With the Prix SVC Espace Mittelland, the Swiss Venture Club SVC honors exemplary SMEs from this region that impress with their products and services, innovations, corporate culture, the quality of their employees and management, as well as their sustainable track record and regional roots. The following six success stories will be presented on March 8 in the Kursaal Bern to an expected audience of around 1400 guests (in alphabetical order):

• Armin Strom AG, Biel: The history of Uhrenmanufaktur Armin Strom AG begins with the founder and namesake of the company, Armin Strom, who opened his first watch store in Burgdorf in 1967. Since 2009, the company has been developing and producing watch movements of the highest quality in its own manufactory under the direction of Serge Michel and designer Claude Greisler. The watches of Armin Strom AG convince with transparent mechanics and expressive design and are distributed worldwide. The company is based in Biel and employs 23 people.
• Furrer + Frey AG, Berne: The family business for catenary systems was founded in 1923 by Emil Furrer and Arnold Frey. Today, Furrer + Frey is managed in the third and fourth generation by Beat and Rico Furrer. The company develops, plans and builds overhead contact lines for railroads, light rail and trolley buses. Thanks to innovations such as the overhead conductor rail or the rapid charging station for electric buses, the family-owned company is able to successfully hold its own in the market. The company is headquartered in Berne and has branches in Montreux, Zurich, Bellinzona, Berlin, London, Rome and Guangzhou, and employs 270 people.
• Heiniger AG, Herzogenbuchsee: Heiniger AG, based in Herzogenbuchsee, was founded in 1946 by Hermann Heiniger. The company is a leader in the manufacture of animal shearing products: Millions of farm animals such as sheep, cows, horses or even dogs and camels are sheared and groomed worldwide with Heiniger equipment and products. The products are developed and manufactured in Switzerland. The family business was under the management of Werner Heiniger from 1983 to 2012 and is now managed by CEO Daniel Heiniger in the third generation. It employs over 100 people, 33 of them in the subsidiary in Australia and eight in New Zealand.
• HESS Carrosserie AG, Bellach: The company HESS Carrosserie AG, now in its fifth generation, was founded in 1882 by Heinrich Hess as a wainwright's shop and blacksmith's shop. Today, the company manufactures buses, trolleybuses and commercial vehicles. HESS produces exclusively in Switzerland, but moves people from A to B all over the world. Together with international licensees, around 2400 buses are produced each year. CEO Alex Naef attaches great importance to sustainability and environmentally friendly transport solutions. The company employs 250 people and 25 apprentices.
• Kühni AG, Ramsei: Kühni AG creates living spaces from wood. In just a few years, the original carpentry shop from 1989 has become a leading nationwide wood construction provider with its own carpentry, joinery, flooring and general contracting. The family-run company offers end-to-end market services from carpentry to fine wood parquet flooring to turnkey home construction. With 165 employees, 34 of whom are in training, Kühni AG is a major employer in the region. The company is managed by Ernst Kühni, Ulrich Kühni, Ueli Haldemann and Markus Gerber.
• Moser-Baer AG, Sumiswald: Precision in time and technology, that's what Moser-Baer AG in Emmental has stood for for around 75 years. With its MOBATIME brand, the company is a leader in the development, production and sale of clock systems, time systems and time references. Whether analog or digital - several tens of thousands of systems from the family-owned company are in operation worldwide at airports, train stations or hospitals. Moser-Baer from Sumiswald is led by CEO Reto Reist and employs 90 people and 20 apprentices.

So there should be plenty of excitement at the 2017 Prix SVC Espace Mittelland awards ceremony.

Information: www.swiss-venture-club.ch

In front of around 700 invited guests from the worlds of science, business and politics, Schwendimann AG was presented with the Zürcher Kantonalbank's SME Award for sustainable companies. The family-owned company with core competencies in waste separation and disposal, green care or street cleaning and maintenance relegated Biopartner Schweiz AG from Seon and J. Grimm AG from Oetwil am See to the places of honor. Matthias Schwendimann is suitably pleased: "Years ago, we did not write our objective under our logo for aesthetic reasons - "traditionally forward-looking since 1935" - but rather we strive for sustainability in the ecological, economic and social areas out of conviction. The renowned jury of the ZKB, which audited our company, is also of this opinion. This is a huge confirmation for our sustainable family business and shows us that we are on the right path into the future with our grandchild-friendly actions." The celebration was jointly accompanied by Heinz Kunz (Head of Corporate Clients at ZKB), Christoph Weber (Head of Private Banking and Deputy Chairman of the General Management) and Bruno Dobler (Vice Chairman of the Bank Executive Committee). The guests got in the mood for the award ceremony during Heinz Kunz's words of welcome and Sandra Studer's, as always, skillful moderation.

More information and pictures

The Swiss workplace is in danger. The trust of SMEs in appropriate treatment in line with their economic importance and their services to Switzerland's prosperity has cracked, and patience has been exhausted, according to a recently published communiqué from the industry association Swissmechanic. It is therefore calling for economic and political support for the domestic value creation of the SME industry from the Swiss government and the Swiss National Bank.

SMEs dying and "natural structural change

Recognized economic experts and institutes would confirm the unique economic gap between the large companies with value added abroad and the smaller, domestic companies, it continues. For Swissmechanic, it is clear that it is the exchange rate situation that puts domestic industrial SMEs at a national and international disadvantage. Until 2010, for example, mechanical engineering in Germany and Switzerland developed in parallel despite structural changes. When sales figures are indexed, adjusted for working days and converted from CHF to euros, it is clear that the slump in sales was triggered by the strength of the Swiss franc. Exports collapsed and the price competitiveness of Swiss quality products is no longer given internationally. There was a gap in the development of sales figures - triggered by the exchange rate.

Swiss franc shock - a blackout, not a "natural structural change

The fact is, in the eyes of Swissmechanic, that within one day the sales prices of domestic products were once again massively increased, but it was left to the SMEs to decide how to retain their customers abroad despite more favorable purchasing conditions or how to realize a cost reduction of 20% - and all this without capital for investments and without the real possibility of moving abroad. Nor is it a matter of a few production sectors. Apart from chemicals and pharmaceuticals, the entire industry is affected by export slumps. This means not only the MEM sector, but also accommodation, publishing, trade, textiles and many others. The weakness of the SME industry is therefore by no means a "normal structural adjustment", but a consequence of the strength of the Swiss franc, Swissmechanic continues.

Mitigating the strength of the Swiss franc through a targeted, vital industrial policy

With a view to other countries that are implementing resolute economic and political industrial promotion despite a stabilized currency situation, e.g. Germany, Norway, Singapore, Swissmechanic is therefore calling for an energetic industrial policy for Switzerland as a manufacturing location and for small and medium-sized commercial enterprises. Specifically:

1. Creation of an SME fund: An investment opportunity is to be created for pension funds, companies and private individuals so that risk capital for investments is granted by the commercial banks. This money from the National Bank, the Confederation and investors is to flow into domestic production at the Swiss location. For example, in the upgrading of machinery, in Industry 4.0, plant purchasing, robotics, digitization projects, in succession financing, further education and higher vocational training. Loan defaults are to be covered by guarantees from the SNB. The investments made possible by the SME fund, which contribute to maintaining competitiveness, require time to implement and develop their effects. Therefore, a further stabilization policy of the National Bank during the next 3 years is important so that SMEs consistently use the levers of automation, Industry 4.0, and progress is not pulverized by a falling euro exchange rate. At the same time, a placement fee for commercial banks is demanded. The processing, examination and mediation of innovation loans to industrial SMEs must be promoted accordingly. So it's not about gifts, it's about providing urgently needed venture capital to promote Switzerland as a place to work and its jobs, which contributes to a win-win situation for all parties involved.
2. SME export promotion: This involves export promotion and financial assistance to support disadvantaged SME industry in activities abroad. For example, in sales, marketing, trade fairs, lobbying, sales and purchasing associations, export guarantees and export risk insurance.

According to Swissmechanic, it is a matter of preserving the image-forming "Swiss quality products" - they are just as worthy of protection as other national achievements and are a guarantee for competence-based value creation. Now courage is required to openly face the crisis in the secondary sector, not to sugarcoat anything and to work out pragmatic solutions that benefit the entire Swiss workplace.

www.swissmechanic.ch

Investments in new tech companies, i.e. knowledge and technology-based startups, have almost tripled in the last five years, according to the latest Swiss Venture Capital Report. According to the report, domestic and foreign investors provided 909 million in venture capital in 2016, 35 percent more than in the previous year. There was another 26 percent increase in the top 20 rounds, from CHF 561 million to now CHF 706 million, due to larger financing transactions taking place at a later stage of development. In addition, financing rounds of more than CHF 100 million took place for the first time. In both cases - ADC Therapeutics and Mindmaze - the money went to companies based in Vaud.

Largest increase in the ICT sector

In percentage terms, the strongest growth was in the area of information and communications technology (ICT), including fintech. The reported figure of 271 million is more than double that of the previous year. Responsible for this increase are, on the one hand, providers of B2B software such as Nexthink or SonarSource, and on the other hand, tech companies whose products are used in the digitization of traditional industries. Swiss fintech startups alone attracted just under CHF 50 million in 2016. In absolute terms, the most money went to biotech companies. This sector continued to grow in 2016. Around 400 million was raised in 25 financing rounds.

Focus Lausanne

What is remarkable - according to one finding of the report, which covers all published venture capital investments in Swiss startups - is the geographical distribution of investments. Vaud swung way up at the top in 2016. More than half of the total amount invested went to the innovation cluster around the ETH and the University of Lausanne. The canton in western Switzerland also attracted the most money in the ICT sector for the first time, it adds. The canton of Zurich, which for years was considered Switzerland's ICT stronghold, now leads only in the fintech sector.

Seven IPOs

Whether a startup's commitment pays off for the investors is decided at the time of the exit. The company is then either taken over by a strategic investor or remains independent and goes public. And 2016 also had a lot to offer in this respect. Including two reverse takeovers, seven venture capital-financed tech companies ventured onto the stock market last year. In addition, a number of startups were acquired by large companies such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, 3M and TripAdvisor.

Source: www.startupticker.ch 

ERPsourcing has been a successful partner of SAP Switzerland since its foundation in 2000. The team of certified SAP consultants serves over a hundred SME customers. The service offering focuses on ASP solutions ("SAP from the socket"), solutions from the ERPb@seline product family through SAP PMC ("Partner Managed Cloud"), and SAP consulting services including outsourcing and hosting. The IT service provider with its Swiss branch in Wallisellen is constantly investing resources to optimize and supplement the latest developments in the SAP portfolio for the Swiss market. In order to be able to offer the latest SAP products from the cloud, ERPsourcing is expanding its product range of classic SAP application consulting and securing the associated authorizations. Frank Geisler, Managing Director for Marketing, Communication, Partnerships, says: "A consistent orientation around the SAP product range and its growing portfolio are the basis for us to continue to be successful in the future. In particular, the cloud product range has been the focus of ERPsourcing AG since its foundation in 2000. With the expansion of SAP Cloud Open Sell Authorization, we can offer our customers highly modern additional benefits and further strengthen our position in the market."

Source and information: ERPSourcing

A survey conducted in November 2016 among more than 5,500 companies from 19 countries shows that 43 percent of entrepreneurs do not feel sufficiently represented by politics - and this in a year of political instability and change. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 513 SMEs took part in the survey, of which as many as 61 percent felt insufficiently represented by politics. However, 42 percent of respondents in Switzerland felt that SMEs were well represented by politicians. This is the third-highest figure of all the countries surveyed; only in Australia (54 percent) and Brazil (59 percent) do SMEs feel better involved in political decisions.

Sage launches "Forum for Business Builders

Sage shared the findings of this survey at the launch of the Sage Forum for Business Builders. This forum aims to provide a platform for entrepreneurs around the world to make their views heard and share their experiences of hurdles and stumbling blocks they face as founders and business leaders on the corporate path. At the same time, the platform initiated by Sage aims to provide political support. To this end, a variety of events with a political background are held as part of the forum. The online presence of the forum can be accessed here: https://www.sage.com/company/business-builders

SMEs largely excluded from WEF

Stephen Kelly (pictured), CEO of Sage, criticizes the fact that SMEs are not involved enough in political decision-making: "Entrepreneurs are the builders of the economy, working day and night, creating two-thirds of all new jobs in the world's developed economies. But very often, when the world's policy makers discuss the global economic landscape, they are excluded from the discussion. This is evident year after year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where SMEs are largely excluded from the agenda." For this reason, Kelly said, Sage is also launching the Sage Forum for Business Builders to help change this unsatisfactory situation."

The other results for the DACH region show that the biggest challenge for SMEs in 2017 is government bureaucracy and legislation (23%), followed by the shortage of skilled workers (12%) and obtaining investment funds (financing and access to capital - 11%). Also, 11 percent of respondents cite entering international markets as a challenge.

Source: Sage

bexio is a provider of web-based business software for SMEs. The Rapperswil-based company is now acquiring Elohna GmbH from Berlin. Elohna develops and markets cloud-based payroll accounting specifically for Swiss SMEs. The company was initiated in 2016 by Doodle founders Myke Näf and Paul Sevinç to replace cumbersome payroll accounting with Excel spreadsheets with modern online software. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price; with the acquisition, the Elohna founders will become shareholders of bexio.

This step is another chapter in the growth story of the Swiss software company, which won the award for best software startup at the "Top 100 Startup" awards last September. Meanwhile, bexio AG has 50 employees and more than 8000 companies work with the business software. With payroll accounting, this number is soon to increase significantly: "Payroll accounting with Excel was yesterday. Thanks to bexio, even more entrepreneurs can now benefit from the modern web service," says Myke Näf, initiator of Elohna. According to his colleague Paul Sevinç, the two companies would be a perfect match: "Both are easy-to-use software and always accessible thanks to the cloud, which is ideal for SMEs."

Marius Kreis, co-founder of Elohna and new head of the Berlin office: "We have numerous joint customers who will benefit from the cooperation." And Jeremias Meier, co-founder and CEO of bexio, adds: "I am impressed by the speed at which the Elohna team has developed a great product and I am very much looking forward to our further cooperation. It's great that payroll and the entire team are now a part of our solution." He is particularly pleased to fulfill one of the most common requests from bexio customers: "By integrating payroll into the accounting software, we are making life even easier for small business owners and thus expanding our platform."

More information

Private and public companies with at least 50 employees can apply for equal pay certification. Companies are assessed using a consistent two-step holistic methodology, a statistical analysis and an on-site audit. This audit covers management's commitment to equal pay, HR processes and policies, and employee perceptions of the company's commitment to equal pay. This audit is conducted by experts from PwC. The method was developed in collaboration with the University of Geneva. Companies that meet the requirements receive the Equal-Salary Foundation label for a period of three years. The Federal Office for Gender Equality has financially supported the development of the certification. The European Commission included it in its report "Tackling the Gender Pay Gap." Hans Geene, Head of People and Organization at PwC Switzerland, says: "The Equal Pay label allows companies to distinguish themselves as fair and attractive employers, as they are fully aware of their responsibilities to society." And Véronique Goy Veenhuys, founder and CEO of the Equal-Salary Foundation, adds, "As the founder of Equal-Salary, I welcome and am proud of the partnership with PwC, as it increases the credibility of the foundation and ultimately the impact of our mission. The latter is to achieve pay equality between women and men in Switzerland and around the world."

Source: www.pwc.ch

1. Align your business goals with strategic growth objectives. A sound corporate strategy is the basis for all growth. Companies that want to grow strategically need a razor-sharp, well-thought-out strategy. Their M&A activities must follow the strategy - not the other way around.
2. Find and evaluate targets that meet your acquisition criteria. Acquisition criteria are derived from your corporate strategy. They allow you to compare the different targets, i.e. the companies that could be considered for acquisition, so that you can then pursue the deals that are most likely to achieve your growth targets.
3. Articulate the intended benefits of the acquisition, and plan each intermediate goal to be achieved to realize the overarching transactional benefit. Set out in writing the overriding business objective you want to achieve with the acquisition. For example: double sales in order to achieve higher earnings Or: open up new markets in order to secure the long-term existence of your company. Or: reduce production costs to remain competitive. In the second step, formulate the intermediate goals that need to be achieved in order to reach the overall goal.
4. Form an acquisition and integration team. Together, define the KPIs that measurably lead to the targeted increase in value. Acquiring and integrating a company requires a powerful M&A and PMI (Mergers & Acquisitions and Post Merger Integration) team pulling together. Involve your executives in acquisition and integration planning. Let them Key Performance Indicator (KPI), in other words, define key figures that make the degree of target achievement measurable.
5. Provide clarity regarding the operational model to be applied post-acquisition. Define: How should your current company and the acquired company work together in the future? For example, which business unit develops produces and sells which products? What will the processes look like in the future? For example, in sales? In the service area? Which personnel, which IT is required for this? Where will personnel management and controlling be located?
6. Develop a roadmap for integration that is linked one-to-one to transaction benefits and intermediate goals. Bring together the objectives, KPIs and measures and plan the detailed steps. Determine the responsibilities and deadlines. This roadmap is your management tool and the guide for implementing the project.
7. Make sure you have enough resources (including experienced ones) for planning and implementation. Once you have completed all these tasks, don't let your project fail due to a lack of manpower. Plan realistically for the necessary resources so that day-to-day business can continue unhindered.
8. Create a communications plan that sets the right tone on the day the acquisition becomes public and the day it becomes a reality, among other things. Projects for corporate acquisitions in which companies do not succeed in getting the majority of their team committed to the planned project fail - despite all the preparation and planning. Communication is the salt in the soup: it helps to avoid resistance and to create a spirit of optimism, i.e. the necessary motivation. In addition to the timing, the dose must be right, as must the content.
9. Implement your plan consistently. However, react flexibly to unforeseen events without losing sight of your goals. In M&A and PMI processes, you can't predict and plan for everything. Deviations from the plan sometimes have to be. Communicate this awareness to your team as well. Then you will find a solution together in each case.
10. Establish incentive systems that serve to generate value. Companies often set the wrong incentives in M&A and PMI projects; these often result in the parties involved having competing interests and different goals. This is where many M&A projects fail. When it comes to performance incentives, don't focus on closing the deal, but on making the PMI process a success and generating the value you hope for.

To the author:

Stephan Jansen is Managing Director of the M&A and PMI consultancy Beyond the Deal Germany, Frankfurt. The consulting firm primarily supports medium-sized companies in corporate acquisitions and company disposals; it also helps them to ensure the value of the deals through optimized transaction processes.

Not only Switzerland is likely to see a trend reversal with stagnating insolvencies in 2017, but also the global corporate scene: In its current study "Insolvencies: The tip of the iceberg", credit insurer Euler Hermes concludes that the number of global insolvencies is likely to increase by 1% in 2017. The main drivers of this increase are negative forecasts for Latin America (+12% insolvencies in 2017), Africa (+9%), Asia-Pacific (+6%) and North America (+1%), it says. Most worrying is the trend toward significantly rising losses from bankruptcies, according to Ludovic Subran, chief economist at Euler Hermes Group. "In the first three quarters of 2016, we recorded 45% more large insolvencies than in the same period last year. This is creating a negative snowball effect that will continue in 2017." Although the global economy is growing by about 2.8%, the growth is not strong enough to prevent an increase in insolvencies. Global GDP growth will also remain below the 3% mark in the long term.

Switzerland: After rising number of bankruptcies in 2016, stagnation in 2017

With the floating of the Swiss franc exchange rate against the euro in January 2015 and the resulting appreciation shock for the export industry, the phase of declining corporate bankruptcies ended in Switzerland. The trend of rising corporate bankruptcies continued in 2016: Following an increase of 7% in 2015, the number of bankruptcies rose by a further 5% by the end of November 2016. French-speaking Switzerland, Ticino and eastern Switzerland were particularly affected. In central Switzerland, however, the numbers are declining. "For 2017, Euler Hermes expects the number of bankruptcies in Switzerland to remain stable. After a two-year adjustment and consolidation phase, the export industry has adjusted better to the continuing strength of the Swiss franc," says Stefan Ruf, CEO of Euler Hermes Switzerland. "The overall economic outlook is also having a stabilizing effect on the number of corporate bankruptcies. However, the development in the individual sectors must be viewed in a differentiated manner: The construction industry continues to be characterized by a high bankruptcy rate. In addition, we also classify the metal industry and retail trade as particularly critical."

Increasing risk of bankruptcy also among important Swiss trading partners

Insolvencies are rising in two of Switzerland's five most important trading partners: China (+10%) and the USA (+1%). In Germany, they are stagnating and in France (-7%) and Italy (-5%), on the other hand, they are declining. "In the U.S., we expect a slight increase in insolvencies despite the financial injections announced for the national economy," says Ludovic Subran. "Not all sectors will benefit from the announced measures. The appreciation of the U.S. dollar is mainly hitting American exporters. At the same time, the stricter monetary policy is hurting all industries, not just those with particularly high debt ratios, such as mechanical engineering. With the protectionist measures announced, the metals sector is likely to be one of the winners, while the textile sector will be one of the losers, with high import duties of up to 32%."

In the emerging markets, where Swiss exporters also perceive growth opportunities, there are also signs of a significant increase in defaults: Still ahead of China (+10%) in 2017 are Brazil and Singapore with +15% each, both of which are heavily dependent on the Chinese market.

Reasons for insolvencies and rising losses vary locally and globally
According to Euler Hermes, the reasons for the turnaround in insolvencies are the weak global economy, declining growth in world trade, strong price competition and volatile currencies. As a result, sales and margins are coming under increasing pressure. As a result, some sectors, especially retail and trade, lack the necessary financial strength for investments, for example in digitization. In other sectors, companies are struggling with overcapacities and a corresponding drop in prices (e.g. raw materials, steel). And, "Increasing protectionist measures and trade barriers are making exports even more complex and expensive in many places," says Ruf. "This could be a decisive factor shaping the global economy in 2017."

Source: www.eulerhermes.ch

Students who complete a bachelor's degree in business administration at a university of applied sciences generate a cumulative gross lifetime income that is around 1.2 million francs higher than students who complete a commercial degree without a bachelor's degree. This is shown in the study "Returns to education from Swiss UAS degrees - an empirical analysis of business and services degree programs" by Sarah Nieberle, Urs Dürsteler and Toni Schmid, which builds on the bachelor thesis of HWZ graduate Sarah Nieberle.

Significant return on education thanks to FH Bachelor's degree

The results were determined using five comprehensive calculation models. For example, the gross annual income was calculated, which is 58.2 percent higher with a bachelor's degree from a university of applied sciences than with only a commercial degree. The gross return on education over a lifetime was also calculated. This is around CHF 1.2 million. Based on the entire working life, this is 46.5 percent more income for Bachelor's graduates than for KV graduates without a Bachelor's degree.

First-time calculations for the business and services degree programs

The study assumes that students start a bachelor's degree program two years after completing their apprenticeship. The program then lasts three years for full-time students or four years for part-time students. The average workload alongside the studies is 55 percent. Possible real wage development was not taken into account, as this is not significantly relevant in a total time frame of 45 years.

The figures on which the study is based were provided by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office and the FH Switzerland wage study. The publication by Nieberle/Dürsteler/Schmid is the first empirical preparation of returns to education for UAS degrees in business and services and shows that a bachelor's degree at a UAS can be a worthwhile investment in the future for commercial school graduates.

Source: HWZ

The study is available as a book in the Haupt Publishing House (ISBN: 978-3-258-08012-3) and can be purchased in the publisher's online store at a price of Fr. 29.

This time, eleven projects have been nominated for the Marketing Trophy, which is awarded in three categories. The winners will be announced at the Marketing Day on March 7, 2017. The top-class, interdisciplinary jury led by President Dr. Peter Felser has selected the most innovative and successful projects from the more than 40 submissions. In the eyes of the jurors, the following have impressed with a high degree of innovation, consistent implementation and the best results and have been nominated for the Marketing Trophy 2017:

Category "Large enterprises

• Credit Suisse AG with the project "Viva - Access All Areas". Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.
• Feldschlösschen Getränke AG with the project "Feldschlösschen Braufrisch - A new beer for Switzerland". Involved agency: WIRZ, Zurich.
• Mazda (Suisse) SA with the project "Mazda Speed Dating - The Dating Revolution". Involved agency: JWT/Fabrikant, Zurich.
• Migros Genossenschaftsbund with the project "Alnatura". Involved agency: ROD Kommunikation AG.
• Raiffeisen Unternehmerzentrum AG with the project "Establishment of Raiffeisen Entrepreneur Centers as a marketing tool for corporate banking". Involved agency: TOMCAT AG.

SME" category

• Appenzeller cheese with the project "The recipe remains secret - sustainable integrated brand management". Involved agency: Contexta AG, Bern.
• Switzerland Tourism and the Grand Tour of Switzerland Association with the "Grand Tour of Switzerland" project. Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.
• Zurich Chamber Orchestra (ZKO) with the project "Great Feelings 2015 / 2016". Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.

Category "Non Profit Organization

• AERO SWISS with the project "Brand and Marketing". Involved agency: skipp communications AG.
• Pro Juventute with the project "Awareness campaign: cyber bullying & sexting". Involved agency: TBWA Switzerland.
• ZSC Lions / ZLE Betriebs AG with the project "Key players (voting campaign for the referendum won in the city of Zurich for the construction of a new ice hockey arena)". Involved agency: Serviceplan Public Relations Suisse AG.

Outlook for Marketing Day 17

The next Marketing Day, during which the Marketing Trophy will be awarded, will take place for the first time with a new event concept: Under the motto "The dead thread - digital turns everything upside down", Marketing Day at the KKL Luzern will focus on digital transformation. As an integrative part of the Swiss Marketing Forum with "digitalization" as the annual theme, Marketing Day brings people, brands and the future together in a new way. The usual high-caliber keynotes will now be supplemented by workshops, master classes and talking circles, which will focus on exchange, networking and practical learning. As in previous years, the event will be moderated by Susanne Wille, reporter and presenter for the political magazine Rundschau.

www.marketingtag.ch