The Swiss Post brand – trust across generations

Swiss Post is one of the oldest and most recognised brands in Switzerland. It has long connected people and is an integral part of the country. It is part of Switzerland’s identity.

Swiss Post remains true to its tradition and values while staying in tune with the times. It aims to continue playing a connecting role in people’s lives. It is close to people and a reliable partner in everyday life.

More about the history of Swiss Post

Our Swiss Post brand today

The logo is a unifying element across language regions. It represents both tradition and innovation and reflects how Swiss Post is evolving and shaping its future.

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175 years of the Swiss Post brand

The evolution of the brand since 1849

1849: Successful launch of the Swiss Federal Post Office

The history of the Swiss Post brand began in 1849 with the centralization of the postal service regulated by Swiss federal law. The first Swiss Post logo shows the Swiss cross as a coat of arms, adorned with a post horn, alpine roses and oak leaves. The original logo dominated letter boxes, Postbuses and the public domain until well into the 1930s.

An illustrated emblem features a red shield with a white cross in the center. Above the shield is a yellow postal horn with a carrying cord. The emblem is framed by green branches with pink and brown accents, joined at the bottom by a red‑and‑white ribbon. — © Swiss Post

1920: New directions in eventful times

Swiss Post’s new logo oozes symbolism: it shows the Swiss cross framed by a corona, surrounded by alpine roses and an arc with 22 stars which probably represent the number of cantons. Add to this the post horn with lanyard and tassels. A telegraph pole is shown on the logo for the telegraphy/telephony unit instead of the post horn.

A black‑and‑white emblem features a white cross surrounded by stylized rays. Below it, a postal horn with a cord is shown, flanked by two symmetrical flowering branches. A semicircular arc of dots appears above the central motif. — © Swiss Post

1928: Swiss Post and telegraphy/telephony merge

At the end of the 1920s the Swiss Post and telegraphy/telephony divisions start to align their organizations. Their own brands remain intact in the logos. The design is visibly pared down. The core elements Swiss cross and post horn or telegraph pole continue to shape the character of the logos.

A black‑and‑white emblem framed by an oval border features a white cross set against radiating lines at the top. Below it is a stylized postal horn with a curved tube. The entire design is enclosed within a double oval outline. — © Swiss Post

1930: One coat of arms, two brands

In 1929 Swiss Post and telegraphy/telephony appear for the first time in their year books with a square coat-of-arms logo. Swiss Post uses a simple gold post horn. A pole with insulators and wires depicts the telegraphy/telephony unit. The continually adapted coat-of-arms logos are partly used until the 1990s.

A black‑and‑white emblem features a stylized postal horn at the top. Below it is a white cross framed by dense vertical lines. The overall design is rectangular and strongly contrasted. — © Swiss Post

1932 - Swiss Post appears together with telegraphy/telephony

Swiss Post and telegraphy/telephony are combined into a single brand and appear with the established square coat-of-arms logo. The Confederation officially permits the PTT to use the Swiss cross. This means that the use of the coat of arms as a trademark is now regulated from a legal standpoint.

A rectangular emblem features a stylized yellow postal horn at the top on a black background. Below it is a red panel containing a white cross at the center. The design uses clean, clearly defined graphic shapes. — © Swiss Post

1937: PTT moves into the frame

The PTT abbreviation in gold lettering on a black background is added to the logo. The PTT lettering is now used as a uniform abbreviation for the “Swiss Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Administration”. These three letters are an integral part of Swiss Post’s corporate logo until the break-up of PTT at the end of 1997.

A rectangular emblem features a stylized yellow postal horn at the top on a black background. Below it is a red panel with a white cross. At the bottom, the letters “PTT” appear in yellow on a black background. The design uses clean, simple graphic elements. — © Swiss Post

1941: Coat-of-arms logo ever-popular

For the first time in Swiss Post brand history the post horn is not used in the logo. The new logo is square and better proportioned. The Swiss cross dominates the design – possibly as a patriotic sign during the uncertain times around the Second World War.

A rectangular emblem features a large white cross on a red background. Below the red panel is a black band with the yellow lettering “PTT.” The design is clean, bold, and highly graphic. — © Swiss Post

1982: Seeking a modern corporate identity

In the 1970s Swiss Post addresses topics such as corporate identity and corporate design for the first time. The logo designed by stamp graphic designer Martin Altenburger, is perfected by typeface designer Adrian Frutiger. In 1982 the new logo is approved by Swiss Post. However its use only becomes binding from 1992 onwards.

A graphic emblem displays the black letters “PTT” at the top. Below them is a large cross with a thick red outline and a white interior. The shapes are clean, geometric, and placed on a white background. — © Swiss Post

1994: Swiss Post and Telecom PTT demerged

In 1994 Swiss Post launches the trilingual “Swiss Post PTT” brand and the independent brand “Telecom PTT”. This brand identity is, however, only a temporary solution. On 1 October 1997 Telecom PTT becomes independent and officially called “Swisscom”. Swiss Post replaces “Swiss Post PTT” with the current name “Swiss Post”.

The image displays three horizontal text lines: “DIE POST”, “LA POSTE”, and “LA POSTA”, each written in black letters with a yellow underline. To the right of each line is a red angular cross symbol topped with the black letters “PTT.” The background is white. — © Swiss Post

1999: “Swiss Post” with its own identity

For the first time since 1937 the lettering PTT disappears from the logo. The modern adaptation and more openly designed logo by Adrian Frutiger symbolizes the company’s forward thrust. Besides the design modifications, the brand structure is also subdivided into various core units (PostFinance, PostBus, yellowworld) and service units.

A yellow background displays three black text lines: “DIE POST,” “LA POSTE,” and “LA POSTA,” each with a white underline. To the right of “DIE POST” is a red angular cross symbol. — © Swiss Post

2001: Development of flagship brands

As part of the opening up of the postal markets, Swiss Post expands its range of services and develops a strategy with a primary core brand, the flagship brands PostBus, PostFinance, PostMail, PostParcels and ExpressPost, as well as various individual brands. In 2002 Swiss Post obtains trademark protection for the colour yellow as an identifier for its core business.

A yellow background displays five vertically arranged labels: “DIE POST” with a red angular cross symbol; “PostAuto” with “DIE POST” and the same symbol; “PostFinance” with “DIE POST”; “PostMail” with “DIE POST”; and “PaketPost” and “ExpressPost,” each accompanied by “DIE POST” and the red cross symbol. All elements are rendered in black and red on a yellow background. — © Swiss Post

2009: Together a strong Swiss Post

Swiss Post consolidates its brand portfolio to strengthen its core brand “Swiss Post” and the two flagship brands “PostBus” and “PostFinance”. In Switzerland the core brand and flagship brand “PostAuto” adapt their appearance to the language regions. Internationally the company appears as “Swiss Post”.

The image shows several yellow rectangles with different labels. At the top, “DIE POST” appears in black letters next to a red angular cross symbol. Below it is a yellow square featuring a stylized black postal horn. To the right is “PostAuto” in black, with “DIE POST” and the red cross symbol beneath it. At the bottom, a large yellow rectangle displays “PostFinance,” again accompanied by “DIE POST” and the red cross symbol. — © Swiss Post

2014

Swiss Post supplements its core brand logo with the new claim “Yellow in motion” to underline its intent to create real added value through innovative services. Swiss Post will continue to target the further development of its brand in line with its vision and strategic thrusts.

A yellow background displays the black text “DIE POST,” placed on a slanted white underline. To the right is a red angular cross symbol. Below the main text appears the black slogan “Gelb bewegt.” — © Swiss Post

2023: The modernized logo unifies Switzerland’s language regions

Introduced in 2023, the new logo builds on distinctive elements from Swiss Post’s 175-year history, such as the Swiss cross and Swiss Post yellow. The new feature is the black “P”. The logo simplifies Swiss Post’s visual identity and is used across all language regions. PostBus Ltd uses the same logo and, in some cases, complements it with the well-known post horn.

The history of Swiss Post

Since 1849, Swiss Post has been part of everyday life in Switzerland. Discover how it has evolved from a federal postal service into a modern service company.

Go to the history of Swiss Post

The Swiss Post brand – trust across generations

Our Swiss Post brand today

175 years of the Swiss Post brand