Vy
Moving People in More Than One Sense
2018–
Introduction
When former NSB (Norwegian State Railways) needed to reposition their brand as a result of the Norwegian Railway Reform, Snøhetta was commissioned to develop a new brand name and visual identity. The aim was to bring together all aspects of the business under one brand and communicate the company's vision for the future of collective mobility.
Owned by the Norwegian government the company, now named Vy, is the largest land-based transport group in the Nordic countries.
Technical details
Vygruppen (former NSB)
Type Design: Letters from Sweden
Website and App Design: Bekk
Illustration: Magnus Voll Mathiassen
Centred around on the concept of movement, the visual identity manifests Vy as a company that moves people in more than one sense. The logo is a continuous movement, reminiscent of railway tracks or the open road. Extending from this, we developed a series of patterns and graphics of interconnected bands in gentle motion.
Photo: Øivind Haug
Photo: Ivar Kvaal
The word vy stems from the French word vue, derived from voir, which means “to see”. In Norwegian it has a similar meaning; a view, a perspective, an outlook, or a vision. The name brings associations to the fundamentals of travelling – to see new things, to get new perspectives and to broaden one’s horizon.
Photo: Ivar Kvaal
Custom typography pays homage to the railway's visual heritage. Vy Sans has a sharp, modern look with subtle uniqueness, while Vy Display shares the same skeleton but mirrors the logo's pen strokes.
Type developed in collaboration with Letters from Sweden
The type's personality enhances brand recognition across various surfaces and scales.
Photo: Lars Petter Pettersen/Coup Agency
Photo: Aksel Jermstad
The colour palette is inspired by the intersection of nature and culture; the colours you experience as you move through cities, fjords, and mountains – a representation of Vy's diverse services.
Through several rounds, we have developed and expanded Vy's photo library, in collaboration with skilled photographers, with photographs that complement the overall brand expression.
Illustration style developed in collaboration with Magnus Voll Mathiassen / byHands
The identity is widely implemented, including on vehicles, uniforms, signage, interiors, printed and digital communication platforms, apps, and websites.
We also developed a comprehensive digital design manual tailored for Vy. The manual is educational and user-friendly, designed so that Vy Group's employees can manage and further develop the brand themselves.
Photo: Lars Petter Pettersen/Coup Agency
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