The advertising industry is facing challenges that require radical change - and Wirz shows that a traditional agency wants to use the opportunity to redefine itself.

Wirz as a "Creative Business Partner" - A radical break with tradition

As a "Creative Business Partner", the company is moving away from rigid, expense-oriented billing towards a model-based approach that focuses on creativity as a productive force. Customers do not pay for hours spent, but for the measurable success of creative solutions. This change may seem radical to some, but at a time when traditional advertising structures are increasingly being questioned, Wirz is sending out a strong signal of innovative spirit and adaptability.

Strategic creativity instead of rigid structures

The new modules such as "Brand Capital" and "New Game" show how far the agency is going with its transformation: it is about more than advertising - it is about strategic creativity that is able to intervene deeply in a company's value chain. Creativity becomes the engine for growth and added value that is aligned with the client's strategic goals. But this change also harbors risks, because how can creativity be measured? The promise that creative support and strategic consulting will deliver concrete results is ambitious and requires a readjustment in the industry's understanding of the market.

From strict processes to flexible creative partnerships

I remember my time at Wirz in the mid-1990s, when the agency had an almost military structure - clear hierarchies, tight controls. It was a different time. The advertising world was dominated by print, television and poster campaigns. Digital didn't play a role, and the idea of creativity was inextricably linked to craftsmanship and an understanding of the market for traditional media. Wirz's current transformation underlines the fact that completely different skills are required today: The agency is striving to position itself as a partner for strategic corporate goals and to place the role of creativity in a new, multi-layered context.

The balancing act between creativity and economic reality

But one thing remains: The industry is in danger of losing young talent because creative talents are increasingly realizing themselves in other areas. An agency CEO recently told me: "I'm currently experiencing a sense of helplessness in the industry." And: at a time when social issues such as diversity and sustainability are - rightly - gaining in importance, they must not become a distraction from economic reality. Instead, they must complement the creative potential that makes up the true innovative strength in this industry.

Wirz has dared to take the step of systematically putting creativity at the service of corporate growth - a courageous decision that deserves respect. Whether this succeeds in the long term depends on whether this model proves to be sustainable in practice and whether it attracts customers who are prepared to pay appropriately for results.

The anniversary year 2025 marks a special chapter for the Paul Klee CenterAn impressive exhibition on Le Corbusier focuses on the work of one of the most important architects and artists of modernism. Le Corbusier, who wanted to create a new living environment with radical creativity, inspired generations - the center dedicates a tribute to his sculptural thinking that goes far beyond architecture.

Anni Albers, whose work as a textile artist began at the Bauhaus and came to full bloom in the USA, is honored in a retrospective exhibition. Her innovative textile designs, which combined architecture and design, show a rare harmony of structure and aesthetics.

This summer will see the presentation of large-format works by British artist Rose Wylie, whose unmistakable style combines pop culture, literature and personal narratives in bold colors. Wylie manages to challenge conventions with her pictures and establish an idiosyncratic, lively visual language.

In 2025, the permanent exhibition "Kosmos Klee" will focus on several themes: in addition to a look at Paul Klee's relationship to music and his presence on book covers, the center will be showing works by this pioneer of abstraction in Latin America for the first time in Switzerland with the exhibition on the German-Venezuelan artist Gertrud Goldschmidt (Gego).

The accompanying cultural program complements the year with musical and literary highlights. Names such as Emmanuel Pahud, Xavier de Maistre and Grigory Sokolov characterize the master concert series, while readings by Martina Hefter, Margrit Schriber and other authors herald the literary season.

 

Zürich Tourism is undergoing a strategic realignment: With Janine Rupf, Marina Bollhalder and Marc Scheurer, the management team is being strengthened and reorganized. These structural adjustments pave the way for positioning the company in a future-oriented and market-driven manner. The establishment of the new Destination Development division is a decisive step in this process, driving forward the transition from destination marketing to comprehensive destination development.

The vision behind this reorientation lies in the promotion of tourism as an essential part of urban life, which benefits both guests and the local population. The focus on sustainable mobility, the further development of the tourism offering and closer cooperation with partners from politics and business underline the goal of sustainably increasing the social and economic value of Zurich tourism.

Marc Scheurer, experienced tourism expert and new Head of Destination Development, will lead the strategic development from December. Planned initiatives include the promotion of night train connections and the creation of new experiences for locals and visitors alike. With this new direction, Zürich Tourism is setting a clear course for the future of the city.

Janine Rupf as Head of Marketing and Marina Bollhalder as Head of Operations have also joined the Executive Board. With this strategic reinforcement and a targeted adjustment of the area of activity, Zürich Tourism is proactively positioning itself in the market and strengthening the region's appeal as a tourist destination.

Five renowned Swiss and international film production companies have joined forces to form Swiss Studios AG in order to strengthen the creative potential of the Swiss film industry. With a comprehensive offering that includes development, production, distribution and license management from a single source, Swiss Studios strives to create high-quality content for cinema, television and streaming services. In particular, the new opportunities created by the Swiss Film Act, which requires streaming providers to invest in local film production, open up exciting prospects for Swiss Studios.

Dr. Malte Probst, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Swiss Studios AG, emphasizes: "With Swiss Studios, we are laying the foundation for an innovative and internationally competitive Swiss film industry." The shareholders - including Elite Filmproduktion, Praesens-Film, Contrast Series, Bavaria Fiction Switzerland and Kinescope Film - are contributing sound expertise and a strong network to elevate Switzerland to the international stage as a production location.

The studio is pursuing ambitious goals: In addition to developing creative content, there is a particular focus on digital innovations and the integration of artificial intelligence into the production process. "We want to combine technical innovation and creative storytelling to inspire both Swiss and international audiences," explains Corinne Rossi, Member of the Management Board.

 

With the introduction of additional major specializations, the HWZ offers its Bachelor's students the opportunity to adapt their study focus to current labor market requirements and personal career goals. From autumn 2025, there will be seven practice-oriented specializations to choose from, which have been developed in collaboration with experts from business and academia. Students on the Bachelor's programmes in Business Administration, Business Communications and Digital Business & AI will be able to focus on specific areas in their final year of study and deepen their qualifications in areas such as AI Marketing, Sustainable Business Development or UX & Data-Driven Organizations.

Helen Irniger, who heads the major programme at the HWZ, emphasizes the importance of these options: "The fourth year of study offers students the opportunity to specialize in a practice-oriented way by choosing a major and writing a Bachelor's thesis for about a third of their studies." Urs Jäckli, Head of the Department of Education at the HWZ, adds: "Our aim is to prepare Bachelor students optimally for the dynamic demands of the job market." With this major model, the HWZ offers students a flexible and future-oriented education that covers both a broad knowledge base and specialized skills.

The revised major offer - topics and specializations

In the final year of the eight-semester HWZ Bachelor's degree course, students can choose from a wide range of seven major specializations:

• Major AI Marketing, Sales / Business Psychology
• Major Integrated Digital Business & AI Management
• Major Consulting, Coaching, Leadership / Business Psychology
• Major Sustainable Business Development & Entrepreneurship
• Major Business Law & Compliance
• Major Banking & Finance
• Major UX & Data-Driven Organizations

Creativity makes companies successful. Studies show that companies that integrate creativity into their business strategy grow 2.6 times faster than their competitors. At a time when 90 percent of a company's value is made up of intangible assets, it is clear that creativity is the key to securing growth and creating value.

Wirz system

Wirz has therefore developed a system that bundles creativity and uses it as efficiently as possible. These are the words of the press release sent out by the long-established company at the beginning of the week. And not just for advertising and communication, as it goes on to say, but to solve its customers' most important economic challenges. This system consists of modular, combinable products that build on one another and can be put together to form tailor-made programs depending on the issue and economic challenge. What's more, this modularity enables customers to select precisely the components that fit their specific challenges - from strategic needs analysis to innovative product development.

The new model is based on systematized processes. This means that all processes are optimized so that as little time and resources as possible are spent on project management and administration, leaving as much time as possible for what ultimately makes the measurable difference: creativity.

Results-oriented remuneration

Also new: the system does not reward the effort, but the result. Wirz customers therefore do not pay for the hours spent, but for the efficient solutions. The new pricing model rewards quality and efficiency, not the maximization of effort. And most importantly: the new approach always leads to the best possible solution, because creativity can always be focused on a specific problem.

"Creative Business Partner"

Wirz is convinced that this realignment will send a strong signal for the future of the entire industry. The agency now sees itself as a "creative business partner" and offers solutions that go far beyond advertising and communication. Creativity thus becomes the engine for growth, value creation and measurable success.

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In demand:

m&k asked the Wirz editorial team what it means when a communications agency reinvents itself.

 

m&k: What prompted Wirz to realign itself?

Editorial office: Wirz has decided to fundamentally change its business model because we firmly believe that creativity can do more than "just" communication and because the communication and advertising industry has changed. Today, clients have to use a variety of channels with the same budget that used to be used mainly for traditional advertising. Moreover, the solution is not always a campaign. The previous hourly billing model provided the wrong incentive and led to administrative work that brought no real added value to either the client or the agency. WIRZ also wanted to switch from a model that rewards effort to one that rewards results. The aim is to use creativity in a targeted and efficient way to meet the economic challenges of clients.

 

Will customers now get more? Or something else? How can we imagine this in a practical sense?

Yes! customers now get an even better creative product that is 100% aligned to their strategic goals and focused on the optimal solution. Thanks to our targeted, modular solutions, Wirz can respond specifically to individual challenges. WIRZ offers three "paths", each covering different needs: Brand Capital (increases the brand value), Market Readiness (realizes new market opportunities along the customer journey) and New Game (opens up new growth areas through innovative products/services). This modular structure enables customers to select and combine the products they need. They pay for concrete solutions and results rather than for hours spent, which means that there is a greater focus on the actual creative work and less on administration.

 

Will there be a reduction in jobs or will they be expanded?

During implementation, the headcount was reduced in some cases, as the efficiency gains mean that less administrative work is required. At the same time, however, Wirz is looking for new talent with specific strategic and creative skills to support the new direction and better meet the needs of customers. This is therefore more of a realignment of personnel resources than a reduction in headcount.

The Sport Forum Switzerland celebrates its 30th anniversary and becomes a stage for the future of Swiss sport. The highlight of the event is the meeting of the two candidates for the Swiss-Olympic presidency, Ruth Metzler-Arnold and Markus Wolf, who will present their visions for the coming years on November 7. The election of the new Swiss Olympic President will then take place on November 22 and promises to have a lasting impact on the profile of Swiss sport.

Hans-Willy Brockes, CEO of the ESB Marketing Network and organizer of the forum, emphasizes the importance of the event: "For 30 years, the Sport Forum Switzerland has been the place where the sport of tomorrow is shaped." In addition to the election debates, current topics such as women's sport, sports tech, sponsorship and sustainability are on the agenda. Major sporting events such as the Women's EURO 2025 and the recent successes of the Swiss national ice hockey team will provide additional impetus for discussions on the future of sport in Switzerland.

Prominent athletes such as Olympic champion Nicola Spirig and downhill pro Stefan Garlicki will also share their experiences, while international brands such as Red Bull Racing and Swiss-Ski will talk about the latest technologies and sponsorship trends. The Muuvr Community Run and the Bitpanda Sports Night offer networking opportunities where the sports industry can exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere. Further information and the registration form can be found here.

At a time when, according to surveys, more and more people are worried about inflation, Coop is sending a clear message: employees' wages will continue to rise in the coming year. A general wage increase of at least 1 percent has been agreed for employees with a collective employment contract, while individual adjustments of the same amount are planned for management employees. Coop and the social partner VdAC have agreed on this measure, as Coop announces in its press release.

Over the last ten years, Coop has increased wages by a total of 10.7 percent, which corresponds to a real wage increase of 4.4 percent - a strong commitment to fair pay and to its attractiveness as an employer in the Swiss retail sector. The announcement coincides with Migros' billion-euro investment, which is responding to the current economic situation with price cuts. Coop is complementing the signal with a wage increase, which has generated a positive response in times of growing uncertainty on the labor market.

In addition to fair pay, Coop employees benefit from other advantages, according to the press release, including high employer contributions to pension funds, loyalty bonuses and numerous benefits. Since 2020, the "Fair Compensation" certificate from SQS has confirmed that Coop meets the criteria for fair pay.

Migros is setting the course for a new era: over the next few years, CHF 2.5 billion will be invested in price reductions, product range expansions and the modernization of stores. Over 1000 everyday products will become permanently cheaper - with the aim of making customers' shopping baskets noticeably cheaper. From today, more than 60 types of fruit and vegetables will benefit from the first price adjustments to discount level, marked by the eye-catching yellow low price sticker.

In addition to the product range and prices, the advertising landscape will be keeping a close eye on the change at Migros. As one of the largest advertising investors and publisher of one of the most widely read magazines in Switzerland, the new strategy could have an impact not only on the visibility and image of the brand, but also on the level of advertising expenditure. The extent to which the new developments will shape Migros' brand image remains to be seen.

The product range is also getting a breath of fresh air. In future, Migros will focus more on its own brands, which already enjoy cult status and are now to play a more central role on the shelves again. By investing in the prices and quality of its own products, Migros aims to offer an optimized price-performance ratio.

At the same time, Migros is focusing on freshness and regionality: from the optimized supply chain to partnerships with regional producers, the supply of fresh products will be further strengthened. In addition, the company plans to open 140 new stores and modernize 350 existing locations by 2030 to make the shopping experience more appealing.

With all these measures, Migros is fundamentally modernizing its core business - true to the cooperative guiding principle of Migros founder Gottlieb Duttweiler. Migros remains financially sound even in its transformation, as stated in the press release, and is therefore ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025 in a modern, fresh guise, as the press release continues.

 

 

The Effie Awards Switzerland are organized by Leading Swiss Agencies, the association of Switzerland's leading communications agencies, and recognize the most effective marketing campaigns of the past two years. For this year's edition, 59 jury members selected 34 outstanding campaigns as finalists in the first round of judging. m&k was there and gained various insights from the jury (Markt-kom.com reported).

From these 34 campaigns, 20 jurors have now awarded a total of 24 campaigns with metal in the second round of judging. The judging took place under the direction of jury president Peter Felser and the Effie management.

Which 24 campaigns have won is revealed m&k currently being unveiled in various stages. The 2024 winners will be celebrated at the award show on November 13.

Now that all the bronze and silver winners have been announced, the first gold winners have been announced: Wirz with two campaigns and think.

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NON Beer: The most democratic beer in Switzerland (New category)

Migros uses the public debate about the potential sale of alcohol for a product launch. The NON becomes a symbol of the vote and sustainably strengthens Migros' market share in the non-alcoholic beer segment.

After almost 100 alcohol-free years, Migros put the alcohol issue to a ballot. A potential shitstorm faced a huge opportunity: Public attention on the Migros range has never been greater. Migros used this opportunity to introduce the first Migros beer - with or without alcohol, depending on the result of the vote. Enormous media interest was followed by a clear decision by the 2.3 million cooperative members: OUI to NON. The NON beer - a drinkable symbol of Migros democracy - became Migros' second-largest non-alcoholic beer brand in just six months. The NON family now includes five other varieties and has helped Migros gain 10 percentage points of market share in the non-alcoholic beer segment.

 Client: Federation of Migros Cooperatives

Lead agency: Wirz Group

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OUI to the NON: Cheers to Migros democracy (Public Relations category)

With the beer twist, Migros manages to turn a potential shitstorm into the PR coup of the year. In doing so, it is reflecting on its fundamental democratic values and strengthening its reputation in the long term.

Alcohol in Migros, yes or no? A highly emotional topic. After almost 100 alcohol-free years, Migros left this fundamental decision to its 2.3 million cooperative members. In order to generate maximum attention for the vote, an unconventional campaign was chosen: the announcement of the first Migros beer. With or without alcohol, depending on the result of the vote. This took the heat out of the heated debate. An enormous media response followed, reaching over 400 million contacts and generating a media equivalent value of CHF 14.72 million. With an increase of 20,515 cooperative members and the highest voter turnout in the last five years, the campaign not only became the "biggest PR coup of the year" (Watson.ch), but also strengthened brand integrity in the long term.

Client: Federation of Migros Cooperatives

Lead agency: Wirz Group

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Ochsner Sport - Switzerland is our sports ground (Brand Image category)

A long-standing success story: despite intensified competition, Ochsner Sport has been able to clearly expand its position as market leader. And not only in terms of brand awareness, top-of-mind and competence perception, but also in terms of market share.

With its new positioning "Switzerland is our sports ground" and the campaigns based on it, Ochsner Sport can successfully assert itself in the competitive sports market.

Over the course of three years and seven campaigns, the brand has succeeded time and again in communicating its new sporting aspirations, staging a wide variety of themes in a way that is true to its positioning and yet unique.

This has a positive effect on the brand: unaided brand awareness has improved to 75% and the top-of-mind value to 39%, making Ochsner Sport the most competent provider in the minds of the Swiss, ahead of SportX and Decathlon.

And it has a positive effect on business: the market share can be increased to 10.0%.

 Client: Ochsner Sport

Lead agency: thjnk Zurich

Other agencies / companies: JBW Media

The Swiss Influence Marketing Forum (SIMF) offered an event highlight for digital marketing in Switzerland on October 25 at The Hall in Dübendorf near Zurich. With panels, keynotes and workshops, industry experts presented their views on topics such as influencer marketing, community building and digital culture. The specialist event was followed by the Smile Swiss Influence Award Night, which honored special achievements with awards. m&k also reported on this in a separate article. As part of the SIMF, m&k also conducted exclusive interviews with leading figures from the scene, which are presented here:

Rob Hartmann from Publicis on advertising 3.0: disruptive or classic?

"Be disruptive. Even in advertising." - In our talk, Rob Hartmann sheds light on the role of agency classics in times of nano- and mega-influencers, who have long since distinguished themselves through new approaches to marketing. In his gripping talk at the forum, Rob explained why advertising 3.0 needs new approaches and how disruptive strategies are bringing a breath of fresh air to the scene.

 

Celebrities in the Expert:innen-Talk: The Influence Hot Seat

In one of the concluding panels, prominent industry experts discussed the trends that will shape influencer marketing in the future. With inspiring takeaways, they provided insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and shared their personal impressions of the day.

 

Dominique von Matt on virtual influencers and global trends

"Will virtual influencers replace real ones?" - Dominique von Matt, a thought leader in brand management, talks in an interview about current developments in influencer marketing and future trends. Just ahead of his trip to South Korea, he shares his thoughts on the role of virtual figures in advertising and the next steps in innovation.

 

Dr. Hauschka Switzerland: SME success with influencer marketing

"100 percent SME. No budget." - Alexandra Brux and Silvia Imken from Dr. Hauschka Switzerland provide insights into their three-stage influencer strategy. With a clever concept, they strengthen their traditional brand in the cosmetics industry and show how sustainable growth is possible even with a limited budget.

 

Mentoring is a valuable concept that promotes the personal and professional development of young talents and future leaders by connecting experienced people (mentors) with young talents (mentees).

"Promoting young talent is a key concern for us, which is why we launched the IAA Speed Mentoring Program," says Chantal Landis, Managing Director of the IAA Swiss Chapter.

On Wednesday evening, 24 nominated mentees were able to talk to eight C-level marketers for the first time in order to benefit from their professional experience and career-related knowledge.

Together with her fellow board members Guido Trevisan, CMO of Goldbach, and Ismail Wicki, Senior Manager National Sales at Weischer.Cinema, Landis adapted the IAA UK speed mentoring concept for the Swiss market and invited mentors and mentees from the client, agency and media side to take part.

"Further development and knowledge transfer are both a duty and a passion. Not only do the mentees benefit from the mentors' experience, but the mentors can also benefit from the personal contacts," Trevisan is convinced. Wicki adds: "Mentoring combines experience with potential - a collective responsibility that we as the IAA Swiss Chapter are delighted to create opportunities for."

Committed mentors, enthusiastic mentees

The IAA brings together global leaders from advertising clients, media companies and communication and advertising agencies. "When selecting the mentors and mentees, this tri-party was very important to us," says Landis. The following IAA members were involved as mentors on Wednesday:

Christoph Marty (CEO Goldbach Group), Gregor Eicher (Head of Marketing & Sales Bank Cler), Joséphine Chamoulaud (CEO Smile Insurance), Laura Loos (Senior Director Marketing The Coca-Cola Company), Matthias Kiess (CEO TBWA), Mike Weber (Director Marketing & Sales Wemf), Nathalie Diethelm (CEO Serviceplan Group Switzerland) and Raphael Bratschi (Head of Product Management & Business Development Post Advertising).