2019 in review

Focus on revolutionary products – the Red Dot Award: Product Design

In 2019, the competition for product design was again “In search of good design and innovation”. More than 5,500 products from 55 countries were evaluated by the jury of the Red Dot Award: Product Design at the beginning of this year. In 2019, sustainability and customisability were particularly important. After intensive discussions, the experts selected only those that convinced with their outstanding design quality from the submitted objects. Only about 1.5% of the submissions received the highest award, the Red Dot: Best of the Best.

The winners received their Red Dot trophies at the Red Dot Gala on 8 July at the Aalto Theater in Essen. The highlight of the event was the honouring of the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2019: In proper style, Ferrari chief designer Flavio Manzoni came to the stage in proper style in the Red Dot: Best of the Best awarded Monza SP1 and took the honorary title including the challenge cup “Radius” with his design team.

Together with all other winners, the evening ended with the Designers’ Night at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen. The laureates of the Red Dot and the Honourable Mention received their certificates here. At the same time, three special exhibitions were opened: While “Milestones in Contemporary Design 2019” presented the products awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best, “Design on Stage 2019” showed all objects that received the “Red Dot” and “Honourable Mention” awards. In the exhibition “Designing Dreams: Ferrari Design Team”, designed by Ferrari Design itself, the design team of the year presented its outstanding achievements.

Strong brands and creative communication design – the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design

After more than 25 years, it was time for a change for the communication design competition: “We have decided to respond to the developments on the market and to adapt the competition accordingly. In direct contact with our participants and award-winners, it has become repeatedly clear to us that they want to present themselves as integrated brands. We are now making this possible,” explains Peter Zec, the decision to name the competition “Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design” from now on.

The best brands and communication designers of the year were honoured at the Red Dot Gala, which took place on 1 November at the Konzerthaus Berlin. In front of around 1,400 international guests, the winners of the Red Dot: Best of the Best, the Red Dot: Grand Prix and the “Red Dot: Brand of the Year” award received their trophies. In addition, Edward Lau from Singapore received the Red Dot: Junior Prize that is endowed with 10,000 Euros for his magazine “A-B Magazine Issue no. 1 - Right of Asylum”. KW43 Branddesign by Grey Germany was celebrated on stage of the Konzerthaus as Red Dot: Agency of the Year 2019.

After the gala, the night was turned into day: In the ewerk Berlin, DJ Chrissi D! entertained the guests until the early morning hours. Parallel to the party, the Red Dot winners received their certificates and the special exhibition “Design on Stage” presented all winners of the competition.

Big gestures during the award ceremony: the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

The Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2019 received 4,218 submissions from 48 countries. Only 0.8% were honoured with the Red Dot: Best of the Best for their exceptional design quality.

On 25 September, the award ceremony took place in Singapore, where the proud contest winners received their trophies. The German company Lilium was delighted to receive the highest award of the competition, the Red Dot: Luminary. For two people, the Red Dot Gala became a very special event with the romantic action Xu Le, who made a proposal to his girlfriend Gu Wanwan, provided for the biggest surprise of the evening.

Afterwards, all winners met at the Designers’ Night at the Red Dot Design Museum Singapore. There, the guests could admire the excellent concepts as well as prototypes and celebrated until the early morning hours.