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Swiss Not Spoken Here

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Swiss branding designers discuss the challenges of defining an entire country through graphic design

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As a brand, the country of Switzerland has captivated the world's collective imagination. Our trove of images associated with Switzerland is largely positive—think chocolates, cheese, watches, and ski chalets—but landlocked by three cultural empires, Switzerland is also known to be a fortress of secrecy and tradition—now think vaults and untraceable bank accounts.

When StudioGVA joined the international network of Base Design, they designed a poster campaign drawing from these clichés as a fun way of introducing themselves to their colleagues. What started as an in-house self-promotion initiative evolved to become a rich exchange on Swiss national identity. Through the Open Switzerland website and the aid of a custom-designed font called Basevetica, they’ve decided to let the rest of the world into the conversation.

BaseGVA partner Hervé Rigal welcomed Anne Quito at their Gaudi-inspired homebase in Geneva and discussed how the project has evolved.

Three designs submitted through the Open Switzerland website. © Open Switzerland

[books]16109, 2532[/books]

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