About the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design

Once a year, agencies, designers and companies from all over the globe are invited to take part in the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design. In the ‘Brands’ section, companies can choose from 36 industries to be in with a chance of winning the title of “Red Dot: Brand of the Year”. The ‘Communication Design’ section offers a choice of 17 categories when entering individual communication projects and creative works. Young designers have the opportunity to prove themselves as part of the Red Dot: Junior Award. All of the entries are assessed by the Red Dot Jury in line with the guiding principle “In search of good design and creativity”. Award-winning brands and projects can use the internationally renowned Red Dot Label and also have access to further benefits.

Awards

Red Dot

The Red Dot is the award for high design quality. The international jury only awards this sought-after seal of quality to projects and brands that win them over with their good design quality and creative performance.

Red Dot: Best of the Best

The Red Dot: Best of the Best is the award for very high design quality. Only projects and brands that win over the jury with their very high design quality and creative performance receive the Red Dot: Best of the Best.

Red Dot: Grand Prix

The distinction “Red Dot: Grand Prix” is awarded for outstanding design. It goes to the best piece of work in a category in the field of “Communication Design” which is characterised by exceptional creativity and design quality.

Red Dot: Brand of the Year

The distinction “Red Dot: Brand of the Year” is awarded for exceptionally well-designed brand communication. It goes to the best brand in an industry which succeeds in portraying a consistent brand image across various channels in its communication.

Red Dot: Junior Prize

The Red Dot: Junior Prize, endowed with 10,000 Euros, honours the best piece of work by a young designer.

Categories
In order to assess the projects and brands submitted in a differentiated and professional manner that recognises their diversity, there are the sections of “Brands” and “Communication Design” for participating in the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design. They are further subdivided into various categories and industries.
Corporate Design & Identity

Corporate Design, Corporate Design Guide, Corporate Promotional Items, Corporate Stationery, Key Visuals, Logo Design, Relaunch

Brand Design & Identity

Brand Book, Brand Design, Brand Promotion, Brand Stationery, Key Visuals, Logo Design, Relaunch

Advertising

Content Marketing, Digital Campaigns, Direct Marketing, Image Campaigns, Integrated Campaigns, Out-of-home & Ambient, Print Campaigns, Promotions, Social Campaigns

Red Dot Jury

Due to the current situation, this year the submissions will be assessed online.The Red Dot Jury comprises 24 international experts.

The projects and brands are not compared directly against each other, and no preselection takes place. In order to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure the highest possible degree of neutrality, the jurors commit to the “Code of Honour”. Based on the code, they are not permitted to enter their own works or projects they have been involved in, so that they neither assess their own work nor the work of potential competitors.

Get an insight into the meeting of the jury in 2019:

Red Dot Jury 2019 >
Judging Criteria

The competition entries are assessed individually and with regard to their design and creative performance. During the evaluation, various criteria are taken into account. They vary depending on the type of project and brand and provide a framework for orientation. It is filled in individually by each juror according to his or her expertise and socio-cultural background.

Judging criteria in the field of “Communication Design”:
·Idea: originality and creativity
·From: design quality and innovation
·Impact: comprehensibility and emotional significance

Judging criteria in the field of “Brands”:
·Idea: vision and brand values
·From: design and brand communication
·Impact: brand identity and differentiation

Red Dot: Agency of the Year

The title of honour “Red Dot: Agency of the Year” is awarded annually to an agency that has won over the jurors for the Red Dot Award with its outstanding design quality. The agency has demonstrated above-average design achievements either in the current competition or over a period of several years. The title is conferred at the Red Dot Gala in Berlin and marks the high point of the award ceremony.

Red Dot: Junior Award

The Red Dot: Junior Award is part of the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design. This competition is intended for apprentices, students and young professionals up to two years post-graduation. By submitting the respective training certificate, they can participate in the “Communication Design” section of the competition with their projects – which were realised in the framework of their studies or apprenticeship or afterwards as a commissioned piece of work – and receive a 10% discount on the registration fee and a 20% discount on the Winner Package. The Red Dot: Junior Prize, endowed with 10,000 Euros, honours the best piece of work by a young designer. The aim of the award is to provide the up-and-coming talents with a successful start in the design business and to facilitate access to the industry and to agencies.