II. Winter Olympic Games – St. Moritz 1928

The first Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz in 1928. Yes, that's right, no question about it.

So why does the original poster designed by Hugo Laubi say «II. Olympic Winter Games»? Because the International Olympic Committee didn’t retroactively designate the «International Winter Sports Week» held in Chamonix in 1924 as the first Winter Olympic Games until 1926.

But even if one dismisses such an argument as nitpicking, Laubi’s poster certainly holds significance in the history of sports: It is the first to feature the Olympic rings. Laubi, a true graphic designer, recognized the symbolic power of this logo, created in 1913, which represented the (once just five) continents. After that, for decades, no Olympic poster dared to omit these rings.

Laubi also broke new ground in terms of design: Instead of focusing on athletes or sports, as had been the case previously, he took his cue—entirely in line with the wishes of the clients: the Swiss Federal Railways—he drew inspiration from tourism posters to promote the country, the region, and the majestic beauty of the mountain scenery under a brilliant blue sky using the Swiss flag and the stylized Piz Corvatsch: the natural setting for the Winter Games.

Since no announcement of an actual poster competition could be found, Hugo Laubi likely got the job thanks to a direct commission from the SBB’s public relations department. This is entirely plausible, given that the extraordinary success of his dynamic poster—used for years to promote the International Horse Races on the frozen lake in St. Moritz (see below) made him the ideal candidate for the job—a poster that is today as rare and sought-after as the one for the Winter Olympics.

More about Hugo Laubi:

St. Moritz, Engadin – Winter Sports