Today, SŽDC Officially Starts Using a New Logo

01.02.2019

Today is the D-Day for Správa železniční dopravní cesty (the Railway Infrastructure Administration - SŽDC) as from this day forward it has officially begun to use the new logo. As a part of an innovative corporate identity, the entire visual aspect of the state organisation communication will change within five years at the latest. In addition, it will be presented to the public with a slogan (a claim). Which is: SŽDC. Good Direction.

“SŽDC is an important and self-confident state organisation, in which an important role is played by a human element represented by thousands of employees. This is also reflected in the logo that we are just starting to use. It is part of a brand-new visual identity, under which we will present ourselves to the general public. We will be using a new slogan which allows us to positively embody the mission of our organisation by using a simple and memorable pun. SŽDC simply leads the Czech railway in the good direction,” says Mr. Jiri Svoboda, Director General of SŽDC.

A new visual identity was decided by the Managing Board of SŽDC in April 2016. Subsequently, a tender was launched for the processing not only of the new logo, but also the entire visual style. Many renowned design companies took part in the tender, which was eventually won by Marvil studio.

The new logo was registered with the Industrial Property Office in June 2017 as a trademark. A few months later an objection was filed against its registration. This objection was settled last November. The whole process culminated on 27 December 2018, when the new logo was finally registered as a trademark of SŽDC.

The concept of the logo is based on the symbol of Ž, which was chosen as an acronym for the word “Železnice” (Railway). It best summarises for the general public the otherwise long and hardly memorable name of the state organisation. Through the Design Museum in London, the Oxford University's Classical Art Research Centre selected the SŽDC logo and its new visual style as one of the 80 best projects in the world.

The process of implementation of the new logo will take five years and has been divided into three phases. It first appeared on SŽDC timetables, business prints and advertising items. Next, the publication of electronic templates of business prints, including, for example, business cards, will follow. And finally, the operational and public buildings of SŽDC together with the website, employees' uniforms and rail vehicles under the administration of the state organisation will be branded with the new visual style.

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