freitag out of the bag 4.4.–29.7.2012 museum für gestal tung zürich

FREITAG
OUT OF
THE BAG
4.4.–29.7.2012
MUSEUM
FÜR GESTAL­TUNG
ZÜRICH
There are not many companies in Switzer­
land that still design, manufacture, and mar­
ket their own products. Frei­tag’s business
model resembles that of producers of “good
design” in the twentieth century, yet it is also
a model for creative companies of the future.
The Freitag brand is grounded in the his­
tory of the designers Daniel and Markus Frei­
tag and the significance of the materials they
process. By transferring European truck tar­
paulins to the backs of urban bicycle riders
in 1993, the brothers not only reinterpreted
the messenger bag used by American bike
couriers, but they also conceived the Freitag
bag as a unique, environmentally friendly
product. The bags united environmental con­
sciousness with the individualism of the nine­
ties, and they struck a nerve. The fact that
the company has remained successful to this
day, however, cannot be explained by the bril­
liant idea or the great design of the bags
alone. In addition to the diverse product
range, the introduction of new lines, witty
packaging, clever marketing, and consistent
corporate design, it is the inspired, often in­
teractive communication and personalities of
the founders that have made the brand fa­
mous around the world.
1. How does Freitag
come across?
In Switzerland Freitag bags have been part of
the everyday street scene for years. Those on
the move like them because they can carry
things needed for both work and play. Besides
the fact that they are unquestionably func­
tional, these accessories are subject to the laws
of fashion. In Zurich, where the story of the
Freitag brothers is well known and the brand
is highly visible, young hipsters wonder wheth­
er incorporating a Freitag product into their
look is “out”— or perhaps it is already back
“in” again.
Freitag, in turn, observes its target groups
rather closely. Its regular clientele has aged
along with the company, and the diversified
product palette is intended for a new and
broader public: from the ideal type bicycle
courier to schoolgirls to the businessman in
a suit. Cultural differ­ences also play a role in
the process of export­ing to other countries.
Consumer culture and individuality is cele­
brated differently in Tokyo, for example, than
it is in Zurich. And in places where Freitag
products are not sold in shops, people order
from the online store and exchange photos
of their bags on Facebook.
2. How does Freitag tell
its story?
Communication is an essential creative field
at Freitag. From the very beginning the bro­
thers have attracted attention for their inno­
vative concepts. Freitag still does not adver­
tise, and communicates only through its own
channels. Marketing is considered a useful
product that functions as a part of an overall
concept. This unified approach requires co­
ordination: the label on the bag, the flyer, the
press releases, and the packaging are con­
ceived according to the same principles that
are behind the design of the product and
shops.
Aside from visual and verbal communica­
tion — the style of language is direct and play­
ful — marketing also relies on social net­
works. Events and activities that rely on di­
rect exchange with tastemakers and fans help
to create an image. The brothers themselves
also personify the brand. In addition, “viral
messages,” which are not always immediately
recognizable as deliber­ate marketing tools,
can be found on YouTube and Facebook.
3. How does Freitag sell
its products?
The decisive aspect of the sales strategy is
the packaging and shelving system. In a shop,
there are so many different kinds of bags on
display that selecting one’s own personal,
unique item becomes an experience. In the
online store as well, diverse variations of each
and every model are available. They are care­
fully staged and photographed from all sides.
The company is selective about its distribu­
tion partners, makes sure that shelves are con­
stantly restocked, and instructs salespeople in
how to tell the firm’s story in a genuine man­
ner. For instance, the used truck tarps in the
Fundamentals product series stand out visu­
ally, while the more exclusive, monochromatic
Reference line requires greater explanation.
Also, at every location the shops basically
function the same way. Shops are situated in
up-and-coming areas, and the interior de­
sign always maintains a respect for the exist­
ing architecture; meanwhile, the same shelves
always seem a little different, whether in Zu­
rich, Berlin, Davos, Hamburg, Cologne, Vi­
enna, New York, or Tokyo.
4. Is it still Freitag?
It seemed natural for the brothers to start
producing bags in 1993, since it had every­
thing to do with the attitude toward life in
the 1990s. Zurich was known for its diverse
party scene, where intellectual and local mo­
bility, along with illegal bars, helped to foster
other small enterprises. In this milieu, an
identity could grow without the assistance
of a how-to business guide. Rather the firm’s
founders felt committed to the street cred­
ibility of a bike messenger or the pertinacity
of a graphic designer.
Sixteen years later, is it possible to trans­
late this now mature identity into a corporate
identity? The brand manual and the princi­
ples are attempts to make the brothers’ sense
of irony and humor understandable to an ex­
panded team of marketing specialists. Six core
values sum up Freitag’s brand identity. Yet,
anyone who really knows Daniel and Markus
Freitag does not need any guidelines.
5. How is a new product
developed?
At Freitag, product development is a matter
of design. Besides optimal project manage­
ment, it is necessary to figure out the right
balance between commercial and creative in­
terests. Daniel and Markus Freitag expedite
and support all processes. After a formal brief­
ing, mood boards, sketches, and prototypes
made of truck tarps are developed and pre­
sented so that everyone involved can evalu­
ate them. Only the products that fulfill all
necessary requirements enter production. Yet,
not every idea can be manufactured in large
numbers. That means that even after a solid
year of development, only a small number of
designs actually make it to the shops. De­
signers are also responsible for tending to the
product palette, because the selection needs
to be updated, without growing out of con­
trol. Product categories and lines should be
distinct and continue to develop.
6. Why is each bag unique?
Making bags out of recycled truck tarpaulins
means that, first of all, the tarps have to be
found. In the beginning the brothers them­
selves stood on the side of the highway pho­
tographing trucks as they went by, but today
there is a whole department responsible for
spotting and purchasing materials. When a
truck tarpaulin arrives, it is dirty, but unique.
It is the raw material for the manufacture of
an individualized mass product. The tarp is
cut up by hand, washed in rainwater, air
dried, and photographed for logistics, before
being taken to a work table. There, a cutter
decides the design the bag will have, depend­
ing on where the stencils are placed. Any
remnants left on the floor are recycled. Sub­
contracted sewers stitch the pieces into bags.
Back in Zurich-Oerlikon, they are inspected
for quality, organized to have a mix of colors,
and packed for shipping. This is the final step
in a sustainable cycle.
6
7
5
4
3
2
1
7. How did the company
develop?
Freitag will soon be celebrating its twentieth
anniversary. The company’s story is one of
growth and reorganization, but it is also a
piece of Swiss design history. The product
palette shows the firm’s ability to absorb the
spirit of the times and identify new needs.
Thus, the bags have always transported what­
ever media is current: design blueprints, a DJ’s
records, snowboards, laptops, smartphones,
or yoga mats.
The history of the company shows that it
has transformed from a small, spontaneous
organization into a well-structured company
capable of functioning no matter who is in­
volved. But it also represents the personal his­
tory of its founders. The two designers have
developed over time into entrepreneurs, and
yet remain the industrious heroes of a leg­
end that embodies the Freitag identity.
EXHIBITION TALKS
Renate Menzi speaks with guests
Sunday, 22 April 2012, 11 am
“Kommunikation ist auch ein Produkt”
Pascal Dulex, Brand Manager Freitag
(In German)
Wednesday, 9 May 2012, 6 pm
“Die Identität von Freitag ist gewachsen”
Daniel Freitag, Founder and Creative Director Freitag
(In German)
Wednesday, 18 July 2012, 6 pm
“Die Geschichte von der Tasche zur Marke”
Markus Freitag, Founder and Creative Director Freitag
(In German)
PANEL DISCUSSION
Friday, 29 June 2012, 6 pm
(the exhibition is open until 6 pm)
“Was die Kreativwirtschaft kann und was sie wirklich
braucht” (In German)
Introduction: Corine Mauch, Head of City Council
Moderation: Christoph Weckerle,
Head of Department Cultural Studies
and Art Education ZHdK
With Markus Freitag, Founder and Creative Director
Freitag; Simon Grand, Academic Director RISE
Management Research, University St. Gallen;
Christoph Backes, Director u-Institut, Bremen;
Jacqueline Otten, Head of Department Design ZHdK.
GUIDED TOURS
Sunday, 11 am: 8.4., 6.5., 20.5., 10.6., 17.6., 24.6.,
15.7., 29.7.
Wednesday, 6 pm: 11.4., 25.4., 23.5., 30.5., 6.6., 13.6.,
20.6., 27.6., 4.7.
Guided tours for schools and other offers:
www.museum-gestaltung.ch
OPENING HOURS
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Wednesday 10 am to 8 pm
Easter and Pentecost 10 am to 5 pm
Closed: Mondays as well as Good Friday 6 April
PUBLICATION
Freitag. Out of the Bag
Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (Ed.)
Lars Müller Publishers, CHF 29.90
Appears on 31 May 2012
Orders: verlag@museum-gestaltung.ch
WE THANK OUR SPONSOR
Bieri Tenta AG
An exhibition by the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich
Christian Brändle, Director
Zurich University of the Arts,
Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts