Marcel Proust's novel "In Search of Lost Time" is an exploration of human memory - and the factors that set it in motion. Thus, the work also contains probably one of the most sensual (in the truest sense of the word) descriptions of what can happen to one while enjoying a simple sweet: The protagonist dips a sand tart, called a "madeleine" in France, into a sip of tea - and suddenly feels transported back to his own childhood: "All at once the memory was there," he notes. He continues, "The taste was that of that little piece of a madeleine that my aunt Léonie offered me after dipping it in her black or lime blossom tea."

Tastes and scents can penetrate the depths of our subconscious.

Yes, tastes and scents have a remarkable property: they can penetrate the depths of our subconscious and evoke memories we didn't even know existed. This property makes scents and flavors a powerful marketing tool. In fact, the involvement of all five senses is already part of the agenda in marketing; yet it is talked about rather little. So what is the secret of sensory marketing?

A powerful instrument

First of all, it is no secret that sensory marketing is extremely effective. More and more studies confirm that brand loyalty and purchase probability increase proportionally to the dimensionality of the touchpoint. In neuroeconomics, one even speaks of the "law of multisensory amplification": the more sensory channels are stimulated, the faster and more intensively an impression is processed. Numerous practical examples can be cited to illustrate this: A classic is the 1995 experiment by Alan R. Hirsch, "Effects of Ambient Odors on Slot-Machine Usage in a Las Vegas Casino." The study recorded an increase in revenue of about 45 percent for slot machines in an aromatized environment versus a neutral-smelling atmosphere. The examples can be continued at will: Think of the perfumes and carefully chosen color palettes in hotel interiors, or the smell of fresh-cut grass in sporting goods stores, customer letters with the scent of sunscreen, tasting morsels in supermarkets, or the feel of drinking bottles like Orangina ...

Multi- and intermodal game

According to the law of multisensory amplification, these marketing strategies owe their effectiveness to a multi- and intermodal interaction. Let's think of the scene from Proust's novel: it's not just the sight that brings the memory to life, but also the smell, taste and consistency of the pastry mixed with tea. The combination must be right to achieve the desired result. Artificially creating this coherence is the great challenge in multisensory marketing. If the interplay is not successful, confusion and sensory overload will result. It is therefore to be hoped that research in neurology and psychology will soon develop more precise models for the design of multidimensional sensory messages: knowledge which, in addition to marketing, could also become relevant in other contexts such as learning psychology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, or in the medical treatment of pain and sleep disorders, for example.

Why are potato chips bigger than your mouth? So that it really cracks when you bite!

It must be taken into account that a modal-specific stimulus can suggest or influence impressions of the other four sensory stimuli: Scents or sounds can trigger color impressions, and colors in turn can trigger smells and tastes. Therefore, for example, brand names, packaging sizes and materials, and eating sounds can influence the evaluation of a taste. Why else are potato chips bigger than your mouth? So that it really cracks when you bite!

Subtlety of the stimuli

Another recipe for success in multisensory marketing has to do with the subtlety of the stimuli and their direct access to the emotional world. Visual sensory impressions account for around 83 percent of perceptions, acoustic stimuli 11 percent. These two senses, which are most prominent anyway, are also in the foreground in traditional marketing. The utilization of the visual and acoustic communication market is therefore high. No wonder, then, if traditional advertising is no longer perceived properly or is even perceived as annoying.

The situation is quite different for the sense of smell: It comprises only 3.5 percent of conscious perception, haptics and the sense of taste only 1.5 percent and 1 percent, respectively. This does not mean that these senses work less precisely, but that their stimuli are largely taken in unconsciously. You may be familiar with the image of the iceberg floating on the sea, with most of it lying underwater: The magnitude of what is happening beneath the surface of consciousness is enormous. It is estimated that at least 70 percent of purchasing decisions are made unconsciously. The possibility of directing the unconscious through sensory marketing therefore promises uncanny potential.

A promising candidate

The sense of smell is the most promising candidate for sensory marketing. Scientists Richard Axel and Linda Buck, who were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2004, have shown, among other things, that the human memory can remember around 10,000 smells, but only 200 colors. It is also known that the olfactory center has direct connections to memory and the limbic system. This is the brain region where unconscious feelings arise. Therefore, smells are closely linked to emotions and memories: The smell of madeleines dipped in lime blossom tea or the perfume of your first great love - just a whiff of it can vividly recall past experiences, people and feelings in all their details. Thus, the sense of smell forms the perfect instrument for brand recognition.

Smells are not only excellent carriers of memories and emotions. They are also particularly effective for marketing because, depending on their intensity, their persuasive effect goes unnoticed. In fact, unlike other sensory perceptions such as sight and hearing, the impulses of the sense of smell do not usually pass through the thalamus, the gateway to consciousness. Perhaps this is one reason why they are so little talked about: Fragrances can influence our emotional state without us noticing.

Ethical issues

Because sensory marketing often goes unnoticed, it also raises ethical questions. Olfactory marketing in particular is suspected of interfering with free decision-making. After all, what takes place below the threshold of consciousness cannot be critically evaluated. Should fragrances be designed in such a way that they are actively perceived as advertising? Here the problem arises that the effectiveness would probably decrease if the sensory measure were evaluated as such. Once a person realizes that they are being manipulated in making their decisions, they are more likely to think unfavorably about the source of the steering. But are pleasant scents, crisp chips, friendly staff, and coherent interior design experienced as manipulation at all?

Because sensory marketing often goes unnoticed, it also raises ethical issues.

The secret of sensory marketing lies in the influence of the intermodal interaction of different sensory stimuli on the unconscious. Its great potential makes it an influential but highly complex advertising tool, which will establish itself with further research steps in the field of multisensory marketing. But growing knowledge in this field brings responsibilities. After all, the unconscious is also the home of a personality, storage place of childhood memories and censoring instance of the deepest desires and most abysmal thoughts. Sometimes these materialize in smells and tastes, and when we inhale, they blossom. Even if we were to lose all memory, even "after the death of men and the ruin of things," we learn from Marcel Proust, "then, as the only ones, more delicate but more permanent, more insubstantial, more constant and more faithful, the smell and the taste persist, to remember for a long time, like souls, to wait, to hope, to carry above the debris of all that remains, on their almost intangible droplet, without yielding, the immense edifice of memory."

EXAMPLES

These brands use sensory marketing

Visa

When paying with their Visa card, customers in the USA hear a special sound at the end - one that Visa has been working on for years. It completes the purchase and conveys security and familiarity.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines flight attendants not only wear uniforms in a color combination based on traditional patterns; they also wear a perfume (rose, lavender and citrus) that is highly recognizable to travelers.

Apple

The design of the Apple boutiques is a masterstroke, both visually and haptically - the stores should be perceived as "clean" and "smart" as the company's products.

Starbucks

From the very beginning, the American café chain has required its branches to grind coffee beans on site - so that it smells like fresh coffee at all times and visitors are encouraged to consume it.

Would you like to learn more about sensory marketing? Then we recommend "Customer Sense" by the American professor Aradhna Krishna: a standard work that is appreciated by academics as well as in practice and excellently describes the game with our five senses in marketing.

The events surrounding the demise of Credit Suisse are reminiscent of the grounding of Swissair. An internationally known Swiss company suddenly no longer exists. The situation, in turn, affects many: "We are sorry for all employees who have to fear for their jobs because of the demise of Credit Suisse," explains Markus Baumgartner, President of the Swiss Association for Crisis Communication (VKK). The association has developed nine points on the Swiss banking crisis from the perspective of crisis communication.

1. crisis communication needs trust

The many scandals of recent years have increasingly destroyed the reputation of Credit Suisse. Even though the two captains CEO Ulrich Körner and VRP Axel Lehmann were ultimately credited with the turnaround of Credit Suisse, they were unable to free the bank from the dark shadow of the past. Both are undoubtedly qualified managers, but they failed to build up or create new trust through a lack of adequate communication.

2. crisis communication needs good communication consulting

It is not always easy for communications people to assert themselves vis-à-vis the board of directors or management. Because time and again, executives show themselves to be "resistant to advice" and simply do their thing. This is despite the fact that they have highly qualified internal or sometimes external communications consultants. When it comes to communication, many suddenly have the feeling that they are experts in this area as well. Particularly in crisis communications, it's all about facts so that no speculation arises, but - as here at Credit Suisse - it's not just about bare figures, but about emotions and understanding, and often also about the view from outside when you yourself are only spinning in the hamster wheel.

3. crisis communication needs trustworthy and empathic minds

The importance of this crisis communication principle, and the fact that success or failure depends on it, can be seen in the various exponents of the current situation. Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter has not had an easy time conveying credibility right away in the short time since she took over the Finance Department. What's more, her predecessor Ueli Maurer had said that Credit Suisse could turn itself around. Her personal example as a Credit Suisse client was insensitive. The vast majority of employees do not have the financial security of a member of the national government. At Credit Suisse, the heads of CEO Ulrich Körner and VRP Axel Lehmann are too little known through their own fault. In addition to their work "in the background," they have failed to build trust with the outside world and to convince clients that they are on the right track. This takes time and does not happen overnight. And Finma President Marlene Amstad was hardly able to raise her profile in the run-up to the crisis.

4. crisis communication needs empathy and emotions

That is rather difficult in the financial industry, but certainly not impossible. Axel Lehmann's performance was technocratic and showed a lack of self-criticism. Just now, the demise of one of the landmarks of the Swiss economy was communicated, and he, as Chairman of the Board of Directors, could not bring himself to apologize. From a legal point of view, it is understandable that he does not admit guilt, but at least at this moment he should think of his employees and customers whose jobs and money he has destroyed. At this moment, it is no longer just billions that count, but above all people. In addition, the question obviously arises as to who wrote the words "I am convinced that the new solution will bring sustainable stability and security for employees" on his paper. This statement shows that he has hardly reflected on it. The same applies to the announcement that all employees would devote all their energy to the process of merging with UBS. When so many jobs will be lost, such a statement is unworldly or simply ridiculous.

5. crisis communication needs preparation

A crisis never adheres to a regulated procedure or process. Many unprepared tasks come at the responsible parties from all sides and are difficult to coordinate. Companies therefore do well to prepare for possible crises with texts, dark sites or checklists - always in the hope that they will never need these documents and channels. After all, everyone must be aware that crisis communication has long since ceased to be an episodic task and has become a permanent one. It is to be hoped, for example, that the last-minute, "personal" invitation to an information call from the Credit Suisse management team (only 10 days after the bang), which was sent out quite impersonally with only "Dear Customer" in the salutation - without names (!) - was not the first contact with the "valued" customers. All addressees may rightly ask themselves whether they are only known by name when it comes to profit and they become a neuter in the crisis.

6. crisis management needs credible sponsors

Credit Suisse's short-lived Chairman of the Board, António Mota de Sousa Horta-Osório, promised to introduce a new code of conduct, but failed to stick to it himself. This made it even more difficult for employees to believe in their leadership. And accordingly, the culture of insatiable risk-taking remained. 

7. after the crisis is before the crisis

The scandals at CS and other banks around the world show time and again that too little, if anything, is learned from crises. It is not enough to analyze past mistakes and name the guilty parties. It is crucial to really want to learn something from the misconduct, so that at least we do not put our foot in our mouth again and again. In plain language, this means that crises must not only be dealt with, but also anticipated. This requires a well-established and implemented issue management. It is also important to play out possible future crisis scenarios live and not just in theory. Internal processes and people are not enough. What is needed is a view from the outside that provides an unvarnished reflection of the situation without regard for one's own career - and tells in plain language what needs to be changed. It is not for nothing that those affected by a crisis often perceive the event as a "surprise," while third parties saw it coming long ago.

8. crisis prevention thanks to good corporate culture

We don't want to go into further detail about corporate culture. But a trusting, honest, open corporate culture may not prevent every crisis, but it is one of the best crisis prevention measures. And here, too, it often helps to call on external help, because the view from outside is often worth its weight in gold.

9. bonuses need sustainable criteria thinking

Finally, a word from ethicist Prof. Dr. theol. Peter G. Kirchschläger on the incentives provided by Credit Suisse's bonus culture: "It is worth considering linking bonuses not only to economic criteria, but also to social and sustainability standards. This is in order to honor and reward ethical and responsible decision-making and action. It is almost schizophrenic when a company uses elaborate communication and advertising measures to constantly emphasize how important sustainability and climate protection are to them. And it also publicizes this in glossy brochures. At the same time, ethical criteria apparently play no role whatsoever in bonuses."

Source: VKK

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/neun-punkte-zur-bankenkrise-aus-sicht-der-krisenkommunikation/

Sophisticated campaign pages, large color images and contemporary design elements underscore the work of Caritas. Fast and intuitive donation options offer supporters the opportunity to support people in need and those affected by poverty even more easily. First figures and experiences since go-live are promising.

 On their Website Caritas Switzerland shows its various fields of action and activity. The focus is on the commitment to fight poverty in Switzerland and worldwide as well as the energetic and quick action in case of disasters. In order to continue to meet the requirements and developments in marketing, communication and fundraising, Caritas Switzerland has renewed its online presence together with the agency "Amazee Labs".

User experience at the center

The creation of a modern user experience was the focus of the relaunch, in order to convey the content of Caritas Switzerland in a contemporary, visually vivid and concise manner. The basic principle of "mobile first" applied. The content requirements model for the new website was developed in a user-centered workshop phase. User segments, user research, user journey mapping and an in-depth data analysis served as the basis for this. The interdisciplinary team produced a central "content hub" approach as a result. This is based on keyworded content and a system of visible and hidden filters. Based on the fluid information architecture, users are now guided through the website according to their needs. In this way, Caritas Switzerland ensures intuitive access to relevant information.

Optimized donation experience

Special attention was paid to optimizing the donation options. By better integrating donation requests into the website and the content, visitors are specifically encouraged to support the cause. A robust and integrated donation module with easy handling in the CMS Drupal now serves as the basis for digital fundraising.

The more than 4,000 completed donation transactions in the first month after the relaunch confirm the functionality of the new setting. The donation widgets, which are customized according to donation purpose and need, have also already paid off in an increase in regular donations. The average duration of interaction has also increased by more than 20 percent since Go Live. The first disaster relief campaign for the victims of the earthquake in Syria and the first regular campaign for the anniversary of the war in Ukraine were activated very quickly and carried out smoothly thanks to the simple handling in the backend.

Responsible at Caritas Switzerland: Judith Stirnimann (Project Management), Reto Urech (Fundraising + Marketing), Livia Leykauf (Communications), Christoph Keiser (Digital Fundraising), Daria Jenni (Online Communications). Responsible for Amazee LabsZsófia Gugán and Isabel Racine (Project Management), Philipp Melab (Technical Lead), Thomas Schröpfer and Christian Hohn (UX- Design)

In line with the content of the event, which is organized annually by Admeira and Goldbach Media, the appearance and the logo were created in moving form in accordance with the medium and, building on this, were also implemented statically. The new logo symbolizes a portal into the world of television, showing, as it were, a glimpse into the programs of the future. It aims at the questions "What's up?", "What's next?". The brand typography draws on the history of television and brings these associations into the present day.

Guido Trevisan, CMO Goldbach Group AG: "With more than 800 viewers per year and all relevant TV stations in Switzerland, Screen-Up is the TV industry event in Switzerland. We have always dared to look into the future of television and thus offer orientation for marketing and agency employees. Like Screen-Up, the new logo provides a contemporary framework for the diverse moving image content."

Matthias Fehr, Head of Marketing Communications Admeira AG: "The brand refresh expresses the strengths of the medium TV simply and strongly and shows what screen-up stands for today and tomorrow: entertainment paired with courage, dynamism and fun."

FS Parker is responsible for the new brand identity. "We had a lot of fun completely rethinking the screen-up brand and using a lot of visual firepower to strengthen the event's role as a flagship for the TV industry. The new appearance reflects the portal into the fascinating world of TV," say Hannes Sigrist, Executive Creative Director, and Toni Pihlaja, Art Director.

Responsible at Admeira and Goldbach Media (Switzerland): Matthias Fehr (Head of Marketing Communications, Admeira), Eva Heller (Brand Design & Communication Manager, Admeira), Guido Trevisan (CMO Goldbach Group AG). Vhe responsible at FS Parker: Noelia Blanco and Christoph Schmidt (overall responsibility), Hannes Sigrist-Thompson (Executive Creative Director), Michaela Aerne (Consultant, Project Manager), Toni Pihlaja (Art Director), Marvin Osenda (Graphic Design).

A high workload, irregular working hours, shift work and emergency preparedness make it impossible for physicians in Swiss hospitals and clinics to achieve a good work-life balance. Combined with excessive workloads, this leads to impaired job satisfaction and health, as well as to earlier retirement from the profession. The quality of care and profitability of hospitals also suffer as a result.

Approaches proven in practice

But how can hospitals and clinics improve the work-life balance for their medical staff? Practical answers are provided by the guide "Work-life balance for hospital physicians" from the School of Applied Psychology FHNW, which has been available since the end of March 2023. It offers Swiss hospitals and clinics numerous suggestions for the realization of a compatibility-friendly working environment for their medical staff. The guide was developed by a scientific team led by Prof. Dr. Brigitte Liebig and in cooperation with four acute hospitals and one rehabilitation clinic in Switzerland.

A targeted guide

"For the first time, the publication provides hospitals and clinics with specific guidance on developments that benefit physicians in inpatient healthcare," said project leader Prof. Dr. Liebig. "In addition, we show the benefits of measures for the medical profession and healthcare organizations." At the core of the guide is a catalog of 25 concrete measures that can be used to shape the working conditions for hospital physicians in terms of a better balance between medical work and private life. In addition to cultural changes, HR practices or structural improvements are addressed. A roadmap systematically shows how starting points for change can be identified within the framework of organizational development and implemented in everyday hospital or clinic life. Empirical data and practical examples illustrate the individual development steps.

Focus on medical personnel

The guide is aimed at human resources managers, hospital and clinic management, professional associations and politicians. The focus of the measures is on the professional group of physicians. In general, however, all employees in the inpatient healthcare sector can benefit from the approaches described here.

The guide is available in German and French. The Federal Office for Gender Equality supported the project financially.  

Links to the guide:
www.fhnw.ch/vereinbarkeit-im-spital-wegleitung-de
www.fhnw.ch/vereinbarkeit-im-spital-wegleitung-fr (available from mid-April)

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/wegleitung-zur-foerderung-der-vereinbarkeit-fuer-spitalaerztinnen-und-spitalaerzte/

Data protection specialist Veeam continues to grow in Switzerland and has repositioned itself with Reto Anderes (Regional Director) and Manuel Eberenz (Director Enterprise Sales) as well as newly formed teams. Reto Anderes has been at the helm of the Swiss organization for a few months. With Manuel Eberenz, who came from Dell, a dedicated team is now looking after the enterprise market. This does not mean turning away from the channel business, but rather striving for the trusted advisor approach, said Manuel Eberenz at a media roundtable on March 15.

Unstable security environment

Veeam's efforts in the Swiss market are encountering a still relatively unstable security environment, in which the severity of attacks from the side of digital crime is increasing, the requirements for data protection are thus rising, but gaps exist in reality. This is shown by several global surveys from Veeam, most recently the Veeam Data Protection Report 2023: 79 percent of companies have experienced at least one attack in the past year. Only 19 percent, however, were able to recover their data without paying a ransom. A third of companies fared worse: they paid, but still couldn't recover their data. Further analysis reveals a more mixed picture, with only 28 % of companies updating their recovery plans more frequently than once a year. And 95 % of companies are moderately to extremely concerned about cloud security. 82 % of companies use manual procedures to recover their data after a failure.

Quality of data backup could be improved in many places

The fact that the quality of data backup is not good everywhere is also confirmed by Doron William, who specializes in modern data backup with his DE&C GmbH and has been supporting Veeam for years as a so-called Veeam Accredited Service Partner (VASP). He has a deep insight into the reality of Swiss organizations, both small and large. He repeatedly encounters deplorable conditions, such as current ransomware attacks, a lack of automated tests and concepts that are long outdated. The solutions used are not hardened against ransomware, and the necessary storage know-how is often lacking. Many Swiss companies are therefore putting themselves at risk with their eyes open and misjudging the risks.

New data backup platform

The Veeam Data Platform, newly introduced this year, can help. It puts the topic of backup on the CIO agenda by providing an overall view of the data in the company across all networks, clouds and platforms. Permanent copies of live data exist and can be restored in a short time at the touch of a button. Stephan Herzig, Enterprise Technical Advisor, sees the Veeam Data Platform as a tool for companies to achieve data sovereignty, i.e. self-determined control over all the company's data. This is especially important, he says, because cloud providers never have responsibility over corporate data. With this, Veeam addresses the increasing challenges in complex and growing IT environments that every company has to face - from failures to errors to ransomware.

Source: Veeam Switzerland

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/veeam-schweiz-sieht-qualitaet-der-datensicherung-noch-nicht-auf-der-hoehe-der-zeit/

Migros leads the Swiss Reputation Ranking again this year, after being pushed down to second place by Victorinox last year. Dr. Anja Reimer of GfK Switzerland explains Migros' success: "Migros is the company with which the Swiss population can identify most strongly, and which achieves top scores in terms of socio-moral reputation. Here, Migros is more than four percentage points ahead of the next best company."

Young people in particular identify with Migros

Migros owes its top position primarily to younger people under 30. They rate Migros significantly better than the older population group. "The topic of sustainability is very important to young consumers. They care about the environment and the climate. Migros is strongly committed to these areas," says Martin Nellen, Head of Communications & Media. "I'm pleased that we are obviously also succeeding in communicating this broad commitment in a way that is credible and appropriate to the target group."

Victorinox follows with a slight gap in second place. Victorinox holds its own in particular with regard to the rational dimension and is regarded as the absolute top company in its market, offering better products and services than other companies.

As in the previous year, Zweifel is in third place. Ricola, Lindt & Sprüngli and Geberit remain unchanged in fourth to sixth place. In 7th place is Coop, which moved up four places. Logitech also improved its ranking and now occupies 8th place. Rivella and SBB follow in 9th and 10th place.

Non-profit organizations: Here Rega leads

Among the non-profit organizations, Swiss Air-Rescue Rega leads the ranking for the sixth year in a row, followed by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation and Doctors Without Borders, which moved up one place.

Inflation and the rapid rise in prices for food and many other products are the most important factor currently determining the shopping behavior of the Swiss. This is the result of the Shopping Trend Study 2023 by Bring! and Profital. The study was based on a survey of over 1,500 users of both apps. According to the survey, rising prices are also the issue that concerns consumers most when shopping (70 percent). They are followed at a great distance by product origin (44 percent) and sustainability (33 percent). Four out of five respondents (80 percent) said they currently pay attention to product prices when shopping. In August of last year, the figure was still 47 percent.

Effects on purchasing behavior

This has an impact on purchasing behavior: When buying food, price is currently the most important decision-making factor (73 percent). As a result, purchasing preparation is also gaining in importance. 81 percent of respondents now plan their purchases more carefully than before. This is particularly evident when asked what the most important effect of the current situation is on their own shopping behavior: for 47 percent, it is to study offers and promotions, and 18 percent now keep detailed shopping lists. In view of the price increases, offers are playing an increasingly important role in purchasing: 85 percent of respondents are paying more attention to offers, 69 percent are increasingly focusing on low-priced private labels and 78 percent are increasingly stocking up on products that are currently on offer.

But more conscious shopping is not limited to the financial aspect: Sustainability and the question of where a product comes from are also increasingly in focus. For the majority of consumers, seasonality (58 percent) and regionality (56 percent) are also important when buying food.

Most savings are made on clothing - in the case of food, it is mainly the unhealthy and meat that are eliminated

But where do the Swiss save the most? According to the survey, clothing, shoes and accessories are the main areas affected (61 percent). Furniture (48 percent) and electrical appliances (47 percent) are also under scrutiny when it comes to purchasing decisions. However, food purchases are also subject to scrutiny: A good one in three (34 percent) is trying to cut spending here.

This thriftiness is less concentrated on staple foods: Only 16 percent save on bread and baked goods, while 17 percent save on dairy products and fruit and vegetables. It is striking that less healthy foods in particular end up in the shopping basket less often and consumers also reduce their meat consumption: They are most likely to cut back on snacks and confectionery (49 percent), meat and fish (46 percent) and convenience and frozen foods (39 percent).

Top trends of the next few years: regionality, seasonality and sustainability

More conscious and sustainable shopping: This also determines the trends that consumers see for the future: According to the survey, regionality (56 percent), seasonality (55 percent) and sustainability (44 percent) will influence purchasing behavior in the coming years. Zero waste (31 percent) and organic products (27 percent) will also play an important role.

The entire study is available here download.

Machine builders rely on regular service to ensure that machines are running, and that quality and throughput are right. However, regular maintenance intervals are personnel-intensive - and it is not always easy to find suitably qualified personnel in the first place. And not every maintenance call is necessary: If the machine is running smoothly, the service technician's visit was basically a waste of time.

Reduce service intervals

In the past, regular service intervals were indispensable - and yet no guarantee that a machine would not suddenly come to a standstill. Even for highly qualified personnel, it was not possible to detect every failure that was already imminent.

This is where artificial intelligence comes into play. With the help of sensors, machines can be continuously monitored (predictive maintenance). This generates large amounts of data that can reveal a lot about the health of the machine or even individual components. If the data from the sensors is now evaluated by an AI, possible failures can be predicted well in advance. This means a win-win situation for both the manufacturer and the user: Unplanned failures no longer occur despite a reduction in service intervals.

However, most AI solutions currently on the market require a lot of computing capacity and rely on a costly, high-performance network infrastructure. The sensor data is transmitted via the network, analyzed on central servers or in the cloud, and then the result is sent back. This not only costs time, but also raises the issue of data security. Of course, it is an understandable manufacturer interest to access this data - but whether the customers who use the machines want potentially sensitive process data to be transmitted over the Internet remains to be seen.

AI solutions do not have to be complex and expensive

With modern, yet inexpensive sensors, it is now possible to acquire data in the gigasample range. With this amount of data - we are quickly talking about a volume of several terabytes, especially if the data from several machines is to be evaluated - transmission in the network is hardly possible, even with direct fiber optic cabling. Therefore, it is not only more clever, but also significantly more cost-effective to perform the data evaluation directly on site in the device.

However, such local monitoring has only been possible for a few years. The increasing computing capacity of even the smallest semiconductors makes it possible to accommodate the sensor and AI directly on a small circuit board adapted to the installation location. The sensor then no longer sends its data via the network, but directly to the AI on the same board. The AI "looks" at every single snippet of data in RAM, evaluates it, and then discards the raw data from the sensor. Only the evaluation results are passed on - in the simplest case by a lamp on the device that lights up red if an error occurs. Or the service department is notified directly that a component or the entire device will have a fault within a certain period of time. The service department can now order the necessary spare parts and plan a maintenance date with the customer that will not affect production.

Such local AI systems are referred to as "embedded AI". Due to the system-related resource limitations, such systems are comparatively inexpensive without sacrificing robustness. They do not incur any follow-up costs such as those incurred by a network infrastructure and are also real-time capable, which means they can also be used in safety-critical environments.

What are the possible applications for embedded AI

Even though the possible applications for embedded AI are almost unlimited, a (small) selection of potential use cases will be presented here:

• In engines, drive shafts can be monitored using ultrasonic sensors. If anomalies occur in the ultrasound image that indicate a possible failure, this is detected by the AI.
• Pumps and hoses can also be monitored with AI - it becomes visible at an early stage whether a hose is about to crack, for example. The AI can even detect whether, for example, the original detergent or a substitute is flowing through the hose.
• Axles and dampers can be monitored, for example, by means of pressure, vibration or even sound sensors
• Wear of conveyor belts can be detected at an early stage by means of spectrography
• Monitoring of main failure components and or wear parts in machines
• Monitoring of cooling systems and heating elements

Failure guarantee despite less service and win-win for manufacturer and customer

For service, predictive maintenance means that service intervals can be reduced and "unnecessary" visits avoided, and the planning of maintenance work can be made significantly more flexible. Machine manufacturers can guarantee a high level of reliability with fewer service personnel.

These new possibilities of predictive maintenance open up further potential for the machine builder "quite incidentally". In addition to service reduction, it is not only possible to guarantee reliability; this scenario is also suitable for opening up a new business model: leasing machines instead of selling them. The interest in obsolescence decreases because the longest possible service life becomes a market advantage for the manufacturer. This also has advantages for the customer: machine procurement does not become a large one-time investment and is less of a burden on liquidity.

Especially in times of staff shortages and sustainability efforts, machine builders can kill several birds with one stone with embedded AI and build another USP. In this way, they become reliable partners in the long term and at the same time set themselves apart from mass products, for example from Asia.

[1] https://www.all-electronics.de/automatisierung/soviele-milliarden-kosten-ungeplante-machinenstillstaende-271.html

Author:
Viacheslav Gromov is founder and managing director of AITAD. The company develops electronics-related artificial intelligence (embedded AI) that performs locally defined tasks in devices and machines in real time. He is the author of numerous papers as well as various textbooks in the semiconductor field.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/embedded-ki-entlastet-den-service/

It is well known that strong brands are more successful and guarantee a higher ROI. On average, the top 50 strongest brands in the BAV ranking perform more than one and a half times better than the average of all brands in stock indices such as Dow Jones or S&P. The BAV shows that strong brands have a pronounced brand stature on the one hand and high brand vitality on the other. The combination of esteem and trust on the one hand and relevance and differentiation on the other makes brands true powerbrands. Starting in 2022, Wunderman Thompson will conduct the world's largest brand survey in Switzerland on an annual basis, and this year there are some surprises in the ranking.

Tech brands push forward

The biggest winners in the top 10 this year are the technology brands Microsoft, Apple and Samsung. They have made massive gains and are in the top 10 for the first time. Microsoft moves up 17 places to land in third place; Apple is close behind in fourth place (+26 ranks); and Samsung makes up an impressive 35 ranks to land in sixth place in the overall ranking. With Google still unchallenged in first place, as well as WhatsApp and YouTube, this means that 7 of the top 10 brands are from the digital sector.

On the one hand, this may have to do with the fact that technology and digital platforms have become an integral part of everyday life. Especially in the post-Corona era, which is characterized by remote work, zoom or team meetings, and digital interaction, these brands are becoming increasingly important for everyday life. This strengthens the familiarity but also relevance of these brands. On the other hand, brands like Apple or Samsung have a high pace of innovation. And since innovativeness is one of the main drivers behind brand vitality, these brands can put themselves at the top of the winners.

Another brand that made it into the top 10 for the first time is Victorinox. The Swiss original is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and is therefore probably particularly present in the minds of the Swiss. Beyond that, however, the brand has also done quite a bit in recent years to stay fresh and up-to-date. Not for nothing was Victorinox honored with the Swiss Marketing Award by the Gfm in October (Werbewoche.ch reported). No longer in the top 10 is the company Coop, which loses 8 ranks and "only" lands in 15th place.

Four pillars of brand strength

In the most differentiated brands, Tesla and Apple are the clear winners in the first two places. Lego and IKEA also score here and, as in the previous year, land in the top 5. Dyson was included in the list of 800 brands surveyed for the first time this year and promptly lands in 4th place, just like the Swiss vitamin drink Focus Water in 9th place. The Swiss sneaker brand On can improve by 166 ranks and moves up to 6th place. However, "Swissness" no longer seems to be a driver in the differentiation: the Swiss originals Rega, Toblerone, Ovomaltine, Rivella and Ricola all slip out of the top 10.

In terms of relevance, the well-known brands can defend their top positions. Migros, WhatsApp, Google, Coop and Microsoft are once again among the most relevant brands in Switzerland. Twint improves by 37 positions to rank 6. In 2022, supermarkets and digital brands will still be enormously important for Swiss consumers, not only among the top 10, but in the overall ranking.

There are also no surprises among the most trusted brands: Migros, WhatsApp, Coop, Google and Swisscom are all in the lead, similar to the previous year. These brands are firmly established in the everyday lives of the Swiss and are therefore very familiar. It is interesting to note that SBB has moved up seven places to 10th place. Perhaps this is an indication that the understanding of mobility is changing and people are increasingly relying on public transportation.

Major changes are visible in terms of appreciation: Migros, Victorinox and Rega are similarly far ahead as in 2021, but there is a lot going on behind them: Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Kärcher, Bosch and Zug can gain between 35 and 79 ranks and move ahead of Coop, which falls back to 10th place. There could be different explanations for this dynamic. As in the main ranking, Microsoft, Samsung and Google are very strong digital brands that are firmly established in everyday life. In the case of Kärcher, Bosch and Zug, we are talking about brands related to the household - and here the current crises certainly play a role. The term "cocooning" has previously been used to describe the phenomenon of people focusing more on their immediate surroundings in times of crisis. In addition, this year for the first time the image attributes "reliable," "high quality" and "leading brand" are included in the calculation of appreciation, and here traditional brands like this year's top 10 naturally have a clear advantage.

"Most loved brand" Migros

This year, the "Love Brands" of Switzerland are also determined for the first time. For this purpose, the survey explicitly determined per brand with a scaled question how much it is liked. Apart from WhatsApp and Google, the ranking includes a list of well-known Swiss brands. As expected, Migros lands right at the top, and the Cumulus Card is also very popular in this country. Twint, Rega, Victorinox and Caran D'Ache are also among the Love Brands. Lindt and Raclette Suisse are the only two food brands in the top 10, but there are already eight in the top 20 - including Ragusa, Ricola and Zweifel. While "Swissness" no longer seems to play such a big role in brand strength, Swiss origin is apparently an absolute must if you want to be a Love Brand.

All in all, this year again shows that the brand landscape in Switzerland is constantly in flux. Some brands are moving forward in terms of perception, while others are losing ground in terms of reputation. Some of the changes certainly have to do with external circumstances such as the current crises. But it is precisely the dimensions of differentiation and familiarity that are driven by communication. Therefore, even in difficult times, an investment in advertising and marketing can be worthwhile in order to build and maintain a strong brand.

Responsible at Wunderman Thompson: Peter Petermann (Head of Strategy) Galina Helbling (Senior Strategist), Giselle Vaugne (Chief Operating Officer and Co-CEO, overall responsibility), Swen Morath (Chief Creative Officer and Co-CEO, overall responsibility). Responsible at Ogilvy: Matthias Müller (Strategy Director), Jonathan Schipper (CEO). Responsible at Scholz & Friends: Mathias Rösch (CEO).

The Brand Asset Valuator BAV is the largest and most comprehensive brand study worldwide. The study has been conducted in Switzerland since 1995. Since this year, the study has been conducted jointly by the WPP agencies Wunderman Thompson, Ogilvy and Scholz & Friends in annual waves. This has made it possible to massively expand the BAV. Now, 8,000 Swiss people aged 18-74 are surveyed annually about their brand preferences. The number of brands surveyed has more than doubled to over 800. The study is representative of the Internet population in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland according to Switzerland's official structural data. The survey period was from August 31 to October 18, 2022.

Of the 15-year-olds in 2022, around one in three had used at least one tobacco or nicotine product within a month, Sucht Schweiz wrote on the study results published on Monday.

E-cigarette more popular with girls

7 percent of 15-year-old boys and 6 percent of girls smoked cigarettes more frequently, on at least ten of the 30 days prior to the survey. Cigarette consumption was thus about the same as in 2018. 13-year-olds were even less likely to reach for cigarettes. But 6 percent of them smoked at least once a month.

Meanwhile, e-cigarettes, such as puff bars and imitation products, were increasingly circulating among young people. 7 percent of 15-year-old boys and 8 percent of girls used such a product on at least ten days within a month. Compared to 2018, girls in particular used e-cigarettes more frequently.

Two other nicotine products also spread among 15-year-olds: Tobacco heaters and the oral tobacco snus, with 4 percent of boys and 3 percent of girls using a tobacco heater at least once in a 30-day period. That was three times as many as in 2018, according to the study.

Politics is called for

About one in eight 15-year-old boys consumed snus at least once in a 30-day period, twice as many as in 2018. Snus was less popular among 15-year-old girls, but the proportion of female users increased from one to 6 percent in four years.

Addiction Switzerland demands that politicians take measures to keep young people away from e-cigarettes and snus. For these products, there are neither effective advertising restrictions nor a minimum dispensing age. Measures are needed in terms of access, advertising, price, packaging and flavors, writes Addiction Switzerland.

This is more than the future Tobacco Products Act provides for. The law needs to be adapted following the "Yes" vote on the popular initiative "Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising" just over a year ago. However, the Federal Council's proposals were controversial in the consultation process, which ended in November 2022.

According to the survey, more young people have access to conventional cigarettes through their environment than buy them themselves. Curiosity" was the most frequently cited reason for taking up e-cigarettes. Only a minority wanted to use e-cigarettes to replace conventional cigarettes or to quit smoking with their help.

Dangerous mix

The 2022 survey also found that four percent of 15-year-olds have taken a drug to get high at least once. That is a similar number to four years earlier. The proportion is higher among girls than among boys.

5 percent of 15-year-old adolescents and 9% of girls of the same age have mixed medication with alcohol at least once in their lives - this is considered particularly dangerous, according to Sucht Schweiz. Mixed drinks with cough syrup have been consumed by 6 percent of boys and 2 percent of girls.

In terms of alcohol consumption, the figures remained roughly at the same level as in 2018: 43 percent of all 15-year-olds had drunk alcohol at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey. Around one in four had consumed at least five or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion within 30 days.

School classes surveyed

Cannabis use also remained at 2018 levels, with 12 percent of 15-year-old boys and 8 percent of girls in this age group using illicit cannabis at least once in the month prior to the survey.

The nationally representative survey of young people has been conducted every four years since 1986. In Switzerland, around three quarters of 857 randomly selected school classes took part in the survey. Around 9300 young people aged 11 to 15 provided information. (SDA)

Migrolino offers a wide range of ready-to-eat products under its own brand. Now, an innovative and concise packaging design was to be developed for it. The look had to reflect the Migrolino brand, offer customers orientation, contain the promise of "fresh, healthy, fine, sustainable and inexpensive" and convey the Migrolino brand story. The aim was to strengthen Migrolino as a food convenience provider.

For the redesign of Migrolino's own brand assortment, the Zurich agency Rosarot developed an independent assortment brand under the name "Migrolino Truly Good" and was able to prevail in the pitch.

"Migrolino Truly Good" is intended to become a strong, confident brand and convey in a quick way that Migrolino's ready-to-eat products are "truly good." For the packaging, a bold and honest typography meets an emotional, handwritten font. This, in combination with the natural texture of the paper, is intended to convey a feeling of sustainability and to focus on the truly good nature of the product. Color coding and icons provide a quick overview so that customers can find their way around as easily as possible.

Rosarot has already implemented the new packaging for around 150 products from the Ready-to-Eat range. Sandwiches, salad bowls, poké bowls, wraps, Birchermüesli, juices and much more have been available in the new design since Wednesday in 315 Migrolino and 50 Mio stores throughout Switzerland. The launch is supported at the POS by targeted introductory measures.

Responsible at Migrolino: Melanie Ritschard (Team Leader POS Marketing), Buletin Thaqi (Product Manager Ready to Eat), Alexandra Vogel (Marketing Manager), Sandro Coppola (Marketing Assistant), Marco Fallico (Head of Legal, Communication and Quality Management), Thomas Fiebig (Food Consultant), Lukas Bürge (Head of Product Management Fresh Produce). Responsible at Rosarot: René Karrer (Creative Direction), Dominique Ghilardi, Sarah Därendinger, Bianca Berger (Art Direction), Marcela Narváez, Stephanie Steimer (Graphic Design), Flavia Hänni, Fabio Montefiori (DTP), Sarah Pietrasanta, Franz Neugebauer (Text and Concept), Nadine Ticozzelli, Felicia Lauper, Lorena Amgwerd (Consulting).