Likewise in the Corporate Design Relaunch category, the gaming platform Gamebuddy won a Nail in bronze. Also on the shortlist were the corporate design for the online geodata services provider Here Technologies and the customizable illustrations of the Cards of Grace greeting card app.

For managing partner Lukas Cottrell, the victories are an expression of the creative drive the agency brings to each of its projects. “The flexibility of the design stands in the forefront of all of these works,” he said. “With characteristic brand elements that can be adapted to various contexts and interests. They make it possible to build deep, emotional connections between the brand and the people who use it.”

The best example of this is the design for Deutsche Bahn. Peter Schmidt Group carried the established brand elements to their next logical conclusion and condensed them into a single motif called the “Pulse.” It unfolds its full potential in digital applications, for example user interfaces and micro-moments – in other words, the very touchpoints that are becoming increasingly important in the digital age of networked mobility. The idea convinced the ADC panel of judges, who wrote, “The redesign for Deutsche Bahn is inspiring. It's light, playful, digitally conceived and above all, fun! This red line, the Pulse (...) is a simple element that seems perfectly at home within the brand identity and is particularly agile on the digital stage.”

Michael Bütow, director of brand management, corporate identity & design at Deutsche Bahn, was just as enthusiastic as the panel of judges. “The Pulse gives us a new flexibility – even on the smallest scale, in icons or as part of an illustration. It can tell stories and become a trusted companion. As such it conveys precisely the values we want to see associated with Deutsche Bahn even more strongly in the future.”

With these awards, Peter Schmidt Group made a strong contribution to the overall strong showing of its parent company BBDO Group Germany, which developed two of the most awarded works of the competition: “Eurythenes plasticus” for the World Wildlife Fun and “A Family Diary” for WhatsApp. With a total of 31 Nails, BBDO Group Germany occupied the top of the agency ranking, achieving its best result ever.

Would you like to learn more about Deutsche Bahn's new brand identity? In the booklet “Empathic Branding” of the PAGE Connect Initiative, you can find out interesting background information.

Download the englisch Version of the PDF for free here (file size: 19 MB). The German version can be ordered free of charge from PAGE magazine here.

You can also take a look at our work for Deutsche Bahn here.