Scoring double points: successful with innovative products and convincing communication design

Strong brands are built on innovative products. The winners of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2018 regularly prove this. But in order to expand the economic success in the long term, they additionally invest in communication that appeals to customers and builds a long-term relationship. The results of the Red Dot Award: Communication Design regularly demonstrate how to design excellent communication. Among the laureates are renowned national and international companies, such as Audi, 3M and IKEA.

The whole is more than the sum of its parts
Already Aristotle explained, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts”.
This is also true for a convincing corporate presence. It starts with innovative products, an expressive corporate design and is rolled out through clever advertising campaigns, also reaching its customers through well thought out packaging and retail design. Whether it is brand design, fair stands, interface design or apps – in 17 categories, the Red Dot Award: Communication Design offers an opportunity for up-and-coming and established brands alike to put their design quality to the test.

“Vorsprung durch Technik”: Audi is Red Dot: Brand of the Year 2017
Regardless of whether the communication projects are realised with the help of external companies or an in-house design department, the brand that won the most Red Dot Awards in a competition year will be appreciated with the honorary title “Red Dot: Brand of the Year”. In 2017, Audi could rejoice about the title. It testifies that the company internalises the slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” not only with regard to its products but is also setting new trends in the communication.

With the title “Red Dot: Brand of the Year 2017” , Audi was honoured for its continuous decisiveness in brand management and for their effective cooperation with creative partners. With the help of the agencies KMS TEAM, BLACKSPACE and STRICHPUNKT DESIGN, the company created in 2017 a new corporate design entitled “Audi Brand Appearance – from monologue to dialogue”, which has won a Red Dot: Best of the Best. The design was created for all brand areas and can be used both in analogue and digital media. True to the “digital first” motto, the corporate design is focused on dynamism. It is suited to all digital applications, from apps and smartwatches to classic monitors and mobile phone screens. In addition to the corporate design, Audi also scored points with further projects: commercials from the car brand won over the Red Dot Jury as well as apps and exhibition design.

Successful with cheeky puns and catchy tunes
“Forever Sticking Billboards” is the name of the campaign from the adhesive manufacturer from Hong Kong, which was realized together with Cheil Germany. The innovative idea keeps its promises: text lines from well-known pop songs stick on the billboards “forever” thanks to the adhesive tape – and almost as long as the catchy tune in the ear of the beholder. Convincing arguments for the Red Dot Jury, which honored this performance with the Red Dot: Best of the Best.

And also the Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA convinced the jury with a wink to award the sought-after Red Dot. The German commercial “With a Message”, which was created together with the agency thjnk from Hamburg, briefly but humorously takes up the topic of home decoration: "Do we need all this?“ a man asks his partner, who enters the shared apartment with shopping bags full of new home accessories from IKEA and redecorates within a short time. “No,” the woman answers cheekily, “but I was just crazy for it. Just as crazy as I was for you – back in the days.”

In addition to the award for the classic commercial, IKEA Germany was also honored with a Red Dot for its virtual reality application “IKEA Virtual Home Experience”. In selected interior design stores, users are encouraged to bring a room to life through Oculus Rift. Based on a core concept of inspiration and co-creation, the showroom enables the combination of different furniture and materials. The VR application makes product configurations and lighting scenes experiencable, far beyond the settings and combinations of the sales area.

Enter communication design until 15 June
Manufacturers, focusing on outstanding communication for their products, as well as designers and agencies from around the globe are invited to put their achievements to the test. Until 15 June the latest, they can provide proof of their design quality in the Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018.

Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018 – dates
Regular: until 29 May 2018
Latecomer: 30 May – 15 June 2018

» Further information on the Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018