Unvarnished bedtime stories from crumpled underwear
For 150 years, we’ve been enjoying a healthy, restful sleep thanks to Bico mattresses. But beyond its beds, the Swiss market leader has always been wide awake when it came to developing new products—products that also called for a fresh, dynamic brand identity. Now, WVC in Bubikon has designed a completely new visual identity for Bico.
We spend around a third of our lives sleeping. Since its foundation in 1861, Bico in Schänis has therefore been committed to guaranteeing quality and innovation as a knowledge leader in the field of healthy sleeping comfort. This has not only helped the company to become the market leader. With its slogan "Für ä tüüfä gsundä Schlaaf" (For healthy sleep), which has been popular for decades, Bico has also made it into the charts of the most popular claims in Swiss advertising. A promise that is obviously being heard. The Swiss market leader in the premium mattress sector enjoys a high level of trust among consumers. Awareness of Bico is over 90 percent supported and 50 percent unsupported.
In earlier years, the twins in advertising, which had almost become popular, certainly contributed to this. An advertisement with the Eden trio was later also located in this area of comedy and slapstick. Until recently, Bico relied on "ambassador" Sabrina Knechtli, the 2007 Swiss Miss runner-up, for communication materials such as trade catalogs and consumer brochures. But not only a Miss, but also a visual language inevitably gets the label "ex" one morning.
Following a presentation in summer 2009, WVC Communications was commissioned with the relaunch of the Bico brand. The focus was on repositioning through a new visual language. WVC developed alternative communication concepts that still aimed to support the authenticity of the core message "Für ä tüüfä gsundä Schlaaf" and to position the Bico brand as a leading premium brand.
Warm and safe
WVC therefore asked itself whether the previous visual language with a made-up and elegantly styled Miss could continue to optimally support the message of "healthy sleep" and thus the trust in and sympathy for the brand.
The answer was no and WVC has since developed various visual worlds that focus on a more authentic statement. Natural sleeping, unadulterated and genuine is now visualized without make-up and styling, unshaven and with tousled hair. In crumpled bed linen, of course. Used pyjamas were also attributes for the new photo style, as CD Kurt Wettstein explains.
A minimum of light conjures up a homely and cozy atmosphere. The implementation in black and white is a further step towards an unmistakable visual world that will be clearly recognized as the new Bico world in the future.
The new appearance was shown in a marketing research analysis and was given the edge over all competitors, as consultant Yves Seiler reveals. The design generated statements such as "It feels warm and cozy" or "The people look like they sleep really well". The comment "Simply normal. Fits in with Bico. No big fashion frippery" confirms WVC's considerations.
The entire photo shoot was carried out in-house at WVC. This also included the casting of the exclusively amateur models, the photographs by Kurt Wettstein himself and the image processing by Roger Sommerhalder.
The current catalog is available in stores. Posters and advertisements have also been produced. Various POS materials are available and have already confirmed at initial trade fair appearances that the new visual language is understood. "A bold step and the right decision by the management."
Andreas Panzeri
In earlier years, the twins in advertising, which had almost become popular, certainly contributed to this. An advertisement with the Eden trio was later also located in this area of comedy and slapstick. Until recently, Bico relied on "ambassador" Sabrina Knechtli, the 2007 Swiss Miss runner-up, for communication materials such as trade catalogs and consumer brochures. But not only a Miss, but also a visual language inevitably gets the label "ex" one morning.
Following a presentation in summer 2009, WVC Communications was commissioned with the relaunch of the Bico brand. The focus was on repositioning through a new visual language. WVC developed alternative communication concepts that still aimed to support the authenticity of the core message "Für ä tüüfä gsundä Schlaaf" and to position the Bico brand as a leading premium brand.
Warm and safe
WVC therefore asked itself whether the previous visual language with a made-up and elegantly styled Miss could continue to optimally support the message of "healthy sleep" and thus the trust in and sympathy for the brand.
The answer was no and WVC has since developed various visual worlds that focus on a more authentic statement. Natural sleeping, unadulterated and genuine is now visualized without make-up and styling, unshaven and with tousled hair. In crumpled bed linen, of course. Used pyjamas were also attributes for the new photo style, as CD Kurt Wettstein explains.
A minimum of light conjures up a homely and cozy atmosphere. The implementation in black and white is a further step towards an unmistakable visual world that will be clearly recognized as the new Bico world in the future.
The new appearance was shown in a marketing research analysis and was given the edge over all competitors, as consultant Yves Seiler reveals. The design generated statements such as "It feels warm and cozy" or "The people look like they sleep really well". The comment "Simply normal. Fits in with Bico. No big fashion frippery" confirms WVC's considerations.
The entire photo shoot was carried out in-house at WVC. This also included the casting of the exclusively amateur models, the photographs by Kurt Wettstein himself and the image processing by Roger Sommerhalder.
The current catalog is available in stores. Posters and advertisements have also been produced. Various POS materials are available and have already confirmed at initial trade fair appearances that the new visual language is understood. "A bold step and the right decision by the management."
Andreas Panzeri
