With "W.O.W." The aim is to offer visitors a wide range of activities in both summer and winter. The aim is to inspire guests with experiences, encounters and relaxation in nature, explains Marc Schlüssel, CEO of the Lenzerheide vacation region. The new attractions include the "W.O.W. Plaza" meeting place in the village center, an outdoor spa in summer and a winter glamping pop-up. Existing highlights such as the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area, the enchanted forest and the interactive "Light Ride" tobogganing experience will also remain an integral part of the destination.

Regional cooperation

For "W.O.W.", various local partners from the hotel industry, gastronomy and mountain railroads are working together. "This project shows what is possible when everyone pulls together," says Schlüssel. The aim is not only to increase the attractiveness of the destination, but also to make operations more sustainable and efficient. "W.O.W." should not only be understood as an experience brand, but also as a leitmotif for service quality and innovation.

A film featuring freeskier Nico Vuignier and skiing legend Didier Cuche accompanies the repositioning at the start of the winter season. The film premieres on Wednesday.

What wonderful flowers the marketing jargon always produces.

The latest example: ScrollyPub. It sounds so cute and sweet that it simply has to be loved - just like a newborn baby. ScrollyPub is the grandchild of scrolling and storytelling, whose non-binary child Scrollytelling has now given birth to a new word with the droll name ScrollyPub. Don't know it? But you should. And please use it as often as possible so that the other person knows that you are up to date.

The relationship shows: But even the latest shit comes from somewhere. So let's delve deeper into the genealogy of the new industry baby. Let's start with the grandparents - even in real life, grandparents have long since learned how to scroll. It's been so long since the word entered the dictionary that the acronym EDP is actually still listed under "use". Electronic data processing. Do you remember? Scrolling actually means "moving" in English. Today we mean that the display on the screen cannot be captured in its entirety and should therefore be moved around the screen in sections. There are evil tongues that claim that the higher someone climbs in the hierarchy, the more their ability to scroll decreases. And with a story like this, we are already at the next ancestral part, storytelling.

When the content gets lost in all the scrolling

For a long time, this term was only reserved for writers and film and theater makers before it conquered our industry. It was about dramaturgy, rhythm and complex storylines that captivate the audience or readers over a longer period of time. But if something has neither a beginning nor an end, neither a plot, starting point nor a payoff, then it is not a story, but merely a string of facts, wishes and requests from a sender to a receiver. And the sender hopes that someone will understand what is being conveyed. The fact that a story can be told in just a few words was already known before TikTok and Snapchat: "For sale. Baby shoes, never worn." This famous story in six words is attributed to Ernest Hemingway. Is it true? That too is storytelling.

Scrollytelling now combines "scrolling" and "storytelling" and describes a journalistic format in which readers experience a story that builds up dynamically by scrolling. This can be done using graphics, videos or interactive elements. All of this is intended to enhance the reading experience and enables complex content to be conveyed in a visually appealing way. So much for the activity. "ScrollyPub" is now the place where scrollytelling takes place. Not in a dimly lit pub where lukewarm beer is served and sports broadcasts are shown on screens and darts are thrown at a target. No, it usually refers to publications (or publication formats) that use scrollytelling techniques. In a ScrollyPub, stories are presented in formats that are geared towards new reading habits, especially those on the screens of mobile devices. Unfortunately, with all the multimedia excitement and attention, the content is often forgotten and it is questionable whether the little content that is still available is retained with so much experience.

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* Benno Maggi is co-founder and CEO of Partner & Partner. He has been eavesdropping on the industry for over 30 years, discovering words and terms for us that can either be used for small talk, pomposity, excitement, playing Scrabble, or just because.

The survey of the LGBTIQ+ community is based on a reference survey in the EU and allows Switzerland to be compared with other European countries for the first time. It is striking that LGBTIQ+ people in Switzerland reported more frequent experiences of violence and discrimination than respondents in the EU, as Amnesty International Switzerland announced on Wednesday.

The organizations - including Pink Cross and Queeramnesty - are also calling for the criminal standard on discrimination to be extended to include trans people and people with variations in gender characteristics. A national action plan against LGBTIQ+ hate crimes must also be implemented promptly and in full. Sensitization is needed in public institutions, especially in the healthcare system, in the asylum sector, in schools and in the police.

Regular prevention campaigns against anti-queer stereotypes and violence are also needed. Furthermore, helplines and advice centres for those affected by queer-hostile violence need to be institutionalized and their funding guaranteed. In addition, regular monitoring must be carried out to measure the effectiveness of measures.

"Like all people, we want to live self-determined lives. Free from hatred and violence. But we are increasingly in the crosshairs of discrimination and hate speech," Urs Vanessa Sager from Interaction, the national association for intersex people, is quoted as saying in the press release. (SDA)

Susanne Mühlemann was Head of Communications at the Swiss National Bank SNB until June 2024. She will now join Lemongrass Communications as a partner on January 1, 2025. In her role, she will focus in particular on advising on the public positioning and reputation of companies and individuals, crisis communications and the positioning of companies in internal and external communications.

Mühlemann combines experience from 15 years in business journalism and 15 years on the corporate side - in both the private and public sectors. During her career in corporate communications, she has accompanied prominent Swiss institutions and leaders through challenging phases.

Before joining the SNB in 2017, Susanne Mühlemann was responsible for strategic communications at UBS Switzerland. From 2010 to 2014, she was Head of Media Relations & Internal Communication at Swiss International Airlines. At the airline, as in her positions in the financial industry, she led communications in exceptional situations and supported change management processes and major projects.

Susanne Mühlemann laid her professional foundations in business journalism. She worked for 15 years in the leading media of various publishing houses. Her academic career includes a degree in political science from the University of St. Gallen and a degree in international relations.

According to the survey, a large majority (91%) of PR professionals are able to carry out their work independently and autonomously. In addition, 78% of communications experts are able to organize their working hours flexibly. And management is also increasingly relying on a modern understanding of leadership: 75 percent of managers actively support self-determined work and give their teams more responsibility. This development is supported by clear company guidelines on remote work and the free choice between working from home and the office - 71% of respondents say this about their company.

Almost two thirds (65%) of communications experts also state that their company promotes a learning culture that supports continuous training and personal development. At the same time, almost as many companies and PR agencies (63%) ensure that work and private life are in balance (work-life balance). Diversity is already promoted in 62 percent of companies, according to the PR experts.

For 58 percent of PR professionals, it is now possible to increasingly work from home, and exactly half (50 percent) of those surveyed stated that managers in their companies are increasingly handing over responsibility. Agile working has become the standard for almost as many (49%).

Only one in three (31%) say that everyone in the team works in the same city, and just under a quarter (24%) even work completely remotely. For a good one in five PR professionals (22 percent), the respective company even promotes remote work in other European countries.

Communicators have stated that

• I can do my work independently and autonomously 91 %
• I can organize my working hours flexibly 78 %
• In my company, managers support, encourage and empower their teams to work autonomously 75 %
• My company has clear guidelines on remote work 71%
• I can choose whether I work from home or in the office 71 %
• My company promotes a learning culture that supports continuous training and personal development 65 %
• In my company, care is taken to ensure that work and private life are in balance 63 %
• Diversity is promoted in my company 62 %
• I am increasingly working from home 58 %
• In my company, managers are increasingly handing over responsibility 50 %
• I have a say/participation in company decisions 50 %
• Agile working is standard in my company 49 %
• Everyone in my team works in the same city 31 %
• Everyone in my team works remotely 24 %
• My company promotes remote work in other European countries 22 %

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For the PR Trend Monitor News Aktuell and Per conducted an online survey in February 2024 among 327 communications professionals from companies, organizations and PR agencies in Switzerland and Germany.

For the twelfth time, Best of Swiss Apps has shown who sets the tone in the Swiss app scene. The industry met on Tuesday in Zurich's Kongresshaus to celebrate the best app projects of the year. This year, the organizers recorded record participation: 241 submissions vied for the favor of the juries and the guests in the hall.

The program also included a premiere: Best of Swiss Software awarded prizes to individual software and system integration projects in four categories for the first time. In a two-stage process, the University of Bern and the expert juries had previously examined all submissions for their quality and innovative strength and selected the winners. 25 projects nominated.

Four trophies for Enterprise Software

The "InsightLoop" project was the winner in the Data & AI Solutions category. The data analysis software from Coresystems combines large language models with RAG technology and impressed the jury with efficiency gains of up to 20 percent for manufacturing companies.

The "Apriko" platform from the Zurich-based software manufacturer of the same name came out on top in the Business Solutions category. According to the jury, the platform sets standards in the digitalization of staff leasing and impresses with its user-friendliness and wide range of functions.

With the "Service Portal 2.0" project, the health insurance company Sanitas brought a business-critical core application, which also contains sensitive customer data, into the cloud - and thus won the prize for the best cloud native solution. Valtech implemented the project on behalf of Sanitas.

In the Core Business Integration category, the trophy went to Baloise Bank and its implementation partner TI&M for the "New e- and mobile banking" project. With the highest security standards and innovative functions such as push TAN and QR-bills, the platform offers a future-proof, user-centered solution, the jury found.

A Master with three gold medals

The big winner of the evening was the "Helion One App", which claimed the title of Master of Swiss Apps 2024. The app for the energy management of solar systems was developed by Dept and Solar Manager on behalf of Helion Energy. In addition to the Master title, the project also won three gold awards in the Customer Experience, Design and Functionality categories.

In terms of customer experience, the jury praised the app for its ability to inspire users with clever micro animations for a complex topic. They also liked the consistently coherent design of the app and the infographics it contains. And in terms of functionality, the judges were impressed by the successful balancing act of appealing to both end users and professionals.

Help for spills and bituminous VR

The Barryvox app received the second most votes in the Masters of Swiss Apps poll. The app is used to prepare for the search for avalanche victims with the Mammut search device of the same name. Users can train for emergencies using various scenarios - with live feedback via Bluetooth.

The third most votes went to the "Bitumen VR" app, which also won gold in the Extended Reality category. The training app is designed to support the training of trainee plumbers. Thanks to VR, the application not only conveys a good basic understanding, but also solid handling of the tools. In addition, training with the app is safer than live training - and it saves 25 tons of bitumen per year, as the jury noted.

Double gold for an occupational safety app

Two gold awards went to the Uepaa app from the ETH spin-off of the same name, which specializes in occupational safety solutions for people working alone. The app excelled in the Innovation category, with the jury particularly highlighting the life-saving functions such as a digital dead man's function or a motionless detector, 24/7 emergency call, first responder search and precise location.

The app also emerged as the winner in the Business Impact category. Originally developed as a protection system for mountaineers, Uepaa has successfully transferred its expertise to the field of occupational health and safety and established itself in a new, promising market, the jury explained.

"No digitalization without young talent"

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the "Hack an app" award. Young talents between the ages of 11 and 14 were able to qualify for this award. The aim is to find the best apps developed by children and young people as part of TI&M's IT youth development program "Hack an app".

The prize was won by 12-year-old Rahel Panosian from Bern - with an app on the subject of first aid. Andreas Németh, Director of the Organization and IT Department of the City of Zurich, began by emphasizing the importance of the award. "Without young talent, there is no digitalization," he said and then praised the winner for her creativity, innovative spirit and especially for her ability to convey a serious topic in an accessible and entertaining way. "The combination of different elements that are not only informative, but also make learning easier and more appealing through humor and musical accents is particularly successful."

A prize for accessibility is a win for everyone

"The fact is that every second person in Switzerland has difficulties with digitalization," said Markus Riesch, Head of the Federal Government's E-Accessibility Office, introducing the special category of accessibility. By "difficulty", Riesch did not mean aversion, but difficulties with hurdles in accessing digital services. After all, accessible websites and apps are still nowhere near as widespread as they should be. With the aim of changing this, the jury, in cooperation with the Allianz Digitale Inklusion Schweiz (ADIS), awarded prizes to apps that are characterized by above-average accessibility.

Gold in the special category Accessibility went to SBB Inclusive - an app explicitly designed for people with disabilities. Live functions such as door button recognition are proof that mobile apps and the use of haptic feedback bring added value for people with disabilities, said jury president Markus Böni from the "Access for All" foundation, adding: "At the same time, it is clear that we all benefit from accessibility: Information such as the carriage number, exit page and written announcements are a plus for everyone!"

A community of practice assistants, floorball on the street and a health insurance app

The "MyLab app" won gold in the Web Apps category. The app is used for networking and the professional development of medical practice assistants. Although the application was implemented as a progressive web app, it feels like a native app, said jury president Claes Lennman. "User engagement through the points system, the appealing design and good usability round off this package for this year's gold award in this category."

The "Level Sports" app triumphed in the User Engagement category. With this application, the Swiss Floorball Association aims to anchor the clubs' offerings more firmly in the regions. The app encourages users to meet up outside and compete in games. And thanks to the practical map, it is also easy to find places where opponents are playing, said jury president Matthias Sala. "The hip avatars also make street floorball a cool sport for the target group."

MyCSS" was the winner in the User Experience category. The Lucerne health insurance company's app has a refreshing layout and offers a number of personalization options, said jury president Nino Cometti. Among other things, he praised the micro-animations and the subtle use of colors and pictograms. "MyCSS combines all the touchpoints of an insurance app and is also fun to use." (Joël Orizet/tme/swi)

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This article first appeared in Netzwoche.

Crises such as climate change or the coronavirus pandemic show how important trust in science is, an international team involving the University of Vienna has found. In order to investigate the role of "intellectual modesty" in this context, a study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior study, around 2000 participants in the USA were surveyed and involved in online experiments.

Under the direction of the University of Pittsburgh, the researchers presented scientific texts that were formulated either with "high intellectual modesty", "low intellectual modesty" or no particular style.

"High intellectual modesty" stands for the willingness to admit gaps in knowledge, to listen to the contributions of others and to reconsider one's own findings in light of this, explained Nina Vaupotic, a psychologist from the University of Vienna who was involved in the study, in an interview with the APA.

It has been shown that people who read texts that were formulated accordingly rated the scientists and their results as more trustworthy. This also meant that they were more willing to follow the scientific recommendations or search for further information.

Science is limited

They also tested the form in which "intellectual humility" can be taught and the results that can be achieved. In addition to the personal admission of knowledge limits, the researchers also looked at two other approaches.

It was communicated here that science is limited in its methods and results, for example in terms of generalizability. Even if this could increase trust in the person, there was a slightly negative effect on belief in a particular research topic, according to Vaupotic.

Overall, there were very small differences in the various types of communication, which is why these should be tested in further studies. According to the research team, "personal intellectual modesty" is helpful in strengthening trust. (SDA/swi)

Schgaguler has been with Weleda for five years. In spring 2022, she took on the role of Head Group Brand Management Cosmetics. Schgaguler brings with her twenty years of experience in the consumer goods industry, including marketing at Novartis, product & sales management at LVMH and brand management at Procter & Gamble. "Susanne has shown that she can make a significant contribution to the growth of the brand with her distinctive industry and brand expertise, her strong implementation skills and leadership strength," says Weleda CEO Tina Müller. Susanne Schgaguler will report to Tina Müller from the head office in Arlesheim.

The previous CMO, Lars Zirpins, will leave the company by mutual agreement in December after two successful years at Weleda. With him as CMO, the brand has modernized and developed significantly, says Müller: "Under his leadership, we were able to implement the transformation of Weleda's marketing and make our organization fit for the future."

On Tuesday, the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste Nagra will submit the general license application for the Swiss deep geological repository to the federal government. The construction project thus enters a new phase and, after 50 years of research, the public debate now begins: the people will ultimately decide whether the repository should be built at the Nördlich Lägern site.

This is why this year's issue of the magazine of the century is not only being published as a printed magazine, but also as a podcast series featuring ten personalities from the worlds of politics, science and culture, who share their perspectives on the deep geological repository project in conversation with presenter Hannes Hug.

The measures supplement the facts and figures of the general license application with the human factor - the "most important of all factors", as it is called. People from the population and personalities who have come or will come into contact with considerations regarding the deep geological repository due to their professional field of activity have their say - including former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, ethicist Dominic Roser, bestselling author Thomas Meyer and futurologist Jeannie Schneider. "The big absentees in this debate are the future generations," says Dominic Roser. The Teaching and Research Council of the University of Fribourg and argues that their interests should be taken more into account.

"For us, the submission of the general license application is an epoch-making step," explains Nagra CEO Matthias Braun. "Now we not only need the authorities to review the application, but also the broadest possible debate. After all, the voters will ultimately decide on the deep geological repository in Nördlich Lägern. With the podcast and the magazine, we want to launch the debate and find out what visions, hopes and fears the Swiss population associates with the deep geological repository project."

The content, which was designed together with the Zurich agency Schroten and implemented by a team of specialists, will provide food for thought on several channels over the coming months. In addition to the print magazine, the hub Centurymagazine.swiss and the podcasts available on all the usual portals, a film documentary and a movie trailer have also been produced. The latter can be seen in Swiss cinemas from the end of November.

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Responsible at Nagra: Patrick Studer (Head of Communications), Oliver Hinze (Communications Manager). Responsible for Schroten: Adrian Schräder (overall responsibility & concept), Adrian Huwyler (concept and development), Aline Herzog (project management), Hannes Hug (moderation & editing), David Fehr, Michèle Roten, Sebastian Sele, Florian Leu (editing & production), Hubertus Design (layout & art direction), Rea Gutzwiller (proofreading), Bálint Dobozi, Márton Dobozi (sound & music). Photos: Maurice Haas. Film: Mattogrosso Films, Benjamin Weiss (Director), Marc Bachmann (DOP), Annika Fausch (Editor). Web: Cubera Solutions, Natalia Gerasimenko, Michael Fretz. Media: Speed U Up Suisse, Dama Halter; Capture Media, Sandro Albin, Nicole Ruckstuhl.

"Wars and conflicts are shaping the world view, and we are also feeling this in the canton of Bern," said FDP Security Director Philippe Müller to the media on Tuesday. Anti-Semitic incidents and related inquiries have increased since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the flare-up of the Middle East conflict. There have also been incidents against Muslims in recent months.

The cantonal police did not provide specific figures, but a sharp increase has been noticeable since October 7, 2023. Reports have since stagnated "at a high level", said Michael Fichter, Head of Prevention at the cantonal police.

Schools receive support

To counteract this development, the cantonal police have stepped up their existing prevention work and launched a campaign called "Together against hate". Around 30 religious communities, authorities, educational institutions and other organizations are taking part.

In this context, schools would also be provided with additional teaching materials. The aim is for them to increasingly discuss measures against hate with pupils.

The Bern cantonal police have been recording hate crimes statistically since last year. In 2023, a total of 55 reports were received, primarily involving verbal abuse, threats, assault and simple bodily harm. Hate crimes are criminal offenses in which people are attacked because they belong to a social group. (SDA/swi)

Winterhilfe Schweiz will support In Flagranti over the next five years. The aim is to sustainably strengthen the relevance, visibility and impact of Winterhilfe through a well thought-out and targeted communication concept.

The agency in Lys was also commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy to promote sustainable mobility in companies. As part of the "SwissEnergy" programme, In Flagranti will run the specialist office for sustainable mobility in companies together with specialized partner companies from 2025. The aim is to motivate companies and their employees, customers and visitors to make their mobility more sustainable. In addition to In Flagranti, the specialists from Planval Partner in Bern and Brig, the Office for Mobility in Bern and Burgdorf and Mobitrends in Lugano are also on board.

The Mjm.cc agency is now headed by three people. In addition to founder Martin Matt, the new management team now also includes Florence Noelpp and Christoph Marti, according to the agency.

Both new members of the Executive Board have been with Mjm.cc for almost nine years. Noelpp joined the company in January 2016. She was most recently Project Manager Live Communication, but is now COO, according to Mjm.cc. The agency emphasizes her expertise in live communication and event management. "As part of the management team, I would like to further develop Mjm.cc's strengths in the areas of creativity, strategy and implementation. Our clients can rely on innovative solutions and a high level of service," says Noelpp.

Christoph Marti also joined Mjm.cc in January 2016, where he is responsible as Creative Director. Marti himself comments that he is looking forward to "driving the agency forward in his new role with fresh, unconventional ideas. Together, we want to offer our clients solutions that go beyond traditional approaches."

The third member of the team is Martin Matt, who founded the company more than ten years ago. He will continue to be responsible for the strategic direction of the company, writes Mjm.cc.