On Friday October 25, 2024, Kingfluencers hosted its first-ever Swiss Influence Marketing Forum (SIMF) at The Hall in Dübendorf, Zurich. This milestone event brought together 350+ attendees and 30+ speakers from the worlds of influencer marketing, brand management, and digital culture. Here’s a breakdown of the day, from engaging panels and insightful keynotes to exclusive sessions and the Smile Swiss Influence Award show.
Our official SIMF aftermovie
Morning Kick-Off: Conversations and Coffee
Doors opened early, giving attendees time to network over coffee and croissants (who doesn’t enjoy those in the morning ;)). The event kicked off with introductory sessions that set the stage for the day, emphasizing SIMF’s focus on authenticity, community, and influence-building as the core elements of modern marketing.
To start off the day, the first panel was all about Brand Influence with Marc Zurbrügg from M-Budget and Yoeri Callebaut, Dominique Hufschmid from Kingfluencers. Have a look at the full panel here:
Keynote Highlights: Visionary Insights from Industry Leaders
Dominique von Matt on Trust vs. Love in Branding
Prof. Dr. Dominique von Matt, chairman at Jung von Matt Schweiz, opened with a keynote titled “Don’t Trust Love – Love Trust.” He challenged brands to shift from striving for “love” to building “trust,” a concept gaining traction in a market increasingly focused on reliability and purpose. Von Matt discussed how a “trust brand” better suits today’s consumer expectations, focusing on sustainability, responsibility, and meaningful connections.
Check out the whole session on Youtube!
complete sessionDavid Pfluger’s Brand OS®: Creating a Cohesive Brand Identity
David Pfluger, creative director known for his work with brands like BeReal and Burton, shared his unique Brand OS® approach, which treats brand development like an operating system. He emphasized that every brand element—from visuals to messaging—needs to align cohesively to connect with audiences, particularly Gen Z. Pfluger’s structured approach offered actionable insights for brand builders aiming to resonate with younger, digitally savvy consumers.
Curious about other panels? Have a look at our Youtube videos!
to the videosPanel Discussions and Talks: Diving into Modern Marketing Challenges
Throughout the day, attendees moved between sessions in the main hall and smaller rooms, each offering deep dives into relevant industry topics:
Advertising 3.0 with Rob Hartmann: The Publicis Zurich Executive Creative Director Rob Hartmann discussed how digital changes are revolutionizing brand interactions. He called for embracing humor and disruption, urging brands to move beyond traditional advertising tactics and build lasting connections with consumers in creative new ways.The focus of this masterclass was how brands need to understand communities, communicate with them as equals, and give them a platform to generate sustainable brand love and brand loyalty. So, how do you decode social communities?
High-End Vibes, Low Budget – From Zero to Luxe: JP Erni from OFF Skitouring, shared the inspiring journey of building a high-end brand without a massive budget. He explained how OFF Skitouring broke industry norms by focusing on quality design, bold storytelling, and a playful approach that sets them apart from competitors. By prioritizing authenticity and simplicity in their communication, the brand created a premium vibe while staying relatable.
Success Stories in Small Business Influencer Marketing: Alexandra Brux and Silva Imken from Dr. Hauschka Switzerland shared their effective three-step strategy for engaging audiences with limited budgets. Their insights demonstrated how strategic, small-scale influencer partnerships can build strong brand awareness.
Sony Workshops
In the afternoon, Sony hosted hands-on workshops, giving participants the chance to refine their content creation skills. Led by Stefan Krenn and Corinna Michl, these workshops covered the essentials of content creation and portrait photography, from creating compelling Reels to perfecting your photo composition. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to learn practical techniques for capturing audience attention on social platforms.
Additionally, more sessions tackled digital marketing challenges, including:
LinkedIn Balance: Branding with Authenticity:
A session featuring Manuel Kekeisen from LinkedIn and Laura Parker of Axpo Group explored the delicate art of brand authenticity on LinkedIn. Attendees learned about leveraging LinkedIn’s features while staying true to their brand’s unique voice.
Hot Seat: Brand Influence
In our “Influence Hot Seat,” creators, brands, and agency representatives bravely faced direct and rapid-fire questions from our Hot Seat Host, Prof. Dr. Andreas Lanz, and the audience. The session delivered exciting insights, honest answers, and authentic discussions – an absolute highlight for everyone wanting to feel the pulse of the influencer marketing world.
Evening Wrap-Up: Smile Swiss Influence Award Show
The event closed with the Smile Swiss Influence Award Show, which celebrated creators making an impact in the Swiss market. The awards celebrated achievements in beauty, lifestyle, travel, and more, spotlighting the creativity and impact of Swiss influencers. Attendees continued networking at the after-party, capping off a productive day with celebrations and conversations. But the day didn’t stop there for us: we had the pleasure to host two categories of the event: the Brands and Business Creator categories! Check out the two winners – Kantonspolizei Aargau for the category Brands and Angela Mygind for the category Business Creator:
Check out all the winners of all the categories of the Smile Swiss Influencer Awards:
Looking Ahead
It is clear that the first SIMF was a success, creating a space for marketers and influencers to connect and exchange ideas. We are very grateful to all speakers, partners, and the supportive community that helped make the event possible. Stay tuned for more!
Did you already check out our SIMF page? Have a look at all the highlights of the event, more impressions, all the top-notch speakers, a description of all the panels and some exclusive full sessions of the day!