Excellent Communication in 120th Anniversary Year
Schiltach, June 24, 2022. The corporate communications campaign for the 120th anniversary of the Hansgrohe Group, headquartered in Schiltach/Black Forest, received the German Business Communications Award (Deutscher Preis für Wirtschaftskommunikation, DPWK) in the category "Brand & Product Communication". Astrid Bachmann, Deputy Company Spokesperson Hansgrohe SE, as well as Alisa Klassen and Katrin Sassenhausen from the Hamburg-based communications agency Achtung! accepted the award on June 23 in Berlin for the “Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.” campaign.
This year, for the 21st time, the independent jury of the DPWK, consisting of students and experts from the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, determined the best communications examples. Together they found innovative and creative campaigns from companies and private-law and public-law organizations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in eight categories: Brand & Product Communication, PR & Corporate Communication, Internal Communication, Purpose & Sustainability Communication, Employer Branding, Content & Owned Media Communication!, Live, Hybrid & Digital Event Communication, FLINTA Empowerment Communication. The latter category includes all communication measures that address or at least consider a particular sensitivity to intolerance, disadvantage and discrimination.
The Perfect Sound of Water
In the "Brand & Product Communication" category, the anniversary campaign of the faucet and shower manufacturer Hansgrohe convinced the jury with “Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.” The campaign started in 2021 with the "WaterTunes", an electro-pop music album of a special kind: the melodies were composed by Hamburg-based musicians Florian Kruse and Andreas Paulsen, who worked with original water disturbance sounds from the Hansgrohe spray and sound laboratory. The source of their creations: the sounds that are filtered out as noise when water passes through shower and faucet prototypes to create a pleasant water spray sound when showering. Transformed into the "WaterTunes," they tell the story of Hansgrohe's claim to perfection, for which the company has stood for 120 years.
Expressive Staging
The "WaterTunes" show in an extraordinary way how Hansgrohe, as a water pioneer, lives and appreciates the element, even bringing water sounds to life to music. The campaign's messages are highlighted with attention-grabbing visuals, such as textile banners and posters at the company's German locations. The central motif is a drop of water hitting water, drawing concentric circles that resemble the membranes of a loudspeaker. "We are making waves in the industry because our vision is to set tomorrow's standards in everything we do," emphasizes Astrid Bachmann. "In doing so, we set a direction, a pace, a beat - that's what drives us." For example, with the RainTunes multisensory shower system controlled via an App. Anyone using RainTunes experiences a unique interplay of water, light, video, sound, and aroma that activates all the senses.
"We are delighted that the campaign “Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.” has been recognized with the German Prize for Business Communications," said Astrid Bachmann. "Together with our communications agency Achtung! we were able to develop and implement a concept that highlights the Hansgrohe Group's leading role in the areas of innovation, design and quality in the bathroom and kitchen industry." At Achtung!, Management Supervisor Robert Hoyer and Account Director Claudia Rienhoff were responsible for the creation and realization of the campaign, while Creative Director Katja Behnke and Carsten Gramatzki (Senior Art Director) and Jens Scholtiski (Senior Copywriter) were responsible for the creative implementation. At Hansgrohe, Vice President Corporate Communications Jörg Hass and Astrid Bachmann, Deputy Company Spokesperson, are responsible for the campaign.
About the German Prize for Business Communications
The Association for the Promotion of Business Communication (Verein zur Förderung der Wirtschaftskommunikation e.V.), founded in 2000, is the sponsor of the German Business Communications Award (DPWK). The association is mainly made up of students and graduates from previous DPWK years. Together with experts from the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, students of business communication evaluate applications in eight categories every year. More info at www.dpwk.de.
About the Hansgrohe Group – Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.
With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. Founded in 1901 in the Black Forest, the company gives water form and function with its faucets, showerheads and shower systems. The 120-year history of the company is marked by innovations, such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen faucet, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower.The company holds more than 18,500 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products and for responsibility towards people and the environment. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. With 34 subsidiaries and 20 sales offices supplying products in 152 countries, the globally active company in the sanitary industry is a reliable partner to its customers in all regions of the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 700 design prizes since 1974. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are found worldwide: on renowned cruise ships, in luxurious 5-star and boutique hotels, in international metropolitan cities, in extraordinary spas, exclusive bathrooms of lodges and luxury villas, public facilities, as well as in countless private homes. The Group’s high quality standards are ensured by seven wholly-owned production facilities: four in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2021, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.365 billion. It employs around 5,400 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.