After 20 years, "G&G - Faces and Stories" is disappearing from the SRF program. The measure is part of the strategic realignment "SRF 4.0", with which the media company is concentrating its resources more strongly on primetime in the face of falling commercial income and rising costs.

SRF Director Nathalie Wappler emphasizes: "Unfortunately, it is essential that we start implementing the carefully prepared adjustments to the offering, originally planned for 2026, as quickly as possible." The decision will entail drastic changes for the early evening program. From August 2025, a moderated newsflash, "Mini Chuchi, dini Chuchi" and purchased entertainment formats will be broadcast between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. instead.

By discontinuing "G&G", SRF is saving around CHF 2 million a year and cutting around 20 full-time positions. Affected employees will be supported by SRG's social plan.

Editorial director Paola Biason is saddened: "The discontinuation of our program is an extremely painful loss - for our dedicated team, for the Swiss cultural scene, for social journalism and, above all, for our audience." Despite future reporting on people topics in other SRF formats, Swiss celebrities are losing an important platform with the discontinuation of "G&G".

Goba is relying on celebrity support: former World Cup winner Tina Weirather is to become the face of the Flauder drinks brand. With her experience in skiing and her fame as a TV expert, she is set to provide fresh impetus for the brand.

According to the company, the collaboration is based on shared values such as quality and passion. Measures are planned that combine sporting dynamism with Flauder's attitude to life - through exciting insights and inspiring stories, as they say. Nothing more concrete is yet known.

The acquisition of Teads by Outbrain creates a new player in the digital advertising market. The merged company combines branding and performance advertising on a platform that enables advertisers to achieve end-to-end measurability across various channels - from web and mobile to connected TV (CTV). The technology is based on a combination of contextual and behavioural data as well as AI-supported predictive optimization.

The transaction value is reportedly around 900 million dollars - of which 625 million in cash and 43.75 million Outbrain shares. With an estimated advertising revenue of 1.7 billion dollars (2024) and synergy potential of up to 75 million dollars, the merged company Teads intends to further expand its position in the adtech market.

The new company, which claims to reach around 2.2 billion consumers worldwide, will be led by Outbrain CEO David Kostman. "This transformative merger creates a company that directly addresses a major gap in the advertising industry: a scaled end-to-end platform that can drive results from branding to purchase decisions across all screens," Kostman is quoted as saying in a press release.

The previous Teads bosses Jeremy Arditi and Bertrand Quesada will take on the roles of Co-President and Chief Business Officer for America and the international markets respectively.

The agency Skipp Communications is increasingly focusing on artificial intelligence and neuromarketing. By opening its own neuromarketing laboratory, it aims to establish new standards in data-based advertising effectiveness research. The aim is to carry out AI-supported analyses in real time and thus make campaigns more precise and efficient. "We can carry out salience analyses in real time and with combined artificial intelligence," explains Skipp founder FiFi Frei. The accuracy rate is over 90 percent - regardless of whether it is a poster, a social media story, an advertising clip or a website.

The new laboratory in Fürstenau will also serve as a competence center for other agencies. Skipp is cooperating with universities of applied sciences and a company specializing in neuroscience in Scandinavia. "Our test runs in recent months have shown that significantly more than half of today's campaigns are not set up optimally and therefore do not have the desired effect.

achieve," continues Frei. With a data-based approach, the agency wants to help companies to use their marketing measures in a more targeted and cost-efficient manner.

Collective 57 sees itself as a creative meeting place for aspiring marketers who want to exchange ideas and learn from each other. The community is intended to meet the need of many young marketers for practical knowledge, mentoring and relevant networks - an area that has hardly been covered in the Swiss marketing landscape to date because the networking events are mostly aimed at experienced managers or large agencies, according to the initiators.

In contrast to formal conferences, the concept focuses on interactive formats and practical insights. "As the world increasingly shifts to digital and the concept of the 'third place' disappears, professional communities are becoming more important," says co-founder Joshua Gallacher. "Face-to-face meetings are becoming a sign of social status - they are the place where real connections are made and careers are advanced."

The first event in Zurich is limited to 40 participants. Due to the high demand, the plan is to double the capacity in future and offer further events.

The opening took place with Marco Wölfli, Nadia Goedhart and Sandro Galfetti, moderated by Tobi Flückiger. Highlights include a dedicated EA FC 25 championship with influencer Cubanito, the "Joganito Rush Cup by Knorr" in 2vs2 mode and the "Interdiscount Racing Championship" with prizes and goodies for the best drivers. In addition to gaming tournaments, cosplayers, influencers and e-sports professionals are also part of the program.

Thomas Haslimeier, Head of Shopping Centers at Coop, sees the Game Days as a logical development following the success of Game Week in Volkiland: "Gaming inspires generations, promotes creativity and brings people together - that's exactly what we want to celebrate with the Game Days."

The event is supported by partners such as Sony, Sinalco, Knorr and Interdiscount. The exact dates and programs are available at Game-days.ch available.

Jan Maurer has decided to leave Swiss Marketing at the end of January to return to the private sector. From March 1, he will head the marketing department of the family-owned company Hauenstein in Rafz, which was founded in 1890.

Marco Ancora is a successor who ideally meets all the requirements, as Swiss Marketing writes in a press release. He has an impressive track record in sales and marketing across various industries, holds recognized certifications in these areas and has "done an outstanding job" as a member of the Board of Directors of Swiss Marketing Zurich and as a member of the new Central Executive Board. Before and during this time, he held various positions in marketing and sales at various national and international companies, including Hilti and James Hardie.

The introduction of TV advertising on the SRG stations DRS, TSR and TSI marked the beginning of a new era in brand communication. The first advertising block was broadcast there on February 1, 1965. Long commercials of more than 60 seconds in length were added in 1976, providing deeper insights into the brand stories. Four years later, short spots of just 7 to 14 seconds followed - to convey messages concisely.

The 1990s brought interstitial advertising with the new Radio and Television Act - a format that opened up new creative possibilities for advertisers. In 2005, an interactive live TV commercial campaign in a Migros branch attracted attention: viewers could not only watch, but also actively participate.

The 2000s were characterized by technological innovations. The introduction of the 16:9 widescreen format improved the visual quality of advertising, while the electronic delivery of commercials made processes more efficient.

TV advertising remains central

Despite changes in media usage, TV advertising remains an important part of the advertising landscape. Frank Zelger, CEO of Admeira, emphasizes: "Over the past 60 years, TV advertising has made a significant contribution to the awareness and successful positioning of our customers' products. This journey is far from over. TV advertising will remain an indispensable and important success factor for the foreseeable future."

The Migros Group Human Resources Management Directorate and the quality organizations SQTS and Quality Management will remain in the previous department. The newly created Directorate for Social Commitment includes the Directorate for Society & Culture, Miduca AG and the Park im Grünen and Ferrovia Monte Generoso AG foundations. In future, it will report directly to the President of the Executive Board, Mario Irminger.

Irminger emphasizes the merits of Andrea Krapf, who is taking over as Director of Social Engagement: "Andrea Krapf has built bridges within Migros, created trust and strengthened cooperation." Under her leadership, the AHV21 pension reform was implemented at Migros and a national social plan was adopted for the first time.

Change of focus after more than 20 years

The 55-year-old Krapf, who has held various positions at Migros since 2001, says of her new role: "After more than two decades in a variety of management positions, I am delighted to be able to focus on social commitment." She will remain at the head of the HR department until the handover.

The changes are to be implemented by the end of 2025, and a successor is now being sought for the department that will focus on the future.

6.12 billion Swiss francs - that's how much was generated in the Swiss advertising market in 2024. This was announced by Media Focus in its recently published annual résumé. The CHF 6.12 billion corresponds to an increase of one percent compared to 2023.

The market owes the increase in total advertising pressure primarily to the digital business. This is because the so-called traditional advertising market - which includes print media, cinema and out-of-home - shrank by 0.9% overall. The only exception: out-of-home (+4.9 percent) and cinema (+4.4 percent) benefited from a moderate increase, writes Media Focus.

By contrast, revenue in the digital advertising market increased by 4.6% and amounted to CHF 2.1 billion in 2024. The majority of this (66%) - or over CHF 1.4 billion - was generated by advertising on search engines ("Search" segment). This is followed by display advertising with a share of 25.7% (CHF 547 million). The last and smallest segment is YouTube - with a share of 8.2% and sales of CHF 175.1 million.

The ratio between the three segments remained largely stable compared to the previous year. In percentage terms, YouTube saw the strongest growth, with an increase of 9%. In the search segment, the increase was 5.5% and in display advertising 1%.

FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) products and retailers dominate the rankings of the most advertised brands and products, according to Media Focus. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro was the most advertised new product. Telco Swisscom secured a place in the top 10 most advertised brands in the Display Ads category, while rival Sunrise appeared in 3rd place in the Search Ads category. Temu, the Chinese online store, is also one of the most advertised brands and ranks in the top 10 lists for display ads and YouTube. (René Jaun/dwi)

This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

The Executive Board of the University has appointed Martin Nellen as the new Head of Communications. The 59-year-old is moving from Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition, where he was responsible for external and internal communications and investor relations as a senior consultant. Prior to this, he worked for around four years as Head of the Communications and Media Directorate of the FMC, after two years as Head of Corporate Communications at Suva.

Martin Nellen began his professional career at Credit Suisse, where he held various positions in communications and marketing. In 2007, he moved to the Helvetia Group, where he headed Corporate Communications and Brand Management until 2017. The communications expert studied economics, political science and media studies at the University of Bern. He is married and has two sons.

The pitch was conducted as part of an intensive collaboration between the international media department of the Deichmann Group in Essen and the Dosenbach team in Switzerland, accompanied by Imediag from Hamburg. At the Deichmann headquarters in Essen, Mediaschneider impressed with a multi-channel strategy designed to position Dosenbach as a brand for shoes in Switzerland.

Focus on data-driven media planning

Zanet Zabarac, Head of Marketing at Dosenbach-Ochsner AG, emphasizes the importance of a flexible, market-driven strategy: "It was important for us to work with a media agency that not only understands the Swiss market perfectly, but can also respond flexibly and innovatively to our individual needs."

CEO Moritz Schneider emphasizes Mediaschneider's data-based solutions: "Our tailor-made dashboard solutions and our modern, cloud-based media planning tool have struck a chord."