Our client DESKO was founded in Bayreuth, Bavaria, in 1991. The name comes from four German words: Daten, Eingabe, Systeme, Konzepte, meaning data, input, systems, concepts.
It started with magnetic stripe readers for banks. Thirty-five years on, DESKO’s scanners authenticate ID documents, smart cards and barcode tickets in seconds, in over 120 countries. In airports, at border crossings, in banks, police forces and government offices.
THE BADGE
A milestone this size is worth marking properly. The mark had to make the number unmistakable and sit clearly with the brand people already know. And it had to work wherever it lands.
BUILDING ON A BRAND
We started with what was already there. DESKO had a blue, a logo and thirty-five years of people recognising them. We looked for the idea inside that, and built the mark from it.
THE DETAIL
Static. The ‘35’ reads like data made visible. It’s built from dense parallel lines, navy fading into electric blue. ‘YEARS’ is set into one face of it, not underneath as a caption.
Moving. A digital sequence. The 35 scans into place first, from back to front. Then the logo resolves in two quick beats.
John Dunne, founder and creative director: “In recent years we’ve designed lots of brand campaigns for air travel innovators, including e-gate films, kiosk explainers and baggage handling animations, so being given the opportunity to work with DESKO on such an important part of their journey is a real privilege. Here, our objective was to make a mark that celebrates the innovation, technology and spirit behind DESKO’s 35-year success.”
James Fish, lead designer: “We started with how the three and five cound interact, and how they could lock together into one mark, an instant visualisation of DESKO tech. Then the forms, the arrangement, and the colour and depth, coming in like reflections on a scanner.”
Huge congratulations to team DESKO. Here’s to your next 35!