Observed Signal · Jun 18, 2026 · Award · Source: absatzwirtschaft · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Melanie Rupp Wins Marken‑Award 2026 Next CMO
Melanie Rupp, Head of Customer Experience & Media for Cupra and Seat in Germany, has won the Marken‑Award 2026 in the "Next CMO" category. The 39‑year‑old has worked on Cupra’s market build‑up since the brand’s founding about eight years ago and today manages the German media budgets for Cupra and Seat with a team of six. Rupp is leading communications around the new all‑electric Cupra Raval, targeting a younger urban audience with a campaign titled "Follow the Cupra Raval" that combined live events in 12 cities with digital and social distribution. She cites music, pop culture and creator collaborations as central to reaching the target group and names Giuseppe Fiordispina as a long‑time mentor and her current boss.
Profile piece about an individual marketing leader and a brand campaign; relevant to brand and creative communities but not industry‑shifting for AdTech/MarTech.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Melanie Rupp won the Marken‑Award 2026 in the "Next CMO" category.
- Rupp is Head of Customer Experience & Media for Cupra and Seat in Germany and leads a team of six.
- She has accompanied Cupra’s brand build in Germany since its founding about eight years ago.
- Rupp currently manages communications for the all‑electric Cupra Raval, using the "Follow the Cupra Raval" campaign which combined events in 12 international cities with digital and social media.
- Giuseppe Fiordispina is described as the face of Cupra in Germany and as Rupp’s boss and mentor.
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CMO of the Year: CMO Role Has Fundamentally Changed
An interview marking the fifth Swiss edition of the "CMO of the Year" award highlights how the CMO role has shifted from pure communication and brand management to include transformation leadership, data expertise, innovation, customer experience, sustainability and economic efficiency. The article names six nominees for CMO of the Year 2026 (Veronika Elsener, Andrea Hänggi, Antonia Lepore, Jens Plath, Roman Reichelt, Raphael Werner) and confirms the award-night on 20 August 2026 at LaSalle im Schiffbau. The selection process is multi-stage, led by a jury and supported by the Institute for Marketing & Customer Insight at the University of St. Gallen. Serviceplan created the award; a European edition debuted in Cannes in 2026. Partners include Admeira, APG, 20 Minuten, m&k, persönlich, Swiss Marketing and the University of St. Gallen institute.
Raphael Werner Named CMO of the Year 2026
Raphael Werner, Denner's marketing chief, was awarded "CMO of the Year Switzerland 2026" by the Serviceplan Group Switzerland at the fifth edition of the award. A jury of 18 representatives from business, marketing, media and academia evaluated candidates using dossiers compiled by the Institute for Marketing & Customer Insight at the University of St.Gallen. Werner, who began his career at Lidl and now leads Marketing, Promotions, Digital Business and Customer Insights at Denner, was recognized for culturally relevant, data-driven customer leadership and bold brand communication. The award night took place at LaSalle in Schiffbau Zürich and the initiative is run by Serviceplan Group Switzerland in partnership with multiple Swiss industry organisations and media partners.
Zühlke appoints Natasa Kovacevic as CMO
Zühlke has appointed Natasa Kovacevic as Chief Marketing Officer, effective August 2026. Kovacevic joins the Group Leadership Team and reports to Group-CEO Gregor Bieler. She succeeds Celia Marinho, who served as interim CMO and will remain with Zühlke as Head of Digital Marketing. Kovacevic previously led marketing and communications at Bechtle and has more than ten years of experience leading marketing teams at Swiss technology companies including ITpoint Systems, Netstream and UMB. In her new role she will be responsible for marketing and communications across the entire Zühlke group.
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