Jung von Matt launches new brand era for LUKB
The Lucerne Cantonal Bank is embarking on a paradigm shift: Through a comprehensive brand transformation, LUKB is repositioning itself beyond the canton’s borders. Jung von Matt guided LUKB through the 12-month transformation and is also executing the launch campaign under the new brand promise, «We Create Space.».
From mid-April 2026, Luzerner Kantonalbank will have a fundamentally new brand identity, which is the result of a twelve-month strategic transformation project. What at first glance appears to be a rebranding is actually a paradigm shift: in future, the LUKB brand will no longer simply serve as a visual sender for products, but will help shape the strategic direction. The new brand promise «We create space» is at the heart of this realignment and permeates all levels in a customer-centric way - from segment-specific value propositions to an AI-supported design and language system.
«Our brand strategy is a clear commitment to our ambition: to be perceived as a competent and reliable partner beyond Lucerne. The brand should express this claim - with an identity that creates trust, appeals emotionally and makes our added value as a trusted advisor tangible,» adds Lena Martschenko, Head of Marketing at Luzerner Kantonalbank.
As reliable as the Pilatus, as ambitious as the Reuss
The starting point was LUKB's growth ambition: the bank wants to position itself as a serious partner in the investment business and private banking outside the canton of Lucerne - on a par with leading Swiss private banks. At the same time, it wants to further expand its strong local roots. A visual refresh was not enough to achieve this. Jung von Matt Brand Identity accompanied LUKB through a fundamental change: away from pure product communication and towards a brand-driven appearance that focuses on customer needs. Three new core values - reliable, accessible and ambitious - anchor this claim, underpinned by guiding principles in Lucerne dialect such as «Üses Wort stohd wie de Pilatus» or «Emmer vorwärts, wie d'Rüüss».
«The real paradigm shift was to no longer see the LUKB brand as an appearance, but as a strategic framework for communication, offers and decisions,» says Julius Jäger, Managing Director at Jung von Matt Brand Identity.
Listen, condense, calibrate
The foundation for the new brand identity was laid with an in-depth audit: Over 60 internal documents, more than 40 external market studies and 80 specialist articles form the database. This desk research was supplemented by 16 qualitative in-depth interviews with customers and key figures from across the company. In intensive workshops with around 60 employees, over 600 identity-forming terms were collected and condensed into a sharper profile. The new direction makes the brand more tangible: it remains true to tradition and at the same time has three clearly defined experience principles - «approachable», «confident» and «inspiring» - which make the brand promise tangible. An integrated KPI framework is also used to make the success of the rebranding measurable. This makes it possible to understand how investments have a direct impact on the brand.
Clear language, clear images
A core element of the project is the verbal identity, which was developed using an AI-supported approach. LUKB's brand values and tonality were translated into machine-readable language rules, the basis for a proprietary LUKB AI agent. This allows marketers to use AI tools in a consistent and brand-compliant way without falling into generic language patterns.
Design as a strategic differentiator
The new design translates the strategic claim into an unmistakable aesthetic. The new color LUKBerry acts as a sparring partner to the refreshed LUKBlue and enables precise visual coding of the different business areas. The leitmotif «space» is reflected in a broad visual world with characteristic aerial shots and modern illustrations that convey depth and modernity through three-dimensional elements.
Image campaign as a mind opener
The new brand identity is also being launched with a new image campaign designed and implemented by Jung von Matt Limmat. It focuses on the growth and design opportunities that LUKB offers its customers. The campaign becomes a strategic «mind opener»: it positions LUKB as a partner that creates the necessary space for sustainable visions and entrepreneurial development.
The «We create space for possibilities» campaign stages the new positioning with provocative «why» questions as well as reduced and graphic key visuals that stand out from the usual industry imagery and make LUKB's promise visually tangible. In the moving image, visual effects ensure an unseen translation of the new brand promise thanks to a modern and hybrid production. The campaign will be played out via (D)OOH - including special placements - as well as via print and selected digital and social channels.
Customer: Luzerner Kantonalbank, Responsible: Lena Martschenko (Head of Marketing), Nora Kradolfer (Strategy & Insights), Tina Jenny (Branding), Marco Brütsch (Marketing Private Clients), Ursi Ineichen (Corporate Communications), Michael Girsberger (Corporate Development), Christophe Vouillamoz (UX), Nadine Zuberbühler (Graphics), Phil Linder (Website Content). Agencies: Jung von Matt BRAND IDENTITY, Jung von Matt LIMMAT, Jung von Matt TECH.
