The Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design is a prestigious competition recognizing the best projects, designers, and agencies in the field of communication design. The award invites designers and companies worldwide to submit their realized campaigns and projects for evaluation by an international jury.

 

Information and Application Details:

  • Categories Available: There are 18 categories available for participation, including Corporate Design & Identity, Brand Design & Identity, Advertising, Packaging Design, Publishing & Print Media, Annual Reports, Typography, Illustrations, Posters, Spatial Communication, Fair Stands, Retail Design, Websites, Apps, Interface & User Experience Design, Film & Animation, Sound Design, Digital Solutions.
  • Registration Phases:
    • Early Bird: 10 February – 7 March 2025 (€215 excl. VAT)
    • Regular: 8 March – 16 May 2025 (€330 excl. VAT)
    • Latecomer: 17 May – 6 June 2025 (€430 excl. VAT)
  • Submission Deadline: 6 June 2025 (Latecomer phase)
  • Delivery Window for Physical Submissions: 10 – 27 June 2025
  • Judging and Results: The jury will evaluate submissions in July 2025, with results announced in the same month.
  • Award Ceremony:
    • Date: 7 November 2025, at the Konzerthaus Berlin
    • Highlights: Presentation of the Red Dot trophies, followed by the Designers’ Night for networking and celebration.

 

Eligibility:

  • Open to designers and agencies worldwide
  • Red Dot: Junior Award for students, trainees, and young professionals (up to two years post-study), with a reduced entry fee

 

Theme:

  • The competition celebrates excellence in communication design. Projects can cover a wide range of creative fields such as branding, advertising, packaging, websites, film & animation, and sound design.

 

How to Apply:

  1. Register for the competition during one of the entry phases.
  2. Submit your project through the online submission system.
  3. Pay the registration fee based on the selected phase.
  4. Deliver physical entries between 10–27 June 2025, if applicable.

 

Submission Requirements:

  • Works must be realized and can be submitted in any of the 18 available categories.
  • Entries may be submitted for the Red Dot, Red Dot: Best of the Best, or Red Dot: Grand Prix distinctions.
  • A Winner Package is mandatory for all distinctions, including a fee for Red Dot recipients (€2,100 excl. VAT).

 

Selection Process:

  • An international jury of experts evaluates the entries based on three criteria:
    • Idea: Originality and creativity
    • Form: Design quality and innovation
    • Impact: Comprehensibility and emotional appeal
  • The jury awards distinctions based on the creativity, design quality, and impact of the project.

 

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Red Dot Distinctions:
    • Red Dot: High design quality
    • Red Dot: Best of the Best: Very high design quality
    • Red Dot: Grand Prix: Exceptional creativity and design quality
  • Winners’ Benefits:
    • Use of the prestigious Red Dot Label
    • Publication in the International Yearbook Brands & Communication Design
    • Presentation in the winners’ exhibition and online
    • Global recognition and visibility
    • Invitations to the Red Dot Gala and Designers’ Night in Berlin
  • Red Dot: Junior Award: Prize of €10,000 for the top entry from students/young professionals

 

Contact and Resources:

 

Website link:

https://www.red-dot.org/bcd

 

 

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