Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design

Red Dot: Grand Prix 2019 – a special publication

Red Dot: Grand Prix for the book “AGI New Members 2007–2017”

The book “AGI New Members 2007-2017” shows its creative contents and the minds behind it at first glance: Besides the eye-catching typography, it is above all its frayed upper edge that catches the eye. The publication by the Swiss Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), designed by hesign, received the Red Dot: Grand Prix in the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 2019, the highest distinction in the "Communication Design" section.

A new way of book design

The nearly 700-page publication presents the 232 new members from around the world who were admitted to the Swiss AGI between 2007 and 2017 with the aim of promoting and supporting them. The members’ expertise covers all visual communication activities – from branding and animation to typography and experience design. Each young designer is presented on three pages with his or her profile, selected works and a short interview on current developments and challenges in graphic design. Thus, the book meets the main concern of the AGI: to get to know the people behind the works.

This catalogue of AGI is the third in a series designed by graphic designer Jianping He of the agency “hesign” under the motto “Enjoy Design!”. The black-and-white cover reveals at first glance the cut-in pages made of recycled paper at the top. When the book is opened, the pages fan out through the 13,880 paper strips, creating a playful, lively and new element in the book design.

Publication with visual and haptic highlights

The high design quality of the publication particularly convinced the Red Dot Jury: “The catalogue of the new AGI members thrills readers at first sight. Only for a split second does it irritate that the upper part of every page has been cut into strips, quickly giving way to fascination. Touching and stroking across the soft end of the pages actually is a truly en­joyable, sensual pleasure. In addition, the careful use of typography and implementation of various reading levels turn the book into an art object, but one that also excellently fulfils its function as a compendium.”

Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 2020

The registration portal for the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design is open until 5 June 2020. In addition to the category "Publishing & Print Media", designers, agencies and companies can choose from 16 other categories such as "Advertising", "Packaging Design" or "Apps" when entering their projects in the international design competition. In the "Brands" section, companies can submit their brands in 36 categories – from "Automotive" to "Food & Beverage" to "Watches". Those who are particularly convincing can look forward to the highest distinctions "Red Dot: Grand Prix" or "Red Dot: Brand of the Year".