“Good design is not just aesthetic – it is also good economy. Good design is not just cool – it is bloody serious!” – Olle Eksell
Olle Eksell (1918–2007) was an internationally recognised Swedish graphic designer, illustrator, textile designer, art director, poster artist and a professor whose illustrative, whimsical style we have been huge fans of at Counter-print for some time.
As as well as his celebrated corporate work in various fields, he was also the author of two of our favourite books on design, ‘Corporate Design Programs’ and ’Design = Economy’, in the latter he explains how design and economy tend to be separated, while they should be tightly linked.
Eskell is perhaps best known, however, for the iconic classic eyes logo, on the chocolate packages for Mazetti’s Ogon Cacao, which formed part of one of Sweden’s first design programs. Designed in 1956, his corporate identity program for the firm became so popular that it is said to have greatly increased sales for the company and led to both comparisons with another design icon, Paul Rand, and being labelled as a designer that was ahead of his time.
Since then, the poster from this identity program has become a real design classic, offerings both a timeless and contemporary look to the home or studio. This reissue is printed on 200g quality uncoated paper in Sweden and is sent out in a poster tube, unframed.
Olle Eksell – Ogon Cacao