83% renewable energy at Swiss sites and a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2030 (Scope 1 and 2).

The Group's sustainability strategy rests on four pillars: Lead with integrity, Secure our digital future, Empower our employees and Drive positive impact. In other words: lead with integrity, secure our digital future, empower our employees and drive positive impact. In addition to climate protection and energy efficiency, the focus is also on cyber security, diversity and employee satisfaction.

"Our platforms extend the lifespan of millions of products and promote sustainable consumption in everyday life," says Jessica List, Chief Corporate Officer at SMG. "With these two reports, we show how we measure impact - and how we create it."

The publication marks a further step by SMG towards greater transparency and data-based sustainability management in the Swiss digital economy.

The reports are available at swissmarketplace.group/en/esg/sustainability-report.

-> More about the campaign

Sarah Safri, from SMG's perspective, what was the overarching goal of the two campaigns for ImmoScout24 and AutoScout24?

Sarah Safri: "Our ImmoScout24 and AutoScout24 brands are among the Internet pioneers in Switzerland and are already very well known. With the current campaigns, we want to further sharpen their positioning and at the same time raise awareness of our product innovations. It is important for us to show that we are continuously developing our services with the aim of making them even easier, more efficient and more relevant for all users."

What role does artificial intelligence already play in SMG's marketing and communication work?

Sarah Safri: "Artificial intelligence (AI) has been an integral part of our strategic thinking for many years, including in marketing. As digital platforms, data and technology are at the heart of everything we do. We have been using AI operationally for a long time, for example to optimize our marketing planning. With the latest developments in the field of generative AI, we have started to use it specifically in content creation and visual creation (from image editing to video production). This opens up new opportunities to tailor content even more closely to our target groups. Our current ImmoScout24 and AutoScout24 campaigns are examples of how we consciously use AI in photography and moving images to effectively combine innovation and creativity."

Fabian Biedermann, why was it important to you to use AI not only functionally, but also creatively?

Fabian Biedermann: "Because we are convinced that brand communication will not only have to be rethought efficiently in the future, but also visually and narratively. The creative use of AI, for example in image design, set design or dynamic moving images, gives us the opportunity to create worlds that could not be realized with traditional means. For us, it's not about seeing AI as a replacement, but as an extension of creative forms of expression."

What was particularly exciting or challenging for you when working with AI technologies in campaign development?

Sarah Safri: "What was particularly exciting was the enormous creative freedom that the use of AI gave us. But this is also precisely where the challenge lies: as a brand, you have to be very aware of how you want to present your own brand. Distinctiveness and the visual language consistently anchored. Because with AI, almost anything suddenly seems possible. It was therefore crucial to define clear creative guidelines together with the agency in order to safeguard the brand identity at all times."

To what extent is AI changing the requirements for brand management and marketing teams at SMG?

Sarah Safri: "AI projects not only require in-depth technological understanding, but also expertise in brand management, ethics and creative processes. This is precisely why consistency is crucial if the uniqueness of a brand is not to be compromised by the new

to dilute the possibilities. Our teams are continuously building up new skills to meet these requirements. At the same time, we are convinced that people are always needed to shape the attitude, tonality and vision of a brand. For us, AI is therefore not a replacement for existing tools and processes, but a valuable addition to the creative palette. To ensure that AI is not only used creatively but also sensibly, we have developed our own 'AI principles' for the teams and introduced an 'AI label' across SMG that makes the use of AI transparent."

What does collaboration with external partners like Freundliche Grüsse mean for a group of companies like SMG, especially in the context of AI projects?

Sarah Safri: "Working with external partners like Freundliche Grüsse is essential for us, especially when it comes to pioneering projects in combination with new technologies. We value their creative courage, technological expertise and willingness to explore new avenues with us. At the same time, as a client, we not only bring a strategic perspective and an understanding of the target group, but also approaches on how our brands can be further strengthened in a creative way - coupled with the openness to try out new approaches in production. This combination of internal know-how and external innovative spirit works very well."

How do you rate the impact of such hybrid AI campaigns compared to traditional productions?

Fabian Biedermann: "We see several clear advantages in this. On the one hand, we benefit from enormous agility in content production: we were able to respond quickly, flexibly and much more cost-efficiently to different formats, channels and target groups. On the other hand, the creative use of AI allows us to achieve a new visual quality that positions the brands in a fresher, more modern and more innovative way. Of course, we also analyze the performance data very closely. However, it is not yet possible to derive any concrete findings as the campaigns have only recently been launched."

What role do you think AI will play in the brand communication of tomorrow - and what will remain "human"?

Fabian Biedermann: "AI is already an integral part of modern brand communication. Above all as a tool for producing content faster, more efficiently and more diversely. But what remains, and must remain, is human intuition: an understanding of social moods, of nuances, of attitude. More than ever, brands need a face, an opinion, emotional relevance. And no machine can replace that."

->All about the campaign

Two brands, one innovative approach

AutoScout24 is focusing on the launch of "AutoScout24 Direct", a new C2B platform that allows private individuals to sell their vehicles directly to dealers at a fair price. This innovation is creatively translated into a campaign that plays with contrasts: relaxed selling by private individuals on the one hand, intensive bidding by dealers on the other.

A visual hybrid form was used for the implementation. While shoppers filmed in real life ensure emotional authenticity, the visual worlds of the retailers were created using a variety of AI tools. Elaborate camera movements, perspective exaggerations and surprising visual transitions enable dynamic storytelling that is both emotionally and technologically convincing.

ImmoScout24, on the other hand, focuses on the diversity of individual dream homes. The question: What if your next home exactly matches your current stage of life? The creative answer: four videos showing different living situations, from an old apartment with a bathtub to a new build with a garden.

The special feature: the protagonists were filmed in real life, while their backgrounds - including apartments, facades, gardens and cityscapes - are completely AI-generated. The film was shot in a virtual production setup in front of an LED wall to allow maximum creative control and immersive scene changes.

AI as a creative tool

For both productions, the use of artificial intelligence was strategically integrated into the creative process at an early stage. This was made possible by the in-house "AI

Creative Studio" by Freundliche Grüsse, which works with a specialized team of Prompt Engineers and combines a variety of different tools in a targeted manner. AI thus supports a new type of storytelling in which what is technically feasible extends what is conceptually possible.

Midjourney, for example, was used to develop visual worlds and interior designs. Nano Banana and Seedream were used for precise image editing and visual

The AI-generated images were scaled to a high quality using Topaz. Wan AI was used for realistic camera movements and zooms, while Kling AI was used to create complex virtual set designs. Veo 3 was used to simulate human movements as credibly as possible. The team generated the voice-overs with ElevenLabs, which also allowed a high degree of flexibility in terms of content and language.

Digital-first, data-driven and highly individualized

"As a digitally focused group of companies, the use of AI opens up completely new creative possibilities for us to bring our brands to life. For us, AI as a technology is not just a trend, but a strategic tool to make communication faster, more flexible and more relevant," says Sarah Safri, Group Marketing Director at SMG.

Both campaigns were planned digitally-only and implemented with the production company Boom, with playout on social media, YouTube, programmatic video and DOOH spaces. Over 500 individual assets enable precise targeting - tailored to touchpoints, usage situations and target group segments.

"The strength of these campaigns lies in the deliberate mix: real people and real emotions, combined with AI-generated worlds that enable new visuals. It is precisely this contrast that makes the stories shine," says Pascal Deville, Creative Director at Freundliche Grüsse.

Read also: Interview with Sarah Safri and Fabian Biedermann on the SMG campaign

Responsible at SMG: Julia Forjan (Head of Consumer & Private Customer Marketing), Christian Apenzeller (Senior Digital Marketing Manager), Anqi Zhou (Intern B2C Marketing), Francesco Corbino (Senior Marketing Strategist), Jelena Ristic (Graphic Design), Kristina Milutinovic (Graphic Design), Stefan Stehlik (Graphic Design), Giacomo Iotti (Digital Campaign New Products & AI Lead), Loïc Privet (Digital Marketing Manager), Sebastian Wagner (Senior Digital Marketing Manager), Michael Reichenbach (Head of B2C Marketing), Manuel Hauslaib (Director Marketing), Ivo Wassenaar (Director Private Clients), Roger Tschallener (Head of Marketing Strategy & Branding), Sarah Safri (Group Marketing Director).

Responsible at Friendly regards: Pascal Deville, Samuel Textor (Creative Direction), Sandro Matter (Consulting), Jacqueline Rufener (Text / Concept), Kevin Zysset (Art Direction, Prompt Engineering), Julia Felder (Graphics), Pascal Pfohl (Editing), Fabian Biedermann (Overall responsibility). Boom Creative Studio (film production): Mitch Bekk, Oliver Schmocker (director), Chantal Gugger, Paula Liszko (production), Emilie Fischer (set), Elia Quadri (lighting), Martin Sautter (compositing), Alex Martin (producer studio), Tom Keller (DoP), Dominic Heim, Elia Quadri (lighting), Katerina Carambellas (make-up/styling), Simon Hardegger (colorist), Joel Habermacher (edit, grading, sound design), Sominik Zeltner (voiceover), DubDub (sound studio).

The exact timing of the IPO depends on current market conditions. Further information will follow as soon as there is more clarity.

The TX Group founded the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group in 2021 together with Mobiliar, Ringier and General Atlantic. The platforms Homegate and Ricardo as well as Tutti and car4you were brought into the group at the time. Today, SMG bundles central marketplace offerings. The TX Group sees itself as a long-term anchor shareholder.

The TX Group can look back on a long tradition in the Swiss media landscape. The Group operates a network of platforms and holdings. Its portfolio includes Tamedia newspapers and "20 Minuten" media. With Goldbach, the TX Group is also active in advertising marketing, while investments in companies such as JobCloud, Doodle and Zattoo as well as investments in the fintech sector round off its activities. TX Group itself has been listed on the stock exchange since 2000.

Moneyland, together with the "FinanceScout24" portal, will in future form the "Finance & Insurance" business unit of SMG, the latter announced on Tuesday. The Moneyland brand, platform and team will remain in place and be fully integrated.

Moneyland will therefore continue to offer financial comparisons, calculators and editorial content in the future, the press release continued. Company founder Benjamin Manz will remain the managing director of the platform, which was founded in 2013.

SMG sees the acquisition as an "ideal addition" to the "Finance & Insurance" division. In addition, Moneyland will benefit from the digital expertise, network, reach and awareness of SMG's established platforms. No financial details of the acquisition were disclosed.

SMG was founded in 2021 as a joint venture between the media groups TX Group and Ringier, the insurer Mobiliar and the financial investor General Atlantic. The shareholders want to take the group, which generated sales of around CHF 280 million in 2023, public in the medium term. (SDA/swi)

Changes in visibility

Overall visibility fell by 4.3 percentage points to 69.1% compared to the previous quarter. This is mainly due to the newly added mobile formats, which have lower visibility than the desktop formats. In the desktop segment, viewability fell only slightly by 1 percentage point, despite the peak advertising season in the Christmas quarter Q4. The ad fraud rate fell to 0.2% in the fourth quarter. This is primarily due to the positive effects of the new mobile formats. The brand safety values continue to show a very low blocking rate, which now stands at just 0.01%.

Roswitha Brunner took up the position of Head External Communication at SMG on November 1, 2023. In her role, she is responsible for the further development of the digital company's strategic communication and public affairs. She is also the media spokesperson for SMG Group topics.

In addition to extensive media experience, Brunner has many years of expertise in strategy and public affairs. Before joining SMG, she worked for years as Head of Corporate Communications at PropTech start-up PriceHubble. Prior to that, she held various positions in corporate communications at Amag for over six years, most recently as Head of Group PR & CSR. Further stages of her professional career include a Zurich-based communications agency for political and economic communications and strategy consulting as well as six years in public affairs at UBS.

"With her industry experience in real estate, automotive and finance, Roswitha Brunner covers almost all of our business units and brings a broad range of expertise with her previous positions in corporate communications," says Jessica List, Chief Corporate Officer of SMG, about the new appointment.

Tonini has been a member of the Board of Directors of TX Group since July 2020 and is a member of the Audit Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Goldbach Group on behalf of TX Group and is an independent director of its subsidiary Goldbach Media. He joined TX Group (then Tamedia) in 2003.

After holding various management positions, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of TX Group in 2007 and Chairman in 2013. In these functions, he was largely responsible for the strategic orientation of the TX Group, the expansion of advertising sales, and the expansion in the area of digital platforms and marketplaces. Previously, Christoph Tonini held various management positions at Ringier. SMG was launched in November 2021 by TX Group, Ringier AG, Die Mobiliar and General Atlantic as a joint venture in the field of digital marketplaces. The company includes the platforms acheter-louer.ch, anibis.ch, AutoScout24, Car For You, FinanceScout24, home.ch, Homegate, icasa.ch, ImmoScout24, ImmoStreet.ch, MotoScout24, Ricardo, tutti.ch.

Following last year's merger and the establishment of the SMG joint venture in the digital marketplaces area, the advertising area was also restructured with the aim of offering targeted advertising on the most popular Swiss online marketplaces. Since the end of 2021, the various platforms have been marketed from a single source. For this purpose, the company is relying on GoTom's SaaS solution as of this fall. With extensive interfaces to the ad server and the ERP system, the software optimizes the commercial processes involved in handling advertising campaigns. In addition to the planning and billing of direct campaigns, this also includes the management of programmatic deals.

The SMG Swissmarketplace Group is entering into an advertising marketing partnership with the two marketers Goldbach Audience (Switzerland) AG and Ringier Advertising. In the future, SMG will offer its advertising services directly to its customers and agencies, while the two partners will also market the entire SMG inventory via their respective networks.

Complete SMG inventory also at Goldbach Audience and Ringier Advertising

Through SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, targeted advertising can be placed on the entire marketplace portfolio with brands such as ImmoScout24, Homegate, AutoScout24, MotoScout24, Car For You, anibis.ch, Ricardo and tutti.ch. In addition, the complete inventory of all SMG marketplaces is now also available to Goldbach Audience and Ringier Advertising for their network marketing. Based on SMG's first-party data, this enables targeted campaign playout through precise targeting.

For the partners, the new collaboration is also an "important step in being able to offer targeted campaigns also in view of Cookieless Future," it said.