BraunPrize 2018 : DESIGN FOR WHAT MATTERS

... Erwin had a degree in business, and Artur was a trained engineer.
The brothers had also been deeply affected by their negative wartime experiences and the Nazi dictatorship.
Their dream of a better future was based on respect for people – employees and customers. To make this vision a reality, they developed a comprehensive entrepreneurial concept. As early as 1951, the Braun brothers introduced an employee magazine, soon followed by the groundbreaking Braun Health Center and a modern cafeteria offering high-quality, nutritious meals – traditions continued up until today.
For the radio/phono segment, which had started to stagnate, Erwin Braun saw market potential only if the company were able to successfully set itself apart. Traditional products - high-gloss, lavishly decorated boxes of dark wood, with loudspeakers hidden behind gold-threaded speaker grilles, were no longer in tune with the times. But who in Germany could help develop and implement new design concepts?
Dr. Fritz Eichler, art historian, set designer, film director and a war comrade of Erwin Braun, was their first ally. At first assigned to producing new advertising films, he soon took on a management role and – from 1956 on in his official capacity as Head of Design – played an instrumental role in creating the new image.

... quickly gained fame; as early as in the late 1950’s, Braun products were selected for prestigious permanent collections such as at the MoMa in New York. During this period, Braun’s traditional strength in radios, record players and combined hi fi units continued. However, starting in the 1960’s, Braun electric shavers, led by the renowned sixtant, became a key business segment, as did household products such as kitchen machines and juicers, which were launched in the new design look in the late 1950’s and expanded to international markets in the 1960’s.
In the 1970’s and 80’s additional product segments became important and made new demands on the Braun design team. Hand-held hair dryers were developed in the 70’s, in the late 70’s also styling appliances. These personal care products required design that focused on ergonomics and ease of handing. Clocks, watches and calculators were important primarily in the 1980’s and set new design standards for clarity and reduction, combined with innovative technology. During the 1980’s Braun concluded its presence in the HiFi business with an exclusive ‘Limited edition’ to then focus on the more lucrative small appliance sector, in particular personal care and household products. Shavers became – and still are today - the biggest business segment for Braun, featuring design innovations such as two-component molding to achieve soft nubs on a hard housing, for better handling.
In the 1990’s two important business segments emerged: electrical oral care and female hair removal. A unique partnership between Braun and Oral-B led to the creation of electric toothbrushes designed by the Braun design team – a partnership still successful today within P&G. Braun also acquired Silk-épil epilators and expanded this into a leading international brand for female beauty.
Today Braun focuses on the four key segments: male grooming with Braun Series electric shavers, female grooming with Silk-épil epilators, Satin Hair with hair care appliances and household with Multiquick hand blenders and other useful kitchen helpers. The company’s values still share the original vision of the Braun brothers: creating products based on respect for people – employees and customers – and using design as an essential medium to achieve this.