Sviiter – a small but capable creative studio

By nature, Sviiter offers a full-service approach to clients, often taking on project management in addition to design expertise. “This gives us a certain level of quality control and provides the client with peace of mind—where they don’t have to find a printing house or a developer themselves but can get everything from a single provider,” explains Erkki Pung, the founder and creative director of Sviiter.

Erkki, tell us how Sviiter started and what kind of design challenges you typically work on?

The story behind the name actually predates the company itself. It dates back to 2005 when a few friends and I participated in an idea competition called NETS, which was essentially a predecessor of Ajujaht, organized by the Archimedes Foundation at the time. Our idea was an online magazine platform, and we planned to launch a fashion magazine as a demo. We made it to the finals, where our mentor, Allan Martinson, suggested that we drop the name Sviiter and go for something stronger. That’s how Partisan was born, with a new logo created by our team’s creative mastermind at the time, Tõnu Runnel. Sviiter was put aside until it was revived in a new format a few years later.

We didn’t win the NETS competition, but the experience gave us valuable lessons and resilience. A couple of years later, Issuu launched—a platform very similar to our idea—and today, such digital flipbook solutions are widely used.

Sviiter as a creative studio was officially founded in November 2007. Initially, it operated as more of a side project, but as our workload and project volume increased, we had to make the decision to fully dedicate ourselves to it.

What is Sviiter’s motto?

We have never defined a specific motto for ourselves, but at our core, we strive to be a reliable and competent partner. In many ways, we have succeeded, as most of our clients have stayed with us long-term.

We’re not big on self-promotion—we prefer to let our work speak for itself. That approach has worked well so far, helping us maintain our existing client relationships while steadily attracting new ones. Not every client becomes a long-term partner, but when a client returns, it’s a reflection of their satisfaction with our solutions, quality, or the value we bring.

What characterises Sviiter’s work? What are your strengths?

Sviiter has long been a mini agency that often seems bigger than it actually is. So, our main strength is our dedication and work ethic. We strive to be the best partners for our clients—ones they can always rely on.

Some clients have been with us for over a decade, and we still manage to stay fresh, creative, and trustworthy in their eyes.

Our work is thoughtful and goal-oriented. In terms of style, we prefer clarity and precision over messiness, structured messaging over chaos, and timelessness over fleeting trends.

What do you consider Sviiter’s most successful projects so far, and why?

There have been many great projects over the years, and we’re currently working on several exciting ones that we’d love to showcase when the time is right.

• Placent Activ – We’ve been working with them for three years, starting with a website redesign aimed at making the online store an inviting space where customers would want to return. The site features a content-rich blog, well-structured product pages, customer reviews, warehouse and payment solutions, installment options, and much more. Over time, the platform has grown, but it continues to serve its purpose well. We’ve also redesigned their product packaging, giving it a minimalist, Nordic, and timeless look. Their products are available in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Uganda.

• Turnstone Law Firm – A smaller project for us, but a great example of timeless visuals. Designed in 2017, it still looks fresh as a corporate website today.

• Bon Soya – We started working with Bon in 2018 on a new product packaging series, followed by a full brand refresh. We’re currently developing new products and rebranding their packaging for other product lines. Bon is one of Estonia’s leading vegan food producers, offering a range of meat substitutes, fermented oat drinks, tofu, and more.

Where do you draw daily inspiration from?

A lot of external inspiration comes from great design work around the world. However, every project still has our signature touch, and we integrate the inspiration into our own approach and our clients’ needs.

In terms of platforms, we frequently browse Adobe Behance and Awwwards. We also follow many interesting agencies on social media, allowing us to compare our work with similar projects globally. This analysis helps us refine our approach, adjust our methods, and improve our outcomes.

What does your typical client profile look like?

Our portfolio is quite diverse, with a strong emphasis on long-term clients over one-time projects. Our regular client base includes:

• Food industry (BON, Gourmet Club)

• Beauty & personal care (Placent Activ)

• Legal sector (Turnstone, Pohla & Hallmägi)

• Education (Tallinn University, University of Tartu, Tallinn Folk High School)

• Public sector (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Climate, State Real Estate, etc.)

What is your process when working with a new client?

There are usually two ways a project starts:

1. Existing clients – Since we already know their background and expectations, things move faster.

2. New clients – A few years ago, incoming inquiries were more detailed. Now, while the number of inquiries has increased, their quality has become more superficial. So, our first step is to ask the right questions to define the scope, objectives, and expectations.

From there, we refine the concept—whether for design, development, or both. Since every project is unique, the process varies. For branding, we start by defining the direction before moving into the creative phase. For print materials, we address technical specifications upfront to ensure cost-effectiveness. Web development follows a structured process—first defining functionality, selecting a CMS, and designing accordingly.

For smaller projects, like reprints, the process is often more straightforward.

What kind of clients would you like to work with in the future?

We already cover a wide range of industries, but we’d love to expand into music and cultural projects—working with bands, musicians, or music-related events.

A while ago, we also wanted to enter the sports sector, and now we have a major sports-related project underway, with another one planned for late this year or early next. If you can dream it, and the desire is strong enough, things tend to fall into place!

What are Sviiter’s ambitions? Where do you see yourselves in five years?

We want to grow, but in a way that maintains the agility of a small studio. Our goal is to keep working on exciting projects while expanding our expertise in solving design challenges.

The year 2020 showed that long-term plans can be unpredictable, and that hard work alone isn’t always enough. But we still dream big while staying true to our small studio’s unique character.

What’s the one thing that must always be present in your workspace?

Our current office is filled with plants, and we can’t imagine it any other way. In the past, it wasn’t like this, but one thing has always been consistent—our office has high ceilings. Maybe creativity just needs space to rise!

Any music recommendations that others should check out?

We listen to a lot of music at the office and create playlists regularly. Right now, we’re even collecting playlists from clients to get a glimpse into their thoughts and emotions through music.

Our main vibe is liquid DnB—artists like Etherwood, Camo & Krooked, Mitekiss, and High Contrast.

Here’s a playlist we update from time to time. And of course, we love listening to Raadio 2 shows, including  Progressioon, Tallinn Express, Urbanism and daytime favorites like  Tiks, suvine erisaade Puhkus Maianiga. We never work without music! 🎶

Interview by: Katrin Tomiste
Answered by: Erkki Pung