1995

It has long been customary for insurers to use a stamp or signet. Swiss Re's first reinsurance treaties, for instance, were not just signed, but affixed with a company stamp. The motif was an oval graced with the company name and a Swiss cross surrounded by a corona of sunbeams. In the early 20th century, the shape of the stamp became circular.

Not until 1960 – in connection with the company's imminent 100-year anniversary – did a new and striking logo emerge, as a result of a competition organised among staff members. The winning entry depicted the letters S and R as mirror images of each other. The visual presence of this logo was further strengthened in 1981 through the consistent use of "SR blue", the company colour.

This corporate design held its own for quite some time. It was not replaced until the 1990s, when a uniform and comprehensive corporate identity was developed that was intended to establish Swiss Re as both a leading, modern company and an international brand. In graphical terms, the new logo was an abstract retake on the old "SR" logo. It was launched in the marketplace between 1995 and 2000 in what was known at the time as the "animated logo campaign".

The Swiss Re symbol is an abstract one. It does not represent any image, word or sound. Its four component bars form a simple geometrical syntax that is easy to follow and remember. In combination with the Swiss Re name, it forms what is still today the company's logo. "Lake", the new company colour that was introduced together with the logo, is also still in use, even if the company's colour palette has since been extended.

Share this item