Plus X Award Night 2015
Plus X Award Night: an evening of superlatives for the most innovative brands of the year
Most Innovative Brands of the Year 2015 honoured in Bonn
Yesterday evening the prize-giving of the world's largest innovation prize for technology, sport and lifestyle products took place in Bonn. More than 350 invited guests experienced the ceremonial honouring of the 26 Most Innovative Brands – the most innovative brands of the year.
The host and President of the Plus X Award, Donat Brandt, received the many international top decision-makers from industry and retail as well as selected figures from society, the media and politics in the impressive setting of the plenary chamber of the first German Bundestag in Bonn.
During the great stage show, 26 brands were able to receive the golden trophy, weighing almost 7 kg, from the hands of the Plus X Award jurors. The imposingly designed stage, in the listed plenary chamber elaborately rebuilt for the event, offered the perfect setting for a stylish evening with a premium character.
Besides the “Most Innovative Brands”, a number of brands and individuals were also honoured with special prizes. Christoph Grundig, founder of Syncronice, received the Young Innovator Award, presented for the second time, from Olaf Sturm, panel chairman for consumer electronics audio. In addition, two German automotive brands were each honoured with a special prize. Jury chairman Frank Kreif presented the award for design team of the year to Volkswagen and the award for development team of the year to Mercedes-Benz.
The emotional highlight of the evening was the honouring of Prof. Dr Hartmut Esslinger with the award for lifetime achievement – the Lifetime Achievement Award. To a standing ovation, Esslinger, one of the most influential industrial designers of all time, received the award from Dirk Hagen Zimmermann, design expert on the Plus X Award jury.
The evening was rounded off by numerous show elements. “The Westbunch Live” delighted the audience with several live performances produced specially for the Plus X Award and also provided exclusive flair and an exuberant mood at the after-show party.
As in previous years, the television channel ANIXE will broadcast the great Plus X Award prize-giving in full and in brilliant HD. The gala will be transmitted Europe-wide via Astra on Saturday 11 July 2015 at 20:15 and will also be receivable in Germany on almost the entire digital cable network.
The final entry period for the Plus X Award year 2015 currently runs until 15 August. All manufacturers and brands are invited to submit their products and ranges to the world's largest innovation prize for technology, sport and lifestyle.
The most innovative brands of the year 2015
- Kludi (sanitary ware)
- Fröling (heating and air conditioning)
- Leicht (furniture)
- Theben (energy and lighting)
- Abus (electrical and media technology)
- Bien-Zenker (houses)
- Knauf (building materials)
- Bosch (tools)
- WOLF-Garten (garden)
- Teba (accessories)
- Eheim (pet supplies and accessories)
- Hartan (family and children)
- Kawasaki (motorcycles)
- Opel (automotive and car media)
- Elan (sport and fitness equipment)
- gym80 (sport and fitness machines)
- X-Bionic (shoes and clothing)
- Beurer (health and personal care)
- LG Electronics (consumer electronics video)
- Magnat (consumer electronics audio)
- Fujifilm (video and photo technology)
- Medion (computers and gaming)
- Gigaset (telecommunications)
- WOLF (built-in appliances)
- Braun (small electrical appliances)
- Haier (large electrical appliances)
Design team of the year
Volkswagen was honoured with the special award “Design team of the year”. Klaus Bischoff, head of design for the Volkswagen brand, received the trophy from the hands of Frank Kreif, chairman of the Plus X Award jury.
Development team of the year
Mercedes-Benz was able to receive the special award “Development team of the year”. Frank Kreif presented the award to Jürgen Weissinger, head of vehicle concepts and future trends at Mercedes-Benz.
Young Innovator Award
The special award “Young Innovator Award” was presented for the second time. This prize was handed over by Olaf Sturm, chairman of the consumer electronics audio jury panel, to Christoph Grundig. With his team, Grundig develops innovative audio streaming solutions under the SYNCRONICE brand.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This year's recipient of the award for lifetime achievement is Prof. Dr Hartmut Esslinger. Esslinger is regarded as one of the founders of modern industrial design and can look back on numerous iconic works for brands such as Apple, Lufthansa, Yamaha, Microsoft, Disney, SAP and Louis Vuitton. Before Esslinger, the honour of the Lifetime Achievement Award had gone to only four people: Sir James Dyson, Prof. Amar G. Bose († 2013), Noel Lee and Peter Skak Olufsen († 2013). The award was presented by Dirk Hagen Zimmermann, design expert on the Plus X Award jury.
The Award Night 2015
25 photographs
1 of 25 Flags bearing the Plus X mark outside the venue 
2 of 25 The row of flags at the entrance 
3 of 25 A car is brought up to the entrance 
4 of 25 A sports car in the foyer 
5 of 25 Guests on their way into the hall 
6 of 25 Guests on the staircase 
7 of 25 The passage to the hall 
8 of 25 Drinks at the reception 
9 of 25 Guests beside the car on display 
10 of 25 The trophy on its plinth 
11 of 25 An award winner at the lectern 
12 of 25 The hall in blue light, the stage in front of the federal eagle 
13 of 25 The production monitor showing the stage 
14 of 25 An award being handed over 
15 of 25 Award winners on stage 
16 of 25 A view into the hall during the ceremony 
17 of 25 The audience in the hall 
18 of 25 An embrace after the award is handed over 
19 of 25 The host on stage 
20 of 25 The singers of the show act 
21 of 25 Dancers with pom-poms during the show act 
22 of 25 A singer in the spotlight 
23 of 25 A trumpeter before the wall of lights 
24 of 25 The host before the audience 
25 of 25 The group photograph of all award winners before the federal eagle
