In 1995, Danish railways were deregulated—leaving the national carrier DSB, which had always been a monopoly, to compete openly with Swedish, German and English railway contractors.  DSB asked us to help update their image and prepare them for a whole new set of business rules.

Before the market opened up, DSB already had a strong reputation for using design as a strategic management tool. In the days before branding, DSB was doing it and doing it well. Now, in a more competitive environment, we felt the focus should shift to be more Danish, quality and service-minded. We started by updating their winged wheel logo to suit the new brand position, without infringing on the recognition power the symbol had enjoyed since the 30’s. We also designed a new, yet very Danish typeface for use in all their communications.

The visual identity we created for DSB is still used today, and the brand’s values and expression are widely understood and supported by management, employees and customers. The DSB “look and feel” is a Danish icon, and it would be hard to imagine train travel in Denmark without thinking about its striking and still modern identity.

For further information, please contact founding partner Kim Meyer Andersen