A long-lasting creative partnership built on a shared belief in high quality, creativity, and impactful communication. Over more than eight years, we worked with USM across multiple projects: from conceiving and producing the Personalities editorial platform to managing their global social media presence, producing content and launch events, and ultimately pitching a full reimagining of their digital infrastructure worth €512,000.
Each project grew from the last. What started as a single editorial concept became one of the most sustained creative relationships in our studio’s history.
We created a multi-channel editorial platform called Personalities: a contemporary interview series profiling exceptional people from fashion, architecture, design, art and culture in cooperation with Freunde von Freunden. Published monthly, each instalment features a notable personality who has made USM the furniture of choice for their private or professional environment. The project spanned a dedicated website, a nationwide German event series, and a 192-page hardcover book published by Hatje Cantz.
The most compelling portraits and interviews were collated into a 192-page full-colour hardcover book published by Hatje Cantz: released October 2015 and launched at Frankfurter Buchmesse alongside a nationwide Germany tour. An exclusive Ape carrying a curated bookshop toured Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin, with launch events at saasfee* pavillon, 25hours HafenCity and the FvF Apartment.
Friends of Friends managed all international social media accounts for USM across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest: developing strategy, producing content, and organising launch events. Over eight years we grew their following from near zero, reached 1.9 million unique accounts, achieved 310% Instagram growth since 2019, and maintained a 5.24% average engagement rate.
224,000+ followers · 1.9M unique accounts reached · 310% Instagram growth · 5.24% avg. engagement rate
In 2020 we developed a comprehensive pitch for a full relaunch of usm.com: covering UX strategy, complete UI redesign, new information architecture, integrated e-commerce, and SPOT as the central CMS and DAM. The audit identified core problems: too complex for users, poor SEO, inconsistent system, costly maintenance. Our solution proposed a modular, brand-aligned, editorially-driven platform. USM did not commission the project, but the ideas they adopted in their subsequent website rebuild were core to what we proposed.
At the heart of the pitch was SPOT, our proprietary asset management system developed with ENGN, proposed as the single platform for all USM content, product data, translations and digital outputs across all markets.
In June 2018, USM transformed the historic “Wehrmühle Biesenthal” estate north of Berlin into The WorkHouse: a six-week live-work laboratory developed with Dutch architecture firm UNStudio. We produced the full event concept, guest management, speaker programme, and media and influencer communications for the opening weekend and residency.
The opening weekend brought together international experts for talks, interactive installations, and workshops. During the residency period, guests could book one of six rooms in exchange for leaving behind their vision of the future of work. We managed every aspect: concept, speakers, guests, press, and on-site production.
A short documentary follows a single USM Haller shelf from purchase through manufacturing at USM's Swiss headquarters to delivery and assembly in a customer's home, offering a transparent look at the process behind the brand's modular system.
USM is a Swiss designer and manufacturer of high-end modular furniture: the Haller system has been a benchmark of modernist design since the 1960s. We created a multi-channel platform called Personalities by USM, showcasing how individuals relate to and style their USM products.
Working with our sister agency Friends of Friends, we developed an editorial strategy and digital roll-out: beautifully curated portraits of various Personalities with their USM furniture, paired with in-depth interviews exploring their aesthetic and views on design. The most compelling stories were gathered into a 192-page full-colour hardcover book published with Hatje Cantz.