Zurich-based asset managers Survista employ around 15 people. The financial professionals attach particular importance to a personal relationship with their clients. "Our client wanted a website that would stand out within the industry and underline Survista's strong position as an established asset management company," explains Flo Wacker, Partner and Creative Director at PinkSquirrel.

The agency developed a new screen design and layout and programmed the site. The result is a modernized website designed for different channels with a strong visual language that showcases Survista's customer promise - far-sighted and prudent asset management and financial advice.

Responsible at Survista: Peter Gut, Reto Hubmann (project managers). Responsible at PinkSquirrel: Flo Wacker (Creative Direction), Cedric Schweizer (Art Direction), Thomas Ammann (Text), Dany Kielholz (Strategy), Flavia Salvisberg (Consulting Management), Joan Minder (Photo).

Kontaktstelle Wirtschaft Zug has commissioned the Zug-based agency Dynamite to develop the content for the new website and to take contemporary photos of the economic area in the canton of Zug. Various architectural and innovative company locations as well as the attractive working environment were captured in photographs.

Among other things, the website shows that the canton of Zug attracts international specialists. The architectural diversity, scenic beauty and recreational areas in Zug contribute to the quality of life.

Responsible at the Business Contact Point Zug: Beat Bachmann (Head); Thomas Fuchs (Deputy Head); Ursula Kottmann Müller (Media and Marketing); Yvonne Valentino (Office Manager). Responsible for Dynamite: Roger Bosshart (consulting and text); Ralitsa Ruseva (art direction); Aleksandra Wolkow (graphics); Fotosolar (photography).

The history of the Allalin Race dates back to 1946, when nine daring skiers plunged from the summit of the 4027-metre-high Allalin down to Saas-Fee. Today, the start may be in the ski resort and the route carefully groomed, but the nine-kilometre-long piste with 1800 meters of altitude to conquer remains an enormous challenge.

The 42nd edition promises to be innovative. A new logo will reflect the dynamism and tradition of the event. In addition, the website has been completely redesigned to offer participants and spectators an optimized and attractive platform. The Allalin Races will take place this year on April 12 and 13.

With the motto "Die gaaaanz Wält. For Züri." the travel generalist invites ferry passengers to immerse themselves in the most diverse travel worlds from road trips to cultural and family vacations around the globe and to be inspired. These are accompanied by colorful, expressive images and a direct address to passengers in Swiss German.

"The design of the Tui streetcar symbolizes our DNA as a Swiss travel provider and is the ideal brand ambassador for us with emotional appeal both internally and externally," says Philipp von Czapiewski, Managing Director of Tui Suisse. "On the one hand, we can make our diverse Tui world optimally visible and tangible thanks to the large spaces. On the other hand, the streetcar has become an integral part of our Tui culture, as we use it whenever possible as a venue with a unique atmosphere for both employee and partner events."

Streetcar interior with information and inspiration

The design concept, including the direct customer approach, is also consistently continued inside the streetcar. Atmospheric images are complemented by information about travel. Information boards and QR codes provide specific information on topics such as flexibility when traveling, the nearest Tui branch or sustainability projects of the Tui Care Foundation. Guests who would like to be inspired by personal travel reports can use a corresponding QR code to go directly to the travel podcast "Tschüss&Ciao", in which a selected Swiss personality reports on a destination. Tui is also holding a competition with the chance to win a travel voucher. 

The streetcar in the Tui Suisse design will run on various Zurich public transport lines until at least summer 2024. The concept was developed and the design created in collaboration with long-standing Tui partner Top Line, while the practical implementation was carried out by Scanwork. This is the third time that the partners have worked together on a Tui streetcar project.

It really can be too easy for hackers: According to an evaluation by the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), the number sequence "123456" is the most popular password in Germany. We can only assume that the situation in Switzerland is not much different. Regardless of this, cyberattacks on companies and public administrations have continued to increase. The city of Bern, for example, was attacked 23 million times in 2023, as Mayor Alec von Graffenried revealed at a media conference in the run-up to the Swiss Cyber Security Days. "We are always in defense mode," he noted.

Bern becomes "capital" for cyber security

It is no coincidence that Bern is now the venue for the fifth Swiss Cyber Security Days (SCSD). The event is now moving from the more tranquil Fribourg to the federal city and has found a location at the BernEXPO exhibition center that is predestined for events consisting of an exhibition and congress. Added to this, of course, is the more central location and better accessibility, as well as the greater proximity to federal authorities or (system-critical) state-owned companies such as Swiss Post, SBB or Swisscom, all of which could become "primary targets" for cyber criminals. In this sense, Bern will be the "capital" of cyber security for two days in February.

The possibility of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure is also high on the federal and cantonal risk management agenda. At the aforementioned media conference, Bern's Director of Economic Affairs Christoph Ammann pointed out the great potential for damage: according to estimates, damage from cyber attacks amounts to around 5 percent of a country's GDP, in Switzerland this would be around 200 billion Swiss francs. "Everyone is therefore called upon to take precautions. This applies to large companies as well as SMEs," said Christoph Ammann.

Innovative, but not when it comes to cyber security

And it is precisely with these precautions that Switzerland is lagging behind. The former National Councillor and current President of the Swiss Cyber Security Days regrets that Switzerland, the world's most innovative country, only ranks 42nd in the Global Cyber Security Index - behind North Macedonia and ahead of Ghana. "Switzerland must do better," says Fiala. The SCSD therefore want to make a contribution to achieving this. Politicians have also recognized the urgent need for action. The fact that Switzerland has now had a State Secretariat for Cyber since January 1, 2024 is an important step, according to Fiala.

However, even though cybercrime is now one of the top risks on a par with climate change and energy shortages, awareness of the problem is not yet equally high everywhere. The externalization of the problem is underestimated, as government councillor Christoph Ammann emphasized. Simply outsourcing data to the cloud does not necessarily result in greater security. The canton of Bern, for example, does not use a cloud but stores its data on the servers of its own company. However, the cyber threat is also unleashing forces: for example, the Bernese Economic Directorate and the Security Directorate are joining forces for the first time at the SCSD. "This is a first," says Christoph Ammann.

Broad-based program

What can visitors expect at the SCSD? There will be a "Main Stage" with keynotes from national and international experts. For example, the Ukrainian Minister for Digital Transformation, Georgii Dubynskyi, will report on his government's current experiences with cyber defense in times of war. Christian-Marc Lifländer, Head of the NATO Cyber Defense Section, will discuss the topic of "Cyberspace as an area of warfare: the use of cyber defence as an inseparable part of collective defense in NATO". From Switzerland, Nicolas Mayencourt and Marc K. Peter analyze the local cyber situation and ETH President Joël Mesot explains what research and innovation can do to combat cybercrime.

The so-called "Tech Stage" deals with topics such as the metaverse: The metaverse connects the real world with the virtual world. Has the hype surrounding the metaverse already died down or is the technology finally ready to prove itself as a future-proof technology? Sebastian Klöss (Bitkom) and Fabian Wicki (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland) will address this question. A student project from ETH will also be presented: the Cyber Clinic for SMEs. This initiative sees itself as a bridge between research and business. It aims to improve the cyber security situation of underserved Swiss organizations such as SMEs, but also of large NGOs.

In addition, around 80 exhibitors will be on site with various solutions for improving cyber security. They will also be presenting their applications at two "Best Practice Stages" in the form of short presentations.

Further information on the program can be found at www.scsd.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/immer-im-verteidigungsmodus/

The Company Esave aims to set new standards in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency with its lighting solutions. The new website aims to make these new standards visible and tangible. To realize this vision, the Yes team developed a special UX and UI design.

Intelligent solutions for intelligent products

The new website has a fresh, modern look. The contemporary UX design is intended to create an intuitive user experience and impress with its accessibility. The color scheme, the UI and interactive elements also underline the "innovative strength of Esave". The electricity calculator expands the points of contact with Esave and creates further incentives to get in touch.

Responsible at Yes: Shirin Luchsinger (concept), Fiona Braun, Richi Brändli (art direction). Web development: Cyrill Lehmann.

The basis for both projects was a review of existing examples and guidelines, research for inspiration and findings from several workshops with Victorinox.

The detailed concept for Victorinox's new visual world included the development of image ideas and subjects, the creation of mood boards and the elaboration of the visual language and application principles. Various categories such as corporate visuals, product photography, lifestyle photography, social media and other sub-themes were taken into account. The imagery was then developed and prepared as a guideline for Victorinox's internal and external digital brand guide.

Verbal identity adapted to brand strategy

The verbal identity was completely revised and adapted to the new brand strategy. The aim of this project was to create a uniform, memorable and authentic language for Victorinox's various target and stakeholder groups that would reflect the new positioning.

In the detailed concept, the existing verbal guidelines were aligned with the new brand strategy and application principles were derived. The content structure of the existing verbal identity guideline was revised and a tone of voice was defined for Victorinox as a brand and as a company, in which the new positioning as an expert is communicated. In addition, guidelines for addressing customers in different languages were developed, taking gender-inclusive language into account. Other principles such as the use of emojis and emoticons and the use of humor were also defined. The verbal identity was developed and didactically prepared as a guideline for Victorinox's internal brand design guideline tool.

With the new visual language and the new verbal identity, Victorinox wants to strengthen its brand perception and represent the innovative mindset of the brand, in line with the new brand strategy and brand positioning.

Companies are confronted with increasing competitive pressure, new business areas, unstable supply chains and the battle for talent on a daily basis. With "SME IT Solution", Swisscom offers a one-stop shop for IT, network, internet and telephony to help SMEs better meet these challenges.

The Zurich agency Bühler&Bühler translated the jointly developed value proposition quickly and comprehensibly into various subjects. In addition, the campaign was customized for Swisscom's partner marketing in order to maximize reach and inform customers personally. The campaign for the new B2B solution is primarily played out via social media and dialog marketing channels.

Bühler & Bühler has developed an independent moving image concept with the help of AI. Initially, the videos show a glitch that quickly dissolves and is intended to illustrate the advantages of "SME IT Solutions". The visuals represent the entire spectrum of the SME landscape.

"Bühler & Bühler succeeded in getting to the heart of the strengths of the service in a striking campaign. The fact that the visuals were generated with AI fits in with the spirit of the times - just like the new overall solution," says Roger Rietmann, Marketing Manager at Swisscom.

Responsible at Swisscom: Roger Rietmann (Marketing Manager ); Esin Emanetoglu (Marketing Manager). Responsible at Bühler & Bühler: Doris Bühler (Creative Direction); Vasco Bickel (Art Direction); Sofia Hornung (Design & Concept); Ronda Miller (Consultant); Joséphine Rohrer (Text & Concept); Clemens Fachinger (Text & Concept).

According to the survey, almost half (46%) of the 350 decision-makers surveyed expect the online advertising market to grow - albeit to varying degrees. 34 percent expect slight growth of up to five percent. Around seven percent of respondents anticipate growth of up to ten percent, while a further six percent expect market growth to exceed this mark.

However, there are also more skeptical forecasts: one in five predicts stagnation, while around one in four anticipates a drop in the online advertising balance. Five percent even see the industry plummeting by more than ten percent. One in ten are currently unable to assess the situation.

According to Thomas Mosch, Director Conference at DMEXCO, the survey results provide important impetus for the next DMEXCO: "The results show the heterogeneous mood in the market and the differentiated expectations. However, the majority are starting the new year optimistically, relying on advertisers' increasing willingness to invest in online marketing."

Around one in two experts forecast budget increases, particularly in the areas of social media (52.9%) and search engine marketing (46.5%). Around a fifth of respondents explicitly classify influencer marketing as the fastest-growing segment. Collaboration with influencers is playing an increasingly important role, especially for the 30 to 39-year-olds surveyed: 26% would invest more here. In terms of gender distribution, one figure stands out: 31% of female experts would plan to invest more in influencer marketing - compared to just 9% of men.

Top trends AI, sustainability and social responsibility

Artificial intelligence will remain the top trend in digital marketing in 2024. Sustainability and social responsibility are in second place and social commerce in third place. What is striking is the different assessment of the topic of mixed reality among the age groups of respondents. 62% of 18 to 29-year-olds rate VR, AR and other mixed reality applications as highly relevant for online marketing - a figure that is many times higher than the average across all age groups (11.3%).

"Artificial intelligence and sustainability are two megatrends that will shape not only our industry but society as a whole in 2024. AI is about business models, potential applications along the value chain and how we take people with us in this transformation. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a hard currency this year and is gaining a stronger foothold in the digital economy. We will help shape both developments in the BVDW and at DMEXCO," explains Carsten Rasner, Managing Director of the German Digital Economy Association (BVDW).

According to Thomas Mosch, the current study shows an increasingly heterogeneous mood in the industry compared to previous surveys. Fortunately, however, optimism prevails: "Effective marketing is crucial for navigating dynamic markets. Last year, we tended to confirm the suitability of artificial intelligence for everyday use in marketing. At DMEXCO 2024, we will see many concrete projects that demonstrate how productive and disruptive AI can actually be," concludes Mosch.

On behalf of DMEXCO, the market research company Civey surveyed a total of 350 marketing and advertising professionals online between November 23, 2023 and January 2, 2024.

A deep dive into the results can be found in the free whitepaper.

Although Gonon is regarded as an inventor and pioneer in the field of EPS insulation materials, the almost 100-year-old company itself is still little known and has to assert itself against the two dominant Swiss market leaders. Gonon therefore needs a new communicative bracket to position itself as a brand for the future. And an attention-grabbing campaign to differentiate Gonon in a competitive environment and create more visibility among the relevant target groups in the construction industry.

Positioning in a nutshell

From the very beginning, founder Monsieur Gonon focused on independent product development and pioneering innovations. Today, the company continues to live this inventive spirit just as consistently, as demonstrated by several world firsts. This high level of expertise and the great commitment of all employees are immediately noticeable in the factory: they identify one hundred percent with their mission. No one in Switzerland knows EPS better and does more for it. In short: Gonon are the EPS experts: inventive, committed, unique.

Small beads big time

Because the product always takes center stage at Gonon, this should also be the case in the advertising. Because there is also enough to tell about it. The communication therefore focuses entirely on the product and zooms in on every detail. The properties of the various Gonon innovations are dramatized using individual EPS granules. In this way, Gonon's inventive spirit is also conveyed directly through the product. The EPS beads become the stars of the campaign, bringing together all of Gonon's know-how. The casual tonality is also intended to ensure that Gonon not only convinces on a factual level, but also conveys its expertise as entertainingly as possible - and thus stands out in the B2B environment.

A well-rounded appearance on all channels

The new, self-confident image is being launched at the same time as the redesigned website. At the start of the campaign, several motifs bring the product diversity and EPS expertise to life - in addition to EPS qualities, topics such as recycling management, integrated fire protection and moisture control are dramatized.

The campaign is present on all communication channels - as header subjects on the website, as social media posts, as advertisements in specialist media and as product flyers for direct contact. The two animated product films for the EPS world premiere are a particular highlight.

The strategy, concept, art direction, photography and texts for the campaign were created entirely by TBS. The explanatory films were realized with Frame Eleven.

Have you ever wondered why there are people and institutions that have a tiny blue tick to the right of their profile on social media? Influencers, celebrities and large companies have them, for example. The former celebrate it like a crowning glory and show it off like others with their vintage cars or watches. The difference: you can't buy blue checkmarks. It simply means that the account is verified. This means that the account is legitimate and belongs to the person or company that it claims to be. So far so good, that would be all of us, except for a few lurkers or other miscreants on the net.

But why don't mere mortals also have a blue tick? It is only reserved for high-profile accounts, i.e. profiles of influencers, celebrities or global brands. Meta, Tiktok and X determine who is one of them.

Everyone knows Tiktok. These are the evil Chinese who spy on us while we endlessly scroll through videos. But who is Meta? It's not the mysterious higher level, the level that people like to refer to when they don't know what to do next. No, it's the company of that guy who still believes in the future of connection in the metaverse.

And what the hell is X? The platform of the madman who shot down the blue bird last year, and which nobody has known what to say about since then. With a paltry 250 thousand users, it may be a lightweight, but it is still of great importance because of a user that everyone knows and who may soon be ruling a world power again.

Private or blue - you can't have both

Meta, Tiktok and X therefore filter who of the 2.7 billion Facebook, 1.92 billion Tiktok and 1.33 billion Instagram users meets the following requirements. In order to be verified on social media, certain criteria must be met. The first criterion for Instagram, for example, is that the account must be public. It is therefore not possible to set a limit so that only those who are invited to see the posts can do so if a blue tick is being sought. But that is not enough. In addition to authenticity and completeness (profile picture, bio, website link), regularity (when posting and interacting with others) also counts.

You also need a certain number of followers, namely at least 10,000 on Instagram. Tiktok, on the other hand, does not care who follows you, as the number of followers is not decisive for verification. Instead, if a person or brand is of public interest - for example, by being mentioned in various news sources - a blue tick is also awarded.

So anyone who has applied for verification using an application form and waits a few days or weeks until he or she perhaps receives the blue tick can then rejoice. He or she is then admitted to the Olympics of social media.

Is it worth it? Yes, because a verified account gives you access to certain functions such as exclusive filters and analysis tools that can help you better understand target groups and gain more followers. So stop joking about people celebrating their blue tick like others celebrate their new electric Porsche.

It's better to make fun of why it's called a blue hook when the hook is actually white. Only the background is blue.

Together with the founders and the core team of Bauernschänke, which includes the Neue Taverne and Neumarkt restaurants as well as the restaurant of the same name, Branders has defined the brand identities for the new restaurants Brasserie Süd and The Counter. Both are based on the existing philosophy of creating inspiring culinary experiences and constantly setting new trends in Zurich's gastronomic landscape. While Brasserie Süd is dedicated to an urban flair inspired by French and international influences, The Counter aims to enrich Zurich's haute cuisine.

The brand identity of Brasserie Süd is inspired by the location and its atmosphere. The colors and fonts harmonize with the historic architecture and the newly created modern elegance of the space. The cosmopolitan ambience with its dynamic hustle and bustle that characterizes this meeting place in the heart of Zurich inspired the curved lines that characterize the corporate design as a design element in various forms.

The brand design for The Counter also creates a design reference to the interior architecture: the characteristic shape of the counter that gives the brand its name is echoed in the obtuse angle that makes the logo's lettering unmistakable and is used as a recurring design element in various applications. The dark color palette is intended to underline the dignified sensuality that also accompanies the culinary experience.

Both brand designs therefore have a high degree of independence, whereby the creative inspiration for both was derived from their immediate spatial environment.

Responsible at Bauernschenke: Valentin Diem (Partner); Nenad Mlinarevic (Partner, Creative Director); Sue Dervichian (CEO); Muriel Steenhaut (Project Management). Responsible at Branders: Thea Ferretti (DirectorCommunications), Philippe Knupp (Strategy Director), Sarah Hepp (Senior Brand Designer), Andrea Bissig (Senior Brand Designer).