Nothing is as important to a company's survival as the strength of its brand. Annual reports show how companies have performed in the past, but a brand shows the potential to continue doing business in the future. As John Hegarty once said, "Stop building businesses, start building brands!" When the going gets tough, too often companies forget about their own brand. This is usually not done consciously, yet there are mistakes that are made time and time again in the process.

Mistake 1: Have no fire at all

The biggest mistake companies can make is not to establish their own brand at all or to leave the entire responsibility for it to a marketing department. If a company's own brand takes a back seat, this is a structural problem, because branding is not just a marketing strategy, it is part of the business strategy.

Brands are only as strong as their weakest point of contact, which means that the brand must be cultivated as well as lived throughout the entire company. And anyone who wants to develop an appropriate strategy should recall Ducker's words: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast."

If you have a strong corporate culture, your brand will be nourished by it. If you take care of your employees, you also take care of your corporate culture. Without a good corporate culture, you don't have a brand.

Mistake 2: Draw level with others

Either a company has to grow or stand out so that market share is not lost. That's why you're constantly looking left and right. What are your competitors doing? They are trying to do it right. They are trying to match your competitors. Probably this will work well. But you're actually destroying your own brand, because you're going to look just like them. As Malvina Reynolds said, "And they are all made out of ticky tacky, and they all look just the same."

Decide: How do you want to do business? Take a stand and lead by example. How can your own brand be special if you're constantly wondering what your competitors are doing?

Mistake 3: Using data for goals instead of telling stories

Brands are multi-layered and complex. They are made up of all kinds of impressions, messages, and experiences that customers associate with your company and that become embedded in their memories. Strong brands are stable. Weak brands are blown away by the wind. Strong brands give people a place to rely on and feel safe. That's why brands help with decision making, because not everyone has the time or capacity to understand every brand.

Consumers don't want more choices, they want clarity and certainty in their decisions. In the meantime, we have data that provides us with all the information and helps us to satisfy all customer needs. Wrong! Data can only be a basis to find and create stories, which are then realized in the brand.

The greatest stories, movies, books, songs, or even commercials speak to universal experiences that can resonate with anyone, anywhere. So it's not about the perfect target person, but about creative impersonality.

Mistake 4: Thinking that product details are important

The biggest logical mistake is that companies believe they are competing with their products. And not just now, when budgets are tight, but fundamentally. Companies tend to think that marketing and communications departments should focus on the features of an exceptional product. The "best product" is not necessarily the best product. It is the product you know best or the brand you are most familiar with. It's not about conveying product features, it's about intimacy, emotion and interest. You want to be seen as not only the best of the best, but the only one in the field.

Mistake 5: Reduce costs to survive

Every company wants to be known and get as much public visibility as possible. The logic is clear: the greater the share of voice, the greater the market share. During a crisis or recession, business usually runs in a different direction. Most companies cut costs, especially in communications and branding-related expenses. The math is simple: if all your competitors cut their communications spend, you only need to keep it at the old level to increase your Share of Voice and thus your market share.

Hold your budgets! Your competitors may lose their nerve and are vulnerable as a result. Ask yourself if you want to lose small or win big. Branding takes time, and a good brand gives you a huge advantage in the long run.

Don't be so hard on yourself

We should all remember that crises, recession, inflation and bursting speculative bubbles are part of the work we are in and not lose our heads. Branding is a long-term, never-ending project. If we throw our brand overboard on the first wave, we will never make it. We should always remember Shelly Lazarus' words, "If you can't be brilliant, at least be memorable."

* Can Gezer is a brand consultant at Laika Berlin and an expert in branding and digitalization who has worked for companies, consultancies and cultural institutions such as FutureBrand, Ogilvy & Mather or Unruly. At Laika, he leads brand workshops that bring a brand to life from the inside out.

While mozzarella made from Swiss milk had largely established itself in recent years, fresh cheese still mainly comes from abroad. Together with Coop, Züger Frischkäse therefore launched the Filona product under its own brand "Qualité&Prix" in the fall of 2020. According to information, sales have developed well, but the big breakthrough has so far failed to materialize.

To get closer to this goal, the family-owned company in eastern Switzerland will incorporate Filona into its brand line from April 2023 and sell it under Züger's Filona brand. The acquisition of Filona will allow Züger Frischkäse to sell the product in additional channels and invest in marketing accordingly. No changes are to be made to the products' recipe.

In terms of price, Filona is positioning itself more favorably than the market-leading competitors from abroad and at the same time aims to score points with regionality, Swiss quality, and short transport routes. Both a Nature and a Herb version will be available throughout Switzerland at Coop, Spar and Volg from mid-April 2023.

Almost every third Swiss consumes at least one dietary supplement, and vitamin tablets in particular are very popular. The market volume is large and the market is competitive. So it's all the more important to appeal to consumers' emotional preferences and to be the emotional number one.

Zutt & Partner has published a EmoCompass-The study examined three of the best-known food supplement and vitamin brands in Switzerland, "A.Vogel", "Berocca" and "Burgerstein", in terms of their neuromarketing recipes for success.

Knowing that the three brands function differently in rational aspects such as product range, number of products and country coverage, this study focused on the emotional perception of the three brands. The results show how the three brands perform emotionally and in which emotional disciplines they still have room for improvement.

Berocca meets the desire emotion best

When potential consumers are asked about the perfect vitamin tablet for them, their emotional world - including aspects such as naming, images, headlines, advertising messages and packaging - should be one thing above all: inspiring, lively and fresh. This question was not answered verbally by the participants, but by means of coded colors and shapes. If we now compare this wish with the emotional worlds of A.Vogel, Berocca and Burgerstein, Berocca emerges as the clear winner.

At Berocca, the desired emotion "inspiration" plays the most important role, accounting for almost 30 percent of the total brand emotions. With an inspiration share of just under 25 percent, A.Vogel ranks second - Burgerstein comes last with a value of just under 20 percent. Even if Berocca comes off as the winner, it is worth mentioning: The share of inspiration is likely to be even higher for all three brands.

Burgerstein triggers the most emotion

In the second emotion discipline, however, things look different: The study also measured how much emotion the three brands triggered in general. In technical jargon, this is known as emotion volume.

Burgerstein generates the largest absolute emotion volume in relation, with a total value of over 40. According to Zutt & Partner, this is a remarkable achievement, because highly emotional products such as chocolate or cars do not achieve a much higher value of around 50. By comparison, banks and insurance companies generally achieve a value of around 20.

With an emotion volume of 32.7, A.Vogel again takes second place in this emotion discipline - according to Zutt & Partner, a good but not exhilarating value. Berocca comes off weakest in this direct comparison with a value of 27.1.

A.Vogel has the clearest brand profile

In addition to the desired emotion of inspiration, there are other emotion areas through which the suppliers A.Vogel, Berocca and Burgerstein can differentiate themselves. According to Zutt & Partner, this is enormously important for differentiation reasons. And as the study results show, each of them manages to trigger these additional emotions and thus secure a certain unique selling proposition. A.Vogel masters this emotion discipline particularly well.

The text and image world of A.Vogel radiates - in addition to the inspiration already described - above all friendliness. For the study respondents, the brand appears warm, sweet and gentle. In addition to the sweet and warm colors, family and children's pictures also contribute to this friendly emotion. Because the emotional world of A.Vogel only breaks out into the additional dimension of "friendliness," the brand has the clearest brand profile of all.

Berocca focuses on performance and power in its additional dimension. In its imagery, the brand makes a powerful, dynamic and confident impression on the subjects. The energizing effect is also noticeable through dynamic shapes, silhouettes and fonts. However, because Berocca also triggers some friendliness in addition to the power emotion, it is the brand profile that profiles the weakest or most unclear.

Burgerstein also secures its own Emotions section with its safe and trustworthy - somewhat medical-looking - world. Its texts, images and above all the blue color contribute to the brand being perceived as serious and reassuring. However, the small "emotion excursions" in the direction of friendliness and power contribute to Burgerstein's less clear profile than A.Vogel.

Conclusion: A lot is done right

The EmoCompass study shows that both A.Vogel and Burgerstein and Berocca are doing a lot right in terms of emotionalization. Nevertheless, the three brands could move even more in the market with a further development of their emotion marketing and thus take market shares away from their competitors.

1. The top priority for all is: Trigger even more inspiration in the emotional brand world to meet the emotional desire even stronger and better.
2. Generally trigger even more emotion - this is especially true for Berocca and partly also for A.Vogel
3. Further sharpening our own brand profiling and differentiation - this applies in particular to Berocca and to some extent also to Burgerstein

Zutt & Partner note here that these three principles - desire, emotional volume and clear profiling - are also the be-all and end-all for other healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. Incidentally, measuring and directing emotions is not only worthwhile for over-the-counter medicines in the consumer market. Emotions also play the biggest role with B2B target groups such as doctors and pharmacists, as well as with prescription drugs. It can therefore be worthwhile to measure and effectively manage emotions in these areas as well.

Detailed results, interpretations, further information on the study and initial approaches to solutions are available to interested parties at a Workshops at Zutt & Partner.

While there are signs of a slowdown in the economy and forecasts vary from one institute to another, companies are facing sector-specific challenges: The financial and engineering (MEM) sector is preparing for a potentially difficult year, the tourism sector is struggling to return to normal, and multinationals are under pressure from environmental regulations (source: swissinfo).

Exploiting growth opportunities thanks to cloud solutions

I remain convinced that challenges present opportunities that make all the difference to companies that know how to exploit them. We have found that technology is often an inherent part of new solutions that impact the world of work. For this reason, Swiss companies are increasingly focusing on digital transformations (2023 survey ICTjournal and Netzwoche) - with growing priority for cyber security as well as data management and modernization of the IT environment with cloud solutions.

An example of this is Nespressowhich has moved its key applications and databases, to Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer Services. This upgrade offers benefits such as usage-based pricing, greater consolidation that reduces data center space and storage requirements, and improvements in compute performance, storage and overall flexibility. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) - the most important intergovernmental organization in the field of migration - also works with the Oracle Cloud to facilitate its work. The cloud is used to support key areas such as projects, grants, supply chain and human resource management.

The supply chain issues, geopolitical tensions and cost of living crises that have characterized 2022 will continue to challenge businesses. Focusing on growth and optimizing agility as well as efficiency is very important. So what are these growth opportunities and how can companies take advantage of them in 2023?

1. a flexible planning and strategy

Digital competencies are critical to effective risk management. With the help of risk management, companies can respond quickly to new challenges and plan various scenarios to ensure the continuity of their business.

In reviewing their supply chain, companies have been forced to react quickly to the constant product shortages and supply delays that are still ubiquitous. This is just one example of how companies have had to act quickly to stay afloat, moving from a 'just-in-time' model to a 'more stock, less deliveries' model to compensate for the associated storage and administration costs. This type of continuous change allows companies to absorb the shock of new scenarios. However, it can be difficult for companies to pinpoint the areas that require their attention. In 2023, visibility of reliable real-time data will be crucial to enable proactive action and rapid adaptation of strategies. Bringing together data from all business functions, such as finance, inventory and supply chain, into a single view will be critical to maximize return on investment and stimulate investment in further growth.

2. simplified financial automation

According to Gartner, the most difficult task for chief financial officers in 2023 will be recruiting and retaining employees. The battle for the best talent is fierce, and as CFOs kept their teams lean during the recession, they will need to be creative.

In 2023, automation will be a key investment for finance teams, not only to optimize performance, but also to allow professionals more time for value-added projects. Manual tasks such as month-end closing typically require finance teams to aggregate and analyze large volumes of disparate data. This task can be very time-consuming and error-prone, as a single incorrect entry can cost companies thousands of francs and wipe out their hard-earned profits. Therefore, in 2023, companies need to take advantage of growth opportunities in this area as well. Centralizing data and automating financial processes will reduce risk and make data more accurate. This allows finance teams to focus on analysis and respond to market changes.

Finance professionals don't want to waste their time checking and consolidating spreadsheets - they want to add value. Automation in 2023 will play a crucial role in employee retention and making finance staff feel valued.

3. automation of pricing to minimize supplier and currency risks.

As markets remain in flux in 2023, being able to adapt quickly to price changes will be critical. Budgets and profits can be affected by minor changes in supplier prices. It can therefore be difficult to spot the difference before it is too late. As international growth and foreign sales increase, complexity continues to grow due to ever-changing tax and customs regulations, making it difficult to move forward at the planned pace.

In 2023, automated pricing will enable fast-growing companies to remain agile and budget more efficiently. Using this technology, companies will be able to respond to supplier price fluctuations and create accurate cash flow forecasts. They will also be able to centrally manage pricing, ensure consistency across channels, and align product prices with profit margins. Automatic pricing effectively slows companies down when a product or component becomes more expensive, or gives the green light to buy at the right price. A key benefit is that these changes are made in real time, rather than weeks later, saving vital resources.

In international trade, this technology enables companies to centrally manage pricing and automatically update any country-specific tax or sales rules to ensure there are no unexpected penalties or lost sales. Currency-specific pricing and discount percentages give full control, allowing companies to allocate price levels to different channels and customers.

4. transparency: customers, employees and investors expect their brands to "do good"

ESG reporting will continue to grow in importance in 2023. Customers are demanding transparency, and the younger generation, which is imposing higher standards on employers than their predecessors, has assigned ESG a critical role in recruitment, retention, and brand loyalty. Nearly half of investors are even willing to divest from companies that do not take sufficient action on ESG issues, and as business leaders increasingly rely on investment, they cannot afford to neglect this reporting.

Greater transparency in business and personal data means better accountability and compliance. Creating and maintaining a robust ESG strategy depends on the quality and volume of a company's data. Cloud-based solutions will play a critical role in this by aggregating information from all parts of the business, setting realistic goals, and monitoring progress to satisfy customers, employees, and investors alike.

Significant progress towards ESG targets has been shown to influence investment opportunities, increase consumer spending and improve employee productivity - which is crucial as we head into a period of even greater financial uncertainty in 2023.

Author:
Billy Kneubühl is Country Manager Oracle Switzerland

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/vier-wachstumschancen-fuer-schweizer-unternehmen-im-jahr-2023/

Brand leadership - successful corporate management through the power of strong brands - is a recipe for success for excellent companies with a view to brand value and corporate value. But this success needs a vision, a clear strategy and, above all, consistency and perseverance in implementation. How can such a long-term approach be reconciled with often rather short-term sales or revenue targets? What is the relationship between long-term brand (further) development and sales targets?

In this edition of the Brown Bag series, the focus is on the starting points and challenges of brand leadership. How can brand leadership still succeed in these fast-paced times? How can we take account of long-term and short-term objectives in the area of tension between brand and marketing? And where are the limits?

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For almost 100 years, Ricola has been producing its herbal candies in Laufen and supplying them to over 45 countries. Now the company is taking another step in its history. On May 26, 2023, the first experience store in Switzerland dedicated to the sweets will open in Laufen.

The concept is dedicated to Ricola herbal specialties. On the first floor, guests can expect a shopping experience with special offers and a Pick&Mix station where they can put together their own favorite candies in different flavors. Candy varieties from other countries that are not otherwise available in Switzerland are also offered here. On the way to the upper floor, the company history is shown. Once on the upper floor, an interactive process explains how the herbs get into the candy. Guests also create their own Ricola variety and learn all about herb cultivation. Candy chef performances take place at regular intervals right on site, where you can look over the shoulders of the candy professionals.

Laufen will thus become a herb hotspot: In addition to the new experience store, there is also the herb center designed by Herzog & De Meuron and the Ricola Herb Garden Nenzlingen.

Backup ONE, based in Bern, Switzerland, offers military-standard secure, flexible, yet easy-to-use backup solutions for businesses and home users. All backup data and metadata is stored geo-redundantly and exclusively in highly secure Tier IV/-III data centers in Switzerland. According to the company, Switzerland's data location provides the optimal foundation for its offering and it remains committed to its stability and further strengthening.

The ISO 14001 certification represents a further step on this path. It confirms that Backup ONE has implemented an effective environmental management system and is actively committed to the environmental compatibility of its products and services. At the same time, the ISO 9001 recertification underlines the company's commitment to the highest quality standards and the continuous improvement of its business processes. Backup ONE had already taken measures to protect the environment long before obtaining ISO 14001 certification. These include purchasing electricity exclusively from renewable energy sources, planting a tree every day and using public transportation for business appointments. "We are proud to have reached these important milestones," said CEO Tobias Undeutsch. "The ISO certifications confirm our commitment to sustainability and the highest quality standards. We would like to thank Mark Schilt and Daniel Röthlisberger from easystep consulting as well as SQS for their valuable support on our way to these certifications."

Backup ONE believes that implementing an effective environmental management system is an important step in combating climate change and creating a more sustainable future. The company will continue to work to minimize its environmental impact and provide its customers with innovative solutions that combine sustainability and efficiency.

Source and further information

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/backup-one-erhaelt-iso-14001-zertifizierung-und-iso-9001-rezertifizierung/

The last time "The Global DEI Census" was conducted was in 2021 and had revealed valuable insights. Therefore, this survey is now being repeated under the leadership of the advertiser umbrella organization World Federation of Advertisers WFA. Other partners include Cannes Lions, Effie Worldwide, Advertising Week, Campaign Magazine, Adweek, and several global brands and agency groups.

In Switzerland, the Swiss Advertisers Association SWA is the implementing partner and will later share the results with its members and the market. The first publication of the results will take place at Cannes Lions in June 2023 by the WFA.

The entire marketing and advertising industry is surveyed, i.e. customers, agencies, marketers, media and all those who feel connected to this industry.

The survey takes about 15 minutes and is designed to help determine the status regarding diversity, equality and inclusion for each country. In this way, the study aims to answer the question of how the industry is doing and where there is still room for improvement. Particularly in times of a shortage of skilled workers, this is an important aspect if the industry is not to be sidelined.

"The Global DEI Census" will take place simultaneously worldwide from March 15 to April 15, 2023 and can be answered in German, French, English and other languages. For the Swiss German version you can click on "Deutsch CH" on the start page.

More information about "The Global DIE Cenus 2023" is available at Wfanet.org.

The X Index is a proprietary research tool that identifies the most important factors of a customer experience and makes them measurable. For the global study, 54,000 people worldwide were surveyed to assess the CX performance of 500 well-known brands from the e-commerce, insurance, travel, hospitality, beauty, health, retail and specialty retail, banking, fashion, sports, finance, telecommunications, home, and leisure and entertainment sectors.

Using 24 evaluation aspects that include emotional, functional, personal, and collective factors, the full range of the customer journey was examined to measure what creates a compelling customer experience.

The study examined the customer experiences of so-called "bricks and clicks" brands - companies that operate brick-and-mortar stores in addition to their online business - and of pure Internet companies, the "pure players. The X Index also included a scorecard on which the respondents rated how well the brands fulfill the various touchpoints with customers throughout the entire customer journey - from social media to customer service.

When is the CX convincing - and when is it not?

Whereas in Italy (47%) and France (45%), for example, it is primarily the functional aspects of the customer experience that are decisive, in Germany it is the emotional criteria (48%) that are decisive in determining whether an experience is rated as good. Emotional criteria such as a stand-out, entertaining experience with the product itself or innovative and surprising touchpoints along the customer journey. The brands that perform well in Germany, such as Apple or Adidas, are also characterized by the fact that they focus on their customers across all touchpoints (7.3 out of 10), for example through a customer-centric design, a reliable customer care offering, or the appreciative handling of customer feedback.

Another factor that makes brands stand out is the provision of efficiency-enhancing functions that save customers time (7.3 out of 10) or make it easier to find the right product or the right answer (7.5 out of 10). Among the top-rated brands with the highest recommendation rate are predominantly "pure players" such as PayPal, Airbnb or Booking.com.

This contrasts with failures on the part of almost exclusively "bricks & clicks" companies: According to the study results, it is the retail companies, as well as banks and telecommunications service providers, which have so far offered inadequate CX performance. The hallmarks of this performance are that customers are left out in the cold due to a lack of feedback systems or loyalty programs, for example, and a lack of inspiration in the form of relevant recommendations, helpful tips and innovative experiences. Particularly in the retail sector, there are significant deductions when it comes to offering a community feeling or promoting loyalty through a reward system.

CX in turbulent times

The study shows that consumers are not very willing to compromise on their brand decisions in times of economic tension. In the analysis of the study results, three concrete recommendations for action emerge for brands to improve their own CX for consumers.

Recommendation for action 1: Focus on efficiency and care

Especially for "pure players" and the e-commerce area of hybrids, it is important to offer an efficient experience through intuitive navigation or time-saving tools and service processes. Offline, the emphasis is on the personal and in-store experience, from which consumers expect that it is entertaining and varied, or that the spatial and personal circumstances are used for an appealing presentation. It is essential for both areas to show appreciation - by rewarding loyalty or responding to feedback. Customers want to feel seen, appreciated and respected as individuals by brands in contact.

Recommendation for action 2: Balance between personalization and privacy

In the era of algorithms, the expectation of a personalized experience in brand contact is increasing. The privacy-compliant use of data can help brands offer their customers an innovative and surprising experience, for example through inspiring recommendations and profile-based predictions or interest-based content. However, customers expect brands to unconditionally protect their personal data.

Recommendation for action 3: Community Experience through Inspiration and Attitude

Consumers want brands to inspire them to participate in a cause through their actions, and they value brands' commitment to diversity or the environment. For brands, this means making their customer experience also a community experience by showing an attitude that motivates participation and by adapting their offers and communication to the personal needs of customers.

This expectation includes ensuring accessibility for people with limitations and disabilities, both online and offline, in order to give all consumers equal access to what is on offer.

"Today's consumers expect brands to deliver a perfect experience both off and online. In an era of oversupply and service-driven algorithms, brands that want their CX to stand out must go beyond first-class service," explains Sandra Onofri, Chief Strategy Officer at Havas Germany. "It will be the brands that succeed in creating exceptional moments and interactions that recognize, understand and reward customers in their individuality that will prevail with consumers."

The Havas X Index Study was developed in 2018 in collaboration with research institute OpinionWay and serves as a global barometer for measuring and optimizing customer experiences. In 2023, Havas deployed the X Index study in ten countries - Germany, China, France, India, the UK, the US, Brazil, Turkey, Portugal and Spain - and surveyed 54,000 adults on more than 500 brands. These included well-known "bricks & clicks" (brands with brick-and-mortar stores that have undergone digital transformation) and "pure players" (online-only players) brands from a wide range of industries: from leisure and retail to transportation, technology and finance.

The free white paper on the study can be here be requested.

On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, Thouvenin is looking ahead: Scholtysik shortens the brand name from "Thouvenin Attorneys at Law" to Thouvenin and modernizes the design with active colors, stronger typeface and consistent reduction to the essentials. The aim of the refresh is to give the differentiating entrepreneurial approach of the commercial law firm a contemporary and forward-looking expression.

More impact

The shortened name Thouvenin is language-independent and is intended to better reflect international, exclusively English-language professional communication. In addition, the powerful design should generate significantly more impact in compact social media formats.

The drone shots of the Zurich metropolitan region - the most eye-catching element of Thouvenin's appearance to date - is also consistently continued in the new appearance. With the help of Google Maps, Scholtysik's designers and photographers determine real existing image compositions, find out the best time of day or night for ideal lighting conditions, and film them by drone for static and moving applications. Scholtysik had already developed the "Zurich-Birdview" image concept for Thouvenin several years ago and, according to its own statements, massively increased the perception and recognition of the firm in the industry.

The EOC Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale has received the Equal Salary Certificate. This award represents a symbol of excellence in equal pay for all employees. After a successful statistical analysis of salaries, EOC underwent an internal audit to prove that the company applies equal pay between women and men. The audit was conducted by PwC.

The Equal Salary certification is valid for three years, during which the company must undergo two surveillance audits. After three years, if the company wishes to retain the seal of approval, it must renew the certification process with a new salary analysis and a full on-site audit.

Signal for the Ticino healthcare sector

"EOC's Equal Salary certification is excellent news for the healthcare sector in Ticino. By putting values into action, EOC is promoting gender pay equity and putting the pioneering values of diversity and inclusion into practice. We hope this certification will inspire the healthcare sector to follow suit," commented Lisa Rubli, Co-CEO of the Equal Salary Foundation. "At EOC, achieving this important certification is the first step in a broader journey to continuously improve the quality of women's working conditions and gender inclusion. 67 % of our employees are women who ensure the high quality of our healthcare services with their daily work," added Glauco Martinetti, CEO of EOC.

PwC also recertified for equal pay

The fact that auditing companies are also setting a good example is demonstrated by the fact that PwC has also received certification, and for the second time. "The Equal Salary recertification is an important component of our I&D strategy and I am very proud of our success in building an inclusive and diverse environment at PwC," commented Andreas Staubli, CEO and Territory Senior Partner of PwC Switzerland, on receiving the certificate.

Source: Equal Salary Foundation

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/lohngleichheit-weiteres-schweizer-unternehmen-zertifiziert/

"The Beast": that's what surfers reverently call the over 30-meter-high waves in Nazaré, Portugal. Only the best and bravest surfers venture into the water there. But those who don't count themselves among this small group of extreme athletes can now still experience what it feels like - quite safely and without getting wet.

With "Nazaré - Surfing the Beast", Wunderman Thompson Switzerland has created an immersive experience for Red Bull Media World in the Museum of Transport that impressively demonstrates the power of the waves to visitors. The result is a multi-user experience that does not require any virtual reality equipment. The combination of real footage of Nazaré, visualized real-time silhouettes, dimensional play and spatial sound creates an experience that gives viewers the feeling of being one with the wave. With the result that even a layman can experience the thrill of big wave surfing like never before.

Elaborate technology

The technical implementation is complex: A 9x3m LED wall is controlled by a high-performance computer and uses full-body motion capture to detect users' reactions and interact with on-screen video content in real time. Three sensor modules capture depth information in real time, which is then visualized in 1:1 using Unity 3D. In addition, a custom spatial audio installation with 8-channel audio was programmed specifically for the exhibition space. The sensory spectacle is complemented by a dynamic interface for the room lighting.

The project was developed and realized creatively and technically by Wunderman Thompson in close cooperation with the agency Headtrip from Cologne. Headtrip specializes in creating immersive media experiences for brands using technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and interactive spatial projections. From March 20, visitors can experience the Immersive Wall as part of the new special exhibition "Water - Breaking the Surface" in the Red Bull Media World at the Museum of Transport.

Responsible at Red Bull: Isabelle Hen-Wollmarker (Head of Red Bull Media World), Monica Muijsers (Exhibition Manager), Ignaz König (Multimedia Designer). Responsible at Wunderman Thompson: Benjamin Franken (Creative Direction), Nick-Patrick Herrmann (Consulting), Manfred Bacher (Consulting), Michael Meier (Chief Technology Officer), Dany Boletas (UX Design), Konrad Dirksen (Junior Motion Designer), Rabit Rexhepi (Software Development). Responsible at Headtrip: Eric Benz (Creative Direction), Olaf Hirschberg (Consulting), Felix Hild (Immersive Artist), Lamin Sillah (Software Development), Lennart Damann (Spatial Sounddesign).