Survey: Crisis as an opportunity?

"We are discovering completely new qualities"

Commercially, the lockdown weeks have hardly any chances. Advertising goes where the target group is, and they weren't out and about. Now business is picking up again. Thanks to our good customer contacts, which are now paying off, and the creative and motivating ideas that our sales team is coming up with to win over customers. And we are grateful for the understanding cooperation with our location partners. Our ability to exibilize the entire operation from zero to one hundred and keep it agile despite adverse circumstances has actually had a positive effect. Different working hours, working from home and digital meetings still characterize our day-to-day work today. Despite the physical distance, we are discovering completely new qualities - emotional closeness, trust, goal orientation, concentration on the essentials and an irrepressible will to master this situation in the best possible way.

Christoph Marty, CEO of Clear Channel Switzerland

"Forced to transform"

The restrictions in recent months have led to the SWA engaging in even more digital communication with our members. I therefore also see some opportunities in this crisis. For example, we will probably increasingly work together from home and digital attendance at meetings, presentations, etc. will become the rule rather than the exception. As a result, meetings and events are likely to become increasingly hybrid. This would be an efficiency gain for everyone and especially for people who have had to travel a lot up to now. Of course, there are also disadvantages and face-to-face interaction will always be more intensive than the virtual substitute. That's why I'm all the more looking forward to meeting our members in person again soon!

Roland Ehrler, Director of the Swiss Advertising Clients Association (SWA)

"The value of journalism has been strengthened"

The population's awareness of the important role journalism plays has been strengthened. Trust in the established media brands is intact. The high demand for news and classification has proven this. For the media companies, it has become clear how important a good mix of digital and analog channels is. Online reporting was practically live. Printed newspapers made the most of their opportunities to provide background information. And data journalism showed what it is capable of with the aggregation of data and the preparation of interactive graphics. The value of journalism has thus been strengthened, and with it the willingness to pay. Publishers can build on this and use it to refine their product design and marketing.

Andreas Häuptli, Managing Director of the Swiss Media Association

"Meetings start on time and are shorter"

The coronavirus crisis shows us that the digital transformation is continuing to gather pace. We must now all learn to work even faster and more agilely with the appropriate tools. Dürrenmatt once said: "The future is always utopian." But now digital is the present. This is our opportunity: the demand for digital communication and transformed processes has increased massively. In this respect, our new collaboration between Publicis and Notch is nothing short of ingenious. We can support our clients across the entire spectrum of communication and transformation in the spirit of the Power of One. What's more, the current situation is also having an impact on internal collaboration via home office. Meetings start on time and are more efficient. In short, and also loosely based on Max Frisch: "Time does not transform us. It unfolds us."

Peter van der Touw, Chief Operating Officer at Publicis Communications Switzerland

"Quite simply a disaster"

The media write that they are more relevant than ever (and need to be subsidized). Google is making it clear that nothing works without Google. Facebook wants to show that Facebook is the only way forward. Advertising agencies are screaming that the moment for advertising has never been so good. The ADC could announce here that creative communication is receiving a new boost in importance.

"Crisis as opportunity" is rhetoric, mostly for the purpose of reassuring (and deceiving) oneself; that's what Sunday preachers are for. The corona crisis is not just a crisis (like the subprime market crisis in 2008), but one of those rare Black Swan events that will have a huge impact on everyone's psyche and our society. According to Nassim Taleb, it is human nature to find simple explanations for such a drastic event. But it is too early for that, because we are still in the middle of the crisis and there is no end in sight, nor are the effects foreseeable. However, it is already clear that the economic and social consequences will have an existential impact on many people and companies - this has nothing to do with opportunities, but is simply a catastrophe that we will have to learn to live with.

PS: Anyone who a) places their brand in a responsible social context, b) turns communication into a service experience and c) doesn't switch off their common sense when faced with all the data and KPIs is already doing a lot better.

Frank Bodin, President of ADC Switzerland

"Act, not Ads"

People don't just want to buy products and services. People want companies that offer them real support. What began before Covid-19 has been accentuated during this state of emergency: meaningless advertising for products is over. Brands need to be clear about what they stand for and what real customer needs they want to satisfy. And - just as importantly - they need to communicate these benefits not just through communication, but through the company as a whole. This is the only way to ensure that what is promised is not an unproven claim. Successful brands go beyond marketing.

For our industry, this means not only thinking outside the box, but also outside the box. There are significantly more ways to connect people and brands than the familiar advertising formats. What it takes is creativity. And therefore our core competence. I therefore have a positive outlook for the future.

Petra Dreyfus, Co-CEO of Wirz Communications and reigning "Advertiser of the Year"

"Change process accelerated"

The current situation has also prompted the communications and technology industry to make rapid and unplanned changes. However, the reality is that we need to constantly evolve if we want to be successful and effective in our industry - both on the agency and client side. We are in a constant process of change. The Covid-19 phenomenon has only accelerated this process.

For those companies that had already embarked on the transformation path before the crisis, equipped with a sound plan and the necessary skills, the crisis has given them the opportunity to stress test this plan and correct course where necessary. For everyone else, it has ruthlessly demonstrated the consequences of not changing in time. For them, the question now is: if not now, then when? Now they have the opportunity to analyze, learn and adapt - the transformation train is rolling, last chance to get on board, because:Even involuntary change brings progress!

Patrik Gamryd, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Switzerland

"Artificially preserved structures are breaking away"

Of course, many things can be glossed over. The crisis will primarily claim victims in the form of increased unemployment. Younger and older age groups in particular are likely to feel the effects.

Many artificially maintained structures will collapse and disappear, which is not necessarily a bad thing per se. We should be able to benefit enormously from the experience we have gained and hold meetings online in future, offer employees more opportunities to work from home and appreciate values in our immediate environment more again. In doing so, we are doing something good for the environment. And perhaps the greatest opportunity is that we learn to be a little more humble and grateful again. In whatever area of life. But for now, I'll stick with Anita Weyermann: Gring abe u seckle!

Moreno Cavaliere, Delegate Director Corriere del Ticino / MediaTI Markerting