The IAM Institute for Applied Media Studies at the ZHAW is a new partner member of Perikom and adds scientific expertise to the association. The association now has sixteen partner members.
Editorial
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April 15, 2025
Annette Pfizenmayer (left) and Katharina Krämer, co-directors of the CAS Corporate Communications at the ZHAW. (Picture: zVg.)
"Successful communication is not an individual task, but a joint task that only works together," say Annette Pfizenmayer and Katharina Krämer, co-directors of the CAS Corporate Communications program, explaining Perikom's commitment. "Close cooperation between communications and HR is essential in order to create a strong corporate culture. Through our partnership with Perikom, we want to promote the exchange between science and practice and further advance this interdisciplinary dialog."
Among other things, Perikom organizes regular events for communication and HR experts, such as the annual Swiss HR/Internal Communication Conference. The association also develops further training courses and contributes to research in the field of internal communication. The next Swiss HR/Internal Communication Conference will take place on May 15, 2025 on the topic of sustainability.
Contract management as an Achilles' heel in companies?
Contracts form the legal framework that every company needs in order to be able to plan and operate reliably in the long term. It is therefore all the more surprising that even larger SMEs often do not yet have a digital contract management system.
Editorial
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April 15, 2025
With software-supported contract management, all affected employees are always up to date on the status of all contracts - and the resulting obligations and changes. (Image: istock-PrathanChorruangsak)
Contracts are the legal basis of every company and comprise a large number of agreements, such as purchase, rental or license agreements. Despite their importance, many medium-sized companies in Switzerland still do not have a digital contract management system. According to Dr. Pascal Habegger, Managing Director of Fabasoft 4teamwork AG, the management of contracts is often spread across different departments, which leads to confusing responsibilities and risks such as missed deadlines or contractual penalties. An intelligent software solution for contract management offers a remedy here.
Use of artificial intelligence
Digitization makes it possible to store all contracts in a central location and make them accessible to authorized persons at any time. This saves time, reduces duplicates and ensures complete traceability thanks to functions such as contract versioning. In addition, companies can use artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly implement regulatory changes and minimize risks without having to manually review every contract. AI-based systems analyze contracts automatically and initiate necessary changes or approval processes.
Digital signature for mobile working
Another highlight of modern contract management software is the option of digital signatures. These are forgery-proof and legally binding, which makes it easier for employees to be mobile and ensures that contracts can also be signed when working from home or on the move. In addition, integrated deadline management offers automatic reminders of important dates and deadlines, which in turn helps to reduce business risks and make the most of opportunities.
Overall, it is clear that digital contract management not only enables efficiency gains, but also strengthens a company's legal and operational security. Companies that do without these solutions run the risk of overlooking important obligations and suffering considerable financial or legal disadvantages as a result.
Ten years of Swiss Film Awards under the direction of Mjm.cc
For a decade, the agency Mjm.cc has been shaping the Swiss Film Awards in terms of content, visuals and organization. The anniversary edition took place in Geneva at the end of March - with strong images, emotional moments and a carefully staged dramaturgy.
Editorial
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April 14, 2025
The Mjm.cc team poses after the event with the moderation duo Licia Chery (in the striped black and white dress) and Patrick "Karpi" Karpiczenko (in the blue suit). (Picture: Eduard Meltzer)
The 2025 edition of the Swiss Film Awards marks a special anniversary for the agency Mjm.cc: the team has been responsible for the conception, editing, branding and overall production of the award ceremony for Swiss filmmaking for a decade. This year's gala took place at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva and also marked the tenth Swiss Film Awards under the direction of Mjm.cc.
The show, hosted by the duo Licia Chery and Patrick "Karpi" Karpiczenko, was characterized by a well thought-out sequence and impressive staging. Probably the most spectacular moment was the appearance of stuntman Oliver Keller, who stepped onto the stage on fire. The tribute to director Barbet Schroeder and actress Bulle Ogier, who were awarded the honorary prize for their joint life's work, provided emotional depth.
In the background, an experienced team ensures that the event runs smoothly. Project manager Florence Noelpp explains: "Our goal is achieved when the audience experiences an unforgettable evening - and forgets how much planning, precision work and passion went into it."
The visual concept for the award ceremony was developed by Creative Director Christoph Marti together with YK Animations. Typographic animations met analog, moving color surfaces and formed a visual language that stages cinema as moving art. The background music was created by the Baldenweg siblings and reinterpreted electronically by Depeche Mode composer Kurt Uenala.
The agency, based in Münchenstein, is already planning the next edition. CEO Martin J. Matt formulates the claim as follows: "We see it as our task to always keep events like the Swiss Film Awards in tune with the times - relevant, inspiring and with a pinch of courage."
Client: Federal Office of Culture, SRG SSR, Association Quartz Genève Zurich. Responsible agency: Mjm.cc, Producer: Martin J. Matt, Project Management: Florence Noelpp, Content: Dominique Rudin, Director: Dani Lanz, Creative Director: Christoph Marti, Audio Design: Diego with Nora and Lionel Baldenweg, Kurt Uenala, Visual Team: Andreas Quan and Eduard Meltzer, Media Relations: Emma Isolini, Diana Bolzonello Garnier, Social Media: Charlotte Voillequin, Mathias Noschis, design: Anna-Lea Krieg, lighting design: Roni Huber, team: Jeanette Steiner, Loris Vernarelli, Fabian Zaehner.
Data center teams work behind the scenes, but are critical to the smooth functioning of an increasingly connected world. Juniper Networks, a leading provider of secure AI-native networking platforms, sheds light on the typical workday of a data center specialist in today's world.
Editorial
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April 14, 2025
The work of data center teams is increasingly being supported by AI. (Image: Depositphotos.com)
In large organizations ranging from financial service providers to manufacturing companies, data centre specialists are responsible for maintaining critical infrastructures. They can lead to significant losses in the event of a failure, as two examples show. If a stock exchange experiences latency problems during peak trading hours, this can have an impact on potential transactions worth billions. And a failed logistics system can interrupt the supply chain and trading for several days.
Avoiding such scenarios - whether by preventing outages or quickly rectifying faults - is one of the central tasks of those responsible for network infrastructures. They are also confronted with an evolving IT landscape in which traditional network expertise must merge seamlessly with the latest AI and cloud technologies.
Everyday life of data center teams
A typical day for a data center specialist starts with proactive system health checks, which used to take hours to perform manually but are now more efficient thanks to the use of AI-powered diagnostic tools. Over the course of the day, these specialists then take on various tasks within a framework that covers the data center lifecycle, so to speak. These include
Day 0 planning: The network experts design network topologies, define test procedures and create designs for a scalable infrastructure. An important tool here is the use of digital twins - virtual replicas of the production network that enable comprehensive simulation and optimization. By using digital twins, architects can explore what-if scenarios and test changes, capacity expansions or the integration of AI workloads without jeopardizing the stability of the live environment. This approach ensures that the architecture is not only robust, but also adaptable to support the innovations of tomorrow.
Day 1 implementation: During the deployment phase, for example, switches are connected, configurations are implemented and tests are carried out. Every connection is checked, every configuration is validated and every system is tested and balanced under load to ensure flawless operation.
Day-2+-Operations: In data centre management, the teams ensure high performance through continuous monitoring, rapid response to anomalies and proactive optimization. They use automation for routine tasks and focus their expertise on strategic improvements and innovative solutions for new challenges and business requirements.
Where AI is used for support
However, as the boundaries of what is technologically feasible are increasingly being expanded, the role of data center experts is also changing. AI-supported tools in particular are providing significant relief. They offer, among other things:
Diagnosis and troubleshooting in real time: AI systems can continuously analyze network traffic patterns, application performance metrics and infrastructure health indicators. They can detect potential problems within milliseconds, even before they affect the user experience.
Predictive analytics: Advanced algorithms process historical data and current trends to predict potential system and capacity bottlenecks or hardware failures. This enables teams to carry out preventive maintenance and capacity planning with a high degree of accuracy.
Proactive problem solving: When potential problems are detected, AI systems can automatically initiate remedial actions or provide the team with detailed recommendations on how to fix them. This can include rerouting traffic, adjusting resource allocation or initiating failover procedures.
"AI tools will not replace expertise in data center teams, but they will empower them to perform at an even higher level. The experts will ensure that AI is implemented effectively, interpret their findings and step in when human intuition is required to solve complex challenges," explains Manfred Felsenberg, Senior Director Data Center Global at Juniper Networks.
Laser vibrometry: measuring vibrations from product development to quality assurance
Analyzing vibrations in components, products or systems not only provides valuable insights for research and development, it also offers potential for improvements in quality assurance in production. As a non-contact measurement method, optical laser vibration measurement allows an unadulterated view of the vibrations. Scanning vibrometers even make it possible to analyze the vibration amplitudes of any surface.
Editorial
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April 14, 2025
Measurement setup with a 3D scanning vibrometer during a modal analysis (Image: Polytec GmbH)
If solid materials are subjected to mechanical stress or electrical excitation, they deform and begin to vibrate to a greater or lesser extent. These vibrations depend on the shape, the material, the excitation and many other factors. Laser vibrometers are used to measure and analyze the vibrations without contact. These are used to evaluate different design variants during development and to optimize products. However, deviations in vibration behavior can also indicate faults in the product during production.
Range of application of laser vibrometry
In vibroacoustic quality testing, a laser Doppler vibrometer scans objects for vibrations precisely and without contact on practically all surfaces (image above). Measurement data such as frequency response and resonance frequency, impulse response and data on damping properties are obtained. The optical measurement with laser light produces a map of the amplitude distribution of the vibrations without influencing the measurement object, e.g. through contact or mass loading (as with accelerometers). The method is suitable for almost any vibration-related problem in research, development, production and condition monitoring or quality assurance and for objects of different sizes: from entire car bodies, large aerospace parts, motors and actuators to micro components such as MEMS or biomedical samples and components in the micrometer range. Depending on the task and sensor design, vibrations up to the GHz range can be detected or, as with the new VibroScan for surface scanning, frequencies up to 32 MHz can be recorded fully digitally.
Optimize desired oscillations
Vibrations are not undesirable everywhere. We all appreciate the vibrating alarm in cell phones or use electric toothbrushes. In many applications, it is important to find the best product design so that vibrations fulfill their purpose optimally. This is where scanning vibrometers are used, which create an areal vibration analysis. Applications in industry include vibrating conveyors or control and operating panels. High-quality packaging systems and industrial joining processes that use ultrasonic welding can also be developed more quickly or checked and optimized during operation with the help of a vibration analysis. Another application is the "vibration transport" of liquid droplets, for example in medical analysis. However, vibration analysis is also a reliable method for developing high-quality products for consumer goods: The vibration of a loudspeaker membrane, which provides the sound of a loudspeaker box, can be analyzed and improved. There are also a large number of less obvious applications such as fans, computer housings, medical products and structure-borne noise and therefore vibrations also play a major role in production systems.
Zero-defect production of rolling bearings with an IVS-500 industrial laser vibrometer (Image: Polytec GmbH)
Minimize unwanted vibrations
Deviations in the vibrations of an object from the target specifications allow conclusions to be drawn about the smooth running of drives, manufacturing deviations in production, incipient bearing wear and many other faults. This is where vibrometry can be used inline for quality assurance. The prerequisite is that the sensor can detect and evaluate vibrations quickly and precisely and that the measuring system can be integrated into a production system as easily as possible. Polytec's vibrometers support various interfaces such as COM/DCOM, offer an internal macro language and provide an API for programming. The measurement data is usually transmitted via TCP/IP Ethernet. Polytec also offers extensive tools and examples to ensure smooth integration.
Measuring deviations, but where?
If vibration measurements are used for quality control, the following questions arise: Where can precise measuring points be found for reliable quality assurance in order to identify deviations and minimize rejects? Which conclusions can be drawn from which surface based on deviations? Laser Doppler vibrometers provide good indications here, even during the development of the intended test method: The best measuring points and surfaces can be found as early as the development stage to indicate the specific properties or possible defects through their vibration behavior. This allows measurements to be taken at a meaningful maximum amplitude point, which saves time during commissioning and ensures meaningful quality data on the products.
Improve signal-to-noise ratio
In practice, measuring surfaces are usually optically rough. This means that the light is not only reflected, but also scattered. It contains dark and light areas, so-called speckles. This effect leads to fluctuations in light intensity at the photodetector and, in optical measurements, to broadband noise and unwanted signal dropouts. Therefore, several measurements or a high number of averages are often necessary for a good result. Polytec solves this problem with QTec technology, which uses multiple photodetectors to drastically improve the signal-to-noise ratio. For this purpose, QTec vibrometers use an innovative multi-channel interferometer with receiver diversity. It bundles the best measured values from different perspectives and recombines them for a consistent measurement result. Each detector is an observer of the measuring point with its own perspective and sees its own random speckle pattern (image below). The combination of the signals from the spatially distributed detectors then automatically results in a statistically stable signal level for each individual measurement, regardless of the measuring surface. With this new method, measurements can be taken up to ten times faster, as one measurement is sufficient and no further averaging is required.
Noise reduction with and without QTec (Image: Polytec GmbH)
New measurement options
To measure both large and very small parts in the shortest possible time, RoboVib® combines a fully automated experimental modal analysis with VibroScan QTec Xtra 3D. The scanning vibrometer is mounted on a robot arm and moved over the object, e.g. a vehicle body. This reduces the testing time, even for complex 3D components, from days or even weeks to just a few hours thanks to comprehensive 360° measurements. For smaller parts, RotoVib automates® experimental whole-body modal analysis since 2024. Here, the test object rotates around its own axis on a turntable. Automatic repositioning allows the test object to be measured automatically from all sides. Thanks to the effortless set-up, users also save valuable measuring time here.
If measurements are to be taken through a layer of water for certain applications, the wavelength of the laser must be adapted to the water medium. Polytec's latest product, VibroScan QTec Neo, offers a HeNe laser in the measuring head whose wavelength is not absorbed by water. This means that sound field analyses of hydrophones (underwater microphones) or components of medical ultrasound applications can now be carried out under water for calibration purposes just as easily as in air. Here too, QTec technology drastically shortens the measurement time by minimizing dropouts.
On-site measurements, for example by a service provider, also require compact measuring devices that are easy to transport and install. The modern VibroScan systems for area measurement are on average around 50% smaller than the 1D predecessor models. This means that the measuring device can also travel as luggage, especially when traveling by air. AI functionality is also incorporated into the vibration measurement thanks to the associated PSV software (Polytec Scanning Vibrometer). This increases user-friendliness and reduces the set-up time for the measurement, for example through automatic object recognition and 3D adjustment. This also significantly reduces the amount of training required by the user.
Quality control, data management and supply chain as the most important AI use cases
The trend study "Digital 2030" by valantic and Handelsblatt Research Institute shows the most important use cases of AI in practice: quality control, data management and supply chain.
Editorial
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April 11, 2025
There are more and more AI use cases - especially in quality and data management. (Image: Depositphotos.com)
Artificial intelligence now supports the processes of DACH companies in a variety of ways. In collaboration with the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI), the digital consulting, solutions and software company valantic examined which use cases are particularly important for companies and what role industry affiliation plays in this. The results show that AI applications are already very popular with companies, particularly in quality control and automated data and document management. Supply chain optimization with AI is also an important field of application for many.
valantic and the HRI surveyed around 700 decision-makers from companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland about the added value they are already achieving with the use of AI applications within their business processes (Applied AI). According to the survey, two out of three companies already report measurable benefits based on AI applications - for example in the form of efficiency gains, material and cost reductions or increases in sales and profitability. The study also looked at the question of how relevant these different use cases are.
Which use cases are particularly important?
As part of the survey, the client of the study differentiated between 14 use case clusters and asked the participants which of these application areas were most important for their own company. The following five clusters were given the highest relevance by the respondents:
Quality control: Identify defects and ensure product quality by means of visual or other sensory inspections.
Document and data management: Extract, process and manage information from documents and data records in large quantities, automatically and in high quality.
Optimization of the supply chain: e.g. precise demand forecasting, optimization of delivery routes, reduction of inventory, optimized production and logistics planning.
Robotics & Smart Products: Automation of product functions; interaction of sensor technology, control and logic for autonomous functioning and optimization of hardware products.
Automation in customer service: chatbots and virtual assistants for processing customer inquiries and providing support.
AI-supported creation of media content still less relevant
While the top 5 AI use cases were each named as the most important for their own company by around a third of those surveyed, C-level decision-makers still attach comparatively little importance to the classic use cases of generative AI. For example, the generation of creative content (images, text, sound or video) was only one of the most important areas of application for AI applications in their own company for just under one in five (19%).
Another finding of the study is that the areas of application that are assigned the highest relevance for AI applications vary depending on the sector to which the companies belong. For example, companies from industrial sectors such as automotive, beverage and food production or manufacturing generally attach great importance to quality control using AI, while in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector, most decision-makers cite document and data management as an important use case. The most frequently cited use case in the retail and consumer goods sector is supply chain optimization. In contrast, purchasing and sales are extremely important for utilities companies, with many respondents naming price optimization as an important application.
Laurenz Kirchner, Managing Director and Data & AI Practice Lead at valantic, says: "Our study shows that AI is no longer a vision of the future, but is actively used in many companies. For many companies, the focus is shifting to the question of which areas of application offer the greatest benefits in their own company. Decision-makers need to prioritize use cases with real added value and strategically anchor AI initiatives. Without clear goals, prioritization and integration into the corporate strategy, there will be no added value."
"Switching between worlds requires empathy and adaptability"
The gastronomy company Tibits has appointed Regula Bührer Fecker, an experienced brand strategist, to its Board of Directors. In an interview with m&k, she talks about her new role, effective communication in times of change - and why advertising clients need more courage and self-confidence again.
Editorial
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April 10, 2025
(Image: zVg.)
As an experienced board member and entrepreneur, Bührer Fecker brings in-depth knowledge in the development of new business models as well as a deep understanding of consumers and social trends. Her perspective will help Tibits to remain innovative in the future and take advantage of new opportunities in the growing market for plant-based nutrition.
"We are delighted to have Regula Bührer Fecker, an outstanding personality, on board. Her experience and flair for contemporary developments are of great value to Tibits, especially at a time when sustainable nutrition and conscious consumption are becoming increasingly important," says Daniel Frei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tibits.
In the following interview, Regula Bührer Fecker talks about her new position on the Board of Directors, her perspective on the Tibits brand and the opportunities for companies in the field of sustainable gastronomy.
m&k: Regula Bührer Fecker, you are a new member of the Tibits Board of Directors. What motivated you to take a seat there?
The vision of Tibits has inspired me since it was founded: to make vegetarian and vegan food not only widely available, but also enjoyable and natural. I am delighted to be able to help shape this mission with my colleagues on the Board of Directors in the future.
What challenges can you help with in word and deed?
With everything that keeps Tibits busy. The task will be very varied and exciting.
You have been shaping the Swiss advertising industry for decades. What motivated you to take the path of communication strategy?
When I started working in advertising, I didn't even know that "strategy" existed as a discipline in its own right. Even at one of my first employers - Jung von Matt, then still "Honegger von Matt" - there were no dedicated strategists around the year 2000. It was consultants with an affinity for strategy who developed briefings, concepts and presentations. It was precisely this part that fascinated me from the very beginning. So I focused on it: I trained further, gained experience abroad and consistently deepened my strategic thinking.
Your approach is based on human insights and innovative concepts. How do you find the balance between creative innovation and the need to address target groups effectively?
It is clear to me that relevance for the target group is non-negotiable. That's where the scope for creativity lies, like we reach people. Innovation often arises when we take a close look at what really moves people - and then find a surprising, new way to respond.
In your career, you have supported numerous companies - from start-ups to large corporations. What challenges do you see in developing communication strategies for different company sizes?
I like switching between worlds - but it requires empathy and adaptability. You always have to rethink yourself: the culture, the resources, the objectives. There are always competitors with bigger budgets or sectors with louder voices. My job is to show organizations how much they can achieve with their resources - and how courage can multiply these resources.
You are described as one of the most astute and creative advertisers in Switzerland. What qualities do you think are crucial for success in the industry?
The courage to get to the heart of the matter, to trust your own opinion and to expose yourself. Without buckling at the first headwind.
You repeatedly emphasize the aspect of humanity in communication. How do you define this term - and why is it so important for the success of brands?
Humanity means triggering resonance. The best campaigns touch us - they strike a chord within us. This requires a keen sense for the zeitgeist and nuances, for real needs.
Your work often involves supporting transformation processes in companies. What role does communication play in successful change?
A central one. Change triggers uncertainty - good communication can provide orientation, create trust and release energy. If it is honest, clear and close to people, it becomes a lever for real change.
Your company, La Stratégisteis known for its customized solutions. Can you give us an example of a particularly challenging project?
No, it's still too early. I started two months ago.
You are celebrated as a role model for young women in the industry. What role does mentoring play in your work and how do you promote young talent?
Thank you very much for your kind words. I think I'm good at listening and getting to the heart of things, even if it hurts sometimes. Once this point has been overcome, it's about thinking together about solutions that suit the other person and the challenge.
You have a keen sense for social trends. What trends do you see in the communications industry that companies should take into account in the coming years?
Many companies are stuck in a performance corset - everything is geared towards short-term KPIs and the money is tied up too much in Silicon Valley. As a result, long-term brand development and the connection to the Swiss public fall by the wayside. I believe that Swiss advertisers urgently need a new balance between performance and local relevance. And more self-confidence and courage again.
What are the values that you live by every day at "La Stratégiste" and incorporate into your work - and how are these reflected in the projects?
It makes me happy when customers say goodbye and tell me that we were able to solve something together and that my contribution has helped them noticeably.
Jung von Matt Impact joins The Generation Media
By joining The Generation Media, Jung von Matt Impact is expanding its media expertise across all channels. The two agencies have been working together successfully for some time - now the partnership is being formalized.
Editorial
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April 10, 2025
Benjamin Herz, Managing Partner at Jung von Matt Impact, Petra Kreussler, VRP of The Generation Media, Matthias Städeli, Managing Director of The Generation Media, and Dominik Habermacher, Managing Partner at Jung von Matt Impact (from left to right). (Image: zVg.)
Jung von Matt Impact joins Zurich agency The Generation Media. The move marks the continuation of a collaboration that has grown over the years and has already seen over ten joint client mandates. The two agencies bring different strengths to the table: Jung von Matt Impact stands for digital marketing solutions, while The Generation Media pursues a broad all-media approach.
The merger will enable customers to benefit from cross-channel consulting and implementation - from social media, display and video to traditional media and performance marketing. The 27 specialists involved will continue to work in well-coordinated teams at two locations.
As part of the investment, Jung von Matt Impact is acquiring shares in The Generation Media. However, the two agencies will retain their "boutique character" and their operational structures, as stated in the joint press release. Matthias Städeli will become Managing Director of The Generation Media, Petra Kreussler will remain President of the Board of Directors.
"Like The Generation Media, Jung von Matt Impact is fully committed to customer success. We are united by the aspiration to generate the highest quality every day," says Kreussler. Benjamin Herz, Managing Partner of Jung von Matt Impact, also emphasizes the strategic fit: "With this step, we are combining two media agencies in such a way that they ideally complement each other in their services for our clients: The digital power house Jung von Matt Impact with the all-media approach of The Generation Media."
Dreifive at Meta and Google in Dublin: Exclusive insights into the digital future
For the fifth time, Dreifive traveled to Dublin with selected customers to gain exclusive insights into current trends and innovations in digital marketing at the EU headquarters of Meta and Google. The focus was on topics such as AI, new content formats and developments in VR, AR and new media.
Editorial
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April 10, 2025
(Pictures: Dreifive)
This year's sessions focused on topics such as AI-supported tools, new content formats and innovations relating to VR, AR and new media. Meta offered insights into its AI systems for automated creative generation, while Google presented the latest advances in Gemini. These technologies are not only changing the world of advertising - they also demand a new understanding of creative work and data-driven strategy.
Sascha Frommhund, Managing Director of the Dreifive Group and Partner.
AI as a key competence
The lesson learned: Those who want to remain relevant in the future must not only use AI, but also be able to apply it correctly. Prompting, creative automation and strategic data interpretation will be key success factors. The Dreifive agency sees itself in the role of enabler here - with in-depth expertise, direct platform access and a willingness to break new ground.
Deborah Pfleger, Head of Social Media and Partner at Dreifive.
Inspiration through diversity: focus on customer cases
A highlight of the trip were case presentations from companies such as ÖAMTC, Rossmann and C&A. The strategies and learnings they presented showed how versatile modern campaigns can be today. They also reflected how important it is to have the courage to test and adjust - and to set new standards in the process.
For Dreifive, the trip to Dublin confirmed once again: if you want to be successful in digital marketing, you need tools, strategic thinking, innovative spirit and platform proximity that enables you to recognize trends at an early stage, critically evaluate them and translate them into market-relevant strategies.
Web tool for intrinsic safety verifications
Since February 2025, the manufacturer Rösberg has been offering the SmartEXI web tool for creating intrinsic safety certificates for hazardous areas. The tool is manufacturer-independent and easy to use. The transparent calculation logic ensures that it is easy to understand how the web tool has determined the results.
Editorial
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April 10, 2025
SmartEXI is a user-friendly web tool for creating intrinsic safety certificates. It helps to calculate the explosion safety of systems effectively and efficiently. (Image: Rösberg)
The safety of people, the environment and equipment is the top priority when operating process technology systems. Where plant areas are at risk of explosion, for example due to the substances used in the process, appropriate protective measures must be taken and reliably documented. However, this is a complex task, as the calculations must take into account the entire wiring of the system as well as the ambient conditions. The automation experts at Rösberg have been offering the SmartEXI web tool for this task since February 2025. It can be used to calculate whether equipment may be interconnected and the maximum possible cable length. The tool also determines the protection level of the circuits, the Ex group and much more. For the first time, a simple solution is now available that can be used across the board without restrictions and provides tamper-proof verification.
Tamper-proof documentation in three steps
The procedure for creating intrinsic safety certificates is very simple. In the first step, users create their system or assets and enter the necessary information such as name, Ex group, protection level, etc. in a corresponding mask. In the second step, the system automatically checks whether, for example, two devices may be interconnected in the given environment (Ex zone classification, temperatures, etc.) and what maximum cable lengths are permitted between the devices. In the third step, users then receive a tamper-proof certificate that they can save in addition to their technical system documentation. Throughout the entire process, the transparent calculation logic ensures that it is clear how the web tool has determined the results. Users also benefit from manufacturer independence, tamper-proof documentation, increased efficiency and ease of use. Without time-consuming and expensive implementation, you can quickly obtain a secure Ex-i certificate.
Sarah Pally, linguist and partner at the agency Partner & Partner, takes a close look at (advertising) language in her column "Blossoms and pearls". This time it's all about products and brands that have crept into everyday language.
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April 9, 2025
If your own brand or product name makes it into the dictionary, then "you've made it". The preliminary stage of this is being used as a verb or umbrella term. Of course, this actually happens quite rarely and this exclusivity alone makes it a kind of distinction. But can this quasi-immortality be bent somehow?
When a new brand or a new product is launched, particularly shrewd marketers like to briefly check whether the name suggestions floating around could also be used as a verb or as an umbrella term. But this is hardly relevant. After all, language can do almost anything anyway - and whether it sounds "nice" doesn't really matter in the end. If someone had these thoughts back then at the "Bostitch" company in the USA: Chapeau! But then the product or the company would probably have a different name. It doesn't get much stranger than that.
Stapler? Stapler?
But Bostitch has just solved a problem. And we're not talking about the loose sheets of paper fluttering around. Apparently, at least in Switzerland, there didn't seem to be a satisfactory name for this device and the associated activity, so the company name Bostitch was quickly coined. Did this thing and the associated activity not even exist in Switzerland before? Or was "stapler" and "stapling device" simply too German? In any case, it struck a nerve of sorts, filling a linguistic vacuum. So well, in fact, that many people no longer even know that Bostitch is not a device, but a company. Some even think it's a technical term from the stationery industry.
One might argue that it would be an absolute worst case scenario if the product is a huge success - but unfortunately the name cannot be used as a verb! As is supposedly the case with Galaxus: Or have you ever galaxed today (or would it be "gelaxt" or "gegölaxt", as a mixture of gegönnt and Galaxus)? The problem here is that galaxus does not solve a problem linguistically, because there is no problem: There is simply no need to find another word for "bestellen" or "Onlineshop". That's bad luck for Galaxus.
Create the problem and then solve it
The name "Google" is also not at all a good verbalization, but it has crept in without hesitation. Because it is simply better than "searching for something on the Internet using a search engine". With "Twinten", the corresponding activity simply didn't exist before the product - a forced verbalization, so to speak. Or to put it another way: along with the product, Twint also created the linguistic problem that it immediately solved again.
Sure: in hindsight, everything seems somehow logical. But it helps to think about whether there is even a linguistic necessity or gap that can be filled before thinking about the most elegant verbalized application of a new brand or product name. And even then: if Bostitch makes it into everyday language, then so can others.
Of course, there are also these desperate attempts to use the name as a verb or umbrella term via advertising. Like "Nogger yourself one!". Go ahead and google it, preferably via image search. Together with this absurd appearance, it was somehow weird enough for the slogan to be dropped sarcastically. After all, it has made itself virtually immortal in its own way as a dubious but much-used example of the problem at hand.
Analyzed since 2025 Sarah Pally In her column "Blossoms and Pearls", she uses industry-related terms and comments on them with a personal touch, from a linguistic perspective - as well as with a precise view of developments in the industry. Pally is a partner in the Partner & Partner agency in Winterthur. She has been working in the fields of content marketing, text/concept and storytelling in the communications and marketing sector for 15 years.
Rebranding and website relaunch for Bellprat Partner
The Zurich agency Bellprat Partner has modernized its brand presence with a comprehensive rebranding and a new website. With the new look, the agency is completing a transformation phase that combines its creative DNA with a future-oriented vision.
Editorial
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April 9, 2025
The Bellprat Partner management team (from left to right): Arnau Bellprat, Marion Häring, Markus Göb, Iwan Funk and Xavier Bellprat. (Pictures: zVg. Bellprat Partner)
Bellprat Partner's new logo has a more modern look, stands for flexibility and dynamism and adapts to different applications. The revised website focuses on projects and the team, offers intuitive navigation and presents the agency's 44-year portfolio, from Expo pavilions to tourist productions.
Parallel to the visual renewal, the management structure has also been strengthened: Creative Director Arnau Bellprat, Co-CEO Markus Göb and Co-CEO Iwan Funk are taking over the operational management, supported by Marion Häring as Head of People and Culture in the extended management team. Xavier Bellprat, company founder, partner and still Creative Director, will continue to actively contribute his many years of expertise to various specific projects. The current team at Bellprat Partner is generally more interdisciplinary: Experts from the fields of scenography, architecture, interaction design and graphics work together in close collaboration.