Despite the 70th anniversary, there were few opportunities to celebrate for the Swiss Advertising Client Association (SWA) in 2020. The advertising companies were challenged by the pandemic and so was the association. That is why the around 100 members present were very happy to finally come to a physical event again.
On Thursday evening, the SWA members and some guests finally met again physically in “Chicago 1928”, as a message says. The association combined its 72nd general assembly with an exclusive leader event. The “who’s who” of Swiss advertising clients gathered in the former warehouse in Zurich-Oerlikon. The President of the SWA, Roger Harlacher, spoke in the AGM about the challenges of the association and was able to announce a gratifying annual profit in 2020 as well as good prospects for the future.
New services and new members
Despite the difficult times, the SWA has been able to expand its services in recent years and also increase its membership. Eight new members joined the SWA in 2020 and seven new members this year. In total, the SWA has over 200 members from all sectors, who are responsible for around 75 percent of Swiss media spending.
The SWA is the only association in Switzerland that exclusively represents the interests of advertising clients vis-à-vis all stakeholders. This clear profile, combined with numerous added values, is still well received by the advertising companies today.
The largest Swiss advertising client on the board
This year there were some changes in the board of directors. The assembly elected four new members to the board with great applause: Heike Kammerer (Nestlé), Nadine Hess (Migros), Christoph Timm (Swisscom) and André Hefti (Switzerland Tourism). After six years on the Board of Directors, Olivier Quillet (Nestlé) and Bernhard Christen (SRF) bid farewell. Both have changed jobs.
After three years in office, Rebekka Iten (Bayer), Jan De Schepper (Swissquote) and Roger Harlacher (Zweifel Chips) were re-elected for a further period. Other members of the Executive Board are still Frank Burkhardt (L’Oréal), Karin Held (Land Rover / Jaguar), Thomas Schwetje (Coop) and Roman Reichelt (Credit Suisse). The SWA board is now complete again and both of Switzerland’s largest advertising clients – Coop and Migros – are on the board.
Prominent CMO-Podium
After the AGM there was a CMO talk with Zanet Zabarac (Dosenbach), Martin Walthert (Digitec Galaxus and “Advertiser of the Year”), Roman Reichelt (Credit Suisse) and André Hefti (Switzerland Tourism). According to the announcement, the moderator, Johannes Hapig from M&K, knew how to eloquently ask the right questions in order to find out where the CMO’s shoe pinches in these times.
The focus of the evening was on the “here and now” and for once there were no recordings or virtual transmissions. With a view to the year 2022, the SWA director, Roland Ehrler, hopes that the advertising market will continue to recover and that more plannable, physical events will be possible again in the new year. At the same time, he announced the next big annual SWA meeting on March 16, 2022. At this traditional top meeting of the advertising market, the topic of “Man or machine: artificial intelligence in marketing and communication” is to be caught up on. The next General Assembly will take place at the same time.
In the cozy part of the evening there was everything that was forbidden in 1928: alcohol, gambling and joie de vivre. The extensive networking was very much appreciated and lasted until late at night. (pd / cbe)
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