The seal and monkey are getting a new friend

The sweet childhood memories are available in the freezers in every Migros branch store. The ice creams with the beloved seals, bears and monkeys have been a hit for coming up to 50 years. A newcomer can now be found trumpeting in their ranks – the elephant.

This creature now decorates the packaging for caramel ice cream lollies. The cheerful pachyderm is a born-and-bred native of Höngg in Zurich, as he was created at Hans Uster's drawing table at his home. The 93-year-old graphic designer and artist also created the first three iconic animals. He designed them in 1975 when he worked as the Head of the «Creative» packaging department.

In its early days, Migros used simple packaging and only designed the materials containing their products to be more colourful later on. Uster was exactly the right person when it came to eye-catching designs: «Well designed packaging has a power that speaks to people,» he explains on a visit. His studio is also his living room – or maybe it's the other way around. When asked by a visitor about the success of his animal designs, he replies somewhat shyly: «I am left amazed by how they are still appreciated by so many people.»

25,000 designs for Migros

The ice creams are a project that are close to his heart, but only one of many. According to his estimates, he created around 25,000 designs while working for Migros. Hans Uster places two heavy folders of work on the table, documenting his work. Equipped with just his pencil, he gave scores of products a beautiful packaging design – ranging from instant soups and chocolate to tights and vacuum cleaners.

«When our new packagings were made available in the stores, we sometime laid in wait and watched to see how they were received by people,» he remembers. The Migros customers of today still have Uster's designs in their fridge. For example, milk is still being sold in packaging designed by him, which bears a red, white or blue jug featuring white dots.

New animal wanted

The graphic designer retired in 1991, but did not stop coming up with ideas while collecting his pension. Pictures, sculptures and installations tell funny and dramatic stories in his living room. The drawing table is also positioned in exactly the right place – underneath the window with a view of the countryside. «An artist never retires,» says Hans Uster. This proved to be an ideal attitude when Delica called him last year. The Migros company produces the iconic ice creams in Meilen on the shore of Lake Zurich. They wanted to know whether he would draw another animal for a new type of ice cream. His answer: «Of course!» Uster and his pencil were hard at work in the following weeks. The artist drew up animals in a wide range of designs – like all those years ago, by hand and on paper. They dance, balance and trumpet to one another. The elephant that now adorns the packaging was for a long time not the only candidate. «The entire zoo was in the running for me. A kangaroo or a friendly crocodile could also have been chosen.»

Hans Uster: An artist never retires

In addition to this work for Migros, the graphic designer also works privately as an artist.

His creative work includes paintings, graphic art, sculptures and comic strips, which he publishes himself. Hans Uster lives with his wife in the Zurich district of Höngg.

Editor's note: Hans Uster died at the age of 93 shortly after this article was published in 2022.