The regular registration phase for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 is currently under way. Designers as well as manufacturers with a design gearing from all over the world have already been submitting their products for the international design competition since the end of October. The first experts to be part of the roughly 40-member jury have already been selected. These include high-tech industrial designer Alexander Neumeister (Germany), inventor of the USB stick Hideshi Hamaguchi (Japan) as well as design management specialist Dr. Thomas Lockwood (USA).

Entries possible in 47 categories

The Red Dot Award: Product Design is directed both at small and medium-sized companies and at the large brand manufacturers around the globe. Independent designers and design studios are also invited to take part with their industrially manufactured products. The 47 categories open to entries reflect this diversity, ranging from “Furniture” and “Lighting and lamps” to “TV and home entertainment” and “Life sciences and medicine”. The regular registration phase will end on 20 January 2017. After that date, latecomers can register their products for the award up until 8 February.

First experts for jury confirmed

To ensure the best evaluation possible, the jurors are chosen according to their specific industry knowledge. The entries for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 will be assessed among others by ICE and Transrapid designer Alexander Neumeister (Germany), Hideshi Hamaguchi (Japan), who developed Japan’s first company intranet, and Dr. Thomas Lockwood (USA) with his extensive knowledge in design and innovation practise.

In addition to jewellery design expert Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng (Hong Kong), the experienced Red Dot jurors Stefan Eckstein, President of the VDID (Association of German Industrial Designers), and Prof. Ken Nah, Vice President of the Korea Association of Industrial Designers (KAID), will enrich the expert committee. 2017 will also see Prof. Renke He (China), Dean and Professor at Hunan University, School of Design, watch specialist Gisbert Brunner (Germany) and interior designer Cheng Chung Yao (Taiwan) join the roughly 40 members of the Red Dot jury.

Fair and independent assessment

As one of the world’s largest product competitions, the Red Dot Award: Product Design guarantees a fair and independent assessment. Its international jury comprises independent designers, design professors and specialist journalists, all of whom commit to a Code of Honour: namely that they cannot be employed at a manufacturing industrial company and cannot assess products that they were involved in. This prevents jury members from judging their own achievements or the achievements of direct competitors.

When the products are assessed, they are not in competition with each other. Instead, they are tested, discussed and assessed individually on a standalone basis. The criteria include degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics and ecological compatibility. The jury only awards a Red Dot to products with a high design quality. It also recognises particularly well-executed aspects of design work with an Honourable Mention, while the best products in a category are awarded a Red Dot: Best of the Best.

Red Dot label in communication

When a product wins a Red Dot, this marks the start of numerous PR and marketing activities. Thanks to its strong visual impact, the internationally recognised label draws more attention on product packaging, in advertising campaigns or at a point of sale. In addition, the Red Dot seal emphasises the excellent design quality of a product, allowing it to set itself apart from the competition. Furthermore, the award winners benefit from further measures such as presentation in the Red Dot Design Yearbook, online and in the Red Dot Design Museum.

Taking part in the Red Dot Award Product Design 2017

Regular:            until 20th January 2017

Latecomers:     21st January - 8th February 2017

For further information and to register, go to www.red-dot.org/pd.