This stamp, or in this case sheet of the month, caught my eye because of its bright colours. Yellow and pink. Yellow suits Swiss Post, but pink? That’s why I read up on what’s behind these Swiss stamps.
They were issued to mark the 175th anniversary of Swiss Post. It has been in existence since 1849 and has constantly adapted to the changing needs of the population. But what does it look like today, especially with stamps and among the young population? To get a picture of the mood, Swiss Post, together with the Lucerne School of Art and Design, organised a competition for young students in the Graphic Design Bachelor’s degree course and asked them to think about this anniversary and design a stamp based on their ideas. Some of these thoughts can be found in the short video clip on the Swiss Post website. The following statements were made here.
- “The letter and the stamp are more personal than just writing a WhatsApp.”
- “The stamp is a collector’s item that your parents used to collect. It is a time stamp.”
- “The stamp is also valued outside of its actual function.”
But also:
- “Because the stamp is a format that you don’t necessarily need.”
This video clip and all the designs can now be admired at a travelling exhibition organised by Swiss Post in 25 Swiss cities. It has also come up with a number of ideas for the anniversary – such as scavenger hunts in various cities, or guided tours of buildings relevant to Swiss Post, etc., etc.. An offer that – if taken up – shows a modern image of Swiss Post.
But back to the “winning brand”. According to the designers, the two stamps (1) symbolise the unifying aspect of Swiss Post – i.e. communication – through the typographic network of the four national languages, (2) the theme that moves Swiss Post through the merging colour gradients, and (3) the history of Swiss Post through the embossing of the Swiss cross and the P for Swiss Post in the modern colours, but also the future-oriented aspect.
For me personally, this is an immediately appealing stamp in terms of colour and design, which has thus become my stamp of the month.
Philatelic specifics:
- Issued on: 2024-03-21
- Size: 66 x 33 mm
- Colors: Multicolor
- Designer: Svenja Kolly and Mia Gujer
- Printers: Gutenberg AG (FL)
- Format: Se-tenant
- Emission: Commemorative
- Perforation: 13½ x 13¼
- Printing: Offset lithography and embossed and varnish
- Face value: 2*120 – Swiss centime
- Description: Issued in panes of fifteen with the designs printed checkerboard allowing various se-tenant combinations.