This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
Frog Design, established in 1969, is a world-renowned design firm originally from Germany, with the name “frog” serving as an acronym for the Federal Republic of Germany. Its reputation for creating visually expressive and ergonomically successful products has spanned the globe, making a significant impact in the international design landscape since the 1980s.
Expanding Reach
With headquarters initially in Altensteig, Germany, Frog Design extended its reach by opening offices in Campbell, California, in 1982 and Tokyo in 1986. This expansion has enabled the company to serve an impressive array of clients across different continents, including Apple Computer, American Telephone and Telegraph, RCA, Eastman Kodak, Polaroid, Motorola, and General Electric in the United States; AEG, ERCO, Koenig & Neurath, Philips, and Louis Vuitton in Europe; and Matsushita, NEC, Olympus, Seiko, and Sony Corporation in Japan.
The Visionary Behind Frog Design: Hartmut Esslinger
Hartmut Esslinger, the founder of Frog Design, is a visionary in the design field. Born in 1944, he studied electrical engineering at the University of Stuttgart and industrial design at the Fachhochschule Schwabisch Gmund. After winning the German Bundespreis Gute Form for a portable radio in 1969, he got his first client, Wega, a West German electronics company (which Sony has owned since 1975). Esslinger’s innovative designs for Wega’s colour televisions, stereos, and accessories earned him and the company acclaim for their sleek, modern aesthetics.
Notable Works and Influence
Frog Design’s works have always been user-focused and carefully crafted to enhance user experiences. The firm’s reputation soared when the off-white Apple II personal computer they designed was featured on Time magazine’s cover as the “Design of the Year” in 1984. Industrial Design magazine later praised the Scribe and Imagewriter printers, companions to the Apple II, for their excellent design.
Esslinger’s vision for design remains as relevant today as when he first voiced it: “The goal of design is to make our artificial world more human. My objective has always been and will continue to be to design mainstream objects as works of art.” This philosophy is evident in every Frog Design creation, from the snub-snouted frollerskates for Indusco to the bold black computer monitor for Jobs’s NeXT, Inc.
Sources
Hiesinger, K. B., & Marcus, G. H. (1995). Landmarks of twentieth-century design: an illustrated handbook. Abbeville Press.
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