in medias rees — Makes brands thrive.

After completing her studies in visual communication at HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, Simone Rees began her career as a designer at renowned agencies such as Springer & Jacoby, GGK, Leonhardt & Kern and H2e. Several design awards later, she founded her own agency in 2002: in medias rees. She follows a clear intention: to develop holistic communication concepts for medium-sized companies and to give them an authentic, unmistakable face. The client portfolio is as diverse as a colourful bouquet of flowers: furniture, fashion, food, industry, crafts, services and municipal educational institutions. Long-standing clients such as Martosca ice cream manufactory, the Stuttgart Youth Welfare Office, Domaniecki Carpetence and the University of Tübingen are proof of her committed, effective and passionate creation and of the claim to develop brands and make them thrive.

Interview with in medias rees 

Red Dot: How would you define good communication design?
in medias rees: In times of ready-made design templates for print and online media, it has become even more important to stand out through individuality and creativity. From my point of view, taking into account all areas of design such as graphic design, web design, moving images, sound, 3D animation and UI/UX, new approaches and possible solutions emerge and innovative synergies, new networks and potential development opportunities can develop in the creative teamwork, making communication tangible and experienceable. Only then can ideas become unique, successful and sustainable reality.

What intention do you pursue with your award-winning work?
To develop a visually sophisticated and sensitive corporate design for conductor Friederike Kienle that makes her passion for the profession and her philosophy of involving the entire orchestra in the musical process visible to the outside world. At the same time, to encourage female conductors of this world to present themselves with a new, modern image that visually conveys their specialness and competence, making them better known and more visible in the competition.

Was your award-winning work inspired by current social issues?
For a long time, women conductors were a rarity. Fortunately, that has changed. With courage, passion and tact, our client Friederike Kienle has conquered her place as an internationally renowned conductor and music mediator. Her guiding principle “Music is Democracy” contributed significantly to the development of the corporate design. The orchestra as a team in which each member is a unique asset. She experiences the exchange with the orchestra as a great benefit. Only when each individual receives attention and appreciation can they fully develop their gift of playing the instrument. Then music becomes a momentum of emotions. The idea of democracy, of flat hierarchies and the importance of each individual member within the orchestra is communicated through the multiplication of the baton. This also shows the diversity of conducting, which always brings new impulses and emotions into the music through the valuable exchange with the orchestra.

Which target group would you like to address with your award-winning work?
The international opera houses, the concert organisers, the music management and the friends of unique musical experiences – the listeners.

Please describe the concept of creativity against the background of your award-winning work.
The idea arises from the intensive, content-related examination of the task. And through sufficient time for trying out, designing, exchanging, evaluating, discarding, starting again. The idea is everything, without the idea everything is nothing.