Discover Germany  |  Special Theme  |  Design World Austria

Left: The new packaging has freed the South Tyrol traditional company Walcher from old dust and increased sales figures.

d.signwerk: Outstanding design creates unique emotions

Right: Vitality instead of eco-fundamentalism: With the vibrant world of the organic pioneer Sonnentor, d.signwerk revolutionised the entire field sustainably.

We humans respond to emotional stimulation. Often the most shared campaigns rely heavily on emotional content. If something does not trigger an emotional response, it is not of value to our brains and is quickly discarded. That is why Austrian communication agency d.signwerk sees the future in emotional brand building. The creative team brings out a brand’s authenticity and puts its personality into the limelight, going far beyond summarising product features. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE  I  PHOTOS: D.SIGNWERK

Peter Schmid founded d.signwerk in 1999. After working for over a decade in various Austrian and international agencies, Schmid realised that there was one type of agency missing in Austria. He envisioned a communication agency that would not be a classic advertising firm but also not solely a design company and where there would be a close exchange between client, strategists and creatives. His vision became reality and today d.signwerk offers holistic communication and design solutions for a diverse range of clients and brands. Schmid knows that good design pays off: “There has been a great deal of debate about the benefit of design. However, it is undisputed that 80  |  Issue 54  |  September 2017

emotional design generates a unique added value for brands and companies. It directs the perception, creates differentiation, sets quality aside from the mainstream and even makes it possible to connect with a brand in the first place.” A quote by Columbian thinker Nicolás Gómez Dávila expresses the essence of this to the point. He said: “If we want something to last, we make sure of its beauty, not its efficiency.” In this context, d.signwerk successfully brings out the beauty in a variety of different fields. Whether it is a yoghurt cup or a flagship store, the creative team offers anything from strategy development and

packaging to comprehensive supervision of all communication-related aspects of a brand. “In times of omnichannel marketing, the term ‘full service’ has become obsolete,” Schmid adds.“d.signwerk sees itself as the centre of a network of partners from virtually all design and communication areas, who share an understanding and commitment to quality. The core of d.signwerk is the perception of a brand as a whole. We do not think in projects but in worlds of emotions.” Using storytelling for communication and design purpose has become more and more common over the past decade and is an integral part of today’s top international advertisement strategies. Together with their sister company Heartbeat, d.signwerk is specialised in storytelling and story development giving them yet another advantage. “Only a highly emotive brand strategy leads to the desired goal: a guaranteed place in the heads and hearts of the customers,” Schmid emphasises.