The year in which communication remained human

Crisis communication

One of the sentences that made history in Switzerland this year was uttered by the mayor of Blatten (canton of Valais). And he said it at a difficult time, because the village had been almost completely buried by a glacier collapse and a devastating rockslide. At the press conference, Matthias Bellwald made this statement: “Blatten has lost its village, but not its heart.” There was a pause. Then he continued: “Let's hug each other!” And that's exactly what he did with his fellow municipal councilors.

This statement is not only a masterful example of crisis communication, but also reveals in one fell swoop what the topic of the year cannot do: AI can do many things, but it cannot be empathetic. When looking at the trends in communication in 2025, it is impossible to ignore so-called artificial intelligence – or, as theologian and philosopher Prof. Dr. Peter G. Kirchschläger calls it, data-based systems.

AI speaks fluently—but not necessarily meaningfully...

More and more companies are relying on automated communication, while at the same time the number of those who long for genuine dialogue is growing. ChatGPT, Copilot & Co. write emails, press releases, and speeches in seconds—but if you look closely, you'll notice that the words are correct, but often soulless. Communication is becoming faster, but not necessarily better.

Authenticity becomes currency—and a balancing act...

Whether you're a CEO, politician, or influencer, if you come across as “too perfect,” you'll seem suspicious. At the same time, if you tweet too spontaneously, you risk the next shitstorm. In 2025, the art was in appearing genuine – without going off the rails. Because there was no shortage of polished phrases this year:

• “We must set the right course now.”
• “We need solutions that will help us move forward as a society.”
• “We are monitoring the situation very closely.”
• “We will not leave anyone behind.”
• “We are strengthening innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness.”
• “Nothing less than the future of our children is at stake.”
• “We need a common understanding now.”
• “Dialogue is more important now than ever.”
• “We are strengthening the center of our society.”
• “We are ensuring sustainable growth.”
• “We are investing where it pays off.”

And this example of a social media post also shows what can trigger a shitstorm: On May 25, 2025, Jette Nietzard – then active in the Green Youth youth organization – posted an Instagram story with a photo of herself on her way to the German Bundestag. Her sweatshirt bore the letters A.C.A.B. – in plain language: All cops are bastards. The action was heavily criticized, with the print in particular being perceived as a blanket disparagement of police officers.

The wording and symbolism were provocative, sweeping generalizations, and touched on sensitive social issues. This example illustrates how a social media post that has not been carefully reviewed can quickly become controversial. As a general rule, statements that make sweeping generalizations (such as “All police officers...”) are risky in terms of communication—they arouse emotions and polarization.

In internal communication, much remains the same – only more digital...

Teams hold hybrid meetings, with emotions stuck halfway between the screen and the office door. Managers are realizing that digital tools do not create trust – at best, they merely convey it. If you want to be understood, you have to get personal again.

Crisis communication remains a high-performance sport...

Whether it's climate, AI, or culture wars, companies must prove every day that they can not only react, but also act. The most successful crisis managers in 2025 were those who didn't just talk, but explained, listened, and remained consistent.

The effectiveness of clear, fact-based crisis communication became particularly apparent in June 2025, when Citroën issued an immediate driving ban on several thousand vehicles in Switzerland. Instead of playing down the risk, the manufacturer communicated openly with the relevant authorities and gave those affected clear instructions on how to proceed. The message: We have listened, assessed the situation, and are now deciding in favor of safety. It is precisely this three-step pattern – perceive, assess, then speak – that is often called for in public communication, but rarely implemented so consistently.

Amidst the noise of communication, many rediscovered silence...

Not every opinion needs to be posted immediately, not every problem needs to be commented on right away. Conscious omission is becoming a new art form—and sometimes the most effective message of all.

Perhaps in 2025, people were actually a little too influenced by the current US president, Donald Trump, and his own channel to say and comment on everything. And then they realized that “thanks” to this high cadence, the content quickly lost its impact. This applies to both sides. And anyone who comments on one of his social media posts needs time – to do it cleverly. But in these fast-moving times, it can happen that the quote in question may very quickly become outdated again – or that the president promptly claims the opposite.

An example: In April 2025, Trump initially announced high tariffs on imports and publicly stated that he would not budge from this line. His statement: “My policy will never change.” Just a few hours later, he announced via social media and a press briefing that he would suspend some of the announced tariffs for 90 days—with the exception of China.

Conclusion

2025 showed that technology changes communication—but does not replace it. Words remain powerful when they are genuine. And people remain credible when they mean what they say. So what idea follows from this? Just consider the first scene from the play “Waiting for Godot.” There is silence and waiting. You will discover – similar to personal meditation – that thoughts from within become visible. When there are no external stimuli, you hear the internal ones. It's worth a try. Because in a world full of voices, listening is becoming the most valuable communication tool of the future – and is still underestimated by many.