The shortlist for the Swiss Poster Awards 2021

A significant increase in entries and 33 campaigns shortlisted

The Swiss Poster Award is Switzerland’s largest creative competition in the field of commercial communication for analogue, digital and innovative outdoor advertising. It recognises design and creative excellence and highlights the strength and significance of the ‘poster’ medium in comparison with other media. Despite ongoing Covid-related restrictions, 2021 was a strong year: from around 220 entries, the jury nominated an outstanding 33 campaigns. The winners of the awards in six categories will be announced in early March 2022.

The independent expert jury, comprising 18 leading figures from the worlds of advertising, culture and design, assessed around 220 competition entries under the chairmanship of Christian Brändle (Director of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich). “We received around 70 more entries than last year, which is a welcome increase. A total of 33 campaigns made it onto the coveted shortlist for the Swiss Poster Award 2021. The nominated entries impressed the jury with their originality, the way the advertising message was conveyed and their design execution,” explains Christian Brändle.

What stood out in particular in the 2021 awards year was the expressiveness and linguistic power of the campaigns, which encouraged people to take a closer look and reflect. In addition, advertising messages were increasingly delivered digitally, thereby creating a greater sense of dynamism. And the Out of Home Innovations category proved once again that there are virtually no limits to outdoor advertising. The shortlist consequently showcases a wide variety of clients and applications for out-of-home media. The diversity ranges – to name but a few examples – from Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ) with its ‘Werbelinie’ for the gradual reopening following the lockdown, through to the polarising taste adventure of the ‘Glarner Schabziger’ by GESKA AG and the cultural poster for the cancelled Willisau Jazz Festival, right up to the suicide prevention campaign ‘We hear you call’ by the HUG (Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève), and the strikingly presented spring campaign entitled ‘Tick Menu’ by SUVA Lucerne.

Announcement of the winners
It will be particularly exciting to see who ultimately wins the category awards and the overall prize for the ‘Poster of the Year 2021’. The winners will be announced and celebrated in early March – unfortunately, once again this year in a small gathering, as the traditional ‘APG|SGA Poster Night 2022’ has been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Shortlist at a glance
See the separate list of all nominated campaigns as PDF.
Until the winners are announced, the nominated campaigns will be featured on APG|SGA’s social media platforms.

Media enquiries
Christian Brändle, Director of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich
Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Ausstellungsstrasse 60, 8005 Zurich
christian.braendle@zhdk.ch

Markus Ehrle, CEO of APG|SGA AG
Giesshübelstrasse 4, 8045 Zurich, Telephone +41 58 220 70 70
media@apgsga.ch