Sanus per Aquam: GROHE
Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design
Over 100 years of technical innovation
In 1905 Gustav and Richard Giersiepen founded the “Gira” manufactory for the production of light switches. Today, the brand is the epitome of stylish switch ranges and intelligent control systems. The path from the first patented porcelain plug socket to complex smart home solutions is lined with countless innovative ideas and purposeful presentation. Whereas the focus was once on the art of engineering in words and images, current communication focuses on the consumer and his or her needs. In this way, abstract technology is made tangible – and thus desires are awakened.
Seeing beyond the product
Gira understands how to emotionally charge and aesthetically stage everyday products. The eye is thereby drawn to the fine design details. The goal: differentiation. “We are Gira. We are the ones with the switches. But we are so much more,” is how the family-owned company sums up its self-image. In 2020, they make a fresh start based on this idea. In the same year, they promptly receive the award as “Best Smart Building Brand” in the Red Dot Design Award. The sensitive approach of giving such an established brand a new self-image and communicating it aesthetically was honoured. Gira is more than just “on” or “off” – in the end, it's also the skilfully placed nuances that count when it comes to corporate success.
The focus is on people
A consistent further development of this new strategy also brings Gira an award as a Smart Building Brand in the Red Dot Design Award in 2021: an intuitively comprehensible campaign puts the focus on convenience and benefits for Gira customers. The abstract technical, electronic world becomes accessible and literally gets a face. From now on, portraits immersed in different colour spectrums stringently present all product segments, from security and smart home solutions to switch design. This new visual translation continues to conform to the clear and unchanged corporate claim to quality, materiality and function.
Design for the future
With the advancing development in the smart home sector, Gira can further consolidate its market positioning. Intelligent product design is combined with aesthetic shaping. Sophisticated technology meets user convenience. The company keeps both equally in focus. It develops control solutions that are intuitive to operate and can be easily integrated into modern living environments.
Switch systems are also consistently adapted to the aesthetic sensibilities of today: For example, the Gira “Pushbutton Sensor 4” impressed the jurors of the Red Dot Award: Product Design in 2020. They rewarded the clear design language, manifested in a high-quality combination of materials, with the distinction “Red Dot: Best of the Best”.
A brand is more than the sum of its parts
It is quite a challenge to fill a traditional brand with new life again and again over many years and trends. Today, the “Made in Germany” seal of approval for the best engineering is no longer sufficient on its own to survive on the international market. In this respect, the successful development of Gira is linked to the unconditional will to view product design and its communication as a unit. Highly functional technology becomes an emotional lifestyle factor at Gira. And with astonishing consistency.
Registration for the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design still possible until 17 June
Brands still have the opportunity to apply for the “Red Dot: Brand of the Year” award until 17 June. Submit your brand profile and have the quality of your brand confirmed by renowned experts. Then use the internationally renowned Red Dot label and communicate your competitive success visibly on all platforms. You can find all information about the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design on our website.
