Olivetti Style and Corporate Image. The Reasons of an Exemplary Anomaly

Since the 1950s, the Olivetti case has been constantly featured in the literature dealing with the theme of corporate image. From the first articles and contributions on corporate identity and design coordination to the latest texts on branding or brand design, Olivetti has always had a privileged place, alongside a few other "founding" examples such as AEG and London Transport. Yet, in such specialized literature, one can often find a paradox: on the one hand, Olivetti's approach is acknowledged to have an anticipatory value in adopting design methodologies and communication strategies that many others would later follow; on the other hand, the anomaly and singularity of the Olivetti case are pointed out, underlining the impossibility of considering it as a model that can be replicated in contexts other than the original one. This paper seeks to overcome such double celebratory impasse between the idea of Olivetti as a paradigmatic example and as an exceptional and inimitable experience. Firstly, the paper examines the way in which the celebrated Olivetti style was established between 1952 and 1979 (the dates of two relevant exhibitions: Olivetti Design in Industry at MoMA in New York and Design Process Olivetti 1908-1978, at Frederick S. Wight Art Gallery, UCLA, Los Angeles) and explores how, in those years, designers and business communication professionals received and interpreted it. Secondly, it tries to understand to what extent the Olivetti style has served as a model and, on the other hand, if there is a common cultural background between the corporate image strategies of the Ivrea-based company and those of other industrial undertakings that in the same years have embarked on the path of neo-capitalist renewal.