Winner of the Design Management Award 2017
Award winner
HAMERLI / 1861 Glove Manufactory of Pécs
Jury statement:
After it was privatised, the Glove Manufactory of Pécs successfully revived the production of high quality hand-made gloves in the seat of Baranya County by using the tools of design and innovation and relying on the 150-year past of traditional glove making in the region.
It is hoped that the company brands (Hamerli and 1861 Glove Manufactory) will satisfy the demands of two market segments at a high level through the adoption of production methods that both preserve the old handicraft traditions and remain open to innovation. In addition to the luxury brand Hamerli, a wide range of upmarket products are available to customers that are sold in small series throughout the world.
The design management approach is apparent in every aspect of the company’s activities and supports market sales. The company places great value on the importance of solid business results, on raising public awareness about traditional production techniques supported by modern equipment, and on involving the public in the processes, while preserving a tradition that is clearly presented in the company’s show manufactory in the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter.
Four other nominees have been deemed by the jury as being exemplary and worthy of recognition
Félegyházi Bakery Ltd
Jury statement:
It is gratifying to see the many private companies with a conscious development philosophy and a fresh image that have emerged in recent years on the market of private consumption, striving to build on uniqueness, special knowledge, the production of high-quality goods and conscious corporate management. All of this reflects a new vision of design management. This new approach has gained more ground in the production and sales of bakery products and other fields of the food industry since the early years of the new millennium. The company that used to be called Kiskunfélegyházi Mill Ltd but was renamed Félegyházi Bakery Ltd in 2016 rebranded itself completely based on ‘empathy marketing’, which directly affected all the important areas of the company’s activities and the operation of its various divisions.
The conscious application of design (directed by an in-house expert) ensured that all the sales units function not only as shop but convey a complex challenge based on the senses and emotions to potential customers. When designing the shops, the company management always considers the characteristics and style of the local built-up micro-environment. It also seeks to bring the public close to the given environment by highlighting the particular sales unit with its respective novel services (see the shop in Kecskemét).
The business’s sub-brand called ‘Piknikség’ reflects a completely new approach: while appealing to its potential consumers’ nostalgic sentiments, it also serves as a social hub offering a wide range of services.
All in all, it is an enterprise with great potential for further dynamic development that has established an expansive sales chain by being present in more than 36 towns.
Kreinbacher Estate
Jury statement:
The Kreinbacher Estate was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wine in the Somló Hill wine region. The new strategy and the striking new image were designed to convey the message that Kreinbacher is not only a winery but also a traditional method sparkling wine winery and a highly positioned gastronomic brand. Thus, the integration of design into the strategy supports business, community and social objectives such as category building, and the development of Hungarian traditional method sparkling wine culture, while at the same time contributing to the country’s image. Design also plays a special role in the business’s educational mission aimed at widening the market segment of traditional method sparkling wine so that customers will no longer only associate sparkling wine consumption with special occasions. In the project to build the accommodation and guest spaces in Somló, design was applied not only in the contemporary architectural idiom but also in enhancing the touristic appeal of the place and in differentiating it from its competitors; this was largely realised through creating harmony between urban industrial and vintage elements and supplementing them with references to wine culture such as bar stools converted from tractor seats or wall installations made out of barrel hoops. The design-conscious approach is articulated in every detail from architectural constructs to uniquely designed glasses.
It is interesting to see the wonderful things that have been achieved through the intensive synergy of various corporate functions (technology, trade and marketing) in the course of the design-conscious development of the estate.
MAACRAFT – The social workshop
Jury statement:
MAACRAFT was launched in 2012 in Miskolc as a design-sensitive social initiative. Having expanded into a programme, it is now aimed at training young autistic adults in order to help them find work. The creative designers who work in the tried and tested employment system of the Autism Foundation of Miskolc are all highly qualified.
MAACRAFT – The Social Workshop designs, produces and sells simple but high-quality interior design objects, furniture and accessories. It provides work therapy of excellent quality to its employees who are able to develop their cognitive and manual abilities while also acquiring skills related to visual culture. The employees are engaged in a work situation that delivers value to others while helping them to acquire many new skills. It is important to note that the programme also generates income for people who in many cases are unable to make a living independently.
In recent years MAARCRAFT has established a wide range of products from bicycle and shopping baskets to small furniture. Every aspect that points to a special value or an essential social phenomenon in the 21st century is articulated in the concept: such values are sustainability, awareness, design, experience and social sensitivity. The business’s design thinking produces competitive designs that also match its employees’ capacities.
Instead of cherishing business promotions and temporary projects, this programme highlights a path that could set an example for the national economy since the methods of MAACRAFT could also help to reduce social costs in the future.
A bírálóbizottság további négy jelöltet tartott példaértékűnek és elismerésre méltónak.
MEDENCE Group
Jury statement:
The Medence Group has become a household name in the field of interdisciplinary creative activities in the last twenty years. The company’s approach to design and design thinking goes beyond product development in a narrow sense, forming an essential element of the spirit, strategy and management of the company. Not only their products and services but also their entire business activities are pervaded by social and ecological sensitivity, the design-for-all approach, planning activities based on involvement, a democratised process of creation, cyclical thinking from the cradle to the grave and a holistic approach. Their consistent adherence to ethical values, continuous questioning of conventional profit-oriented market models and search for new paths can serve as a role model for young designers and businesses.