What a nonsense word. But unfortunately it's being used very often at the moment. The masculine noun context has long since found its way into everyday language. It was already complicated enough. But now this verb - or, to put it in the old-fashioned way, this activity word - is making life difficult because, by definition, it calls for an activity.

Suddenly there is a need or obligation to always interpret a text in context. In other words, looking at information, events or ideas in isolation is no longer enough. No, we have to assess everything in relation to the circumstances in which they occur or to which they refer and the people who convey them. Thank you very much. So the temporal, political, economic, socio-cultural and personal circumstances play an essential role in how we should interpret something. It reads pretty complicated. As if life wasn't already complicated enough, now we have to contextualize everything.

By contextualizing something, we try to understand how it fits into its larger environment and how it is influenced by this environment or exerts influence on it itself. Can we no longer simply take things as they are? Can we no longer simply read and enjoy texts and, in the best case, even understand them? Does everything really have to be contextualized? YES. To use this unspeakable portmanteau word for once.

If you want to take everything into account, you end up with nothing

YES, because otherwise there is a great risk of being misled. If we don't place statements in a larger context, we could be manipulated. Contextualizing helps us to classify something in order to understand it better. For example, it helps if we take into account that not everything we scroll through on social media is true and real. Or if we take into account that the pitch was not lost because of the performance of the many agencies invited, but because the clients already knew who they were going to choose before the presentation, then that doesn't ease the pain, but it contextualizes the disdainful rejection. But if everything is constantly contextualized in meetings with existing clients, if something has to be viewed contextually or if there is even talk of context-sensitive elements, then it all becomes a bit exhausting.

Therefore: NO, because if we are constantly contextualizing, we won't get anywhere. If every idea, every concept, every solution first has to be considered in a larger context, there is a risk that it will be completely talked out of existence and die before it has even grown up. There are always enough ifs and buts around it that can become a game stopper. Instead of constantly contextualizing, perhaps we should reflect a little more. Reflecting refers to the thought process in which we think about our own thoughts, feelings, experiences or actions. That is usually enough. But beware, reflection requires self-awareness and self-criticism. It is about consciously thinking about the past or the present in order to gain insights or develop further. It's hard, but valuable.

Contextualizing, on the other hand, only refers to putting something in its context in order to understand it better. And that then provides this space for excuses for not having to decide something and play it back to the sender.

The SAQ - Swiss Association for Quality hosted the Swiss Quality Day for the 17th time - a now established event with cross-industry appeal, which, in addition to plenty of networking opportunities, always offers a varied program of presentations. As in the previous year, the event was organized in collaboration with Shift Switzerland organized.

An excursion into robotics

The fact that Switzerland is the world champion in innovation is something that is often pointed out - and was also emphasized on Swiss Quality Day. Switzerland's innovative strength in robotics is at the forefront. The first speaker to talk about this was Prof. Dr. Roland Siegwart, Director Autonomous Systems Lab ETH Zurich and Founding Co-Director of Wyss Zurich. In his presentation, Prof. Siegwart presented a number of applications where robots capable of walking or flying can provide massive support to humans, for example in material testing in hazardous environments such as wind turbines or high-rise chimneys. The solutions shown were developed by ETH spin-offs. They are examples of how the combination of research and science with innovative companies and high-quality manufacturing works.

Innovation "bottom-up" instead of industry promotion by the state

But what about the innovative capacity of companies? And where or how do you get funding pots such as those from Innosuisse? Presenter Andrea Vetsch discussed this with Andreas Preller (Alternative Bank Switzerland), Tom Russi (Innosuisse), Nina Schaller (Luya Foods AG), Cuno Singer (Fill Me) and Roger Siegenthaler (mb-microtec AG). Nina Schaller and Cuno Singer represented the perspective of the start-ups. Driven by a vision - and having one is the basis for innovation - they have each developed their own innovative products. Nina Schaller's company Luya Foods develops plant-based meat alternatives. In contrast to other high-tech meat imitations, these are traditionally fermented. Cuno Singer wants to make drinking tap water more popular with a reusable bottle system and avoid the expensive transportation of mineral water in pet bottles. Innovation in established companies is driven less by visions and more by market pressure, as Roger Siegenthaler knows: "People tend to become sluggish," especially in the position of market leader. Innovation then often arises out of necessity, says Siegenthaler. One antidote to this is an open corporate culture that also allows outside perspectives without "stable smell".

It is well known that innovation requires money - sometimes a lot of it. Innosuisse does not act as an investor, but as an organization that promotes innovative projects. Many start-ups, but also established companies, find it a "jungle" to obtain such funding. "Support start-ups, but don't forget SMEs," was Tom Russi's motto. In contrast to countries such as Germany or France, which operate a state-controlled industrial promotion system, innovation in Switzerland is very much "bottom-up", said Russi. Although this approach is tougher, it is ultimately more promising because companies learn how to deal with economic challenges at an early stage.

An innovator with heart and soul

Thomas Binggeli, or Thömu for short, CEO and owner of Thömus AG, a manufacturer of high-quality bicycles, is someone who has gone from being a young bike enthusiast to a pioneer of new mobility. Bicycles have always been Thomas Binggeli's passion: with the Swiss Bike Park, he has realized a social project to make cycling more popular. The 2000 m2 park serves as a test center for professionals, a training facility and a practice facility for anyone who wants to improve their riding and road safety. Thömus is also involved in the CircuBat project for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries, which are also used in e-bikes. And even if the (bicycle) wheel has long been invented, there is still room for innovation, as Binggeli explained. He showed off his latest developments in e-mountain bikes, which can keep up with classic mountain bikes in terms of weight thanks to smaller electric motors. However, his biggest innovation project at the moment is the "Twinner": a high-end bike with a carbon frame, sophisticated sensor technology and safety features, including its own software for so-called "Smart Power Management". You still have to ride the bike yourself, but it has all the amenities that can be compared with a luxury class car.

"Everyone can be creative"

Innovation requires ideas - and ideal conditions are needed to come up with them. Because: "Everyone can be creative," explained Barbara Studer, a neuroscientist specializing in mental fitness and health, in her presentation. Creativity is present throughout the brain and can also be trained thanks to the so-called neuroplasticity of the brain. Barbara Studer demonstrated some practical exercises that are suitable for keeping our brains fit for creativity. She also explained how strongly emotions play a role in generating ideas: Those who have a higher so-called emodiversity, i.e. experience more emotions, are demonstrably more successful and also healthier. In short: creativity is driven by emotions - something that is completely unknown to artificial intelligence. Barbara Studer gave the audience some practical tips on how to stimulate creativity: fresh air and daylight - combined with exercise - promotes creativity, but also the cultivation of curiosity. She also recommended seeing the world through a child's eyes again and allowing the brain the time it needs to "incubate" ideas. This means not making decisions immediately after a brainstorming session, but only after an incubation period to allow ideas to mature.  

Putting innovation into practice

Another part of the Swiss Quality Day was taken up by four parallel open sessions with a workshop character. These dealt with "Radical Innovation", for example: innovative business models and product strategies from "young savages" were juxtaposed with those from "old hands". The focus was on what we can learn from each other in order to innovate even faster. Another workshop delved further into the topic of creativity - also with practical exercises. A third workshop showed how generic artificial intelligence can also support management systems and where it can already be used to good effect. The fourth open session focused on EFQM: How can this model act as a booster for innovation? And what is the practical experience with it? A panel led by Russell Longmuir, CEO of the EFQM European Foundation for Quality, discussed these questions. 

Sustainability as a new driver of innovation

"Creating haptic fascination from ideas" - this is the claim of industrial designer Björn Ischi, owner of Designform. With "Upcycling by Design", he focuses on the use of existing resources and takes their recyclability into account right from the design stage. This results in unconventional yet economical product designs. Björn Ischi's presentation was entitled "Quality through design". He made the connection to the topic of sustainability, which will be inextricably linked to the world of quality in the future.

The conclusion of the event: innovation is not a new topic, but it remains highly topical. And innovation will continue to drive the Swiss economy - as long as the quality of the innovations is right. The next Swiss Quality Day will take place on May 13, 2025.

More information and impressions: https://saq.ch/de/veranstaltungen/tag_der_schweizer_qualitaet/tsq-2024/

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/ganz-im-zeichen-von-innovation-tag-der-schweizer-qualitaet-2024/

With "Element Hero", the VKG aims to impart basic knowledge to lower and middle school pupils in a fun way, raise their awareness of the dangers of the four elements and show them how they can protect themselves against them. At the heart of the new learning offer are two age-appropriate workbooks that meet both Curriculum 21 and didactic requirements: While "Feuer, ungeheuer?" ("Fire, tremendous?") teaches the very young about the dangers of fire and the work of the fire department, the workbook "Natur, gewaltig?" ("Nature, tremendous?") educates the slightly older ones about weather phenomena.

What the workbooks and accompanying booklets for teachers, hidden object pictures, themed videos and experiment kits have in common is Komet's graphic style on the one hand and the illustration style of Bern-based Berlin artist Jacqueline Urban on the other. She is also responsible for the two curious "Element Heroes" Kira and Flint, who accompany the pupils on their journey of discovery, ask questions or explain connections. Komet in turn created the naming and logo as well as the entire branding for the project - including the website Elementhero.ch - developed.

All "Element Hero" teaching materials can be ordered free of charge by teachers and fire departments since the beginning of April.

Responsible at VKG: Daniel Röösli. Responsible at Komet: Jeff Gerber (CD), Claudio Parente (AD), Cyril Sollberger. (graphic/web design), Daniel Müller (text), Corinne Hert (Client Service Director). Illustrations: Jacqueline Urban.

The Website of the Rivella Group has been given a fresh, modern look and is intended to reflect the values and visions that have characterized the company since it was founded over 70 years ago.

Inspired by the past and geared towards the future, the aim is to offer visitors an immersive experience that harmonizes tradition and innovation.

A journey through history

In the history section of the website, visitors can immerse themselves in Rivella's past, experience old TV commercials and discover the evolution of the brands. "The history of Rivella is also the history of an entire generation. Our TV commercials are real gems that show our development and connection to people over the years," explains Monika Christener, Head of Corporate Communications at Rivella.

Unique and colorful employer

With the aim of countering the changes in the labor market and the associated shortage of labor and skilled workers, the "Career and employer brand" area has been greatly expanded.

With the slogan "Exactly your taste", the company wants to show in an inspiring and refreshing way what makes it a unique employer. "As an employer, we want to inspire and raise awareness among the talent relevant to us so that they consider us when choosing an employer. We want to convey our values, culture and enthusiasm to the outside world with a strong employer image: authentic and also a little self-deprecating," explains Markus Krienbühl, Head of People & Culture at Rivella.

Commitment to the environment and society

A central focus of the new website is also the topic of sustainability, where the family business presents its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and its social and societal commitments. "As a company, we have a responsibility towards our environment and society. Our sustainability measures are an important part of our DNA and demonstrate our commitment to a better future," Christener continues.

Focus on modernity and user-friendliness

The new website has not only been modernized in terms of content, but also technically. Aaron Meder from the agency Soda Studios, which is responsible for development and implementation, particularly emphasizes the modern features and the consistent focus on mobile devices: "We have optimized the usability and accessibility of the website to offer our visitors a seamless and inspiring experience, no matter what device they access it from."

Rivella's internal teams from Corporate Communications, People&Culture and Marketing as well as external partners from the agencies Soda and Frontify were involved in the implementation of the website.

Responsible at Rivella Group: Susanne Widmer, Monika Christener (Corporate Communications), Markus Krienbühl, Jennifer Bühler, Ayana Bachmann (People&Culture), Kevin Bieri (Marketing). Pictures: Markus Bühler (photographer). Responsible for Soda Studios: Aaron Meder, Severin Höin. Responsible at FrontifyDarko Maravic.

In 2019, the traditional company based in Würzburg wanted to register the trademark "Joyful by Nature" for cosmetics, scented candles and marketing at the European Intellectual Property Office EUIPO. French perfume manufacturer Maison Jean Patou filed an opposition on the grounds of its own trademark "Joy". The EUIPO partially ruled in its favor.

Kneipp defended itself against this before the EU General Court - unsuccessfully, as has now been established. The judges ruled that the "Joy" trademark enjoyed a high reputation in a significant part of the EU, particularly in France. The brand had built up a high reputation in the past.

Even if the level of awareness has decreased over the years, a certain "residual awareness" has survived. The two brands were so similar that they could be associated with each other in the mind. There was therefore a risk that Kneipp could take unfair advantage of the reputation of the "Joy" brand, according to the judges.

The ruling can still be appealed before the EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ). (SDA)

Sports tournaments, concerts, wellness: experiences of this kind are becoming increasingly important to the Swiss. 51% want to spend more money on special moments this year than in 2023, according to a new Mastercard study. 34% of respondents plan to keep their spending on experiences constant. This confirms a shift in consumer preferences. 39% now prefer experiences to material goods. For 28 percent, they are equally important, while 30 percent prefer material goods.

This trend is also confirmed by data from the Mastercard Economic Institute, which was collected across Europe: They show that the proportion of spending on experiences has risen from 19% in 2019 to 22% in 2023. In contrast, the proportion of spending on material goods remains stable.

Travel at the forefront

Travel experiences are still the most popular. 60 percent of all respondents were drawn to faraway places in 2023. This year, 55% want to spend even more on travel. Wellness experiences such as spa visits (35%) and outdoor experiences such as hiking or cycling tours (34%) continue to be particularly popular.

Thirty-seven percent of respondents said that experiences provide them with unforgettable moments that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Others see experiences as important factors in shaping their core values and identity (21%). More than a third (32%) stated that their view of the world has changed as a result of experiences. In return, the Swiss also like to leave their comfort zone and try out new things (23%). Individual experiences for self-reflection (20 percent; +7 percent), such as retreats and seminars, are also more popular than the European average.

Since March 2024, the blue wave of 1664 Blanc has reached Switzerland. USP Partner AG is comprehensively supporting the Feldschlösschen Getränke brand with various activities for the national launch: the agency has designed, created and produced a modular event toolkit for the brand to stage 1664 Blanc at events and in restaurants in line with the new positioning. In addition, there is a comprehensive cooperation concept as the basis for a comprehensive partnership between 1664 Blanc and the independent fashion house PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co. AG.

With the claim "Good Taste with a Twist", the brand wants to conquer Switzerland for itself and is focusing on various activities to make the brand known and present it in line with the new positioning.

Visible at PKZ

At the heart of the Event Toolkit is the back element of the bar, which was already used at Art Genève. USP was responsible for the conception, creation and ensuring the production of the event toolkit and also took care of the organization and planning of the first deployment, which will be followed by many more deployments in 2024.

As part of the partnership with PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co. AG, there are in-store activations at PKZ in Zurich, Bern and Basel, mobile bars and 1664 Blanc corners in the aforementioned stores as well as the temporary display in the PKZ shop window on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. Further work is to follow shortly.

Responsible on the client side at Feldschlösschen Getränke AGAstrid Roland (Director Premium Brands), Jeannine Grossmann (Senior Brand Manager), Tanya Schmid (Brand Manager). Responsible on the agency side: USP Partner AG  (overall project responsibility including conception, creation and ensuring implementation), Stammkraft GmbH (stand construction and logistics), 3-D-Art AG (stand construction display window).

Sigg and Switzerland Tourism: two brands that stand for Swissness, quality and sustainability. This is why the two companies are now joining forces and aiming to exploit joint synergies such as the integration of Sigg drinking bottles in various marketing campaigns. In future, the bottles from the traditional Swiss company will be used as gifts for customer and media events as well as for influencer collaborations.

Germany, the largest and therefore most important foreign market for the Swiss tourism industry, is the focus market for the campaigns. The aim is to exploit synergies, particularly in the area of sustainability.

The merger enables various collaborations. One of these is the 26th edition of the "Swiss Holiday Day" in Geneva, which will take place on April 29 and 30, 2024. The event is the largest and most important industry event in the domestic tourism sector with more than a thousand participants. Sigg will be on site as a new official partner and will be able to exchange ideas with industry and business partners.

Sustainable bottles for environmentally friendly tourism

Switzerland Tourism and Sigg share a commitment to sustainability. The company manufactures all its aluminum bottles from 100% recycled aluminum at its own production facility in Frauenfeld TG. With the drinking bottles, guests can enjoy the clean mountain and spring water available everywhere in Switzerland at any time in an environmentally friendly way. The collaboration is intended to help consolidate Switzerland's position as a leading destination for sustainable tourism.

Switzerland Tourism is committed to sustainable tourism and the further development of the Swisstainable sustainability program. The program was launched by Switzerland Tourism and the entire tourism industry in spring 2021 as part of the sustainability strategy for Switzerland as a travel destination. The aim of the strategy is to position Switzerland as a leading destination for environmentally friendly tourism.

In Balzers in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Kuno Frick Senior and his sons founded a bank within four months 25 years ago. They started pragmatically in a garage without heating. Instead of marble, big executive chairs and banking airs and graces, they persevered in their commitment to doing things differently.

This gave rise early on to the awareness that we were not a normal bank - but an ideas factory with a banking license. Bank Frick now has branches in Balzers and London and employs over 250 people.

"We took our 25th anniversary primarily as an opportunity to realign ourselves for the future," explains Edi Wögerer, CEO of Bank Frick. "Together with all our employees, we redefined our purpose last year. And developed the new brand identity based on this".

Re-design of Farner Branding

The new brand design is far more than just cosmetics. With the new claim "Reliably pushing forward", Farner Branding expresses the brand duality in a pointed way. "On the one hand, our determination to constantly drive the banking world forward with innovations. And at the same time to be a reliable, stable partner," explains Esther Goldener, Head of Marketing at Bank Frick. With this in mind, the logo, image and word mark were further developed, sharpened and optimized for digital channels. In addition, the digital Frontify brand guidelines and color scheme were created for the new website.

Communication from Vitamin 2, Picky Martin and Boutiq

The focus of the new communication is the film series "We do things differently". It is being launched with a trailer, an image film that tells the dramatic and inspiring story of the company and family. The unusual path of the Frick family and how the very special Bank Frick mindset came about is presented in a gripping way. In the coming weeks, the next episodes on the ideas factory, the somewhat different involvement in the LieMudRun and more will follow on the bank's own YouTube channel.

The film series developed by Picky Martin and Boutiq impressively focuses on the key to success: the mindset of rethinking things. And people who are bursting with ideas. "We owe our success to this passion and the courage to constantly try new things and sometimes fail," Edi Wögerer is convinced.

The new website is rounded off with the digital annual report created by Vitamin 2.

Responsible at Bank Frick: Esther Goldener (Head of Marketing), Marie Mosimann (Content Manager), Tonja Kohler (Marketing Manager). Responsible at Farner Branding: Fabian Bertschinger (Executive Creative Director), Jan Jenny (Branding Consultant), Martin Fawer (Consulting Director), Lukas Schnider (Design), Manuel Griestock (Design), Fabina Sigg ( Design), Roger Krage (Text). Responsible for vitamin 2: Jan Hasler (consulting), Ramon Lenherr (creative direction), Milica Moravac (project management). Responsible at Picky Martin: Martin Fuchs (Strategy, Creative Direction & Script). Responsible for Boutiq: Mike Huber (screenplay & director), Chantal Gugger (producer), Ralph Baetschmann (DOP). Camera Making-Of: Oliver Ospelt.

The key visual created with the help of AI and elaborate CGI animation transforms a city into a fantastic ball pit. The films for Minicity, which can now be seen on social media and digital advertising media, are completely devoid of artificial intelligence, but are full of childlike joy.

The key visual is also used on instream and display ads, posters, e-boards, flyers, postcards, in social media reels and other measures.

Responsible at Sihlcity: Mara Bonorand, Corine Gubler, Michelle Ferreira. Responsible at Karling: Ingrid Brun del Re, Patrick Suter, Daniel Serrano, Franziska Suter, Ilias Islam. Motion design, key visual: Simone Nucci.

In 2005, the current owners from Graubünden bought back the 120-year-old Passugger mineral water brand from Feldschlösschen and from that moment on carried the range into the future with respect for the original and a feel for the needs of the catering and hotel industry.

To bring this value and the associated ambition to life, MetaDesign has turned the Passugger brand into a statement of originality, authenticity and consistency. Under the idea of "Unfiltered", Passugger shows profile and character in a fresh brand identity and makes a statement: A dynamic design language reflects the unique diversity of Passugger's six sources. A visual world with a clear focus emphasizes the content. In turn, a striking typeface makes Passugger's craftsmanship tangible. Concise messages get to the heart of Passugger's directness and self-confidence.

Mercedes-Benz is currently working with Drahtzug, a company with a social mission from Zurich, on an upcycling project to make its commitment to sustainability - including in sales and marketing - visible to the outside world.

Upgrading instead of disposal

The focus is on so-called megaposters, which were used as advertising space for Mercedes-Benz in Switzerland in 2023. The six posters with a total surface area of around 830 square meters will not be disposed of, but will be turned into shopping bags by Drahtzug. "With this initiative, we are not only contributing to the responsible use of resources," explains Patrick Bossart, Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at Mercedes-Benz Switzerland. "We are also supporting a partner that makes a valuable contribution to promoting the second job market in Switzerland." Drahtzug cares for and employs people with mental disabilities, thereby supporting their sustainable integration into our society.

Landing page shows location

200 of the limited edition bags will be raffled off on Mercedes-Benz Switzerland's social media channels from Monday. Anyone who gets hold of one of the bags will learn interesting facts about their production and where the megaposter used for this was once in use on the landing page for the project. Mercedes-Benz Switzerland is giving away the majority of the approximately 1000 bags produced to its employees. In future, these will literally carry the company's commitment to sustainability out into the world.