Red Dot Design Awards: what are they?

Overview of the Red Dot Design Award

The Red Dot Design Award was initially awarded in 1955. The Red Dot is one of the most sought-after quality marks for good design, established internationally. To assess diversity in design professionally, the award is divided into three competitions: the Red Dot Award: Product Design, the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design and the Red Dot Award: Design Concept – each organised annually. The Red Dot Award documents the most prominent trends worldwide, from products, brand communication and creative projects to design concepts and prototypes. The award-winning designs are shown in exhibitions worldwide, the Red Dot Design Museums, yearbooks, and online.

Evaluation 

The jury reviews the products, brands, communication initiatives and ideas that have been given the Red Dot Prize. It consists of independent artists, design professors and specialised journalists who have dedicated themselves to the “Code of Honour”: they cannot be hired by an industrial production corporation or engage in adjudicating the designs they have been involved in. This avoids any scenario in which Red Dot Jury members measure their accomplishments or those of direct competitors. The assessment is carried out directly on the submissions, live and on-site. They’re not in competition with each other. Instead, they are individually tested, discussed and evaluated. The adjudication process is based on various criteria, depending on the competition, and is continuously adapted to established requirements.

Red Dot Award: Product Design 

Since 1955, the Red Dot Award: Product Design has been searching for the year’s best products. Producers and designers can submit their industrial products in 49 categories, from fashion to consumer electronics, vehicles, medical technology and furniture.

Participants entering a creative or smart product can win two awards in the contest. To do so, they can register their product in the meta categories “Smart Products” or “Innovative Products” after registration in one of the traditional categories. Also, young professionals who have earned their academic qualifications in the past five years can qualify for one out of 50 free places in the yearly competition. In doing so, they will measure themselves against renowned designers in an international comparison and test their know-how.

Furthermore, each year, young professionals – designers who have received academic qualifications within the last five years – are allowed to compete for one of 50 free places. In doing so, they can measure themselves against renowned designers in an international comparison and test their know-how.

Recognizing Excellence in Design

A winning product is given the “Honourable Mention” or “Red Dot” award. The “Red Dot: Best of the Best” award only applies to exceptional items in a category. Since 1988, “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year” has been awarded to a design team that wins over the jury with consistently good design achievements. It earns the “Radius” award as a token of this achievement. By doing so, they can compare themselves against renowned designers internationally and assess their know-how. By doing so, they can compare themselves against famous designers internationally and test their know-how.

Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 

The competition, which has existed since 1993 – initially launched as “Deutscher Preis für Kommunikationsdesign” (German Prize for Communication Design) – is geared towards established and up-and-coming designers, agencies, and companies. They can enter their projects for the design competition in two sections. The section “applicants can enter communication Design”, individual creative and design projects in one or several of the 17 categories, including Typography, Posters and Apps. Also, there are 36 industries to choose from in the “Brands” section. For example, companies can use integrated communication that portrays a consistent brand image across different areas in the automotive, furniture, watches, electronics, financial services, and retail industries.

A winning brand or piece of work is awarded the Red Dot, while outstanding entries win a Red Dot: Best of the Best. In the “Brands” section, the jury can also distinguish “Red Dot: Brand of the Year” from the industry’s best brand. In contrast, in the “Communication Design” section, the Red Dot: Grand Prix goes to the best piece of work in a category. Also, the Red Dot: Junior Prize comes with prize money of 10,000 Euros and is awarded yearly to the best piece of work an upcoming designer enters. The honour “Red Dot: Agency of the Year” title is awarded to an agency that receives the “Stylus” trophy for its above-average design achievements. During the Red Dot Gala award ceremony, the winners of the Red Dot: Best of the Best, Red Dot: Grand Prix, Red Dot: Brand of the Year and Red Dot: Junior Prize receive their trophies in front of around 1,200 international guests on stage at the Konzerthaus Berlin. The Red Dot winners are given certificates at the subsequent Designers’ Night party in the ewerk. They have an opportunity to celebrate their success. The winners’ exhibition also presents the award-winning brands and projects to the guests for a one-night exclusive.

Red Dot Award: Design Concept 

The Red Dot Award: Design Concept has been held in Singapore every year since 2005. Designers, companies, organisations and universities from all over the world have the opportunity to enter their visions and put their creative potential to the test. From living and medicine to communication and security, participants can submit their design concepts, studies and prototypes in 42 categories. 

A winning concept receives an Honourable Mention or a Red Dot. At the same time, the Red Dot: Best of the Best is reserved for only the best designs in a category. The top individual award, “Red Dot: Luminary”, goes to the most outstanding concept of the year. 

During the Red Dot Gala award ceremony, the Red Dot: Best of the Best laureates and Red Dot: Luminary award winner receive their trophies on stage. At the subsequent Designers’ Night party in the Red Dot Design Museum Singapore, the recipients of an Honourable Mention or a Red Dot are given.

More Design Awards

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