From 24 October 2016 onwards, designers and manufacturers can enter their products for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 – one of the largest product competitions in the world. For more than 60 years, it has offered a fair and independent design benchmark. The award’s 40 strong, international jury evaluates every product submitted live, on site and only awards the Red Dot to those that stand out for their good design quality. The application phase for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 is divided into three distinct stages: the “Early bird” phase ends on 2 December 2016 and is followed by the “Regular” stage which ends on 20 January 2017, then “Latecomer” has a closing date of 8 February 2017.

60 years of expertise in product evaluation

The significance of a competition is determined by its credibility. Clear criteria for the allocation of awards, principled jurors and an outstanding setting for the presentation of the products are all hallmarks of the Red Dot Award. Accordingly, its jury has been reliably searching out design excellence across all product sectors for more than 60 years. From furniture to domestic appliances, home electronics to vehicles, medical technology to industrial equipment – manufacturers and designers can enter their industrial products for 47 categories.

Judging takes place right next to the product

The Red Dot jury consists of independent designers, design professors and trade journalists who have signed up to a Code of Honour. They may not be employed by a manufacturing industrial company, nor may they take part in the evaluation of submissions in which they were involved in any way, shape or form. This is intended to prevent members of the jury from judging their own achievements or those of direct competitors. Appraisals take place live and on site, directly next to the submitted product. Entries are not however compared, but are tested, discussed and evaluated independently.

The evaluation criteria are intended to offer framework guidance, with each juror deciding on the detail individually. Entries are judged on their degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics, durability, intuitive nature and environmental compatibility, peripheral equipment, formal quality, symbolic and emotional content. The criteria are regularly aligned with new insights into formal, technical, production-specific, societal, economic and ecological requirements in order to ensure the best possible assessment of every single product.

Only entries that persuade the jury of their design quality receive the awards “Honourable Mention” or “Red Dot”. The best products in each category earn the “Red Dot: Best of the Best”. Since 1988, the honorary title “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year” has also been bestowed on one design studio or manufacturer together with the “Radius” trophy to recognise their consistently outstanding design achievements.

Winners benefit from extensive benefits

The award offers winners the opportunity to demonstrate their design ability on an international stage. Being awarded the Red Dot defines, honours and sets apart the best products of the year. Victorious designers and manufacturers use the Red Dot label for publicity, as its global recognition has turned it into an ideal communication tool for giving outstanding design greater visibility on the market. Additional benefits are inclusion in the Red Dot Design Yearbook, online and via the Red Dot app, as well as the display of the product in the Red Dot Design museums.

“Young Professionals Application Day” supports up-and-coming talents

Qualified designers whose graduation must not be more than five years ago, have the option of entering the raffle for 50 free places. This allows them to measure themselves against renowned designers at an international level and to open their know-how up to scrutiny. The “Young Professionals Application Day” takes place on 7 December 2016. Should they win an award, these up-and-coming new talents will also benefit from extensive, free of charge communication initiatives.

The award presentation ceremony brings the design world together in Essen

In the course of the “Red Dot Gala” award ceremony, the Red Dot: Best of the Best winners receive their trophies on stage at the Aalto-Theater in Essen. This is also when the incumbent Red Dot: Design Team of the Year presents the Radius to the new title holders. Red Dot and Honourable Mention winners receive their certificates at the “Designers’ Night” aftershow party and can celebrate together with around 1,400 international guests in the midst of the winners’ exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum.

Entry stages for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017

Early Bird:        24 October – 2 December 2016

Regular:           3 December 2016 – 20 January 2017

Latecomer:      21 January – 8 February 2017

Young Professionals Application Day: 7 December 2016