Although the index is stagnating, digitalization projects are taking place across the board, as other data from the survey shows. Large PR agencies in particular have understood that GenAI has a massive impact on their traditional business model and have therefore invested heavily. This has enabled them to increase their index score from 44 to 48 and overtake all companies. In a country comparison, Switzerland is clearly ahead with an index score of 49, while Austria, with an index score of 44, is slightly below Germany with 45 index points.

Digitization as a marathon

The realization that digitalization is not a sprint, but a marathon, is spreading and is reflected in the self-assessments of where companies and agencies stand in their digitalization. The most startling figure is the percentage decline in the large communication departments that see themselves as "innovators" in digitalization. While 12% still believed they had practically completed their digital transformation in 2023, this year it is only 1%. "There is a growing realization that digitalization requires more time and greater effort, especially because technological leaps - namely GenAI - are significantly raising the bar once again," explains Thomas Mickeleit, head of the CommTech working group.

At the same time, there is movement among small organizations in particular. While 36% still considered themselves to be "latecomers" in the previous year, this figure has now fallen to just 20%. This suggests that small organizations have also taken steps towards digitalization. "But one thing is clear: the large communication departments are pace-setters for digitalization. This can be seen across all the dimensions surveyed," says Caren Altpeter, Co-Chair of the Digital Working Group of the German PR Association DPRG.

Increasing investments in AI

If the respondents, who do not all decide on budgets, have their way, there will be more investment in AI tools, training and education in particular. At first glance, the willingness to invest in process automation, owned media and content creation is encouragingly high. However, a comparison with the previous year is sobering: In all topics except AI tools and training, the willingness to invest is falling, in some cases drastically. "This could become a problem. The strong focus on investment in AI is slowing down digitalization across the board. However, to reap the full benefits of AI, you need a digital infrastructure on which AI tools are based," warns Dr. Andreas Jäggi, Managing Director of the Swiss CommTech initiative ComImpact.

Biggest obstacles: System integration and lack of skills

The biggest barrier to digitalization remains the integration of different systems. The larger the organizations are, the more important this factor becomes. However, the respondents consistently rated the barriers as lower than in the previous year. Many of the hurdles are attributed to a lack of expertise and skills in the team. The respondents' self-assessment of their ability to identify technologies that are useful for communication work differs greatly from this finding. A majority of 54% believe that they are well or very well equipped for this. It is therefore all the more important for communicators to take a close look at their team and close any potential skills gaps

AI is not yet being used strategically in communication

There is great interest in AI and communicators are much more positive about the topic than the population as a whole. 81% of respondents in this survey see AI as an opportunity for their work. However, this is not yet reflected in its actual use. Although more than half (57%) use generative AI in the workplace "occasionally", only 38% have established AI as a daily, integral part of their work. This figure is slightly higher for PR agencies at 44%. It is not yet possible to speak of a strategic use of AI.

At 90 percent, the "production of texts" is currently the most frequently used application for generative AI. 71 percent see a great or even very great benefit in the use of generative AI. Not a single respondent stated that they did not see any benefit.

Impact measurement remains a work in progress - but there is hope

According to the survey, only 56% of all communications departments are aware of the tone with which they are reported on. This means that almost half of communications managers are unable to say whether their company is being talked about well or badly. Key figures that come much closer to success reporting - such as reputation, share of voice or brand value - are only used by a minority. "There is therefore a lot of catching up to do here, which can be done very quickly and with a low budget thanks to artificial intelligence. The necessary AI tools have been developed and are "on the shelf", says PRVA President Ingrid Gogl. This also seems to have reached those responsible, because when asked which key figures should be collected in 12 to 18 months, reputation (14%), return on investment (12%) and brand value (14%) are on the rise. Still low values in the end, but a glimmer of hope for further positive development.

The CommTech Index is an indicator of the digitalization of communication departments and PR agencies in Germany. It was surveyed for the second time in 2024, including Austria and Switzerland for the first time. 352 participants took part in the survey. The CommTech Index Survey was supported by Convento, Dentsply Sirona, the Institute for Management and Economic Research (IMWF), E.ON Deutschland and SwissRe.

The 2024/2025 report can be can be downloaded free of charge from the AG CommTech website.

By merging the complementary product portfolios, both existing and new customers should benefit from even more comprehensive solutions for the entire digital marketing funnel, Cptr writes in a press release.

The company expects a "substantial boost" for the German market. Cptr also plans to expand into other European markets. The aim is to "build a leading European MarTech provider for engagement advertising".

In the course of the takeover of Wagawin, André Mendo, former co-partner and Managing Director of Wagawin Europe, will drive forward the business expansion of Cptr Germany as Country Manager.

In addition, Wagawin CEO Nicolas Leonhardt will support the Swiss company in an advisory capacity during the integration to ensure a smooth transition. "This acquisition marks the successful completion of our realignment in Europe, which we launched 12 months ago," explains Leonhardt. "Thanks to optimized processes and an expanded product portfolio, our European business is now profitable. This step now gives our customers in Germany and throughout Europe access to holistic, transparent and, above all, high-performance digital marketing solutions."

The Wagawin brand is expected to remain in Europe until spring 2025. The integration and full transition to Cptr Germany should be completed by then. The two parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction amount.

Influencer marketing has been part of Dentsu Creative's portfolio in the DACH region for years. With the bundling of services in a cross-location team, the topics of influencer marketing, strategy and conception are growing closer together and becoming one of the agency's elementary service components.

"As a global creative agency, we need to understand which cultural trends are important worldwide. Influencers play a central role here as a source and channel," explains Nils Seger, Managing Director of Rckt - a dentsu creative company. "Influencers are not just a channel, but an integral part of creative strategies for brands that want to influence the zeitgeist. For us as an agency, this means integrating influencer marketing into our strategy and concept at an early stage and also mapping it as an organization."

While more than half of advertisers in Germany expect the economic situation to remain unchanged in 2025, around 40% of CMOs in Austria and France fear that the situation will deteriorate. Only the Netherlands and the Middle East have a positive outlook on the economic situation. Against the backdrop of less optimistic economic and budget developments, it is hardly surprising that AI and marketing automation clearly emerge as top personal topics in the coming year - both in Switzerland and at Europe & Middle East level.

The focus of advertisers in 2025 will be on topics relating to increasing efficiency and technical and functional solutions. The change in focus has contributed to "sustainability" being pushed out of the top topics in marketing and is therefore no longer represented in the top 5 ranking. In the future, alongside the buzzword "AI", topics such as "emotional brand building" and "content creation" will also emerge, particularly in Switzerland. Creativity, both in the message and in its distribution, is in demand and is seen as the key to future success.

This success requires human skills and CMOs will need even better management and leadership skills in the future in order to strategically pursue a visionary goal with a strong team. At the same time, the entire team must remain adaptable and flexible. In a complex (marketing) world, team development and trust are becoming key aspects. The focus here is on strategic competencies and brand management skills, followed by digital competencies including AI.

"The trend will be towards voice search, as this is increasingly in line with user behavior, particularly with regard to smartphones. AI remains a big topic," says Dr. Maria Comos-Birmanns, Head of Marketing and Communication at Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences Switzerland. Inga Niemeyer, Head of Marketing at Baloise, writes: "Tight budgets and resources require marketing activities to be focused on clearly defined goals and topics. Increasing efficiency and effectiveness is a top topic in the coming year".

Read all the study results on Switzerland in detail here.

The CMO Barometer is an annual study in which around 800 top marketers from the most important companies in the DACH region and eight other countries are surveyed. The data is collected in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, BeLux (Belgium, Luxembourg), the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, the UK and the Middle East. The study was conducted by the Serviceplan Group for the sixth time, for the fourth time in Switzerland and for the second time in cooperation with the University of St.Gallen (HSG).

In his doctoral thesis "Post it, Like it, Share it - and Profit", which deals with the effect of social media influencers on purchasing decisions, Gasser provides "innovative research results" and "decisive impulses for the optimization of marketing strategies in the consumer goods and tourism sector in an increasingly digitalized market landscape", as stated in a press release.

DDV President Martin Nitsche, together with patron Mary-Victoria Gerardi-Schmid and jury chairman Bernd Ambiel, presented Gasser with the certificate and the prize money of 2,500 euros. The jury emphasized that Gasser's work not only closes theoretical gaps, but can also help companies to design their marketing strategies more precisely and effectively, as various decision-supporting guidelines have been developed.

The AGGP is according to Financialnews.com in German-speaking countries is "the highest award for academic theses that deal with innovative approaches and research achievements in dialog and data-driven marketing" and has been awarded for 39 years. Alfred Gerardi was a pioneer of (direct) marketing and had already significantly influenced the industry in Central Europe in the 1950s. The promotion of young talent was particularly close to his heart, which is why the prize named after him honors talented young researchers in the field of marketing and consumer research.

Rap City took place for the first time in 2018. The line-up consists of international greats as well as newcomers and selected Swiss acts and attracts visitors from all over Switzerland. The size and length of the festival means it appeals to a broad section of the hip-hop scene.

Appropriate access to the urban target group

This public interest is also exciting for partnerships and sponsorships: Rap City can be used to address young and urban target groups that are difficult to reach in other ways. The Zurich agency Echowerk, which has been commissioned with the exclusive marketing, will take over with immediate effect.

"The Rap City team knows what interests the urban hip-hop scene and where to find it. We support the core team with professional market development on the sponsorship side and accompany the partners in the development and implementation of their activations," says Manuel Schaub, founder of Echowerk.

Existing partnerships are to be maintained and supplemented with new ones. New partnerships will in turn open up additional communication channels for the event, which should appeal to even more hip-hop fans.

Michael Hinderling is leaving Dept after almost five years with the agency. His time at the agency comes to an end after a successful night at this year's Best of Swiss Apps Awards. The mobile app for the solar energy company Helion won several awards, including the prestigious Master's degree. A successful conclusion to her years at the agency, as was reported in a press release.

Since the merger of Hinderling Volkart and Dept, Michael Hinderling has been responsible for the newly formed Swiss unit. Two years later, he shifted his focus to strategic consulting and innovative individual projects. During his time at Dept, Hinderling also completed further training on artificial intelligence and its implications for business strategies at MIT. In parallel to his work at the agency, he worked as an independent designer, providing his own clients with brand strategies, digital identities and websites.

According to the press release, Michael Hinderling now wants to tackle new challenges and visions. His next project is the conception of an immersive museum that will link digital and physical worlds. Hinderling is also considering founding a boutique agency after his departure from Dept, as he himself communicates. He is simply waiting for the right opportunity and constellation. (Dajana Dakic/cka/swi)

This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

The high-performance detectors from Dectris are used in research institutes around the world, for example in particle accelerators, X-ray analysis and electron microscopy. Researchers and engineers use the detectors to quickly obtain precise analysis data in areas such as drug development or battery research. In addition to detectors, Dectris develops other products and services for cutting-edge research, including a particularly powerful cloud platform for the collaborative use of scientific data.

Developing the brand globally

Dectris wants to further expand its leading position in the extremely dynamic high-tech market. At the same time, the brand must assert itself as an innovation leader and reliable partner in the demanding scientific environment. In order to meet these requirements, Scholtysik will strategically develop the Dectris brand and increase its appeal in the long term.

"In Scholtysik, we have found a branding partner that not only has extensive experience in the technology sector, but also understands the scientific communities for which we ultimately develop our products," says Stefan Brandstetter, Chief Commercial Officer of Dectris.

In addition to his journalistic experience, Weinmann also has a personal connection to aviation, according to a statement from Swiss International Air Lines. He holds a pilot's license and has already covered numerous aviation-related topics during his journalistic career and communicated them to a wide audience - from technological innovations and the introduction of new aircraft to sustainability and air traffic management issues. This combination of journalistic expertise and understanding of the aviation industry makes him the ideal candidate for this position.

Most recently, the 43-year-old worked for SRF as presenter of the news magazine "Schweiz aktuell".

This year's ADCE Awards were presented on Friday as part of the ADCE European Creativity Festival in Barcelona. A total of 375 projects were honored from 924 submissions from 24 countries. Projects from Switzerland also impressed the jury, which was made up of 58 leading creatives from all over Europe.

There was also an ADCE Student Award: The team from the Graubünden University of Applied Sciences received bronze for their project Starrk. for Rosannis in the Interactive category.

"We test new things for ourselves and our customers." This is one of the guiding principles at Manifestland to which the team at the St.Gallen agency Festland is committed. This is put into practice at the Lab Sessions, for example. The latest edition focused on employer branding. In the agency's Wave Space in St.Gallen, guests were treated to three guest contributions on the topic.

A Tinder for digital talents

Michael Bernasconi, Matchd Project Manager at rockt!, shared his insights from the networking platform for companies and IT talent. He knows from experience what to look out for in order to achieve the perfect match with Generation Z. He has a clear recommendation for employers as an effective way to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the IT sector: Offer internships. The short-term effort involved in providing support more than pays off in terms of the long-term advantage on the personnel market.

Please do not play company

Nadja Schnetzler, teamwork coach and purpose expert, gave an insight into her recently published practical guide "Collaboration in Flow". The book, co-authored with Laurent Burst, provides tried-and-tested tools for a successful team culture. The concept of flow proves to be a life hack for creating a balance between I, we and work. Because too many teams are still "playing company" instead of creating meaning and getting work done.

Employer branding with heart

Reto Geiger, Managing Director of Liebenau Switzerland, spoke about employer branding in the world of retirement and nursing homes. The audience learned first-hand how the non-profit company scores points on the job market with vacations and other benefits - and why the heart in Liebenau's advertising is more than just an ornament. His words were illustrated by the current employer campaign, which was created with Festland.

The Federal Administrative Court ruled in favor of Abacus Research and Goldbach Neo OOH in four judgments published on Friday. In doing so, it clarified fundamental legal issues in connection with the private sector activities of Swiss Post.

In its rulings, the Federal Administrative Court refers to the case law of the Federal Supreme Court on the private economic activity of the state. It states that the economic freedom protected by fundamental rights does not offer private individuals any general protection against competition. This also applies to the private economic activity of the state. In principle, this merely creates another competitor for the private sector.

However, there are constitutional limits to the private sector activity of the state, as the court goes on to explain. The activity must be based on a legal basis, it must be in the public interest and it must be proportionate and competitively neutral.

Limited activity

In accordance with these requirements, the activities of Swiss Post are regulated and limited by the Postal Organization Act. Swiss Post must ensure the universal service and may provide related services.

Against this background, the Federal Administrative Court has further developed its previous case law. It maintains that, in principle, no party status can be obtained by means of a notification under supervisory law.

If, as in the present case, private companies justifiably claim that a state-owned company does not have a sufficient legal basis for a certain private sector activity or does not act in a competitively neutral manner, there is a particular proximity to the relationship. The party status of private companies cannot be denied in principle in such a case.

PostCom, to which the court referred the case, is responsible for examining whether Swiss Post complies with the constitutional limits for its private-sector activities.

It must make a final decision on the status of the complainants as parties and then, if necessary, examine whether Swiss Post has sufficient market access authorization for its private-sector activities.

Measures required

Swiss Post acquired Klara Business AG, now ePost Services AG, in October 2020. It was a private company that develops and distributes software for accounting and customer and order management.

Livesystems, which operates in the field of digital out-of-home advertising, was acquired in July 2021. Both companies are now managed as independent Swiss Post Group companies.

With its two Group companies ePost Services and Livesystems, Swiss Post operates outside the universal service. It is therefore in direct competition with Abacus Research and Goldbach Neo OOH, which offer the same or similar services.

These companies lodged separate supervisory complaints with the Federal Postal Commission (PostCom) and the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). They argued before both authorities that Swiss Post's private-sector activities were not permitted. For this reason, the takeover of the two companies should be reversed or measures should be taken to avoid distortions of competition.

PostCom and OFCOM did not intervene in the two supervisory complaints. They stated that the two companies had no party status with regard to Swiss Post's private-sector activities. The two competitors lodged an appeal against these decisions with the Federal Administrative Court.

These rulings are not yet legally binding and can be appealed to the Federal Supreme Court. (SDA)