empirical. evident. essential.
Sixty years of expertise and innovation in political and communications research

gfs.bern provides empirical and evidence-based answers to a wide variety of societal, political and economic questions.

We are seen as leading the way with our findings on opinion forming trends in Switzerland and in direct democratic processes. We apply a wide variety of methods for data gathering: representative surveys, specific target group surveys, focus groups, qualitative in-depth interviews, planning and accompanying studies for campaigning, data modelling, regional analyses and media analyses. We also conduct surveys simply and efficiently using our own online panels polittrends.ch.

You seek, we deliver!

Decision-making bases for your questions concerning society, politics or the economy.

 gfs.bern services for your market and opinion research!

 

Surveys

Since the turn of the millennium we have conducted more than 1000 surveys and surveyed more than a million people throughout Switzerland.

Our clients include companies, political parties and associations, cantons and NGOs. We have assisted many of them for years with analyses or campaigning and support them in their strategic communications. They appreciate our proven expertise in the field of public opinion, surveys of any kind, in political processes and also our extensive experience dealing with the media.

We conduct one-off surveys for our clients or studies that are repeated at regular intervals. Surveys that are conducted regularly enable us to draw conclusions about changes over time that amplify what are otherwise only snapshots of opinion. Examples of recurrent surveys are the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer, the TCS Travel Barometer, the Health Monitor for Interpharma and the Banking Barometer of the Swiss Bankers Association.

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Reputation and image analyses

Insights into your own position

On behalf of our clients, we carry out reputation and image analyses. The aim of these analyses is to determine the position of a company, an association or a political party in the public eye. We use for these reputation and image analyses methods such as benchmarking and identify topics and offers which influence reputation. As soon as the results and thus also the position of a company, association or party are available, we support our clients and find out how the existing position can be consolidated, influenced or changed. Tracking can be used to strategically monitor the development.

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Data science by gfs.bern

Revealing political and societal contexts

For data science by gfs.bern we employ a wide variety of methods and skills based on more than 60 years of experience in empirical social research.

We know how statistics, modelling, probabilities and projections work. Together with our clients, we pose the right questions that enable us to develop answers to the query concerned on the basis of hypotheses. Once the results are obtained, we process them to render them transparent and comprehensible.

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Campaigning

Mobilizes people for a political or social objective.

To mobilize people you need to know their position, values and desires.

We place this knowledge at the disposal of our clients, for whom we conduct surveys to establish whether the significance of the objective is understood, whether its importance is recognized and why someone is willing to be mobilized.

It is crucial for the success of the campaigning, especially in referendum campaigns, to make sure all the communications resources and instruments are perfectly coordinated. Our campaign analyses show arguments, stereotypes or everyday experiences that are especially suitable for communication. The campaign leaders also benefit from our globally unique empirical knowledge of referendum decisions and direct democratic processes.

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Election and voting research

Before and after national elections and referendums we conduct surveys among voters on behalf of Switzerland’s Federal Chancellery or the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG / SRR).

In national referendums and elections we conduct two surveys in each case among a representatively selected cross-section of the Swiss voting population. The data is gathered by telephone and online and evaluated by means of statistical data analysis. The results are published by the SRG / SRR under the title SRG-Trendumfrage (SRG trend survey).

After publication of the national referendum results we analyse them on behalf of Switzerland’s Federal Chancellery. The results can be found in our VOX analyses.

Election and voting research

Issue monitoring and strategy studies

These are used when approximate or anecdotal knowledge of opinions among target groups or stakeholders is not sufficient.

For knowledge – what clients or stakeholders actually think about a political or societal issue – is often crucial for preparing the right arguments for a discussion or for actors to position themselves effectively.

Examples of strategy studies or issue monitoring are the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer, the TCS Travel Barometer and the Banking Barometer of the Swiss Bankers Association.

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Impact analysis and evaluation

Impact analyses and evaluations are methods that are used to study the How and Why of political and societal changes.

We reveal the groups of people that were reached and which of them were prepared to change their attitudes, skills, actions or situation.

We systematically study the impact and the context of political or societal decisions, draft bills, changes in the law or referendums. Impact analyses and evaluations are based on existing or new data that we collect and evaluate with the aid of our many years of experience in opinion research and in data science.

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Over 60 years of expertise in political and communications research

gfs.bern stands for political and communications research. A further key aspect of our work lies in the accompaniment of strategic, evidence-based communication

Our clients include political parties, associations, private-sector companies, cities and municipalities, cantons, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SRR) and also civil society organizations. Our services cover all kinds of market and opinion research, such as surveys, data science, evaluations, analyses around referendums and campaigning, as well as campaign analyses, issue monitoring or image and reputation analysis for the optimization of communication strategies.

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Switzerland in figures and words, the latest referendum results and current gfs.bern publications

We provide background information and rankings on referendums, opinion polls, barometers and monitors. We have summarized the most important points for you and present the details here.

21.02.2024

2nd SRG trend survey on the federal vote of 3 March 2024

Martina Mousson, gfs.bern

Voter turnout 52% | 1x Yes; 1x No

If the vote had been held on 10 February 2024, the initiative for a 13th AHV pension would have been accepted and the pension initiative would have been rejected by the electorate.

In the phase before the final mobilisation, the conflict patterns are recognisable and the state of opinion-forming on both proposals is advanced: Language, age and values are becoming more important in the vote on the 13th AHV pension. The pension initiative is still only supported by a majority of FDP voters.  At 52 per cent, voter turnout would have been above the long-term average.

14.02.2024

Martina Vieli new member of the Board of Directors of gfs.bern

Lukas Golder, gfs.bern

The Board of Directors of gfs.bern is being renewed as part of the finalised company succession. Claude Longchamp, who founded the Institute for Policy and Communication Research in 2004 and has shaped it ever since, is leaving the Board of Directors on 31 March 2024 for a well-deserved retirement. Martina Vieli, an experienced political and communications consultant, former lobbyist and member of the extended management of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR, has been newly elected to the Board of Directors.

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