Ormsson

100 years of Ormsson

Ormsson is a long-established electronics retailer in Iceland, and in 2022 it celebrated its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, a month-long celebration was launched, featuring a series of events and special offers.

  • The aim was to highlight the brand’s long and eventful history, while acknowledging the significant technological evolution of its product range over time. We saw an opportunity to bring elements from the past into the present—blending nostalgia with modern relevance.

  • Vintage newspaper ads served as the primary source of inspiration for both design and copy. The language and technical jargon of the past century were reinterpreted and combined with contemporary advertising, creating a playful dialogue between past and present throughout the campaign.

  • The result was a distinctive and engaging campaign that translated the format of traditional newspapers into modern digital media. A full newspaper page was reimagined as a large-scale billboard—featuring an unusually dense amount of text by today’s standards. The campaign stood out, generating attention and conversation around Ormsson through its unique design and copy.

  • I led the ideation process in close collaboration with the Creative Director, shaping the overall concept and visual direction of the project. On set, I was responsible for art direction across all visual elements, including cinematography, direction, styling, and overall image composition, ensuring a cohesive and compelling final result.

The most agreeable experience of innumerable housewives of all descriptions standeth as the very finest commendation of these most excellent and elegantly appointed domestic appliances.

A comparison of archival newspaper ads and their contemporary reinterpretations created for the centenary

Sucketh the dust from thine household with a vacuum apparatus which most excellently cleanseth furnishings, coverings, and whatsoever else the dust doth settle upon.

Reimagining the Archive

Inspiration

The inspiration for both the visual style and tone of voice was close at hand—in Ormsson’s own archival advertising. The language, including nuances in wording and spelling, reflected a distinctly old-fashioned style—creating a striking contrast between past and present, analogue and digital.

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