Every two years, the best productions from the corporate and business film industry in German-speaking countries are honored at the International Business Film Days. The prestigious Victoria Trophies in gold, silver and black have been awarded since 1963.

This year's festival offers a total of 29 different categories in which films can be submitted. The spectrum ranges from corporate films of all kinds to documentaries and reports with a business focus.

On April 25, 2024, a public screening of the shortlist winners will take place at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. The project managers will have the opportunity to attend the screening and answer questions from the jury and the expert audience. After the screenings, the jury will decide which films will be awarded a golden Victoria Trophy and which entry will win the Grand Prix. The award ceremony and honoring of all winners will take place in a festive setting on the same evening.

At the last edition of the festival, Beck & Friends from Switzerland, among others, took home a gold award in the Marketing Films - B2B category for Bystronic Laser.

An overview of the various categories, the conditions of participation and further information can be found at here

The University of Zurich is the most diverse and, with around 28,000 students, also the largest university in Switzerland. With the "Future of Teaching at UZH" initiative, it aims to strengthen and further develop teaching. A key factor in the success of the initiative is the commitment of the teaching community, consisting of professors, lecturers, tutors and all other people involved in teaching.

The University of Zurich is addressing its teaching community with a compact film to get them excited about the initiative. The film is intended to encourage those involved to actively contribute to the teaching community and learn from each other. It emphasizes the important role they play in the further development of teaching.

The special feature of the film lies in its unconventional approach: The focus is on a wide variety of chairs. The film was directed by Simon Ramseier. The film will be used at events and presentations as well as on the website and in social media.

Responsible at the University of Zurich: Lucie Hauser, Allegra Schiesser, David Schmocker, David Werner; responsible at Seed Audio-Visual Communication AG: Simon Ramseier (writer, director, editor), Stephan Huwyler (cinematographer), Johan Lindqvist (lighting), Roman Linder (color grading), Bardo Eicher (sound design/sound mixing), Viviane Rapp, Lea Haettenschwiler (production design), Claudio Garovi (production manager), Felix Courvoisier (producer)

CTC Analytics is an internationally active Swiss technology company in laboratory automation with around 95 employees. CTC Analytics differentiates itself on the job market through its corporate culture. A special role is played by the open and constructive handling of errors. The new corporate film, with which CTC Analytics primarily addresses potential employees, takes up this theme with a wink.

Seed developed and realized the film in close cooperation with CTC Analytics. The film was directed by Janos Menberg. The film will be used on the website, social media, and as part of presentations and events.

Responsible at CTC Analytics: Nicole Schmutz, Brigitte Stebler, Volkan Coskun, Beat Lüthi, Heiner Scherrer. Responsible at Seed Audio-Visual Communication: Janos Menberg (script, direction, editing), Jonas Steinbacher (camera), Bastian Hertel (production management), Simon Hardegger (color grading), Martin Stäheli (sound design, sound mixing), Bettina Frymerman (production management), Felix Courvoisier (producer).

If you want to reach potential customers emotionally with the right content marketing and help your own company achieve more success with the right moving images, you must not forget a few things. For the ideal implementation of corporate films to succeed, many things must be taken into account.

Tip 1: Rely on your recognition value

When it comes to producing corporate films, the primary goal of these is to attract attention, shine with innovations or achieve brand loyalty. This can only succeed if the special nature of the company is brought to the fore and what makes it truly unique is shown.

Tip 2: Arouse interest

With a video, it is possible to address customers directly. It is therefore important to use this communication channel as effectively as possible. Show what added value your company has to offer people, what philosophy stands behind your name - and be as approachable as possible.

Tip 3: Let pictures do the talking

If you want to lead your company into a successful future, use your moving images to tell stories that reach people emotionally. Convey the positive feelings that potential customers expect when they choose your product or service. Create storylines that everyone can relate to and address people's basic needs.

Tip 4: Pay attention to the length of the video

People today are almost constantly under stress and therefore it is important not to make corporate films too long. In fact, one and a half to two minutes is considered the optimal length that such a film should have. In this way, you ensure that the work is also viewed to the end and not already clicked away in between.

Tip 5: Work in a target group-oriented way

To ensure that the film achieves the external impact you envision, you need to focus on the concerns of the people you want it to reach. In addition, this way you can demonstrate that you have given serious attention to certain problems and issues.

Tip 6: Play on different platforms

Even though corporate film design is becoming cheaper to do lately, it's still an investment that should pay off. That's also why you should definitely share the film on several social media platforms. At trade fairs or in direct sales talks, these are also good for presenting your company in a perfect way within a short period of time or for showing who you are.

Tip 7: Make a concise statement

Corporate films give you the opportunity to reach people who you would otherwise not be able to convince immediately with your corporate concept. This is especially the case when an image change is to be accomplished. So think in advance what statement you would like to make and try to get to the point as clearly as possible.

Tip 8: the right equipment is the be-all and end-all

Of course, the quality of the film must not be left out, which is why you should definitely rely on the right technology. This includes, of course, the camera, the audio equipment, as well as the lighting.

Tip 9: Calculate the costs correctly

As mentioned earlier, the cost of designing a corporate video has become many times cheaper in recent years. Nevertheless, these must be broken down precisely so that no cost point is overlooked - and resources such as time as well as the manpower required for the design must not be forgotten under any circumstances.

Tip 10: Rely on professionals

If neither the necessary expertise nor the passion for creating creative content is available to a sufficient degree, it is in many cases better to place the project in professional hands. In this way, not only a lot of time can be saved, but in the end also money.

Corporate films that inspire: this is how you achieve the goal

Image videos are a powerful tool to present your company in an impressive way and to reach more customers. Let your creativity run free, stay authentic and always remember what message you want to send. With the tips presented here by Ekrem Engizek, the video will be a complete success and the company will be able to benefit from it all along the line.