wiedler.ch

book (design) story #247

gottlieb duttweiler, david wechsler:
eine brücke in die zukunft

migros-genossenschafts-bund, zürich, 1955
printer: c. j. bucher ag, luzern / roto sadag s.a., genève
size: 24 x 22 cm
designer: josef müller-brockmann

when gottlieb duttweiler (1888-1962) founded migros – today switzerland's largest retailer – in 1925, he had more in mind than just selling goods for lower prices. duttweiler propagated a philosophy of social liberalism and founded his own political party. in the 1960s one of their members in the swiss national parlament was max bill.

this propaganda brochure with the title "a bridge to the future" commemorates the 30th anniversary of migros. on the cover a spectacular photo of a reinforced concrete bridge – i think it is the "scherenbrücke" near zürich, built in 1915.

josef müller-brockmann (1914-1996) designed this gravure-printed brochure in the swiss modernist style of the 1950s: grid-based, multi-column layout, sans-serif titles, "cool" photographs. note the narrow margins and flush-left, ragged-right setting of text.

the couple from the first page of the book returns on the last page, looking less sceptical and smiling happily – probably thanks to migros ...

the impressum names the great swiss photographers who contributed to this book – werner bischof, e.a. heiniger, rené burri, jakob tuggener, to name just a few.