Velvet Creative Office
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLuzern, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Velvet Creative Office firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Velvet Creative Office industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Velvet Creative Office is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Luzern
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Velvet Creative Office business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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
Velvet Creative Office product offering
Product offeringCore 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)
Companies that use Velvet Creative Office
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Velvet Creative Office technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Velvet Creative Office partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stiftung Sternwarte UechtcoreClose 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 BerncoreNational partner for Space Eye project with collaboration on scientific content and exhibition development.
- UNESCO Biosphäre EntlebuchminorCollaboration on Bergwelten Salwideli project - interactive touch-screen relief for mountain guesthouse information center in moor and karst landscape.
- Hochschule Luzern – Technik und ArchitekturminorCollaboration on Gletschergarten Luzern project - development of vortex-producing machine for Felsensee (rock lake) exhibit.
- Pühringer Foundation GroupcoreInitiator of Neuro Music Academy project - institution combining neuroscience with musical practice at Vitznau on Lake Lucerne.
- Media-Artist Mickey van OlstminorCreative collaboration on Neuro Music Academy digital platform with immersive website experience.
- Klangkünstlerin Rahel KraftminorSound artist collaboration on Neuro Music Academy immersive digital experience.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Velvet Creative Office competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional 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
Velvet Creative Office social profiles
Digital presenceVelvet Creative Office financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Velvet Creative Office leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Velvet Creative Office funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Velvet Creative Office M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Velvet Creative Office
What does Velvet Creative Office do?
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.
Is Velvet Creative Office a public or private company?
Velvet Creative Office is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Velvet Creative Office founded?
Velvet Creative Office was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Velvet Creative Office based?
Velvet Creative Office is headquartered in Luzern, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Velvet Creative Office make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative agency services.
Who are Velvet Creative Office's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Rod Kommunikation, Wirz Group and Atelier Girsberger / Büro für Gestaltung. Direct peers are KMS Team, Scholz & Friends, Studio Bruch Zürich, zeichen&wunder, Jung von Matt and Strichpunkt (Scholz & Volkmer Group). MetaDesign is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Velvet Creative Office have an API?
No public API is recorded for Velvet Creative Office.
What industry is Velvet Creative Office in?
Velvet Creative Office's product category is Creative Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAAAA, Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies, with a secondary code of MPAAAAAB, Creative Boutique Agencies. Its NAICS code is 54181 and its SIC code is 7311.