Connie, short for Cornelia Koch, was born in the very early 70s as a true Bavarian. The wall came down and she moved to Berlin, where she met AHOY's co-founder Aline as a fellow student, friend, and finally master graduate in communication design at the University of Arts.
In 1995 she fell in love with New York during a trip dedicated to explore American art and followed an offer from the Chelsea art center The Kitchen, to curate their video art collection and to design the center’s materials. After a call to Milan where she redesigned a fashion magazine for Rizzoli, she joined the New York design firm Bureau to work with The Andy Warhol Foundation, Sundance Channel, several grassroots organizations, and the United Nations.
In 2000, she co-founded AHOY together with Aline, and today she works as creative director and designer between all three studios.
Connie is the author and publisher of the book '2/15 - the day the world said NO to war' which has received broad recognition as an award winning example of activist design.
She is known for her bold and colorful yet minimal style that merges a disciplined European design sensibility with a quirky American attitude, always putting the message first. Content is key, and that's Connie's criteria for selecting a project for AHOY: a viable purpose and mission that makes our planet a nicer, more respecful, beautiful and creative place.
Connie, short for Cornelia Koch, was born in the very early 70s as a true Bavarian. The wall came down and she moved to Berlin, where she met AHOY's co-founder Aline as a fellow student, friend, and finally master graduate in communication design at the University of Arts.
In 1995 she fell in love with New York during a trip dedicated to explore American art and followed an offer from the Chelsea art center The Kitchen, to curate their video art collection and to design the center’s materials. After a call to Milan where she redesigned a fashion magazine for Rizzoli, she joined the New York design firm Bureau to work with The Andy Warhol Foundation, Sundance Channel, several grassroots organizations, and the United Nations.
In 2000, she co-founded AHOY together with Aline, and today she works as creative director and designer between all three studios.
Connie is the author and publisher of the book '2/15 - the day the world said NO to war' which has received broad recognition as an award winning example of activist design.
She is known for her bold and colorful yet minimal style that merges a disciplined European design sensibility with a quirky American attitude, always putting the message first. Content is key, and that's Connie's criteria for selecting a project for AHOY: a viable purpose and mission that makes our planet a nicer, more respecful, beautiful and creative place.
Cornelia Koch, oder Connie, wurde 1970 geboren als waschechte Bayerin. Dann fiel die Mauer in Berlin und Connie traf Aline beim Studium an der Universität der Künste.
1995 verliebte sie sich in die Kultur-Szene New Yorks und folgte dem Angebot des alternativen Kunstzentrums The Kitchen, um dessen Videokunstsammlung zu kuratieren und um den grafischen Aufrtitt des Zentrums zu gestalten. Nach einem Zwischenstopp in Mailand, wo sie ein Modemagazin für Rizzoli neugestaltete, ging es zurück nach New York um mit dem Studio ‘Bureau’ in den Bereichen Print, Film und TV für die Andy Warhol Foundation, Sundance Channel, einige Grassroots Organisationen, und die Vereinten Nationen.
2000 gründete sie AHOY gemeinsam mit Aline, und heute leitet sie das New Yorker Studio sowie unsere Filiale in Berlin zusammen mit Julia Fuchs. Heute arbeitet sie als Creative Director mit und in allen Locations.
Connie ist die Autorin und Publizistin des Buches '2/15 - the day the world said NO to war', welches international als Beispiel von prägendem Design-Aktivismus anerkannt wurde.
Sie ist bekannt für ihren farbenfrohen und dennoch minimalen Stil, der europäische Disziplin mit amerikanischer Lässigkeit kombiniert. Der Inhalt ist für Connie jedoch die Basis von gutem Design, und er definiert ihre Auswahl von Projekten: hinter jedem Auftrag steht die Vision, unsere Existenz respektvoller, freundlicher und kreativer zu gestalten.
Aline Ozkan, born as a twin in 1970 into a french-turkish household, continued the international path: after graduating in Berlin, she started her career at a design firm in Paris until she followed a call from Madison Avenue and joined Manhattan's advertising scene. Soon enough she returned to the world of design by joining the studio 2x4, working with the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art, Knoll, The American Center for Design and the Fashion of the Times.
In 2000, she co-founded AHOY together with Connie, and established a second office in Zurich in 2002, where she works with the Museum Bellerive, the City of Zurich, the Technical University Zurich (ETH), and many architecture firms.
Aline has turned her passion for anything second-hand into a Switzerland-wide guide book for anyone looking to reuse and recycle. Her 'Brocki' guidebooks are to be found in every bookstore, and they're now in their 7th edition!
Aline Ozkan, born as a twin in 1970 into a french-turkish household, continued the international path: after graduating in Berlin, she started her career at a design firm in Paris until she followed a call from Madison Avenue and joined Manhattan's advertising scene. Soon enough she returned to the world of design by joining the studio 2x4, working with the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art, Knoll, The American Center for Design and the Fashion of the Times.
In 2000, she co-founded AHOY together with Connie, and established a second office in Zurich in 2002, where she works with the Museum Bellerive, the City of Zurich, the Technical University Zurich (ETH), and many architecture firms.
Aline has turned her passion for anything second-hand into a Switzerland-wide guide book for anyone looking to reuse and recycle. Her 'Brocki' guidebooks are to be found in every bookstore, and they're now in their 7th edition!
Aline Ozkan, geboren als Zwilling im Jahr 1970 in einen französisch-türkischen Haushalt, begann ihre Karriere als Designer in Paris, bis sie den Ruf der Madison Avenue folgte und bei Select Communications in Manhattans Werbewelt eintauchte. Ziemlich schnell ging es zurück zum Thema Design und damit nach “downtown” zum Studio ‘2x4’, wo sie mit dem Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art, Knoll, The American Center for Design und dem Fashion of the New York Times Magazin zusammenarbeitete.
Im Jahr 2000 mitbegründete sie AHOY, und etablierte ein zweites Studio in Zürich in 2002, wo sie mit dem Museum Bellerive, der Stadt Zürich, der Technischen Universität Zürich (ETH) und vielen Architekturbüros zusammenarbeitet.
Aline hat ihre Passion für wiederverwertbare Objekte aller Art in die Entwicklung eines Second-Hand Führers für die gesamte Schweiz investiert. Ihre 'Brocki' Führer sind in jedem Buchladen zu finden, mittlerweile in der 7. Auflage!
Denise Sommer was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Traveling around the world she fell in love with Paris where she studied drawing, painting, and art history at Parsons School of Design. Her passion for design and typography brought her to the design capital New York City, where she continued her studies at Parsons.
Upon graduating she worked for Visionaire, Number 17, and other acclaimed design firms, working with clients such as InStyle magazine, the Mercer Hotel, Theory, and Ann Taylor. In 2006 she joined AHOY as senior designer, and since 2010 she's been supervising and managing the creative development of many projects in her role as associate creative director of the studio.
In August 2016, she became Connie's partner of AHOY, and co-creative director of our New York branch, investing even more of her genius to create many more outstanding works of art with our clients and our team.
Denise Sommer was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Traveling around the world she fell in love with Paris where she studied drawing, painting, and art history at Parsons School of Design. Her passion for design and typography brought her to the design capital New York City, where she continued her studies at Parsons.
Upon graduating she worked for Visionaire, Number 17, and other acclaimed design firms, working with clients such as InStyle magazine, the Mercer Hotel, Theory, and Ann Taylor. In 2006 she joined AHOY as senior designer, and since 2010 she's been supervising and managing the creative development of many projects in her role as associate creative director of the studio.
In August 2016, she became Connie's partner of AHOY, and co-creative director of our New York branch, investing even more of her genius to create many more outstanding works of art with our clients and our team.
Denise Sommer wurde in Frankfurt geboren. Als Weltenbummlerin verliebte sie sich in die Stadt Paris, wo sie an der Parsons Designakademie Malerei und Kunstgeschichte studierte. Ihre Leidenschaft für Design und Typografie brachte sie schliesslich nach New York, wo sie ihr Studium bei Parsons zum Abschluss brachte.
Daraufhin arbeitete sie für die Studios Visionaire und Number 17 für Kunden wie InStyle Magazin, das Mercer Hotel, Theory und Ann Taylor. In 2006 begann sie, als Senior Designer by AHOY zu arbeiten, und seit 2010 leitete sie die kreative Entwicklung und Produktion vieler Projekte in ihrer Rolle als Associate Creative Director von AHOY.
Denise ist seit August 2016 Partner von Connie, und Creative Director von AHOY's NY branch, um in Zukunft viele weitere Projekte mit ihrem Talent und ihrer Erfahrung zu tollen Ergebnissen zu führen.
Julia Fuchs graduated in 2002 with a Master of Arts in European Media at the University of Design in Stuttgart, Germany, and moved to New York to work with Stefan Sagmeister and Chermayeff & Geismar, before repeatedly knocking at AHOY’s door with an enthusiastic desire to join our firm.
She has worked with the Federal Cultural Foundation, the House of World Cultures, and Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum for Contemporary Art. Julia’s work has been published widely and she won several awards, including a gold medal from the Art Directors Club. She also teaches editorial design and typography at the BTK Berlin, and she is now representing AHOY Berlin together with Connie.
Julia Fuchs graduated in 2002 with a Master of Arts in European Media at the University of Design in Stuttgart, Germany, and moved to New York to work with Stefan Sagmeister and Chermayeff & Geismar, before repeatedly knocking at AHOY’s door with an enthusiastic desire to join our firm.
She has worked with the Federal Cultural Foundation, the House of World Cultures, and Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum for Contemporary Art. Julia’s work has been published widely and she won several awards, including a gold medal from the Art Directors Club. She also teaches editorial design and typography at the BTK Berlin, and she is now representing AHOY Berlin together with Connie.
Julia Fuchs erhielt ihren Master of Arts in Europäischen Medien an der Universität Stuttgart, und zog nach New York, um mit Stefan Sagmeister und Chermayeff & Geismar zu arbeiten, bevor sie mehrfach an AHOY's Türe klopfte mit dem Herzenswunsch, Teil unseres kleinen Teams zu werden. Seither arbeitet sie hin und wieder in unserem New Yorker Studio, und dann wieder in Berlin.
Julia arbeitet mit der deutschen Kulturförderung, dem Haus der Kulturen der Welt, sowie dem Hamburger Bahnhof, einem Berliner Museum für moderne Kunst. Julia's Arbeiten sind vielfach veröffentlicht worden und sie hat verschiedene Auszeichnungen gewonnen, unter anderem eine Goldmedaille vom Art Director's Club. Sie unterrichtet Editorial Design und Typografie an der BTL Berlin, und sie repräsentiert gemeinsam mit Connie AHOY Berlin.
Nadine Werjant graduated in 2011 from the Masterclass Program of Graphic Design and Communications at “dieGraphische" in Vienna, Austria, and has worked for several design studios since then. She seeks inspiration by traveling the world and when her road took her to New York in early 2013, she found herself knocking at AHOY’s doors. Initially she worked as an intern, although within six months she quickly impressed us with her outstanding creativity and design sensibility, so we decided to make her a permanent part of our team.
Besides her main focus on print design, she also works as an illustrator, painting or drawing on anything she can get her hands on. In doing so, she addresses her desire to challenge generic borders of formats, dimensions, textures and materials in graphic design. In her free time, as a real Austrian, she finds herself in the outdoors, climbing rocks and practicing yoga on mountain tops.
Nadine Werjant graduated in 2011 from the Masterclass Program of Graphic Design and Communications at “dieGraphische" in Vienna, Austria, and has worked for several design studios since then. She seeks inspiration by traveling the world and when her road took her to New York in early 2013, she found herself knocking at AHOY’s doors. Initially she worked as an intern, although within six months she quickly impressed us with her outstanding creativity and design sensibility, so we decided to make her a permanent part of our team.
Besides her main focus on print design, she also works as an illustrator, painting or drawing on anything she can get her hands on. In doing so, she addresses her desire to challenge generic borders of formats, dimensions, textures and materials in graphic design. In her free time, as a real Austrian, she finds herself in the outdoors, climbing rocks and practicing yoga on mountain tops.
Nadine Werjant hat ihr Studium 2011 mit der Meisterklasse für Grafik- und Kommunikationsdesign an “dieGraphische” in Wien, Österreich, abgeschlossen und war seitdem für mehrere Designstudios tätig. Sie bezieht ihre Inspiration von ihren vielen Reisen und als sie ihr Weg Anfang 2013 nach New York führt, beschloss sie an AHOY’s Tür zu klopfen. Anfänglich arbeitete sie als Praktikantin, wobei sie uns schnell von ihrer Kreativität und ihrem Designverständnis überzeugte und wir sie bald als dauerhaftes Mitglied in unser Team begrüßten. Neben ihrem Schwerpunkt auf Print Design, arbeitet sie außerdem als Illustratorin und malt oder zeichnet auf alles was sie in die Finger bekommt. Auf diese Weise will sie die typischen Rahmenbedingungen im Grafik Design, wie Format, Textur und Material überwinden und diese neu erfinden. Als echte Österreicherin verbringt sie ihre Freizeit in der Natur, wo sie auf Berge klettert und Yoga auf deren Gipfeln praktiziert.
Jürgen Frank was born in Germany and studied Communication Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund, Germany. He has over 20 years of work experience as a Director of Photography, Designer and Photographer. He worked for for Burda, one of Germany’s biggest publishing houses, before relocating to New York. He has helped many companies and publications to create and refine their creative brand, including Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz, Conde Nast, Vogue, ELLE, Der Spiegel, and GEO Magazine. Jürgen is now based in Hamburg and Berlin h creative strategies through his lense of experience in international business branding.
Jürgen Frank was born in Germany and studied Communication Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund, Germany. He has over 20 years of work experience as a Director of Photography, Designer and Photographer. He worked for for Burda, one of Germany’s biggest publishing houses, before relocating to New York. He has helped many companies and publications to create and refine their creative brand, including Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz, Conde Nast, Vogue, ELLE, Der Spiegel, and GEO Magazine. Jürgen is now based in Hamburg and Berlin h creative strategies through his lense of experience in international business branding.
Jürgen Frank ist in Deutschland geboren und studierte Kommunikationsdesign an der Fachhochschule Dortmund. Er hat über 20 Jahre Berufserfahrung als Direktor für Fotografie, Designer und Fotograf. Er arbeitete für Burda, einen der größten deutschen Verlage, bevor er nach New York wechselte. Er hat die Welt als Fotograf bereist und hat vielen Firmen und Publikationen geholfen, ihre kreative Marke zu entwickeln und zu verfeinern. Jürgen ist mittlerweile in New York und Berlin angesiedelt und hat sich für ein breites Kundenspektrum wie die Deutsche Bank, Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz, Ernst & Young, Bosch, Siemens, Bertelsmann, Conde Nast, Vogue, ELLE, Stern, Der Spiegel und GEO Magazine engagiert. 2017 hat sich Jürgen mit AHOY zusammengetan, um Kunden mit kreativen Strategien durch seine Erfahrung im internationalen Business Branding zu beraten.
Denis Kuchta recently joined AHOY as one of the brightest design stars from Lithuania, where he worked as the design lead at TBWA/Vilnius, Not perfect/Y&R, Fabrica, DADADA Studio and Idea Group for clients such as Google, Visa, Adidas, Mars, Nivea, Lithuanian Government, The Presidential Palace, National Gallery of Art, and Vilnius Art Fair. His works were published in international magazines as Glamour (Italy), FHM (Germany), ViewPoint (UK), Form (Germany), Chois Gallery (China), Layout Now (China), It’s Nice That (UK), Visuelle (UK), and Design Everywhere (Singapore). Denis has a keen interest in form, typography and design methods, designing strong visual projects with his unique signature that merges so perfectly with the conceptual style
at AHOY.
Denis Kuchta recently joined AHOY as one of the brightest design stars from Lithuania, where he worked as the design lead at TBWA/Vilnius, Not perfect/Y&R, Fabrica, DADADA Studio and Idea Group for clients such as Google, Visa, Adidas, Mars, Nivea, Lithuanian Government, The Presidential Palace, National Gallery of Art, and Vilnius Art Fair. His works were published in international magazines as Glamour (Italy), FHM (Germany), ViewPoint (UK), Form (Germany), Chois Gallery (China), Layout Now (China), It’s Nice That (UK), Visuelle (UK), and Design Everywhere (Singapore). Denis has a keen interest in form, typography and design methods, designing strong visual projects with his unique signature that merges so perfectly with the conceptual style
at AHOY.
Denis Kuchta ist Art Director aus Lithauen und erst seit kurzem für AHOY tätig. Vorher war er als Design Director bei TBWA / Vilnius, Not perfect / Y & R, Fabrica, DADADA Studio und Idea Group tätig für Kunden wie Google, Visa, Adidas, Mars, Nivea, die litauische Regierung, der Präsidentenpalast, die National Gallery of Art und die Vilnius Art Fair arbeitete. Seine Arbeiten wurden in internationalen Zeitschriften wie Glamour (Italien), FHM (Deutschland), ViewPoint (UK), Form (Deutschland), Chois Gallery (China), Layout Now (China), It’s Nice That (UK), Visuelle (UK) und Design Everywhere (Singapur) publiziert. Denis hat ein großes Interesse an Form, Typografie und Design-Methoden, eine einzigartige Handschrift, die sich perfekt dem dem konzeptionellen Stil AHOY's ergänzt.
A Swiss transplant to New York, Lukas started out in corporate advertising in Zurich, picked up the thread in New York, cut his teeth with iconic shops like Ogilvy & Mather and Foote, Cone & Belding, where he mastered the ropes of media planning, project management, and emerging digital technologies. Eventually he transitioned into business development for a pioneering digital entertainment start up, and has since then worked in public diplomacy, as a producer of business and cultural initiatives, and as a strategic development consultant for a wide range of clients—from the arenas of culture, design, tech, NGOs, business, academia, and film. He joined AHOY in 2018 to direct strategy, research, and client-related partnerships.
A Swiss transplant to New York, Lukas started out in corporate advertising in Zurich, picked up the thread in New York, cut his teeth with iconic shops like Ogilvy & Mather and Foote, Cone & Belding, where he mastered the ropes of media planning, project management, and emerging digital technologies. Eventually he transitioned into business development for a pioneering digital entertainment start up, and has since then worked in public diplomacy, as a producer of business and cultural initiatives, and as a strategic development consultant for a wide range of clients—from the arenas of culture, design, tech, NGOs, business, academia, and film. He joined AHOY in 2018 to direct strategy, research, and client-related partnerships.
Ein Schweizer in New York: Lukas begann seine Karriere in der Werbe-Branche in Zürich, nahm den Faden in New York auf und arbeitete bei Agenturen wie Ogilvy & Mather, Foote, Cone & Belding, im Bereich Medienplanung, Projekt Management und digitale Technologien. Nach dem Übergang zur Geschäftsentwicklung für ein wegweisendes digitales Entertainment-Startup war er seitdem in der öffentlichen Diplomatie tätig, als Produzent von Geschäfts- und Kulturinitiativen sowie als Berater für strategische Entwicklung für eine Vielzahl von Kunden aus den Bereichen der Kultur. Design, Tech, NGOs, Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Film. Er kam 2018 zu AHOY, um Strategie, Recherche und kundenbezogene Partnerschaften zu leiten.
Katja was born and raised in Switzerland as the daughter of cheese-makers. A modern day Heidi with the Alpine wind in her heart. She let this wind carry her around the world. She attended schools in India, America, Mexico and Italy. Katja is interested in experiences and movement and explored various directions in obscure disciplines and strange locations until she finally settled on becoming a graphic designer. So she exchanged the mountains with the ocean and the cows with the row houses of Brooklyn to follow her dream.
Katja was born and raised in Switzerland as the daughter of cheese-makers. A modern day Heidi with the Alpine wind in her heart. She let this wind carry her around the world. She attended schools in India, America, Mexico and Italy. Katja is interested in experiences and movement and explored various directions in obscure disciplines and strange locations until she finally settled on becoming a graphic designer. So she exchanged the mountains with the ocean and the cows with the row houses of Brooklyn to follow her dream.
Katja ist als die Tochter einer Käserfamilie in der Schweiz aufgewachsen. Eine moderne Heidi mit dem Alpenwind in ihrem Herzen. Sie liess sich mit dem Wind durch die Welt tragen und besuchte Schulen in Indien, Amerika, Mexico und Italien. Katja interessiert sich für Erlebnisse und Bewegung und erkundete verschiedene Richtungen in kuriosen Disziplinen und fremden Orten bis sie sich endlich endlich entschieden hat ihrem Herzen zu folgen und Graphic Designerin zu werden. Deshalb tauschte sie die Berge mit dem Ozean und die Kühe mit den Reihenhäusern von Brooklyn.
Lilli Scheuerlein, a graphic designer from Germany, is focusing on social, cultural and sustainable issues. She is convinced, that good design can have a positive social impact on society. During undergraduate she founded and led the student publication, “LUV&LEE” of the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg. Her book “Fluchtatlas”, which gives an overview of Migration in Germany, has won several awards and was published by Büchergilde Gutenberg. In 2016 she was awarded “Student of the Year” by the Art Directors Club Germany. After having worked in Hamburg and Paris, love and her desire to discover the world brought her to New York.
Lilli Scheuerlein, a graphic designer from Germany, is focusing on social, cultural and sustainable issues. She is convinced, that good design can have a positive social impact on society. During undergraduate she founded and led the student publication, “LUV&LEE” of the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg. Her book “Fluchtatlas”, which gives an overview of Migration in Germany, has won several awards and was published by Büchergilde Gutenberg. In 2016 she was awarded “Student of the Year” by the Art Directors Club Germany. After having worked in Hamburg and Paris, love and her desire to discover the world brought her to New York.
Lilli Ist eine Grafik-Designerin aus Deutschland. Ihre Arbeiten konzentrieren sich auf soziale, kulturelle und ökologische Themen. Sie ist überzeugt, dass gutes Design einen positiven gesellschaftlichen Mehrwert darstellen kann. In ihrem Bachelorstudium gründete und leitete sie das Hochschulmagazin “LUV&LEE” der Fakultät Gestaltung Würzburg. Ihr Buch “Fluchtatlas”, das einen Überblick Geflüchteter in Deutschland gibt, gewann mehrere Awards und wurde von dem Verlag Büchergilde Gutenberg publiziert. 2016 wurde sie als “Student des Jahres” vom Art Directors Club Deutschland ausgezeichnet. Nach Arbeitserfahrungen in Hamburg und Paris, hat sie jetzt ihre Reiselust und die Liebe nach New York verschlagen.
"I’ve worked with the designers at AHOY since before the company even launched. We’ve done everything from broadcast design to corporate identity, from ad campaigns to viral marketing together. The common thread is their great use of color, their way of creating work that’s fresh-feeling, clean and contemporary, warm and human – something that’s increasingly meaningful in our cool digital world. The process is without fail a pleasure – they understand better than many that there’s an intent to every assignment, an idea that needs to come through in the design. The work is always thoughtful and on-point as a result."
Adam Pincus, Former CCO at Sundance Channel, now Partner at Mediacom Content Group | www.sundancechannel.com
"AHOY Studios has been brilliantly creating the print graphics for the AICP Show and Next Awards for the past 15 years. Ahoy designers have always understood our 'brand' and every year inspire us with fresh, beautiful and relevant design. They are meticulous in every way, their vendors are top-notch and we don’t worry about the quality of the finished pieces. In addition, the team is a pleasure to work with – professional, enthusiastic, smart, fast, and very nice."
Ileana Montalvo, Director of Communications, Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) | www.aicp.com
"AHOY is one of the best design agencies we have ever worked with. They have a sensitive approach to a client’s needs and they create sophisticated and rich designs, with an impeccable sense of materials. All of this is mixed with a good-natured way of handling projects. It is a joy to work with them."
Antoine Vigne, Partner, Blue Medium Communication
Services for Art and Culture | www.bluemedium.com
"Their pro-active style and their incredibly refined sensitivity to clients’ needs is indicative of their high level of professionalism, but it is their creativity and flexibility that make AHOY Studios so indispensable to us in our design projects and publications. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with the team at Ahoy."
Kerstin Schütz-Müller, Director of Communications,
Austrian Cultural Forum | www.acfny.org
"Working with AHOY is an enjoyable process from start to finish. Their design team is constantly creative and eternally inspired. They always consider carefully the message we want to convey, and through a substantive creative dialogue, articulate it in ways we had not previously imagined. Their hard work and dynamite graphics have made a significant contribution to the success of The Vilcek Foundation’s prizes, exhibitions and events."
Rick Kinsel, Executive Director, The Vilcek Foundation | www.vilcek.org
"The German Mission to the United Nations New York has worked with AHOY since 2008, during which time all employees of AHOY have provided us with excellent support for our corporate design. Their work has been a major factor in our campaign for Germany’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council 2011/2012. We are looking forward to a close cooperation with Ahoy studios also in the future. We can confidently recommend AHOY studios as a solid and reliable supplier and experts in their field."
Claudia Rohde, Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic
of Germany to the United Nations | www.ny-un.diplo.de
“I’m a client of Ahoy Studios, and worked with Connie and Aline since 1997. Design produced by Ahoy possesses great conceptual strength that is further distinguished by a very particular upbeat, lively note that they have hit for every single project they have created for Wolf-Gordon. This has resulted in smart, color- and pattern-savvy projects in 2-D print, 3-D objects and catalogs, web-based animations, window displays, and advertising campaigns. I would also like to underscore Ahoy’s extreme professionalism at every stage of the design process. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
Marybeth Shaw, Chief Creative Officer, Design & Marketing, Wolf-Gordon Inc. | www.wolf-gordon.com
“We selected Ahoy Studios as our branding and design agency for their great sense of style, sentitivity and understanding of trends in the fashion industry. In the five years of our collaboration, I found Ahoy Studios to be extremely thoughtful, creative, and professional, with a super great positive energy to get any and all jobs done! They have uplifted our brand through disciplined strategic thinking and the development of numerous efforts in print and online. In addition, they have an ability to turn work around quickly and precisely! Connie and her team always deliver more than asked for, and always on time. You can always count on them, and it’s a joy to work with them.”
Susan Beischel, President/Founder/Creative Director, Skin | www.skinworldwide.com
"AHOY is inventive and strategic. For the New York Academy of Sciences, they led the rebranding effort for its annual Gala event. They created a dynamic, vibrant new look across multiple tools, from print to digital to stage design. Every tool was thoughtful, clever and underscored the mission of the Academy. Their work helped revitalize the excitement and commitment of its donors. A superb job done by an expert team. They are on my must use list."
Diane Fusilli, Director of Communications,
New York Academy of Sciences
"Ahoy developed the first ever branding guide for the UNITED NATIONS Development Group, which comprises of 32 agencies, funds and programmes working for sustainable development in the UN System. Ahoy is just a brilliant team. They are great designers and efficient project managers. They create a vision that excites us and carry it out while helping the client find solutions in an efficient and professional way. It is our go-to company to develop almost any kind of material, from brochures, videos, publications, to websites. We can't remember a time without them and they have became (in just one year) an extended part of our team!"
Maria Blanco
United Nations Development Group
"I just wanted to send an *enormous* thank you for your amazing work for the spring fair. We had a record turnout, with more visitors and more art sold than any fair before – thanks in large part to our fantastic creative campaign!"
Melissa Netecke
Affordable Art Fair
"I’ve worked with the designers at AHOY since before the company even launched. We’ve done everything from broadcast design to corporate identity, from ad campaigns to viral marketing together. The common thread is their great use of color, their way of creating work that’s fresh-feeling, clean and contemporary, warm and human – something that’s increasingly meaningful in our cool digital world. The process is without fail a pleasure – they understand better than many that there’s an intent to every assignment, an idea that needs to come through in the design. The work is always thoughtful and on-point as a result."
Adam Pincus, Former CCO at Sundance Channel, now Partner at Mediacom Content Group | www.sundancechannel.com
"AHOY Studios has been brilliantly creating the print graphics for the AICP Show and Next Awards for the past 15 years. Ahoy designers have always understood our 'brand' and every year inspire us with fresh, beautiful and relevant design. They are meticulous in every way, their vendors are top-notch and we don’t worry about the quality of the finished pieces. In addition, the team is a pleasure to work with – professional, enthusiastic, smart, fast, and very nice."
Ileana Montalvo, Director of Communications, Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) | www.aicp.com
"AHOY is one of the best design agencies we have ever worked with. They have a sensitive approach to a client’s needs and they create sophisticated and rich designs, with an impeccable sense of materials. All of this is mixed with a good-natured way of handling projects. It is a joy to work with them."
Antoine Vigne, Partner, Blue Medium Communication
Services for Art and Culture | www.bluemedium.com
"Their pro-active style and their incredibly refined sensitivity to clients’ needs is indicative of their high level of professionalism, but it is their creativity and flexibility that make AHOY Studios so indispensable to us in our design projects and publications. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with the team at Ahoy."
Kerstin Schütz-Müller, Director of Communications,
Austrian Cultural Forum | www.acfny.org
"Working with AHOY is an enjoyable process from start to finish. Their design team is constantly creative and eternally inspired. They always consider carefully the message we want to convey, and through a substantive creative dialogue, articulate it in ways we had not previously imagined. Their hard work and dynamite graphics have made a significant contribution to the success of The Vilcek Foundation’s prizes, exhibitions and events."
Rick Kinsel, Executive Director, The Vilcek Foundation | www.vilcek.org
"The German Mission to the United Nations New York has worked with AHOY since 2008, during which time all employees of AHOY have provided us with excellent support for our corporate design. Their work has been a major factor in our campaign for Germany’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council 2011/2012. We are looking forward to a close cooperation with Ahoy studios also in the future. We can confidently recommend AHOY studios as a solid and reliable supplier and experts in their field."
Claudia Rohde, Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic
of Germany to the United Nations | www.ny-un.diplo.de
“I’m a client of Ahoy Studios, and worked with Connie and Aline since 1997. Design produced by Ahoy possesses great conceptual strength that is further distinguished by a very particular upbeat, lively note that they have hit for every single project they have created for Wolf-Gordon. This has resulted in smart, color- and pattern-savvy projects in 2-D print, 3-D objects and catalogs, web-based animations, window displays, and advertising campaigns. I would also like to underscore Ahoy’s extreme professionalism at every stage of the design process. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
Marybeth Shaw, Chief Creative Officer, Design & Marketing, Wolf-Gordon Inc. | www.wolf-gordon.com
“We selected Ahoy Studios as our branding and design agency for their great sense of style, sentitivity and understanding of trends in the fashion industry. In the five years of our collaboration, I found Ahoy Studios to be extremely thoughtful, creative, and professional, with a super great positive energy to get any and all jobs done! They have uplifted our brand through disciplined strategic thinking and the development of numerous efforts in print and online. In addition, they have an ability to turn work around quickly and precisely! Connie and her team always deliver more than asked for, and always on time. You can always count on them, and it’s a joy to work with them.”
Susan Beischel, President/Founder/Creative Director, Skin | www.skinworldwide.com
"AHOY is inventive and strategic. For the New York Academy of Sciences, they led the rebranding effort for its annual Gala event. They created a dynamic, vibrant new look across multiple tools, from print to digital to stage design. Every tool was thoughtful, clever and underscored the mission of the Academy. Their work helped revitalize the excitement and commitment of its donors. A superb job done by an expert team. They are on my must use list."
Diane Fusilli, Director of Communications,
New York Academy of Sciences
"Ahoy developed the first ever branding guide for the UNITED NATIONS Development Group, which comprises of 32 agencies, funds and programmes working for sustainable development in the UN System. Ahoy is just a brilliant team. They are great designers and efficient project managers. They create a vision that excites us and carry it out while helping the client find solutions in an efficient and professional way. It is our go-to company to develop almost any kind of material, from brochures, videos, publications, to websites. We can't remember a time without them and they have became (in just one year) an extended part of our team!"
Maria Blanco
United Nations Development Group
"I just wanted to send an *enormous* thank you for your amazing work for the spring fair. We had a record turnout, with more visitors and more art sold than any fair before – thanks in large part to our fantastic creative campaign!"
Melissa Netecke
Affordable Art Fair
"Ich habe mit den Designern von AHOY gearbeitet, bevor die Firma überhaupt gegründet war. Gemeinsam haben wir alles Mögliche realisiert, von Broadcast Design zu Corporate Identities, von Werbekampagnen zu Viral Marketing. Der rote Faden von Ahoy ist ein grossartiger Sinn für Farbe, und ihre Art, frische, zeitgenössische und minimalistische Arbeiten zu kreieren, die warm und menschlich anmuten, was immer wichtiger wird in unserer coolen, digitalen Welt. Der Prozess ist grundsätzlich eine Freude. Ahoy Designer verstehen besser als viele anderen, daß eine Absicht hinter jedem Projekt steht, eine Idee, die im Design Ausdruck finden muss. Ahoy's Arbeit ist durchdacht, und trifft daher immer ins Schwarze."
Adam Pincus, ehemaliger Chef der Kreativdirektion bei Sundance Channel, heute Partner bei Mediacom Content Group | www.sundancechannel.com
"Seit über 15 Jahren haben AHOY Studios brilliante Grafiken für die AICP Show und Next Awards kreiert. Ahoy Designer verstehen unsere 'Marke', und haben uns jährlich mit frischem, relevanten und schönem Design inspiriert. Sie sind sorgfältig in jeder Hinsicht, ihre Zulieferer sind Top-notch und wir machen uns keine Sorgen um die gedruckten Resultate. Darüberhinaus ist es eine Freude, mit dem Team zu arbeiten. Sie sind professionell, enthusiastisch, smart, schnell, und sehr nett."
Ileana Montalvo, Kommunikationsdirektor, Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) | www.aicp.com
"AHOY ist eine der besten Designagenturen, mit denen wir bislang zusammengearbeitet haben. Sie haben einen sensiblen Ansatz und verstehen genau, was der Kunde braucht. Sie entwickeln grossartiges Design mit einem unschlagbaren Sinn für Materialien. Dazu kommt ihre wohlwollende und stets gutgelaunte Art, Projekte zu leiten. Es ist eine Freude mit ihnen zu arbeiten."
Antoine Vigne, Partner, Blue Medium Communication
"Ihre proaktive Art und ihre unglaubliche Sensibilität gegenüber der Erwartung des Kunden ist ein Zeichen ihrer Professionalität, aber es ist ihre Kreativität und Flexibilität, die AHOY so unersetzbar für uns macht für unsere Designprojekte und Publikationen. Es ist eine Freude und ein Privileg mit dem Team von Ahoy zusammenzuarbeiten."
Kerstin Schütz-Müller, Director of Communications,
"Mit AHOY zu arbeiten ist ein erfreulicher Prozess vom Anfang bis zum Ende. Das Design Team ist nonstop kreativ und inspiriert. Sie ziehen einfühlsam unsere Botschaft in Betracht, und artikulieren sie in stets gelungener und trotzdem überraschender Form. Ihre harte Arbeit und super Grafiken haben einen bedeutenden Beitrag zum Erfolg der Vilcek Foundation beigetragen."
Rick Kinsel, Executive Director, The Vilcek Foundation | www.vilcek.org
"Die deutsche Mission der Vereinten Nationen arbeitet mit AHOY seit 2008 zusammen, und alle Mitarbeiter des Studios haben uns seither mit exzellenter Arbeit an unserem Corporate Design unterstützt. Ihre Arbeit war ein grosser Faktor im Erfolg unserer Kampagne für Deutschlands Kandidatur für den Sicherheitsrat der Vereinten Nationen 2011/2012. Wir freuen uns auf die weitere enge Zusammenarbeit mit AHOY, und emfehlen sie als solide und zuverlässige Partner und Experten in ihrem Gebiet."
Claudia Rohde, Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations | www.ny-un.diplo.de
“Ich bin Kunde von Ahoy Studios und habe seit 1997 mit Connie Koch und Aline Ozkan zusammengearbeitet. Ahoy Designs haben hohen konzeptionellen Wert und besitzen darüberinaus das gewisse Etwas – sie treffen immer genau ins Schwarze. Das resultiert in smarten Designs, mit starken Farben und Mustern, für 2-D Druck, 3-D Objekte und Kataloge, Animationen, Schaufenster-Dekorationen und Werbe-Kampagnen. Gerne betone ich auch Ahoy's extremen Professionalismus auf jeder Ebene des Projektverlaufs. Ich kann sie nicht zu hoch empfehlen.”
Marybeth Shaw, Chief Creative Officer, Design & Marketing, Wolf-Gordon Inc. | www.wolf-gordon.com
“Wir haben Ahoy Studios als unsere Branding und Design Agentur gewählt aufgrund ihres großartigen Stils, ihrer Sensitibiliität und Verständnis der Trends in der Mode-Industrie. In unserer fünfjährigen Zusammenarbeit begegnete mir Ahoy mit extremer Durchdachtheit, Kreativität und Professionalität, mit einer grossartigen positiven Energie, die alle Projekte in die Tat umsetzt. Ahoy hat unsere Marke aufgeräumt und erhoben durch diszipliniertes strategisches Denken und resultierender zahlreicher Umsetzungen online und offline. Darüberhinaus sind sie immer in der Lage, Projekte schnell und präzise umzusetzen. Connie und ihr Team liefern grundsätzlich mehr als wir erwarten, immer termingerecht. Wir können immer auf sie zählen, und es ist eine Freude, mit ihnen zusammenzuarbeiten.”
Susan Beischel, President/Founder/Creative Director, Skin | www.skinworldwide.com
"Ahoy hat den ersten Branding-Leitfaden für die UNITED NATIONS Development Group entwickelt, der aus 32 Agenturen, Fonds und Programmen besteht, die im UN-System für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung arbeiten. Ahoy ist ein brillantes Team. Sie sind großartige Designer und effiziente Projektmanager. Sie kreieren eine Vision, die uns begeistert und sie erfüllen sie, indem sie uns helfen, effiziente und professionelle Lösungen zu finden. AHOY entwickelt für UNDG fast jede Art von Kommunikation: von Broschüren, Videos, Publikationen bis hin zu Webseiten. Wir können uns kaum an eine Zeit ohne sie erinnern und sie sind (in nur einem Jahr) zu einem Teil unseres Teams geworden!"
Maria Blanco
United Nations Development Group
"Ich wollte nur ein * enormes * Dankeschön für Ihre großartige Arbeit für die Frühjahrsmesse senden. Wir hatten eine Rekordbeteiligung mit mehr Besuchern und mehr verkaufter Kunst als je zuvor - zum großen Teil dank unserer fantastischen kreativen Kampagne!"
Melissa Netecke
Affordable Art Fair
AHOY is more
than a greeting
It further means: "Pay attention!" And attention is the key ingredient for communication. AHOY is a group of creative studios in New York, Zurich and Berlin, hatched in 2000 by Connie Koch and Aline Ozkan, German/American and French/Turkish designers and friends with a mutually rewarding passion for design in any form of media
AHOY specializes in communication with a pleasant wake up call for everyone and everything seeking to make the world a nicer place. We believe that great design needs a great cause, just as any great cause needs great design.
Interestingly, all partners at AHOY are proud of having learned the art of contemporary conceptual design from former art directors at Tibor Kalman's studio M&CO, after they decided to open up their own fabulous shops, like 2x4, Bureau, Number 17, and Sagmeister. They taught us that not only the design is important. The message matters more – and you better choose wisely. We feel honored to carry this mentality into our times, and hopefully beyond, through the next generation of inspired designers who understand the power of their craft and use it as much as they can for the greater good.
AHOY is one of a handful few woman owned graphic design businesses in NYC. On top of that, our founders and partners are immigrants!
Design, international
Almost twenty years in practice, AHOY has reached adulthood. With it comes an international reputation for developing award-winning design concepts for clients with an exceptionally high standard of design sophistication.
They include festivals, award shows, publishing houses, theatres and galleries, cultural organizations as well as foundations and internationally operating governmental institutions, such as the United Nations, the governments of Germany, Switzerland and the USA, Bloomberg Philanthropies, New York University, Japan Society, the Austrian Cultural Forum, PULSE Contemporary Art Fair, Intertextile Shanghai, the AICP Show and Next Awards, the Global Fund to fight Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis, and the World Health Organization.
Free range media
under one roof
Technology has revolutionized communication, and the marketing of messages for physical matter and interactive channels continues to change every day. This new reality requires a woken-up mentality and a multidimensional approach to design that gets your attention no matter where you 'are' – in physical space, or online.
AHOY bridges experience in conceptual design in media of any age – from identity to advertising, from print design to interactive design, from environmental projects to animation. We believe in the power of longevity through great design. We understand real success is founded in an authentic and vivid story, longterm vision and equal lively consistency, pushing the norms, and across different platforms. So yes, we develop our design solutions with the big picture in mind.
Our network of collaborators, ranging from printers to writers, photographers, illustrators, animators and web & app developers, ensure that we deliver what we envision, no matter the size of the project.
But what counts most is the intention and the idea behind it, and our mission is to bring that essence across in a way that is loved, acted upon, and remembered.
AHOY is more
than a greeting
It further means: "Pay attention!" And attention is the key ingredient for communication. AHOY is a group of creative studios in New York, Zurich and Berlin, hatched in 2000 by Connie Koch and Aline Ozkan, German/American and French/Turkish designers and friends with a mutually rewarding passion for design in any form of media
AHOY specializes in communication with a pleasant wake up call for everyone and everything seeking to make the world a nicer place. We believe that great design needs a great cause, just as any great cause needs great design.
Interestingly, all partners at AHOY are proud of having learned the art of contemporary conceptual design from former art directors at Tibor Kalman's studio M&CO, after they decided to open up their own fabulous shops, like 2x4, Bureau, Number 17, and Sagmeister. They taught us that not only the design is important. The message matters more – and you better choose wisely. We feel honored to carry this mentality into our times, and hopefully beyond, through the next generation of inspired designers who understand the power of their craft and use it as much as they can for the greater good.
AHOY is one of a handful few woman owned graphic design businesses in NYC. On top of that, our founders and partners are immigrants!
Design, international
Almost twenty years in practice, AHOY has reached adulthood. With it comes an international reputation for developing award-winning design concepts for clients with an exceptionally high standard of design sophistication.
They include festivals, award shows, publishing houses, theatres and galleries, cultural organizations as well as foundations and internationally operating governmental institutions, such as the United Nations, the governments of Germany, Switzerland and the USA, Bloomberg Philanthropies, New York University, Japan Society, the Austrian Cultural Forum, PULSE Contemporary Art Fair, Intertextile Shanghai, the AICP Show and Next Awards, the Global Fund to fight Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis, and the World Health Organization.
Free range media
under one roof
Technology has revolutionized communication, and the marketing of messages for physical matter and interactive channels continues to change every day. This new reality requires a woken-up mentality and a multidimensional approach to design that gets your attention no matter where you 'are' – in physical space, or online.
AHOY bridges experience in conceptual design in media of any age – from identity to advertising, from print design to interactive design, from environmental projects to animation. We believe in the power of longevity through great design. We understand real success is founded in an authentic and vivid story, longterm vision and equal lively consistency, pushing the norms, and across different platforms. So yes, we develop our design solutions with the big picture in mind.
Our network of collaborators, ranging from printers to writers, photographers, illustrators, animators and web & app developers, ensure that we deliver what we envision, no matter the size of the project.
But what counts most is the intention and the idea behind it, and our mission is to bring that essence across in a way that is loved, acted upon, and remembered.
AHOY ist mehr
als ein Gruss
Es erzeugt Aufmerksamkeit. Und Aufmerksamkeit ist der Anfang jeder gelungenen Kommunikation. AHOY, vormals bekannt unter dem Namen hello, ist eine Gruppe von Design Studios in New York, Zürich und Berlin. Ahoy’s erstes Studio wurde von den deutschen Designern Connie Koch und Aline Ozkan in New York im Jahr 2000 gegründet, um ihre gemeinsame Leidenschaft für Design in jeglicher Form mit eigener Handschrift in die Tat umzusetzen.
Design, international
AHOY ist spezialisiert auf Kommunikation im Kultur- und Sozialbereich. Nach achtzehn Jahren Praxis sind wir international bekannt für die Entwicklung von preisgekrönten Kampagnen für Festivals, Museen, Theater und Galerien, kulturelle Organisationen sowie staatliche Einrichtungen und Institute, wie zum Beispiel die Vereinten Nationen, die Aussenministerien Deutschlands und der Schweiz, der globale Fonds zur Bekämpfung von Aids, Malaria und Tuberkulosis und die Weltgesundheitsorganisation, das Goethe-Intitut, die Japan Society, das österreichische Kulturforum, und Messe Frankfurt.
Medien aller Art
unter einem Dach
Die Technologie hat die Kommunikation revolutioniert, und das Marketing von Nachrichten für physische Materie und interaktive Kanäle ändert sich jeden Tag. Diese neue Realität erfordert eine aufgeweckte Mentalität und einen mehrdimensionalen Designansatz, der Ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht, egal wo Sie sich befinden - im physischen Raum oder online.
AHOY verbindet Erfahrung in der Konzeptentwicklung in Medien jeden Alters - von der Identität bis zur Werbung, vom Druckdesign bis zum interaktiven Design, von Umweltprojekten bis zur Animation. Wir glauben an die Kraft der Langlebigkeit durch großartiges Design. Wir verstehen, dass der Erfolg auf einer langfristigen Vision und Konsistenz auf verschiedenen Plattformen basiert. Daher entwickeln wir unsere Designlösungen mit Blick auf das Gesamtbild.
Unser Netzwerk von Mitarbeitern, von Druckern über Autoren, Fotografen, Illustratoren, Animatoren bis hin zu Web- und App-Entwicklern, stellt sicher, dass wir liefern, was wir uns vorstellen, unabhängig von der Größe des Projekts.
Was aber am meisten zählt, ist die Absicht und die Idee dahinter, und unsere Mission besteht darin, diese Essenz auf eine Art und Weise zu vermitteln, die geliebt, gehandelt und erinnert wird.
We are excited to announce our new partnership with interactive tools in Berlin and Munich!
Connie and Klaus met 30 years ago as students at the University of Arts in Berlin, and remained close friends until today. They share a passion for creating unique, cutting edge solutions – Connie as designer, Klaus as technology expert. A match made in heaven!
interactive tools is a user-centered digital agency, bringing a new level of technical know-how and digital strategy to AHOY’s table. Together, we are able to offer strategy, branding, creation and technical implementation for complex digital projects.
interactive tools’ very own agency laboratory, the Usability Lab, tests ideas, prototypes and platforms from the user perspective. The result? They enhance the digital experience and create significant competitive advantages that attract attention for our clients.
Read below an interview by interactive tools of AHOY’s founder, Connie Koch, with Interactive Tools’ partner and CEO Klaus Cloppenburg, why and how our collaboration came to life.
We are excited to announce our new partnership with interactive tools in Berlin and Munich!
Connie and Klaus met 30 years ago as students at the University of Arts in Berlin, and remained close friends until today. They share a passion for creating unique, cutting edge solutions – Connie as designer, Klaus as technology expert. A match made in heaven!
interactive tools is a user-centered digital agency, bringing a new level of technical know-how and digital strategy to AHOY’s table. Together, we are able to offer strategy, branding, creation and technical implementation for complex digital projects.
interactive tools’ very own agency laboratory, the Usability Lab, tests ideas, prototypes and platforms from the user perspective. The result? They enhance the digital experience and create significant competitive advantages that attract attention for our clients.
Read below an interview by interactive tools of AHOY’s founder, Connie Koch, with Interactive Tools’ partner and CEO Klaus Cloppenburg, why and how our collaboration came to life.
Wir freuen uns, unsere neue Partnerschaft mit interactive tools in Berlin und München bekannt zu geben!
Connie und Klaus lernten sich vor 30 Jahren als Studenten der Universität der Künste in Berlin kennen und blieben bis heute enge Freunde. Sie teilen die Leidenschaft, einzigartige, innovative Lösungen zu entwickeln - Connie als Designerin, Klaus als Technologieexperte. A match made in heaven!
interactive tools ist eine benutzerzentrierte digitale Agentur, die technisches Know-how und digitale Strategie auf hohem Niveau zu AHOY bringt. Gemeinsam können wir Strategie, Branding, Kreation und technische Umsetzung für komplexe digitale Projekte anbieten.
Das eigene Agenturlabor von interactive tools, das Usability Lab, testet Ideen, Prototypen und Plattformen aus Anwendersicht. Das Ergebnis? Sie verbessern das digitale Erlebnis und schaffen bedeutende Wettbewerbsvorteile, die die Aufmerksamkeit unserer Kunden auf sich ziehen.
Lesen Sie unten ein Interview mit Connie Koch, Gründerin von AHOY, und Klaus Cloppenburg, dem Partner und CEO von interactive tools.
interactive tools in New York – more brand experience with design agency AHOY
interactive tools gains a leading edge by design from the Big Apple: We are building a strategic partnership with New York-based design agency AHOY. An agency of international renown, AHOY boasts a record of outstanding branding and design projects ‘across all communication channels'.
In an insightful discussion about their partnership, AHOY founder Connie Koch and interactive tools CEO Klaus Cloppenburg shed light on how it came about and how it benefits clients.
interactive tools in New York – more brand experience with design agency AHOY
interactive tools gains a leading edge by design from the Big Apple: We are building a strategic partnership with New York-based design agency AHOY. An agency of international renown, AHOY boasts a record of outstanding branding and design projects ‘across all communication channels'.
In an insightful discussion about their partnership, AHOY founder Connie Koch and interactive tools CEO Klaus Cloppenburg shed light on how it came about and how it benefits clients.
interactive tools jetzt auch in New York – mehr Brand Experience mit der Designagentur AHOY
interactive tools erhält neue Design-Power aus dem Big Apple: Wir gehen mit den Studios der New Yorker Designagentur AHOY eine strategische Partnerschaft ein. AHOY ist bekannt für internationale Branding-Projekte und Design ‘across all communication channels’.
Wie es dazu kam und warum diese Partnerschaft auch für Kunden sinnvoll ist, erklärt die AHOY-Gründerin Connie Koch im Gespräch mit unserem Geschäftsführer Klaus Cloppenburg.
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AHOY – a New York
success story
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What are AHOY Studios and what is your expertise?
Connie: AHOY is an international design agency with a head office in New York City and branches in Zurich and Berlin. In 20 years of AHOY we developed a broad portfolio, but our core competencies lie within the fields of branding, corporate design and identity, which we realize with a versatile scope of application.
Who are the clients you work with?
Connie: For several years now, we`ve been working closely with the United Nations. For them we just recently finished the first corporate design for 165 of the ‘UN Country Teams’. It was a very challenging and exciting project. Other than that, we design a lot for events, art and design fairs and public government. Big NGOs. Overall, it’s always about projects with a purpose that interests us personally.
How did the partnership with interactive tools come about?
Connie: I studied in Berlin. At what is now the “Universität der Künste” (University of Arts). Klaus and I met on the first day of the program and have been friends ever since. We quickly started working together on projects for the UN, the German National Tourist Board and the Jewish Museum Berlin.
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Transatlantic partnership – How we combine our expertise in user and brand experience
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Why is interactive tools expanding its branding expertise through this partnership?
Klaus: We create user experiences – that’s where our roots lie. However, in our experience, a website relaunch can lead to customers questioning their whole brand identity, which is something that can take considerable time to answer. What we see is that in the middle of a running project, customers realize: “Oh, we’ve got all these different logos and across markets we use colors inconsistently.” And then they turn around and say: “Well, if we are set on a relaunch already, we might as well define all these things and integrate them with the new design manual.” With half of the projects we experience that it would be extremely clever to start off with questions regarding branding and define things pragmatically. To us this partnership is an opportunity to support our customers more comprehensively and more internationally in this area.
Connie: Answering these branding questions is a benefit to any brand. But not without prior analysis: Where did you come from? What do you need? What makes sense for you? One should take effective action, possibly by a modular approach. What should a process of “rethinking” encompass and where and how might limitations be set appropriately? In some cases, all boxes seem ticked: great logo, great overall appearance. But that’s when you notice your graphic material is inappropriate or not sufficiently unique. And with any organization that wants to narrate a story of individuality one must take these things into consideration.
Klaus: This pragmatic approach suits us and our clients well. In the heads of many, the whole topic of branding is thought in terms of something problematic and with a fear of doing things wrong. Customers believe, once you let the genie out of the bottle you’ve lost chance of putting the lid back on. Often, we need a smart yet simple approach that fits our agile methods. No great deal of hot air, just pragmatic and international; putting sanity and reason to work instead of inexpedient meta level solutions.
And how does interactive tools complement AHOY?
Connie: We are designers first. We create brand experiences. What we don’t have is a team of developers and the sort of experience with digital transformation our partners at interactive tools have gathered. However, our customers increasingly ask for digital solutions. We want to be able to deliver the same sort of excellence our customers are used to in this field as well. Interactive tools can provide that. And we enjoy working with you, naturally. There should be fun in it too.
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Branding 2019 – What is crucial to brand development in a globalized world?
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Why do brand and brand design carry such importance?
Connie: It’s an area where you often encounter a great deal of confusion and frustration. We witness this at presentations with our customers. They say: “These are our values. We know who we are. What we don’t know is what we look like.”
In these meetings and workshops, we start to experiment. We put all different sorts of possibilities on the table and suddenly things start to become tangible to customers. There is great potential for enthusiasm. And then we see how relieved our customers are. It’s as if it’s Christmas, when everyone is gathered around the richly set table, and they say: “Fantastic! This truly resonates!” Design just has the most palpable effects.
In your experience, what poses the greatest challenge to brand management at an international scale?
Connie: There is this neat word: blanding. It stands for bland branding, that’s when organizations commit their resources to an expressionless, meaningless brand. In the way we experience brands today, through Instagram for example, we see increasing standardization. You see this often in Silicon Valley: Turquois. A dash of purple. And a sans serif font. Add an illustration to the mix and to many people that’s a brand.
Brands grow ever more replaceable. There are few who do it right. Who model themselves as a unique experience. Plenty try to mimic others, to create that pleasant trendy Airbnb look. But there should be more caution, because a sophisticated solution cannot be to invest time and money just to land at something that’s surrounded by a host of lookalikes.
„It’s about the emotional bond that you form which matters anywhere – even in B2B, because ultimately, we are all human.“
Connie Koch – AHOY
Klaus: Many of our customers are global market leaders. Naturally, their scope for success goes beyond the saturated markets in Germany. People are crucial here. Human resources, recruiting, key accounts and so on. All these people need to know what a brand is all about. So clearly, the brand must perform internationally as well.
Connie: Another issue is speed. Nowadays your window of opportunity is limited to about two seconds of attention. Design can be your edge. Before any rational decision takes place, the emotional one is already made. You’ve got loading times which are important here, but also the first impression. And then there is authenticity. Surprise works as well. It’s about the emotional bond that you form which matters anywhere – even in B2B, because ultimately, we are all human.
Klaus: When testing our customers’ websites in our UX lab, the first question raised by our researchers often is: “How do you feel about this? How does the first impression play out for you?” That’s when we hear: That’s modern, that’s sleek. Or not. When half of our subjects report an old-fashioned impression during a test, that’s something that must cause some critical thinking. What we emphasize is: Design helps to understand things more easily. Attractive. Unique. Functional and devoid of any obstructions.
Connie: Rather, it generates structure.
Klaus: And it must be future-proof. Any corporate design must move with the times. Today rigid and fixed is outdated. Especially digital media requires adjustments which strengthen the brand and keep it up-to-date.
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Cooperation – benefits and approach
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What do clients get out of our joint forces?
Connie: The essential thing is that both agencies talk and work together. Often, areas are demarcated: They do digital, we do design. Potentially that’s not productive. Silo-style. That’s not the case with us, as we purely seek to complement each other. And enjoy the exchange! We’ve known each other for a long time and gathered a collaborative record that’s been successful and fun. What we won’t say at the end of a project is: “Good luck! Now you can continue with that alone.” Instead we strive for continuous exchange. Our common aim is to deliver only the best possible results to our customers.
Klaus: The ability to take the broader view is vital too. With offices in New York and Berlin we are located at the pulse of America and Europe. Initiating a change of perspective is always something we bring up – and the perspective from Broadway intrigues many of our customers.
Can you paint a picture of your cooperation? How do joint projects come about?
Connie: It could start with a design audit.
Klaus: Yes, reviewing a brand or corporate identity.
Connie: Upon initiating a project we first conduct an analysis. We look at everything. Five years of brand history down the road are best. And then the positives and negatives become apparent quite quickly. Then we can decide what our clients truly need. This could be a brand update or a brand refresh. That’s where we assess: Is the typography outdated? Do you see colors a hundred times over? What’s the quality of graphic materials?
We take the visual approach. That’s our strong suit.
Klaus: And why not carry out a ‘Design Thinking Workshop’ or take what we call the ‘shop floor perspective’: Clients give us three to five days and we join them in a workshop. We show them how we operate and what sort of results we achieve. First rounds of rapidly achieved, tangible results, that’s something that delivers benefit to clients.
What are your wishes for the collaboration and the future?
Connie: I hope for further joint projects in addition to the UN project. There are numerous existing clients to whom we can offer improved support through our partnership.
Klaus: And it’s not just existing clients to whom we can offer additional value – for new clients the combination of our fields of expertise makes sense as well. I hope that we continue to collaborate as well as we have and that the exchange between Berlin and New York affects our teams as a true enrichment.
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AHOY – a New York
success story
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What are AHOY Studios and what is your expertise?
Connie: AHOY is an international design agency with a head office in New York City and branches in Zurich and Berlin. In 20 years of AHOY we developed a broad portfolio, but our core competencies lie within the fields of branding, corporate design and identity, which we realize with a versatile scope of application.
Who are the clients you work with?
Connie: For several years now, we`ve been working closely with the United Nations. For them we just recently finished the first corporate design for 165 of the ‘UN Country Teams’. It was a very challenging and exciting project. Other than that, we design a lot for events, art and design fairs and public government. Big NGOs. Overall, it’s always about projects with a purpose that interests us personally.
How did the partnership with interactive tools come about?
Connie: I studied in Berlin. At what is now the “Universität der Künste” (University of Arts). Klaus and I met on the first day of the program and have been friends ever since. We quickly started working together on projects for the UN, the German National Tourist Board and the Jewish Museum Berlin.
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Transatlantic partnership – How we combine our expertise in user and brand experience
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Why is interactive tools expanding its branding expertise through this partnership?
Klaus: We create user experiences – that’s where our roots lie. However, in our experience, a website relaunch can lead to customers questioning their whole brand identity, which is something that can take considerable time to answer. What we see is that in the middle of a running project, customers realize: “Oh, we’ve got all these different logos and across markets we use colors inconsistently.” And then they turn around and say: “Well, if we are set on a relaunch already, we might as well define all these things and integrate them with the new design manual.” With half of the projects we experience that it would be extremely clever to start off with questions regarding branding and define things pragmatically. To us this partnership is an opportunity to support our customers more comprehensively and more internationally in this area.
Connie: Answering these branding questions is a benefit to any brand. But not without prior analysis: Where did you come from? What do you need? What makes sense for you? One should take effective action, possibly by a modular approach. What should a process of “rethinking” encompass and where and how might limitations be set appropriately? In some cases, all boxes seem ticked: great logo, great overall appearance. But that’s when you notice your graphic material is inappropriate or not sufficiently unique. And with any organization that wants to narrate a story of individuality one must take these things into consideration.
Klaus: This pragmatic approach suits us and our clients well. In the heads of many, the whole topic of branding is thought in terms of something problematic and with a fear of doing things wrong. Customers believe, once you let the genie out of the bottle you’ve lost chance of putting the lid back on. Often, we need a smart yet simple approach that fits our agile methods. No great deal of hot air, just pragmatic and international; putting sanity and reason to work instead of inexpedient meta level solutions.
And how does interactive tools complement AHOY?
Connie: We are designers first. We create brand experiences. What we don’t have is a team of developers and the sort of experience with digital transformation our partners at interactive tools have gathered. However, our customers increasingly ask for digital solutions. We want to be able to deliver the same sort of excellence our customers are used to in this field as well. Interactive tools can provide that. And we enjoy working with you, naturally. There should be fun in it too.
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Branding 2019 – What is crucial to brand development in a globalized world?
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Why do brand and brand design carry such importance?
Connie: It’s an area where you often encounter a great deal of confusion and frustration. We witness this at presentations with our customers. They say: “These are our values. We know who we are. What we don’t know is what we look like.”
In these meetings and workshops, we start to experiment. We put all different sorts of possibilities on the table and suddenly things start to become tangible to customers. There is great potential for enthusiasm. And then we see how relieved our customers are. It’s as if it’s Christmas, when everyone is gathered around the richly set table, and they say: “Fantastic! This truly resonates!” Design just has the most palpable effects.
In your experience, what poses the greatest challenge to brand management at an international scale?
Connie: There is this neat word: blanding. It stands for bland branding, that’s when organizations commit their resources to an expressionless, meaningless brand. In the way we experience brands today, through Instagram for example, we see increasing standardization. You see this often in Silicon Valley: Turquois. A dash of purple. And a sans serif font. Add an illustration to the mix and to many people that’s a brand.
Brands grow ever more replaceable. There are few who do it right. Who model themselves as a unique experience. Plenty try to mimic others, to create that pleasant trendy Airbnb look. But there should be more caution, because a sophisticated solution cannot be to invest time and money just to land at something that’s surrounded by a host of lookalikes.
„It’s about the emotional bond that you form which matters anywhere – even in B2B, because ultimately, we are all human.“
Connie Koch – AHOY
Klaus: Many of our customers are global market leaders. Naturally, their scope for success goes beyond the saturated markets in Germany. People are crucial here. Human resources, recruiting, key accounts and so on. All these people need to know what a brand is all about. So clearly, the brand must perform internationally as well.
Connie: Another issue is speed. Nowadays your window of opportunity is limited to about two seconds of attention. Design can be your edge. Before any rational decision takes place, the emotional one is already made. You’ve got loading times which are important here, but also the first impression. And then there is authenticity. Surprise works as well. It’s about the emotional bond that you form which matters anywhere – even in B2B, because ultimately, we are all human.
Klaus: When testing our customers’ websites in our UX lab, the first question raised by our researchers often is: “How do you feel about this? How does the first impression play out for you?” That’s when we hear: That’s modern, that’s sleek. Or not. When half of our subjects report an old-fashioned impression during a test, that’s something that must cause some critical thinking. What we emphasize is: Design helps to understand things more easily. Attractive. Unique. Functional and devoid of any obstructions.
Connie: Rather, it generates structure.
Klaus: And it must be future-proof. Any corporate design must move with the times. Today rigid and fixed is outdated. Especially digital media requires adjustments which strengthen the brand and keep it up-to-date.
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Cooperation – benefits and approach
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What do clients get out of our joint forces?
Connie: The essential thing is that both agencies talk and work together. Often, areas are demarcated: They do digital, we do design. Potentially that’s not productive. Silo-style. That’s not the case with us, as we purely seek to complement each other. And enjoy the exchange! We’ve known each other for a long time and gathered a collaborative record that’s been successful and fun. What we won’t say at the end of a project is: “Good luck! Now you can continue with that alone.” Instead we strive for continuous exchange. Our common aim is to deliver only the best possible results to our customers.
Klaus: The ability to take the broader view is vital too. With offices in New York and Berlin we are located at the pulse of America and Europe. Initiating a change of perspective is always something we bring up – and the perspective from Broadway intrigues many of our customers.
Can you paint a picture of your cooperation? How do joint projects come about?
Connie: It could start with a design audit.
Klaus: Yes, reviewing a brand or corporate identity.
Connie: Upon initiating a project we first conduct an analysis. We look at everything. Five years of brand history down the road are best. And then the positives and negatives become apparent quite quickly. Then we can decide what our clients truly need. This could be a brand update or a brand refresh. That’s where we assess: Is the typography outdated? Do you see colors a hundred times over? What’s the quality of graphic materials?
We take the visual approach. That’s our strong suit.
Klaus: And why not carry out a ‘Design Thinking Workshop’ or take what we call the ‘shop floor perspective’: Clients give us three to five days and we join them in a workshop. We show them how we operate and what sort of results we achieve. First rounds of rapidly achieved, tangible results, that’s something that delivers benefit to clients.
What are your wishes for the collaboration and the future?
Connie: I hope for further joint projects in addition to the UN project. There are numerous existing clients to whom we can offer improved support through our partnership.
Klaus: And it’s not just existing clients to whom we can offer additional value – for new clients the combination of our fields of expertise makes sense as well. I hope that we continue to collaborate as well as we have and that the exchange between Berlin and New York affects our teams as a true enrichment.
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AHOY – eine New Yorker Erfolgsgeschichte
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Was sind die AHOY Studios und was ist eure Expertise?
Connie: AHOY ist eine internationale Designagentur mit Hauptsitz in New York und Dependancen in Zürich und Berlin. Nach 20 Jahren AHOY arbeiten wir recht breit gefächert, aber stark im Branding-Bereich. Markenbildung, Corporate Design, Identities. Und diese deklinieren wir durch in den verschiedenen Anwendungsweisen.
Was sind das für Kunden, für die ihr arbeitet?
Connie: Wir arbeiten seit vielen Jahren mit den Vereinten Nationen zusammen. Da haben wir gerade das erste Corporate Design für die ‚UN Country Teams’ in 165 Ländern fertiggestellt. Das war ein sehr anspruchsvolles und schönes Projekt. Ansonsten gestalten wir viel für Events, Kunstmessen, Designmessen und den Government-Bereich. Große NGOs. Insgesamt sind es aber immer Projekte, die einen Sinn und Zweck erfüllen, der uns auch persönlich interessiert.
Wie kam es zur Partnerschaft mit interactive tools?
Connie: Ich habe in Berlin studiert. An der jetzigen Universität der Künste. Klaus und ich haben uns am ersten Tag des Studiums kennengelernt, und sind seitdem befreundet und haben schnell erste gemeinsame Projekte umgesetzt. Für die UN, das German National Tourist Board oder das Jüdische Museum in Berlin.
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Transatlantische Partnerschaft – Wie User Experience und Brand Experience zusammenkommen
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Warum baut interactive tools seine Branding-Expertise mit dieser Partnerschaft aus?
Klaus: Wir machen User Experience – da kommen wir her. Wir erleben jedoch bei unseren Kunden, dass aus einem Website Relaunch ein Markenfindungsprozess werden kann, der auch mal drei Jahre andauert. Es kommt vor, dass Kunden mitten im Projekt plötzlich feststellen: „Oh, wir haben viele verschiedene Logos und international werden unterschiedliche Farben benutzt.“ Und dann sagen die Kunden: „Ja, wenn sie die Website jetzt schon machen, dann können wir das ja direkt definieren und dann nehmen wir das in unser Design Manual auf.“
Bei der Hälfte der Jobs, die wir sehen, wäre es extrem schlau mit Branding-Fragen zu beginnen und Dinge pragmatisch zu definieren.
Die Partnerschaft ist für uns die Chance, unsere Kunden in diesem Bereich noch umfassender und internationaler zu betreuen.
Connie: Diese Branding-Fragen zu beantworten ist ein Gewinn für jede Marke. Aber es muss analysiert werden: Wo kommt ihr her? Was braucht ihr überhaupt? Was ist sinnvoll? Man muss effektiv vorgehen, gerne auch mit Bausteinkonzept. Wie weit ist überhaupt ein umfassendes Neudenken angesagt? In manchen Fällen ist alles super: Tolles Logo, tolles Erscheinungsbild. Aber dann sind die Bilder unangemessen oder austauschbar. Und wenn man als Unternehmen eine Individualität erzielen will, muss man sich darüber Gedanken machen.
Klaus: Diese pragmatische Herangehensweise passt gut zu uns und unseren Kunden. Das Thema Marke ist so problem- und angstbehaftet. Kunden denken, wenn wir diesen Topf anfassen, kriegen wir den Deckel nie wieder rauf. Wir brauchen häufig einen smarten, einfachen Ansatz, der zu unserer agilen Arbeitsweise passt. Ohne heiße Luft und viel Drum-und-dran. Pragmatisch und international. Nicht auf der Metaebene, sondern mit gesundem Menschenverstand.
Und wie ergänzt interactive tools die Arbeit von AHOY?
Connie: Wir sind Designer. Wir machen Brand Experience. Wir haben keine Entwickler und nicht die Erfahrungen mit digitaler Transformation, die interactive tools haben. Unsere Kunden fragen allerdings immer mehr Digitales nach. Da möchten wir natürlich die gleiche, hohe Qualität anbieten, die sie von uns gewohnt sind. Interactive tools bietet das. Und mit euch arbeiten wir gern zusammen. Natürlich. Soll ja auch Spaß machen.
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Branding 2019 – Was ist wichtig für Markenbildung in einer globalisierten Welt?
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Warum hat das Thema Marke und Markendesign so einen Stellenwert?
Connie: In dem Bereich herrscht oft große Verwirrung, große Frustration. Wir erleben das bei Präsentationen mit Kunden. Die sagen: „Hier sind unsere Werte. Wir wissen wer wir sind. Wir wissen aber nicht, wie wir aussehen.“
Bei diesen Meetings und Workshops wird dann experimentiert. Wir füllen den Konferenztisch mit allem Möglichen und dann wird es greifbar für Kunden. Da ist viel Potenzial für Begeisterung. Und dann sehen wir, wie erleichtert Kunden sind. Wie an Weihnachten sitzen alle da am vollen Tisch und sagen: „Hey, super, das sind wir!“ Design hat einfach eine enorme Wirkung.
Was erlebt ihr in der Markenführung als größte Herausforderung im internationalen Kontext?
Connie: Es gibt da ein schönes Wort: Blanding. Das heißt Bland Branding, also die Bildung einer ausdruckslosen, nichtssagenden Marke. Durch die Art, wie wir heute Marken erfahren, über Instagram zum Beispiel, hat sich dieses System immer mehr vereinheitlicht. Man sieht es viel im Silicon Valley: Türkis. Ein bisschen Purple. Und eine Sans Serif Font. Mit einer Infografik bildet das für viele schon eine Marke.
Marken werden immer austauschbarer. Es gibt wenige, die das richtig gut machen und sich selbst als Unique Experience gestalten. Man versucht das so zu machen wie die anderen, dass man einen schönen trendy airbnb-Look hat.
Da muss man aufpassen, denn das kann die Lösung nicht sein, dass man Geld und Zeit investiert, um in einem Look zu landen, der links und rechts sehr ähnlich aussieht.
„Die emotionale Bindung ist überall wichtig – auch in B2B, denn wir sind ja alle Menschen.“
Connie Koch – AHOY
Klaus: Unsere Kunden sind oft Weltmarktführer. Der Erfolg definiert sich jenseits der gesättigten Märkte in Deutschland. Da geht es dann oft um Menschen. Personal, Recruiting, Key Accounts etc. Und diese Menschen wollen wissen, wie eine Marke ist. Also muss die Marke auch international funktionieren.
Connie: Ein anderes Thema ist Geschwindigkeit. Die Aufmerksamkeit, auf die man noch hoffen darf, hat sich auf etwa zwei Sekunden beschränkt. Da ist Design wichtig. Bevor ich eine rationale Entscheidung treffen kann, ist die emotionale bereits gefällt. Das liegt an der Schnelligkeit der Website aber auch am ersten Eindruck. Wichtig ist zudem Authentizität. Oder auch mal eine Überraschung. Denn die emotionale Bindung ist überall wichtig – auch in B2B, denn wir sind ja alle Menschen.
Klaus: Wenn wir die Websites unserer Kunden in unserem UX-Lab testen, ist die erste Frage des UX-Researchers oft: „Wie empfinden Sie das? Wie wirkt der erste Eindruck auf Sie?” Da hören wir dann: Das ist modern, das ist frisch. Oder nicht. Wenn wir im Test herausbekommen, dass die Hälfte der Probanden sagt, dass eine Seite altbacken aussieht, dann muss uns das beschäftigen.
Was uns interessiert: Dass Design hilft, etwas besser zu verstehen. Gutaussehend. Einzigartig. Funktional und behindert mich nicht.
Connie: Im Gegenteil, es strukturiert.
Klaus: Und es muss zukunftsfähig sein. Ein Corporate Design muss sich der Zeit anpassen. Heute ist das nicht mehr starr und fix. Gerade die digitalen Medien erfordern hier Anpassungen, die die Marke stärken und zeitgemäß erscheinen lassen.
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Kooperation – Vorteile und Vorgehen
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Was haben die Kunden davon, dass wir jetzt zusammen agieren?
Connie: Das Wichtigste ist, dass beide Agenturen miteinander reden und arbeiten. Oft sind das ja abgegrenzte Bereiche: Die machen Digital, wir machen Design. Das sind unproduktive Silos. Das ist bei uns nicht das Thema, da wir uns rein ergänzen, uns lange kennen und schon gerne und toll zusammengearbeitet haben. Wir sagen am Ende des Projektes nicht: „Good luck! Jetzt könnt ihr damit allein weiterarbeiten.“ Sondern wir wollen eine kontinuierliche Austauschebene schaffen. Das gemeinsame Ziel ist es, für unsere Kunden die bestmöglichen Ergebnisse zu schaffen.
Klaus: Der Blick über den Tellerrand ist auch wichtig. Mit New York und Berlin sitzen wir an zwei wichtigen Hauptschlagadern in Amerika und Europa. Perspektivwechsel ist in unseren Projekten immer ein Thema – und eine internationale Perspektive ist für viele unserer Kunden interessant.
Wie sieht die Kooperation konkret aus? Wie starten gemeinsame Projekte?
Connie: Zum Beispiel mit einem Design-Audit.
Klaus: Ja, ein Brand-Check oder CI-Check.
Connie: Wenn wir Projekte beginnen, machen wir erst eine Analyse. Wir gucken uns alles an. Fünf Jahre Markenhistorie oder mehr am liebsten. Und dann ist für uns schnell offensichtlich was geht und was nicht geht. Und dann entscheiden wir, was die Kunden wirklich brauchen. Vielleicht ein Brand-Update oder Brand-Refresh. Da gucken wir dann: Ist die Typografie veraltet? Sind die Farben 100-mal gesehen? Wie sieht das Bildmaterial aus?
Wir gehen vom visuellen Ansatz heran. Das ist unsere Expertise.
Klaus: Warum nicht auch einen Design-Thinking-Workshop machen oder einen Werkstattblick: Kunden geben uns drei bis fünf Tage, wir gehen gemeinsam in die Werkstatt und wir zeigen ihnen, wie wir arbeiten und was dabei herauskommt. Schnelle erste Ergebnisse, Prototypen erstellen, etwas greifbar machen, sowas tut unseren Kunden gut.
Was wünscht ihr euch für die Zusammenarbeit und die Zukunft?
Connie: Ich wünsche mir, dass wir neben der UN noch andere Projekte gemeinsam angehen. Es gibt viele Bestandskunden, die wir durch die Partnerschaft besser betreuen können.
Klaus: Und nicht nur für die Bestandskunden entstehen da Mehrwerte – auch für neue Kunden ergibt die Ergänzung unserer Kompetenzen Sinn. Ich wünsche mir, dass wir weiter so gut zusammenarbeiten und der Austausch zwischen Berlin und New York auch für unsere Teams eine echte Bereicherung ist.
