Jean Jacques Schaffner

Jean Jacques Schaffner, born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1954, studied graphic design at Basel Art School. This was followed by further training as a photographer and as a TV music director as well as study stays in Paris, London, San Francisco and at the University of Utah. In 1976, he founded Schaffner & Conzelmann Designersfactory in Basel, a full-service communication and design agency and one of the most renowned agencies in Switzerland. From 2000 to 2003, Jean Jacques Schaffner was president of the European Packaging Design Association. Since 2019, he works under the name jjsscc as an independent consultant, photographer, film producer, design juror and spokesman.

Red Dot: What options are available for turning brands into threedimensional experiences?
Jean Jacques Schaffner: The time when interior design was limited to the mere decoration of physical spaces is long gone. Today, the objective is rather to design sensory experiences. The task that has to be solved is the bringing together of sound, colour, light projections and, of course, also spatial elements in one context. Never before has it been so important to be able to think in an interdisciplinary way.

What drives you to keep reinventing design?
A look at the design developments across the world challenges me anew every day to improve. I consider it a privilege to have so much good design available and to be able to measure myself against it. That is why I still continue to take part in design tenders. Competition keeps you fit.