Velvet Creative Office

What Velvet Creative Office does

Velvet Creative Office GmbH is a Swiss creative agency founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lucerne, operating as a privately held GmbH with no external institutional investment. It delivers four integrated service pillars: Corporate Design (brand identity across analog and digital media), Web & App (UX-driven digital products), Szenografie / Scenography (multisensory spatial design that combines physical and digital layers with storytelling and visitor guidance), and Signaletik (signage and wayfinding systems with cross-media information architecture). The agency's value proposition is full-spectrum delivery — from strategy through execution — under one compact team, deliberately avoiding the hand-offs typical of multi-vendor engagements.

Its client base spans cultural institutions (Zentrum Paul Klee, Gletschergarten Luzern, Space Eye Observatorium, Appenzeller Brauchtumsmuseum, Berlinale, Deutsches Theater Berlin, Neues Luzerner Theater, Ai Weiwei), educational organizations (Hochschule Luzern, Institut für Arbeitsagogik), architecture and real estate firms (KBNK Architekten, Hunziker Areal), enterprises (Schindler, Paiste Cymbals, Hexagon Geosystems, Amag/Volton), and public-sector events (UEFA Women's EURO 2025). Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements with quote-driven, non-publicly-disclosed pricing. Go-to-market is direct sales to enterprise and institutional clients, primarily in Switzerland with international reach into Germany and Central Europe, supported by a portfolio website (velvet.ch), Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The underlying technology stack combines conventional creative tools (UX-driven web/app development, scenographic and audio-visual installations, signaletics hardware integration, and augmented-reality applications such as the Schindler SmartMirror) with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML capability. The firm has been recognized over three decades with multiple industry awards, including ADC Gold, Best of Swiss Web Silver, 15 inclusions in '100 beste Plakate' (Germany/Austria/Switzerland), and a European Museum of the Year nomination. With 8-9 employees and co-founders Jürg Schaffhuser and Urs Unternährer still operationally active after 30 years, Velvet operates as a high-caliber boutique agency whose model is built on retained expertise and long-tenured client relationships rather than scale.

Name

Velvet Creative Office

Legal name

Velvet Creative Office GmbH

Website

https://velvet.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Velvet Creative Office is a Swiss boutique creative agency founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lucerne, delivering integrated corporate design, web/app, scenography and wayfinding services to cultural institutions, education, architecture firms, and enterprises across Switzerland and Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Design Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Boutique Agencies (MPAAAAAB), Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Brand identity design
• Exhibition scenography design
• Wayfinding signage systems
• UX web design

Headquarters

HQ city

Luzern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Creative agency services: Project-based consulting, design and implementation services across corporate design, web/app development, scenography, signaletics, and campaigns. Services span from strategy through to execution in both analog and digital mediums.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Velvet Creative Office is a Swiss creative agency that provides project-based consulting, design, and communication services across four pillars: Corporate Design (brand identity and visual communication), Web & App (user-centered digital products), Szenografie (spatial and multisensory exhibition/experience design), and Signaletik (wayfinding and signage systems). The agency delivers end-to-end engagements — from strategy through implementation — for cultural institutions, educational bodies, architecture/real estate firms, and public-sector clients in Switzerland and internationally.

Product overview

Velvet Creative Office is a Swiss creative agency founded in 1995, offering four interconnected service pillars: Corporate Design for brand identity, Web & App for digital products, Szenografie for spatial storytelling, and Signaletik for wayfinding systems. The agency serves diverse sectors including culture, education, architecture, and corporate clients across Switzerland and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Design
• Web & App
• Szenografie (Scenography)
• Signaletik (Signage Systems)

Quantifiable outcome

• Award-winning work recognized internationally (European Museum of the Year nomination, multiple ADC awards, 15x 100 best posters)

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung Sternwarte UechtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Close collaboration on Space Eye project - public visitor center with observatory, planetarium, exhibition and outdoor experience trail. Project ambassador: Swiss astronaut Prof. Claude Nicollier. Architecture by Mario Botta.
• Universität BerncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023National partner for Space Eye project with collaboration on scientific content and exhibition development.
• UNESCO Biosphäre EntlebuchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Bergwelten Salwideli project - interactive touch-screen relief for mountain guesthouse information center in moor and karst landscape.
• Hochschule Luzern – Technik und ArchitekturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Gletschergarten Luzern project - development of vortex-producing machine for Felsensee (rock lake) exhibit.
• Pühringer Foundation GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiator of Neuro Music Academy project - institution combining neuroscience with musical practice at Vitznau on Lake Lucerne.
• Media-Artist Mickey van OlstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative collaboration on Neuro Music Academy digital platform with immersive website experience.
• Klangkünstlerin Rahel KraftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSound artist collaboration on Neuro Music Academy immersive digital experience.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Rod Kommunikation: Swiss integrated brand and corporate communications agency; comparable regional peer focused on corporate design, brand strategy and campaigns for institutional and corporate clients in Switzerland.
• Wirz Group: Major Swiss advertising and brand agency combining creative campaigns, digital and media services; comparable regional peer serving Swiss institutional and enterprise clients with integrated creative offerings.
• Atelier Girsberger / Büro für Gestaltung: Boutique Swiss/German design firms specializing in corporate identity, scenography and wayfinding; comparable as small-team cultural-sector design boutiques with multi-disciplinary service offerings.

Direct peers

• KMS Team: Independent German creative agency known for integrated brand and campaign work; comparable because of similar integration of strategy, design and digital across corporate and cultural clients in the DACH region.
• Scholz & Friends: Large German creative agency offering integrated brand, advertising and digital services; overlapping with Velvet in corporate design, campaign development and cross-media execution for institutional clients.
• Studio Bruch Zürich: Boutique Swiss design studio focused on branding, art direction and digital experiences for cultural and commercial clients; highly comparable in size, philosophy and Swiss cultural-institution focus.
• zeichen&wunder: Independent Swiss/European creative agency with strong focus on cultural, educational and social-sector branding; comparable in client verticals (museums, foundations, universities) and integrated analog/digital approach.
• Jung von Matt: Major Swiss/German creative agency with strong integrated brand and digital practice; comparable because it serves cultural and enterprise clients with multidisciplinary work, though it operates at far larger scale than Velvet.
• Strichpunkt (Scholz & Volkmer Group): Independent German brand and digital design agency with strong corporate identity and UX practice; directly comparable to Velvet's corporate design and web/app offering for enterprise clients.

Broad incumbents

• MetaDesign: Long-established international brand and corporate design firm; overlaps with Velvet on corporate identity, signage systems and design strategy for institutional and corporate clients at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velvet-creative-office-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/velvet.creative.office/?hl=de
• Facebookfacebook.com/velvetcreativeoffice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Velvet Creative Office