Jérôme Rueff was most recently Brand Portfolio Director at Feldschlösschen Getränke / Carlsberg Breweries. In this role, he was responsible for the strategic development and market leadership of the Feldschlösschen and Cardinal brands and led a team of marketing experts. Rueff also has expertise in the Swiss retail trade and a deep understanding of the specific market mechanisms and distribution channels.

Rueff began his career after studying economics at the University of Basel and completing a Master's degree in International Marketing & Strategic Management at Uppsala University in Sweden. He has over 20 years of extensive experience in the FMCG and beverage industry, including various national and international roles at Carlsberg Group.

As Chief Client Officer, Jérôme Rueff will strengthen the Valencia management team around Michael Gerber (CEO), Tommy Schilling (Chief Creative Officer) and Christian Frey (Chief Operating Officer). Together, they will continue to drive forward the agency's strategic and operational development, relying in particular on Rueff's "extensive experience in brand strategy, innovation and commercial development", according to a statement. His focus will be on further strengthening Valencia's positioning as the most customer-centric agency in Switzerland and ensuring that the needs of clients are always at the center of attention.

The Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry Recma was founded in 1991 and specializes in the evaluation and analysis of media agencies in around 60 countries.

In addition to the turnover and size of the media agencies, the international ranking takes into account factors such as long-standing client relationships, the proportion of specialists in data-driven media strategies and positioning in the market.

Chris Fluckiger, CEO and founder of Mediatonic, sees the renewed top ranking as confirmation of the agency's strategy: "Our top position in the Recma ranking shows that sustainable success is not only dependent on technological capabilities. It is the combination of digital competence, human expertise and long-term partnerships that makes the difference."

The Swiss media landscape is undergoing radical change and digital strategies are becoming increasingly important. Mediatonic relies on a combination of data-driven analysis and individual consulting. With this approach, the agency aims to continue to combine stability and innovation in order to optimally navigate clients through the changing media world.

Starting conversations, arousing interest, avoiding blunders: Small talk is a challenge for many people. The first edition of the new event series "Bisschen theoretisch" at the Museum of Communication aims to tackle precisely this challenge. In one-hour sessions, theoretical concepts will be presented in an understandable and everyday way - each on a topic from the world of communication. The kick-off on February 28 is all about small talk.

The idea: theory as a tool for practice. "OK, theories are not sexy gossip. But they do contain a condensed explanation of reality," says the announcement. So anyone wondering how to start a conversation in a relaxed manner or keep it going without awkward pauses will find answers here.

The event always takes place on the last Friday of the month and starts at 12:15 pm. You can choose how much you want to pay to attend, but a suggested price of CHF 20 - including lunch - is recommended. In addition, there is always a podcast episode with communication experts who delve deeper into the topic.

With the addition of SBB, ComImpact has grown to eleven corporate members. The association is committed to facilitating access to CommTech expertise for marketing and corporate communications professionals. In addition to regular exchange formats, it organizes events that focus on best practices and new technologies.

"In view of the spread of new technologies, we are convinced that the topics covered by ComImpact and the association's network offer sustainable added value for our communications work," says Martina Rettenmund, Head of Communications Planning and Channels at SBB.

At the beginning of January, Sir Mary Media launched with a 20-strong team and a new management structure. With this expansion, the agency is driving forward its growth and aims to strengthen its position in the area of media strategy, planning and implementation.

Sir Mary Media's offering includes specialized 360-degree media solutions from a single source - for TV, digital, (D)OOH, social and audio. The new unit will be headed by an experienced management trio from within the agency's own ranks, who have already been working successfully at the agency for several years and have in-depth expertise in media strategies and campaign management: Vanessa Habisreutinger (Media Operations & Data), Katharina Günther (Planning & Consulting) and Fabian Habisreutinger (Strategy & Client) will jointly manage the new agency. All three are long-standing leaders at Sir Mary and have helped shape the agency from the ground up.

"We are the new generation of media agency. Because we understand creation better, we take brands where they work - not where we earn the most," explains Vanessa Habisreutinger, Co-Managing Director of Sir Mary Media. "In recent years, we have been able to win top-class media accounts and continuously expand our offering. We want to meet the growing demand for our media expertise with an independent offering: the launch of Sir Mary Media is the next logical step for us."

The integrated approach is already being used by clients such as Sunrise, Twint, Ovomaltine and Switzerland Tourism. The pitch wins and campaign successes illustrate the strengths of a holistic media approach: "Sir Mary Media supports us in creating sustainable brand loyalty and effective engagement through targeted media strategies. The jointly implemented campaigns achieved measurable success thanks to intelligent media solutions and a strong reach strategy," says Eva-Maria Mörtenhuber, Head of Marketing at Twint.

Sir Mary intends to remain true to its approach of closely interlinking creation and media in order to realize campaigns that stand out and have a measurable impact. The new set-up should allow the agency to operate more flexibly on the market and win new media budgets for its media services.

Read here the in-depth exclusive interview with Vanessa Habisreutinger, Katharina Günther and Fabian Habisreutinger on the idea and strategy behind Sir Mary Media.

Some visitors may have left this year's Swiss Cyber Security Days with a queasy feeling: Are my passwords still secure? Can I still trust e-banking? And which Tinder profiles are real and which are fake? The threat situation has become even more diverse compared to previous years. Program Director Nicolas Mayencourt emphasized in his opening speech that the cyber security situation is alarming: "Technology is developing exponentially, our thinking is linear. We urgently need to act and boldly shape the digital future - a secure cyberspace and confident use of technology will become a decisive factor for success."

"Democratization" of new technologies

Jean-Marc Rickli from the Geneva Center for Security Policy, for example, underlined the fact that the use of technology is by no means as sovereign as it seems. He showed how the blessing of technological development can easily become a curse. 3D printing? A great thing for prototyping or the production of special components for industry. But also a way to quickly produce a functional weapon made of plastic that outwits any metal detector and can be easily disposed of "after use". Or equipping a drone with facial recognition software and unleashing it on an appropriately "personalized" target is also possible with comparatively little effort. In this way, warfare is no longer just a matter for armies.

Similarly in cyberspace: it is no longer just about phishing emails or other scams. AI is opening up new possibilities, especially for disinformation. The advances in so-called deep fakes are immense and are leading to increasingly unrestrained use - both by petty criminals and state institutions, as examples from the war in Ukraine or the conflict in the Gaza Strip show. Jean-Marc Rickli sees a major danger in the fact that people will ultimately no longer be able to trust any information. "The social contract between citizens and democracy is under threat," says the expert. "Weapons of mass destruction" would be replaced by "weapons of mass disinformation".

Better protection for children and young people

A rather dystopian world in which the younger generation also has to grow up. Regula Bernhard Hug, Head of the Swiss Child Protection Office, and Christian Brenzikofer, Commander of the KAPO Bern, stated at a media conference on site that children and young people are increasingly exposed to dangers in cyberspace. The increasing online addiction of young people, as well as the rising cases of sextortion and paedocrime, are of concern to the specialist unit and the authorities. "In the canton of Bern, the KAPO Bern deals with between 200 and 250 suspected cases of paedocrime," says Christian Brenzikofer. Major efforts to prevent and raise awareness of this issue remain important. Parents and schools are the most important partners in showing young people how to use online media responsibly. But it is also a task for society as a whole, as Regula Bernhard Hug emphasized. The manufacturers of devices and providers of social media portals must also be involved by setting up safety-by-design standards and data protection-compliant age verification. A general ban on social media for young people under the age of 16 would be the last resort.

Swiss cyberspace: still easily vulnerable

Another highlight of SCSD 2025 was the analysis of Switzerland's cyber security situation, carried out by Dreamlab Technologies. Every year, the company uses specially developed software to scan the infrastructure connected to the internet throughout Switzerland. This involves over 3.2 million ports, of which over 2 million are vulnerable and over one million ports are even open and could be misused without any special IT knowledge. Over 250,000 hosts also work without encrypted communication. There are therefore many critical vulnerabilities. "We are doing anything but well," as Nicolas Mayencourt and Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter, who presented the results, found out. Government-related IT infrastructures are no exception, as the two explained. For example, there are still a number of weaknesses at the federal government that have been known for years but have not yet been eliminated. The high level of dependence on foreign providers is also problematic, which jeopardizes the government's own digital sovereignty. Overall, the cyber security situation in Switzerland is sobering. "Despite the tense overall situation, no major improvements are discernible," Nicolas Mayencourt noted. This is all the more regrettable because 80 percent of vulnerabilities could be avoided with simple measures. It also shows that while most SMEs are technically well on their way, there is still a lot of catching up to do in terms of organization. "Cybersecurity is a matter for the boss," says Mayencourt.

Encryption must now be quantum secure

Quantum computer technology poses a further threat to cyber security. The immensely faster computing power of quantum computers means that it will one day be possible to crack all conventional encryption. Experts assume that this moment, known as "Q Day", will take place in 2030. But regardless of this, all encryption systems used today will be obsolete by then anyway, because conventional computer technology will also become increasingly advanced. This means that future-proof encryption systems must be "quantum-proof" in any case. According to the analysis by Dreamlab Technologies, around 85% of servers in Switzerland could already guarantee quantum-safe communication today, but only around 10% are already actively doing so. The good news, however, is that Switzerland is playing a leading role in the development of new post-quantum cryptography standards. For example, the IBM research center in Rüschlikon played a key role in the development of new algorithms that can replace conventional 2048-bit encryption technology.

Satisfied exhibitors and organizers of SCSD 2025

In addition to these focus topics, the SCSD 2025 also had a number of other highlights: There were interesting insights from the FBI's Cyber Division, for example, and the remarks by Corps Commander Thomas Süssli and panels on disinformation or radicalization on the Internet also met with great interest from the approximately 2,500 visitors in total. The interdisciplinary exhibition "Alternate Realities" was a novelty. This was realized in collaboration with the Museum of Communication, the gibb vocational school in Bern and the Bernese motion designers Kaspar Kilchenmann and Yan Hirschbühl and impressively showcased the creative possibilities of AI.

Overall, the 90 or so exhibitors and the organizer also drew a positive balance. The SCSD took place at the BERNEXPO site for the second time in a row and built on last year's success. "Especially in the current times, which are characterized by protectionist developments, the Swiss Cyber Security Days impressively demonstrate the importance of cooperation and exchange in order to meet the challenges of the digital world," said Tom Winter, CEO of BERNEXPO AG. Hornetsecurity, a leading provider of cyber threat solutions, took part as an exhibitor for the first time. Country Manager Switzerland, Roger Staub, speaks of a complete success: "With our product solutions, we were able to show how companies can comprehensively protect themselves against cyber threats. We are proud of the networking party, which created a great platform for professional exchange and new contacts. Our commitment to a more secure digital future continues - which is why we expect to be back at the SCSD in 2026." The next edition of the SCSD will take place on February 17 and 18, 2026.

More information: www.scsd.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/scsd-2025-quantensicherheit-und-jugendschutz-im-fokus/

The most important facts in brief:

• The nominees for "Advertiser of the Year" 2025 are
  • Gordon Nemitz, Head of Strategy at Thjnk Zurich
  • Lorenz Clormann, Executive Creative Director at Wirz
  • Philipp Skrabal, Chief Creative Officer, Partner and Team Member of the Management Board at Team Farner
• The subscribers of the m&k-Swiss Newsletter and the "Advertiser:in of the Year" jury each have a 50 percent share in determining who will be named "Advertiser of the Year" 2025.
• The online election starts on Monday, February 24, 2025 and ends on February 28, 2025 at 23:59. Anyone who has been eligible to take part in the online voting since January 20, 2025 at the latest for the free m&k-newsletter and receives the newsletter during this period.
• For each newsletter subscriber a vote is counted. Forwarding your own newsletter to other people does not work either: every voter must have subscribed to the newsletter with their own email address.
• The Award Night will take place on March 20, 2025 at Razzia Zurich.

In December 2024, the m&k-community to nominate various industry leaders for the "Advertiser of the Year" 2025. Based on this list, the expert jury in an exciting discussion three high-caliber personalities: Gordon Nemitz, Head of Strategy at Thjnk Zurich, Lorenz ClormannExecutive Creative Director at Wirz, and Philipp SkrabalChief Creative Officer, Partner and Management Board team at Team Farner, are entering the race for the coveted title of "Advertiser of the Year" 2025.

Thinking about problems is his strength. Since 2018 Gordon Nemitz at Thjnk Zurich. He is Managing Director Strategy and co-owner of the agency. His career path led him from Jung von Matt Hamburg via TBWA Düsseldorf, Wirz/BBDO Zurich to Thjnk Zurich. He has also been Chief Strategy Officer of Thjnk Germany since 2023. His ability to make complex relationships understandable, coupled with a critical but optimistic attitude towards change, makes him one of the defining voices in the industry.

Lorenz Clormann loves big ideas and knows how to sell them convincingly - something he would also love to do for an opulent perfume campaign. With his flair for 360-degree concepts, his commitment to the future of the industry and an unshakeable sense of humor, he brings a breath of fresh air to the advertising world. Clormann has been Executive Creative Director and Partner at the Wirz Group Zurich since 2020. His career path has taken him from Weber, Hodel, Schmid Zurich to Scholz&Friends Berlin, Ruf Lanz Zurich, Jung von Matt Switzerland, Publicis Zurich, back to Jung von Matt Switzerland and his current place of work.

For over a decade Philipp Skrabal He works for Team Farner, where he is responsible as Partner and Chief Creative Officer. He sees communication as a powerful tool and wants to give the industry more self-confidence. Before Farner, Skrabal worked at Wirz, Advico Young & Rubicam, Publicis and Matter & Partner. He is ADC Vice President, Ad School Board Member, Member of ADC Europe and Member of the Creative Club Austria CCA. In 2025, he is nominated for the title "Advertiser of the Year" for the fourth time.

In In this in-depth interview, we introduce you to the three nominees in more detail:

• Interview with Gordon Nemitz
• Interview with Lorenz Clormann
• Interview with Philipp Skrabal

Voting starts on February 24, 2025

The final winner of "Advertiser of the Year" 2025 will be decided by voting as usual. The jury has 50 percent voting rights, the other 50 percent will be determined in the familiar newsletter voting. Eligible to participate is anyone who free of charge m&k-Switzerland Newsletter has subscribed with their own e-mail address and has been registered since January 20, 2025 at the latest. Only those votes that fulfill this requirement will be counted. If you vote more than once, only the most recent vote will be counted. The newsletter election will run from Monday, February 24 to Friday, February 28, 2025 at midnight.

Award night at the Zurich Razzia

Since 2021, the "Advertiser:in of the Year" award has once again been held as an independent event. As in the previous year, this year's winner will be announced on March 20, 2025 as part of an award night at the Razzia restaurant in Zurich's Seefeld district.

The inter-university competition "LSA Junior Agency Award" brings theory and practice together. Under the supervision of experienced coaches from LSA agencies, students from Swiss universities of applied sciences develop a marketing communication strategy aimed specifically at their own generation.

The background to this is the change in young people's media consumption: social media is becoming the main source of news, while traditional offerings are used less frequently. 20 minutes aims to counter this with reliable, compact and neutral information.

After an internal preliminary round at the participating universities of applied sciences, the best teams will compete against each other in June 2025 in front of a specialist jury consisting of agency representatives, industry experts and the client.

The competition is intended to promote creativity and teamwork as well as provide a platform for direct exchange with the industry.

On September 9, 2025, the most innovative and outstanding projects in the Swiss LiveCom industry will be honored. The aim is to make the best live communication measures of the past year known to a broad public. The awards are presented by the industry association Swiss LiveCom Association Expo Event, which has been committed to promoting the interests of the industry for many years. Projects can be submitted by event agencies, exhibition companies, promotion agencies, suppliers, exhibition venues, locations and sponsoring agencies. Special Earlybird conditions are still available until March 17.

Additional category and new jury members

In total, Xaver Awards in gold, silver or bronze will be presented in the eight categories Best Corporate Event, Best Consumer / POS Event, Best Efficiency Project, Best Expo Project, Best Brandworlds & Temporary Installations and Exhibitions, Best Public Event and Best Exhibition Stand.

The new "Best Exhibition Stand" category focuses on the individual exhibition stand: it honors creative and strategically well thought-out solutions that maximize the impact of a brand or product in a small space. In addition, the community selects the winner(s) of the Public Xaver in an online vote. The Lifetime Achievement Xaver Award will also be presented: the winner will be announced in the run-up to the award ceremony.

This year's jury includes President Dany Waldner from Waldner Partner, Andrea Meier from Swisscom, Nadine Imboden and Maximilian Souchay from Live Lab. New members are Cédric Schlosser from MYI Entertainment and Iwan Funk from Bellprat Partner. "With their expertise in digital activation and gamification, Cédric Schlosser and Iwan Funk will provide us with valuable insights," explains Dany Waldner. Mauro Testerini and Norbert Egli are no longer taking part. The judging will take place on June 3 and 4, 2025 in the Hallenstadion.

Big stage for the Xaver

This year, the award ceremony will take place for the first time in the new festival hall on the Bernexpo site in Bern. This will open on April 25, 2025 as part of the BEA spring trade fair, heralding a new era of events in the federal city. "After holding the Xaver Award in Zurich for around two decades, we are very much looking forward to this move to Bern, which will also strengthen our proximity to French-speaking Switzerland. It is an honor for us to be one of the first events to be hosted in the new Festhalle. After all, it is not just Bern that benefits from the appeal of this impressive event platform, but the entire Swiss event industry," explains Expo Event President Christian Künzli.

The survey, which has been conducted quarterly since the beginning of 2024, provides insights into the attitudes of employees. On average, employees in Switzerland would like to work 35.4 hours per week - less than the traditional 40-hour week, but more than in Austria (33.3 hours) and Germany (32 hours). Working from home also remains in demand: those who have the opportunity to work remotely prefer an average of 45%, which corresponds to around two days per week.

The acceptance of long commutes is higher in Switzerland than in neighboring countries: Respondents state a maximum commuting distance of 32 kilometers, compared to around 22 kilometers in Germany and Austria.

"Work hard, play hard"

Almost two thirds of the working Swiss population can identify well with the philosophy "Work hard, live well" (65%). And another top score in a three-country comparison (Austria: 62%; Germany: 58%). "Commitment and performance are still considered important values in Switzerland. However, our data also shows that the focus is increasingly shifting from traditional career patterns to more flexible working models," explains Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland. "Companies that actively promote this flexibility not only secure an advantage in the competition for skilled workers, but also strengthen long-term employee loyalty."

High willingness to switch

Despite a high level of satisfaction with their current job (77%), the willingness to change jobs is high: 51% of employees can imagine changing jobs, even if they are more pessimistic about their chances on the job market than in Germany and Austria. An important incentive for changing jobs is the expected salary increase - Swiss employees hope for an average 31% higher salary.

Marketagent Switzerland surveyed a total of 465 people for the current study in the survey period from July to December 2024.

The Swiss Brand Observer analyzed over 200 brands from various sectors in 2024 and evaluated them based on surveys of the Swiss population. The top performers in eight categories are honored by YouGov Switzerland with the Top Brand Award 2024.

Migros achieved first place in the categories "Consideration" (77%), "Value for money" (39%) and "Corporate social responsibility" (77%). SBB led in the categories "Ecological Sustainability" (36 percent) and "Brand Trust" (54 percent), while Twint was recognized for "Innovativeness" (46 percent) and "Positive Buzz" (10 percent). Lindt came top in the "Quality perception" category with 55%.

The eight categories analyzed cover key factors for brand success - from quality and value for money to social responsibility. The Swiss Brand Observer has been measuring 28 KPIs of relevant Swiss brands from eight sectors, including financial services, insurance, telecommunications, retail and FMCG, on a weekly basis since 2021.

The data basis for the Top Brand Award 2024 is based on continuous, representative online surveys by YouGov Switzerland with around 13,000 interviews per sector and brand. Detailed results are available after registration.

Publicis Luxe offers comprehensive strategy, campaign development, digital business, CRM, social media, production and innovation for brands from all luxury segments. These include fashion, beauty, fragrances, jewelry, watches, lifestyle, culture and high-end hospitality. With the new locations in Zurich and Geneva, the agency aims to move closer to global luxury brands based in Switzerland. The agency combines traditional values of the luxury industry with modern digital solutions and supports brands in consolidating their position in global markets, addressing their target groups emotionally and with unique content while creating innovative digital experiences.

"Publicis Luxe creates strong, creative brand worlds that reflect both the character and the values of luxury brands," explains Charles Georges-Picot, CEO Global Luxury Practice Publicis Groupe, Global Client Lead. There is already "curiosity and willingness" on the part of Swiss premium and luxury brands to work with Publicis Luxe, says Georges-Picot.

Changing luxury narrative

The expansion of Publicis Luxe is taking place in a changing luxury sector. This change is characterized by a variety of dynamic forces: While the arrival of Gen Z brings with it new values such as sustainability, digital innovation and cultural authenticity, other trends are also coming to the fore. The booming economy of the second-hand market and the increasing demand for immersive experiences are reshaping the luxury landscape.

Publicis Luxe supports brands in navigating this change. Always with the aim of ensuring that luxury brands can retain their loyal customers and at the same time appeal to new target groups through special experiences.

"Switzerland has helped write the history of the luxury goods industry. At the same time, premium strategies are becoming increasingly important in many sectors," says Alexander Haldemann, CEO of Publicis Groupe Switzerland. "Until now, however, there has been a lack of an agency with dedicated luxury expertise and direct access to the key markets in Asia and North America. We are closing this gap with the launch of Publicis Luxe at our hubs in Geneva and Zurich."

The Swiss team at Publicis Luxe includes Groupe Client Lead Switzerland Türi Cengiz , Priscilla Rossi, Strategy Lead Switzerland, Deborah Marino, Global Chief Strategy Officer, and Alexis de Montaigu, Global Client Lead and Chief Growth Officer.