Bad Kissingen is a place which seems to defy the laws of time. Wandering through the lobby, the magnificent architecture, and the parks of this town, one feels taken back to the Fin-de-siècle period with its art of idleness. As one enters the spa and relaxes in one of the seven healing springs, the moment blurs into eternity. If one then plunges into the constant scenic beauty of the parks, gardens, and natural monuments, one feels part of the rhythm of the seasons with their colours, moods, and playful charms.
All that reflects the current longing for a time of deceleration and inspiration for body, mind, and soul. And yet, these treasures had to be carefully translated into a contemporary brand design to bring them into view for younger audiences. In a dialogue with all those involved, we accomplished this through a process of thorough collaboration. Thanks to a clear focus and a consistent appearance, Bad Kissingen is now recognizable across all channels as a powerful brand. But the town did not take on a completely new identity. Gently but lastingly, it revitalised its potential as a place of culture and health from which it has always drawn. This subtle rejuvenation is now manifest in all facets. It is found in the claim, which expresses deceleration and individual quality time, in the logo, which echoes both the art-nouveau elements of the “Green Chamber” and the theme of the water feature, and finally in the coulour coding of the calendar, placing each event within the visual temperament of its season.
Client: Bayer. Staatsbad Bad Kissingen GmbH and Town of Bad Kissingen
Services: Research, analysis, workshops, brand strategy, brand character, brand positioning, brand architecture, claim development, corporate identity, communication plan, guidelines, storytelling, copywriting, corporate and editorial design, implementation, photography, brand activation, change management, stakeholder presentations
Winner – German Design Award 2018