2

“Sometimes it’s one
big chaos. But it ishere where many newideas get born.”3

Design.
For what matters.
Our world is changing, increasingly fast. New technologies
continuously influence our social behavior, shifting what matters
to us and the terms products and brands must meet for us
to connect. Design is at the center of this change, guiding us as
we dance with the new: attracting, promising, but also taking usby the hand so we can learn quickly and not fall behind.

4This book is about Braun Design today. How we work, create,
and debate. How we collaboratively generate ideas and deliver
exceptional design experiences, created by a small team of thebest specialists, working seamlessly together as close colleagues
and friends. How we develop design for Braun from end to end in
the Kronberg Design Studio. These are the rooms where Dieter Rams
and the first Braun Design Team created what changed the worldof industrial design and became the blueprint for so many: leaving
off anything superfluous, resulting in less but better. Rooms filledwith the spirit of iconic design work over fifty years, guided byenduring Braun values.
Functionality. Quality. Simplicity. Clarity. Embodied throughlong-lasting aesthetics. Brand values that match our own personalvalues, encouraging people to keep products as companions fora significant period of time. Objects designed in such a way thatyou still want to use them every day, even after many years.
We create all this not in isolation, but in closely linked local andglobal networks of allies, partners and friends. Dedicated people,
connected by their love for the Braun brand and their desire
to create the very best.
And while our values are here to stay, design needs to consistently
evolve, expanding and breathing to embrace the next generation
and what matters to them. Design is a journey. And with a cupof coffee in our hand, we deeply enjoy the daily travel.
Please join us by browsing through this book.
This is who we are.
Prof. Oliver Grabes
Design Director Braun

5Our design language

Our design values

Strengthof pureFunctionality
Quality
Simplicity
Clarity

Reduction

Pure & Fluid
Geometry

Symmetry& Direction

Order& Balance

Interface
Elements

Distinctive
Shapes

Iconic
Details

Geometric
Parting Lines

Colors& Materials

Clear Product
Graphics

Visual elements are
reduced to a minimum.
This places emphasison the product’s usa­bility and functionality.

Stand alone products
are based on clear,architectural shapes.
Handheld products arecharacterized by fluid
geometry, createdby connecting basic
geometrical shapeswith smooth transitions.

Braun products
engage the humansense of beauty.
They are symmetrical,
yet indicate a directionthat explains the
product’s usage.

Design elements arearranged within a geo­­
metric grid and with aclear functional hierarchy,
resulting in visual clarity
and a harmonious
appear­­ance.

All interface elements
are designed as eithera circle or an elongatedcircle. Their appearance
may vary in proportion,color and material,
according to theirfunction.

The overall appea­rance
is based on archi­tecturalor ergo­nomic shapes
and gives each producta distinctive silhouette.

Unique details give
each product anunmistakable market
presence and simul­
taneously identify it
as a discrete Braun
product.

Parting lines define theproduct’s operatingareas and create avisual structure. They
are characterized bygeometrical, controlledalignment.

The main productcolors are black, white,
grey and metal. Color
accents are used indetails to highlight
product function oroperating controls.

Product graphics arefunctional, minimal
and consistent acrossall Braun products
and categories.

As we set to create desirable, innovative
products, our gaze looks forward into
the future, but the design principles we
use to achieve consistency, simplicity
and clarity across segments are rooted
in our unique design legacy.

Series 9 CC

Series 3 ProSkin

Series 9

Series 5 CC

Series 3 °CoolTec

Silk · épil 9 SkinSpa

Silk · épil 7

Silk · épil 5

Series 3 Shave&Style

Series 3

Clean&Charge Station

Silk-expert 5 IPL

Silk-expert 3 IPL

FaceSpa Pro

Silk · épil 3

Face

BN0211 SlimWatch Titanium

BN0211 SlimWatch Steel bracelett

ET66 Calculator

BNC0117 Classic wall clockBN0095 Prestige

BN0095 Prestige

J 500 Spin juicer

JB 5160 Jug blender

FP 5150 Food processor

FS 5100 Food steamer

BNC002 Classic travel clock

BNC020 Connected alarm clock

WK 3000 Water kettle

KF 3120 Coffee makerHT 3110 ToasterHT 3010 ToasterHM 3 Hand mixer

HM 5 Hand mixer

BeardTrimmer 5090

BeardTrimmer 3040

MultiGrooming Kit 3080

HairClipper 5050

Pulsonic Slim One

Pulsonic Slim Luxe

BN0171 Ceramic

BN0171 Ceramic

BNC008 Travel clock

BNC010 Radio clock

BNC014 Wall clock

BNC015 Projection clock

Satin Hair 7 brush

Satin Hair 7 SensoDryer

Satin Hair 7 SensoCare

Satin Hair 1 Mini

AW10

AW50

BN0211 SlimWatch Black

BN011 SlimWatch Ladies

CJ 3050 Citrus juicer

MQ 9 Hand blender

MQ 7 Hand blender

KF 7120 Coffee maker

No touch + forehead thermometer

Digital thermometer with Age Precision

IS 2044 VI Silent Ironing system

iCheck 7 blood pressure monitor

IS 7155 Pro Ironing system

ActivScan 9 blood pressure monitor

At the heart of Braun Designis the urge to make things
useful, meaningful andbeautiful with as little design
as possible.

13

16
18
20
24

Products 1
IPL
Silk· épil 9
FaceSpa Pro
Oral-B Pulsonic Slim

30
34
40
46

Design Studio
How we work
Our design principles
Mastery
Future challenges

54
60
62
64
66
78
82
84
86

Products 2
AW10 EvoClassic Slim Watch
Connected Clock
Wall Clock
Series 9
BeardTrimmer
MultiGrooming Kit
iCheck 7
Breakfast collection

90
92

Iconic Braun
Thank you

Skin

love

You love your skin – we make sure
you can treat it accordingly.

17

Sleeping
Beauty.
The Silk-Expert hair removal system puts
your body hair to sleep. Other methods only
temporarily remove body hair and you canwatch it growing back. Our IPL interrupts
the cycle of hair re-growth and your skincan shine for many weeks. Needless to say,the beautifully curved, seamless shape feels
good in your hand and allows you to easily
treat even difficult to reach skin areas on
all parts of your body.
Since your skin tone varies across different
parts of the body, we developed a uniquesensor that continuously reads your skintone 80 times per second and automatically
adapts the light intensity to your skin tone.
Our IPL is clinically tested and safe to use.

18

Goodbye hair.
Say goodbye to your body hair – you won’t see
it back for a while. Our Silk-épil epilators remove
hair the size of a grain of sand by the root, forflawless skin for up to four weeks. Speaking oftime: the Silk-épil 9 is one of our most timelessproducts. Launched in 2007, the design has sinceremained almost identical, while we have steadily
improved product performance and versatility
year after year.
The latest SensoSmart technology controls
pressure to give you an even gentler epilation.
Today the SE9 is a multi­functional beauty kit
for skin care, exfoliation, peeling, massaging,shaving, trimming and, needless to say, epilation– and this better than ever.

19

20

21

Hello skin.
This is Braun FaceSpa Pro, the newest
member of our beauty family. It combines
a facial epilator, a facial brush and a toning
head in one. Thanks to the slim design, thein-use experience is similar to a mascarapen, while the metal cap allows you to haveit with you whenever, wherever you want.

Inspired by Japanese skin care practice,the metal toning head provides gentle tapping
for better application of creams and serums.
The ultra-delicate, high-speed tapping motion
is adjustable from fast to slow settings andoffers a pleasant cooling sensation. FaceSpa Pro
brush is 100% waterproof, so you can safely
use it in the shower.

22

The facial epilator removes even finest
hairs from the chin, upper lip and eyebrow
areas precisely by the root. The extra-small
upright head enables a better view of what­ever hair you want to remove. It revolves
in both directions for optimal removal ofindividual hair.
The brush head gently restores purity
and glow to facial skin. With hundreds ofmicro oscillations, it removes make-up andimpurities, working six times better thanmanual cleansing, both gently exfoliating
and refining the skin.

Brush head

Toning head

Good morning sunshine.
I am looking forward to see
you again tonight.

24

25

26

Puts a smileon your face.
The Oral-B Pulsonic Slim is exactly that:ridiculously slim. The minimal elegant
design, the durable yet lightweight housing
and the distinct brushing modes make it
more than your ideal toothbrush for everyday. It’s also your perfect travel companion.
A breeze to take wherever you go.

27

Studio entrance
Our doors are always open
(if you have the right
key card).

28

Come in.

Kronberg Design Studio
One integrated design capability:
Industrial designer, graphic designer &UX designer, CAD specialists & modelmakers. Working together in P&G´slargest ID studio.
Strategic brand design
Industrial design
Visual brand communication
Packaging design
Brand equity & brand guidelines
Design Management Licensing
UX design
Digital Design
Braun, Oral-B, Gillette, Venus
and more.

29How we work

“There is no competition
about who has the best ideas.
We together have fundeveloping the best one,
now and in the future.”
Nina

What is special about
the Kronberg Design
Studio Setup?

Renke: We are actually only a small groupof designers, much smaller than you would
think. In the past we tended to work insilos, separated by category, and werebasically only responsible for productdesign. Packaging design, while also doneinternally, was rather externally steered. A
few years ago we moved to the opposite
setup: today we are all sitting together
in one big room, with very short ways –completely mixed between product andgraphic design.
Wollo: I think this is special about how
we work. We have a studio setup, where
we have different specialists in one
studio, from ID, graphic design, model
making, and CAD. This setup gives us
the ability to make ideas tangible andbring them to life in an early stage of the
product development process. We are not
only creating design concepts, productvisuals or high-end mockups, but alsofunctional design prototypes with productinnovations.
Renke: While everybody has his or her
special expertise and talents, more andmore we work as hybrid designers. In thissetup we see the work of the others all thetime: their screens, their print-outs, theirmodels. Sometimes it’s one big chaos. But
it is here where new ideas are born. And nomatter what design task one is working on,
we talk about it all the time, ask questions,ask for advice, say: “Wow, I like that” or“How about doing it this way?”
Nina: In this atmosphere, getting involvedin the entire process from productdevelopment to communication end-toend happens as quite a natural thing. As
part of the design function, we are now
interwoven into the complete productjourney. The skill to visualize ideas quickly
can, and often is, a spark that leads tosurprising new directions. At first we used
this skill “guerilla-style,” when we saw theneed to change things. We continue toconstantly challenge the brand to become
more contemporary, relevant and to getaway from certain (gender) clichés we had
been struggling with in the past years.
We think this is our task as design andcommunication experts within Braun. So
far the journey for Braun is going very well.
It is an infinite journey : )All about bike riding.

Design talks
About the Kronberg Design
studio setup.

“Making sure everyone isworking towards the same
vision requires a team cultureof sharing, commitment,
and many open and honest
discussions.”
Philipp: The design team in Kronberg is
not only responsible for Braun products,
but also works for different brands, such
as Gillette, Venus, and Oral-B, as well
as designing together with our licensing
partners. Working with different teams
across different continents is especiallychallenging, since you just can’t go overand discuss design directions or projects
immediately. Making sure everyone isworking towards the same vision andgoals requires a team culture of sharing,commitment, and many open and honest
discussions. It is not always easy, but
working with a diverse group of people andproduct categories is inspiring, as eachbrand has its own challenges. Therefore,
it is very important that we share thesame design values and principles as afoundation across the brands.

Wollo
Hello? Wollo? He‘s
deeply focused.

“We all know: We are in this together,and we will be here when the productfinally hits the market. As a success –or if it would fail.”

How do you work with otherfunctions? Is it difficult tomake good design happen?

Renke
Expressing 20 ideas
in a minute? No problem.

Philipp
Coldbrew expert andIllustrator evangelist.

Renke: Something really important thatdefines our everyday work is the closeand good collaboration with our crossfunctional partners. The same happened
here, that beforehand had happened small
scale in our design studio. Functions that
beforehand rather worked separately now
work together closely. Instead of trying
to manage each other, we have shiftedto an open, respectful collaboration,
knowing that the other’s expertise isneeded for success.
We have even become friends in manycases, having fun creating together
and pushing each other to get to thebest result.
Wollo: I fully agree: you have to be closely
linked with other functions within thecompany. Luckily Product Research andR&D sit just one floor above us. I canassure you that we have lively and vivid
discussions on our topics….You can’t
simply write down great solutions on
paper, these emerge when you talk andchallenge each other. Also the Marketing
team, although sitting in Geneva, is only
one phone or video-call away. Together wehave developed a very close collaboration,and it is almost as if they were sitting nextdoor instead of in another country.
Nina: I think this is something really“Although we sit in different
locations, today we really see
ourselves more as a family”.
special: although Braun is a big company
and P&G an even bigger one, the actual
teams, also on the Marketing and R&D
side, are quite small. We have personal
contact to literally everybody, up to toplevel management. Although we sit indifferent locations, today we really see
ourselves more as a family. We all havevery high expectations and because ofknowing each other well we can talkstraight and help each other to findthe best solution.

A brand with over 100
different products in different
categories, created by different business and licensing
partners. How do you create
design consistency?

Oliver: Of course one concern could bethat different designers and teams havediverse understandings of Braun Design,
creating a visual chaos. Luckily, we haveseen the opposite over the course of thelast years – something I am really happy
about. Our design partners and friends
truly care and all want to achieve the rightinterpretation of Braun Design in theircategories. Additionally, we are involved inevery new product development and need
to approve every design, as it is importantfor us to create consistency across allparts of the brand. What helps us on thisjourney are our shared design values and aset of design principles that we developedback in 2009.

“We are involved in any
new product development
and need to approve as it isimportant for us to create
consistency across all partsof the brand.”

34

Björn: The principles Oliver just mentioned
are like a new Braun Design DNA. Thesefundamental tools allow for enoughfreedom to really create what makes sensefor each new individual product. This isvery important. There are strict guidelines
elements, for example, the geometricshape of product interface elements likebuttons or switches, or how we apply the
Braun logo and graphics on a product. But
there are also elements that allow flexibility,
such as our fluid geometry approach,symmetry, direction or iconic shapes that
help to create consistency on a more
abstract, fundamental level.
Oliver: As you can imagine, a unified
look and feel for the brand is not easy toachieve with the broad scope of productsthat ranges from irons to watches,
epilators or blood pressure monitors. What
we try to create is a similar emotional
design experience across different Braun
products, not necessarily the same design.
Guidelines can become old quickly. Is
what you defined in 2009 still relevant?
Irini: You are right, detailed CI-guideline
books can become outdated very quickly
if they define in too much detail what
you hope for in the future. Our designprinciples are different: they are more like a
stage on which anybody can perform – inthe past, present and future. You could
describe them as a visual mindset, helping
to express our core values. And we takethese values seriously. They have existed
now for over 70 years, and we think they
are more relevant today than ever before.

“Our design principles aredifferent, they are more
like a stage for anybody to
perform on – in the past,present and future.”

OliverMost wanted design director.

35

Oliver: Braun is not a fashion brand. We
believe creating quality products is theright thing to do, products that are highly
functional, meaningful, easy to use, withlong-lasting and appealing aesthetics. We
also know this is what many people aroundthe world are looking for. At Braun we callthis Good Design – the term Dieter Rams
defined so appropriately.
Björn: I would like to mention anotherdetail about the Braun Design languagethat is very important for our work.
Building on the principles, we design
products within a category as part ofa visually connected family: shavers,
trimmers, epilators – we often offer several
products and versions related to different
technologies, features, sizes and also
price points. Or we group products thatare placed visibly together, such as water
kettle, toaster and coffee machine in the
kitchen. These products obviously needto relate closely to each other, a bit like
brothers and sisters. Each product is
unique but similar to each other – andrecognizably Braun.
Doesn’t consistency slow down
innovation and newness?
Björn: Technology is always improving,with things becoming smaller, faster, better,smarter. To create superior products, youneed to constantly invest in innovation –and in design that makes new technology
accessible and accepted. But if you want
to be considered, especially by new
and younger users, you also need tocreate iconic consistency as a brand, tobecome visible to these users and evenbe recognized at all. You need to stand

Björn
Alter Schwede, responsiblefor 3.5 billion women.

The Studio
A collection of items. Somefrom Braun's former times.

for something and stay consistent. Thisrequires design in its totality, from end to
end: the product, its communication andpackaging, the visual brand appearance,
physically and virtually.

“You need to standfor something and stay
persistent. This requires
Design in it´s totality,from end to end.”
Irini: Design is the tool we use to makebrand experiences relevant and interesting,bringing things together and at the sametime celebrating what is new. We needto do this consistently across all touchpoints, so somebody who is seeing andconsidering the brand can easily remember
us. And many new things are of course
now happening in the digital space: How
do we create the right context on-screen
for a three-dimensional product and makeit relevant for the person browsing? And
memorable?
Oliver: I personally really enjoy thechallenge of navigating this journey.
Keeping the right balance between building
the Braun brand with an evolutionary
consistent design but bringing the Braunvalues to life in a slightly different, betterand more exciting way with every new
product we launch.

Irini
A good listener is always
thinking of something else.

38

39

Creatives. Coffee.
Chaos. Commitment.
Clarity. Consistency.
Count on us.

Oliver M.
Mission possible.
Where‘s the problem?

“I would say experience is what
Is mastery important?

Wollo: It is obvious that experience andmastery are required to create the bestproducts. In today’s connected world,
mastery is not something you can bluff.
You need to get things right, otherwise
it will show up very quickly online. You
will get bad ratings and reviews andunhappy users.
People do care and expect quality from
Braun, both technically and in design.

“Mastery comes withspecialists. We need to havedeep knowledge andexperience in what we do.”Oliver M.: Mastery comes with specialists.
We need to have deep knowledge andexperience in what we do. Braun has beendeveloping electric shavers since 1950
and has been constantly innovating sincethen. We create quality through intense
exploration of what works and why – but
also through people who are open to newtechnical possibilities, to help make thingseven more precise, better or faster.
Wollo: Yes, you need great brains but thebest results come when these great brainsenjoy working together, pushing each otheras a team up to the next level. This issomething I think is unique about ourstudio. Everybody has known and trusted

each other for a long time. There is no
negative competition, we are in it for thelong run together and you just help. People
contribute to any project to make it better,building with their expertise or creativity
on an idea somebody else had. Together
you can develop new ideas or come to
new thoughts you alone would not have
had yourself - even if you may be thebest designer. Always pushing ourselves
is really key to raising the bar in terms ofmastery.
Oliver M.: Working together for a long timehelps to create mastery but also efficiency.
You avoid lengthy briefings or project onboardings to kick off the work. I would say
experience is what really enables us to be
fast and efficient without compromising on
quality or creativity. Rather than spending
a lot of time on the fundamentals, we canimmediately focus on what is new andwhat are the real challenges.
Bernhard: Facing new challenges issomething which makes specialists likemyself get positively excited, especially tosolve new needs that we had not figuredout before. We are living in a fast-moving
world, technologies and software functions
are changing quickly but also offering new
possibilities. To get out the best results,
it also helps looking at the problem froma different point of view. It’s the last ten
percent that really motivates, doing better
products than what we have done before.
I love having these challenges.

really enables us to be fast andefficient without compromising on
quality or creativity.”

Where in the design
process is mastery mostimportant?

Wollo: You need mastery to create quality
but also to drive innovation. Our designteam is involved in the entire development
process from the very beginning. Whether
it is a very early ideation and invention“You need mastery tocreate quality but also
to drive innovation.”
phase, a strategic product facelift or
creation of new visual communication
for product or packaging – we have an
important role as the creative part of thewhole project team, playing within theboundaries and also questioning them.
Showing other facets of what could bepossible is part of our daily routine. We
know the technical and brand fundamentals
by heart and can apply our design masteryvery early in the process, to show what
could be possible. High-end designmodels can be tested with consumers
to help make early decisions, before youcommit to a project and invest millions.
Bernhard: To be able to fulfill all these
individual steps from generating an idea
until producing the final product you need
all kind of specialists. Not only designers
are needed but also design engineers
are very important as they are the ones
creating the 3D data needed for our highend design models, renderings for digitalassets and final manufacturing databases.
Often it helps, to make a prototype
quickly and bring an idea to life for the
next important meeting. These prototypes
explain more than words or long Power
Point presentations can do.

“Showing other facetsof what could be possible
is part of our daily
routine.”Udo
Lord of the tools.

43

Bernhard
Efficiency is his philosophy.

Kong
An inspirational guy
and a balanced mind.

44

45
End to end design
Ensuring quality to the lastcolor detail.

Design language applied
It's all about making the rightstatement.

New Technologies,
Sustainability and Iconic
Design are in your focus.
Can you tell us more?

Philipp: Technologies strongly influence
how users experience our products
and brand, as well as how we work as
designers. Connectivity and the Internetof Things, artificial intelligence, voicetechnology, electronics, sensors – all thesefun things can make our products smaller,
smarter, better, and more convenient for
the user. However, the integration of newtechnologies needs to be well considered,so it really creates meaningful innovation
for people, not just news.

“Others might experiment
more with what they bringon the market, our intent
is to really provide a better
user experience.”

46

Gregor: We see this too often – everybody
wants to do something in this new spaceand many times the newly integrated
technologies don’t work well. Or they
add complexity rather than delivering
simplification or a real benefit. Whereothers might experiment more with what
they bring to market, our intent is to reallyprovide a better user experience.
Oliver: New technologies are about smart
products, but also about how the entire
Braun brand is presented in the digitalspace. What do Braun apps look like?
How do we communicate our brand insocial media, e-commerce and acrossdigital in the future? How do we translate

our set of values into this new virtualworld? We need to drive a shared digitalbrand appearance across Braun categories
and partners – leaving enough flexibility
to adapt to new and individual needs andenable exciting digital campaigns. It isdefinitively one of our big topics in Design.
Kong: Today’s situation is different from
Braun´s past, when it was just about
hardware and materiality. The digital space
allows us to change design more often andbe more flexible. Our hardware should still
be designed to be simple and long-lasting,in line with our Braun DNA. But software,apps, and communication can change
and create news. We can adjust design
to different cultures and user groups, oreven provide personalized experiences. All
differentiated by design.
Philipp: This could also be a good
direction to drive sustainability further.
People appreciate long-lasting productsthat are made with quality materials.
Digital experiences can help create
innovation, further differentiation and evenenable new personalized functionality,
without the need for physical new
products, and with less use of material
resources.

“A diverse design team

"There is a strong match
between what Braun isabout and what today’s
young people expect frombrands: authenticity,
quality, sustainability,
acting with responsibility."
Renke: How people define a great user
experience relates of course to theirpreferences and values. Although ourprinciples are meant to be universal,
we are looking closely at how we cantranslate them into desirable products
for the next generation. There is a strong
match between what Braun is about –our values, our character – and what
today’s young people expect from brands:
authenticity, quality, sustainability, actingwith responsibility. We need to bring thesevalues to life again, so that next generation
users want to experience them.
Irini: The touch points for them are ofcourse digital – social media, influencers,
e-commerce. By creating exciting
experiences we can further expand theBraun presence in the virtual space andrejuvenate our equity.
Philipp: These changes force us
to constantly learn and build anunderstanding of different needs, evolving
habits or cultural trends. Working acrossdifferent cultural backgrounds, we canmore easily question ourselves andconsider different perspectives for ourdesigns. This is what is so exciting about
design work: envisioning and having thechance to shape the future.
Wollo: Sounds great – let’s get anothercoffee, before we do all this :).
Sketchbook
A companion for each of us.

with different cultural
background is extremely
helpful to always question
ourselves and have different perspectives onto
our designs.”
Gregor: I think there are two things youneed to consider when talking about
designing with a focus on sustainability.
One is deeply rooted in our core design
values: creating a timeless product designthat is appealing and enjoyable, even along time after you have purchased it.
The other aspect, which is even morechallenging, is designing the product,
including its packaging, from theperspective of a complete end-to-end

An old sixtant SM 31
Still looking good.

product life cycle: material choice,production processes, product andpackaging usage, reparability, service,disposal, recycling.
There are many aspects to consider andyou need to understand what truly reduces
the environmental impact and creates thebest possible user experience.

47

How we work.
Kronberg Design Studio.

Brand Love
Working in the same rooms where
many Braun classics were created overthe past fifty years, we as designers
feel deeply responsible for the brandand its heritage of good design. Our
goal is to spread our passion and love
for Braun among our colleagues andpass this on to our consumers throughthe Braun product experience.

Good Design is
our DNA

Execution is key

End to End Design

Design process

Collaboration

Ideas

Prototyping

CAD

The urge to make things useful,meaningful and desirable, with as little
design as possible, is rooted deeply in
our DNA, and has been put down on
paper as our design language. This
is not a fixed set of strict guidelines(although there are some), as these canbecome outdated quickly. Our language
is a set of design principles and design
values that help us work together tocreate Braun Design. It is the beginningand the end of everything we do.

Our motivation is to achieve perfectionin everything we do – in every productdetail. From the right proportions andergonomics to flawless 3D surfaces
and the perfect colors, materials, andfinish. From an intuitive interface
to desirable packaging and online
communication. By having the keycapabilities in-house and together with
our long-term partners, we ensure that
our consumers have the best possible
Braun design experience.

We feel responsible for the entire
product journey. Already when designing
the product, we start thinking about
how to intuitively communicate productfeatures, what the packaging will look
like, how to create fascinating, highquality images that enable an engaging,consistent product experience acrossall touch points. Along this path weconstantly challenge the brand to
become more contemporary, moredesirable, less clichéd.

Bringing ideas to life is our job. The
continuous journey of thinking – trying –failing – learning – improving – building– discussing and refining until it isperfect, is what design is all about. It
requires experience, persistence andpassion. Sometimes it can be exhausting, but it’s worth it – and the only way
to create the best possible result.

Creating a seamless brand experience
requires everyone to work towards one
vision. And it requires everyone to work
together as one team – across functions.
The doors to our design studio arealways open, as long as you have theright key card ; ) We know the best
ideas can only be created together.

You cannot predict or plan how or whenideas occur. The best idea can comefrom anyone, at any time: during a
coffee break discussion, through quiet,
concentrated work at your desk, some­times even in official meetings… but
we don’t count on that ; ) We believe
it is through our diverse team, with its
different specialists, short distances inour studio, an open discussion culture
and our shared design values rooted
in the brand’s history, that enable us todevelop new, meaningful ideas.

With our model shop we makeideas tangible. Whether it be quickly
prototyping first ideas, inventing
innovative technical solutions withworking prototypes, building high-end
models that cannot be distinguishedfrom the final product, or developing
new colors and premium finishes in ourspray booth – we are not afraid to get
our hands dirty.

By creating perfect 3D surfaces,developing new solutions for mechanicalproblems, and managing complex 3D
databases, our CAD Designers help totransfer design concepts into 3D datathat can be understood by engineers.
This is a key step to turn designconcepts into reality.

50 years Kronberg
Design Studio.
Different times, different people, same studio, same values.

“Being a student ofDieter Rams I was verymuch aware of what
Braun Design is about
and what expectations
I had to fulfill”.
Björn Kling

Arriving 1991 in Kronberg as the new internin the Braun Design department, I was fullof respect. Having been a student of Dieter
Rams, I was very much aware of what
Braun Design is about and what
expectations I had to fulfill. Being honest,
I was very proud to be here, but I also felt
a huge responsibility. The Braun products
sitting on the shelf next to me reminded
me of this every day. These products were
all masterpieces of great design.
Intimidating but also motivating, very
motivating. I knew these products from mychildhood, from books and from dialogue
back and forth among us design students.
Now I was able to meet the people behindthe products and understand what was
important to them and why. Time to learn.
How was design created back then?
The design process was different. No
illustrations or renderings, these are not
Braun-like, they said. Designs were only
presented with models, sometimes pulled
out of someone´s pockets (big pockets)
to put a sudden end to discussions.
Designers sat at their desks brooding
over the one and only design concept.
When asked for an alternative color otherthan black and white, they recommended
grey. Was this rejected by the commercial
team? No, sales and marketing appreciatedthe alternative, happy to finally get a third
color. When designers started to draw ontheir drawing boards, they were so fastand noisy that it was hard to concentrate.
Right next door the model makers worked
in white jackets, creating an atmosphere
more laboratory than model shop. A clean
high-precision room. All models were built
in-house, sometimes just on the basis ofa few words or rough sketches.
In the late 80s Braun Design had mythicalstatus and was discussed controversiallyamong us students. Those discussions
also took place at Braun internally, and we
asked ourselves, how could we transform
classic Braun design for the future?
Computer aided design opened up a newworld of possibilities. We experimented
with 3D software and different interpre­
tations of Braun design came to life as
we searched for the new.
Today we found our way forward, bybalancing the past with the new. This
comes with a new spirit, new tools andnew ways of working across the globe withcolleagues in Geneva, Boston or Bejing.
And yes, models are still very important –but so are renderings and animations today.

“Design is a continuous
journey. The world aroundus is changing so rapidly,
design also has to evolveto stay relevant.”

Returnof aclassic
54

55

The new
Braun Evoand ‘Braun
Design’Peter Kapos,
curator, design historianand creative director
at Systems StudioThis year Braun add a new watch to its
programme. The introduction of the Evo issomething of an event, not least because
the pioneer of Braun watches, Dietrich
Lubs, has been coaxed out of retirement tohead the project. Lubs was responsible forthe iconic series of dense black cuboidswith white numerals and distinctive yellow
second hands that made up the extensive
programme of Braun clocks, to whichanalogue watches were added in the late1980s. The story goes that a sales rep
showed Lubs an example of thesemi-disposable plastic watches being
handed out as gifts to prospective clients.
Disturbed by the object’s flimsiness andthat such a thoughtless thing should bear
the Braun logo, Lubs in turn passed thewatch to Dieter Rams, then head of the
Design Department, who suggested that
he have a go at something more
appropriate.
The correction came in the form of the AW
10. Issued in 1989, this watch presents anobject lesson in Braun Design. Only thepertinent facts – having to do with use on
one side, and manufacture on the other –are admitted. The result is useful, first ofall, as an efficient and durable means oftelling the time. Such pragmaticconsiderations are reinforced in a certain
modesty, unobtrusiveness and an
insistence upon cleaving to the essential.
In negative terms, this approach may beframed as the refusal of tropes typicallyadopted by manufacturers to communicate
things, such as social status or ‘attitude’,that really have nothing at all to do theobject’s purpose and are ultimately of
dubious service to the user. This radical
noise reduction is also useful. It clears
some space in which users can breathe- what if all of the objects that we see andhandle in the course of daily life wereconceived on a similar basis?
It says something for Lub’s AW 10
design that it remained in production until
2001, and just as much again for its
enduring quality that Braun re-issued thewatch in 2017, working closely with its
designer to ensure an accurate repro­
duction. For all of the AW 10’s virtues, ata diameter of 33 mm, the re-issued watch
may now seem small, particularly toyounger eyes. Taking shifting norms into
account, Braun commissioned Lubs tore-think the AW 10 design. What at firstglance might appear a mere scaling up of„In all areas of life
reduction, simplicity anddirectness are needed
as never before.“

the original watch, in fact involved acomprehensive rebalancing of its elements,and subtle revision of the lug area, strap
and clasp. It’s worth noting, however, thatvariation on the original design was limited
to factors determined by the shift in scale.
In all other respects, with the exception of
making use of certain technologicalimprovements in the reliability of watch
movements, the Evo adheres to the design
thinking from which its predessor emergedback in 1987. Even the question of sizehas been settled with a certain precision.
Certainly greater than the AW 10, the Evo’s
diameter of 32 mm, has increased justenough to ‘normalise’ the overall scale of
the watch. Shifting expectations have beentaken into account but the new design
makes no contribution to the bizzare
phenomenon of size inflation that threatens
to render certain of today’s watches
actually unwearable. Changing norms areobserved; change for the sake of mere
fashion, on the other hand, is vehemently
resisted.
If the original AW 10 is emblematic of
Braun Design principles as they were
formulated and applied in the 1980s, thisnew watch, the Evo, offers an example ofwhat it means for the Braun company toapply those principles today. Of course,that cannot involve a blind repetition.
Braun Design has never been assembled

out of a fixed formal vocabulary or, worse
still, a style. The reaffirmation of Braun
Design principles in contemporary
products instead calls for a fresh analysisof what a prospective product should andshould not do today, a finding that can only
be given under the specific conditions ofcontemporary use. The Evo, shows how
considerations of function, clarity ofarticulation and restraint, not to mention
beauty, can acknowledge and adapt tocontemporary requirements. In so doing,
the Evo embodies the principles of Braun
Design as it extends the tradition under
new conditions. As such, the Evo fits
perfectly the programme of products
now being developed by Oliver Grabes,
Director of the Braun Design Department,
and his team. The contemporary world isunprecedented in its confusion andcomplexity. In all areas of life reduction,
simplicity and directness are needed asnever before. Braun products offer
effective solutions to practical problems,of keeping a beard trim, say, or telling thetime, and in their precision and restraint
suggest a great deal more –“Design for what matters”, precisely.

2018
Gregor Ptok and Dietrich Lubs
talking about the new AW10 Evo.

56

70s
Dietrich Lubs andPeter Hartwein

AW10, 1989

AW50, 1991

AW10 Evo, 2018

58

The new
AW10 Evo.

59

Slim.

61

Anything
less would be
too much.
The BN0211 Classic slim watch is thin.
6.4 mm thin, to be exact. Sometimes lesscan be a statement. The stainless steelcase and Milanese bracelet are now alsoavailable in black and titan. Signature
Braun clock face, iconic yellow second
hand: some things should never change.

“It’s funny that there
aren’t more suchgood-looking alarm
clocks, isn’t it?”Mirko Borsche wants
to wake up next to a nicelooking alarm clock
Mirko Borsche,
Creative Director of the ZEIT
Magazine, writes the weekly
column “Live Wire.”

I have a love-hate relationship to alarm
clocks. On the one hand their ringing is
unpleasant. On the other hand normal daily
life would not be possible without them.
For years I have been getting up at 7 a.m.,for years awakened to the ringing of asmall Braun alarm clock. As I recently
dropped and broke it, I started to look fora new model. And realized that there are
not many attractive alarm clocks.
The Braun BNC020 reminds me of theclassic products from the era of Braun’slegendary designer Dieter Rams, butinterpreted in a new way. Finally once a
more a cool product from Braun: a simple
black product with a digital display, in theapproximate format of an iPhone X but a
bit thicker. The alarm clock rings in fivedifferent tones, and the display brightness
is adjustable.

BNC020 Digital Bluetooth Connected ClockUse it with the Braun time app.

The clock’s corresponding app enables
users to sync the product with their smart
phone and set varying wake-up times forevery day of the week. At night the alarm
clock can serve as a charging station: it
has two USB ports to connect to my
iPhone and iPad. I like this simple digitalsolution. There was only one dislike: thecharger is almost as large as the clock
itself. Fortunately this is not an issue in the
bedroom, and the clock also runs on
batteries.
The product was made available to me fortest purposes, but I would probably buy it.
In an environment of not very attractive
products, it is really stands out aesthetically.
It’s funny that there aren’t more such goodlooking alarm clocks, isn’t it? After all, they
are the first thing one sees upon waking.

Clarity. Quietly.
Good design is as little design as possible. Not burdened with
non-essentials. Not much more needs to be said about the
BNC017 wall clock. Maybe one little thing: the clockwork is silent,
and the second hand floats in one continuous movement acrossthe dial. No ticking – just time.

66

Quality time.

67

68

Best in class.
In today’s world, life cycles for so-called durable
goods are often short. Many products are thrownaway and replaced every two years. We havea different mindset. For us, the Series 9 shavermeans the best functionality and performance,
made with quality and dura­bility. We believe that
if a product is crafted to perfe­ction, with quality
and attention to every detail, if it has a timeless,beautiful design and is enjoyable to use every
day, then it becomes an ideal companion formany years.

69

Long-lasting.
We understand this as the essence of the
Braun brand: creating products that you wantto keep for many years. Braun has always
stood for this during its almost 100 years ofhistory and we think this mindset has neverbeen more relevant than today.
The S9 fulfills all these requirements. It has atimeless design. It is fully waterproof, sturdy,
scratch-resistant, has fiberglass-reinforced
material and does not break if you drop it.
Shaving with it is fast, efficient and pleasant,day in, day out.

70

71

72

73

Renew.
If you feel the blades lose sharpness – you
simply replace the shaver head with a click
and your Series 9 will shave as closely as
on the very first day. Perfect conditions fora long-lasting friendship.

A gift you‘ll love.
We give gifts to people we love, to make a special
moment in their life even more special. Something usefuland stunningly beau­tiful: this is what our gift packs are
all about. A pure design, colorful or with premium
metallic finishes, high quality materials. Valuable insideand out, making the person who receives it feel valued.
Gifting can be so simple.

One experience.
We created a consistent Series 9 product experience
across all touch points: Industrial design. Packaging
design. Visual communication: In-use photography.
Icons. Website. E-Commerce. Campaign videos. In-store.

Visual toolbox – Feature icons

32
Bit

2 specialized
trimmers

TiN

Beard density
sensorIntelligent
32bit processor

Titanium coatedtrimmer

Precision trimmer

Li-Ion power

60 min shaving
5 min quick charge

100% waterproof

Optifoil, Hyperlift& cut, Skinguard,
Direct & cut

40K
40000 cutting actions

To beardor not tobeard.
78

79

80

81

Your choice.
For decades we have stood for the smoothest
faces and cleanest shaves, but today we don’t see
things as strictly anymore. You tell us what looks
good – we’ll help you achieve whatever style youwant and make sure our beard- and body-styling
tools get you there.
All you need is precision? The easiest thing for our
BeardTrimmers. Our blades are sharp and safe touse. The ergonomic handle allows for exact control
and the precision wheel lets you set your desired
length from shortest 0.5mm 3-day-beard stubble
to lumberjack beards with ease. No nonsense.

Taxonomy of

Styling

Cultro Nasus et Aures

Corpus Catullus

Ear & Nose Trimmer

Body Groomer

Catullus Miniatur Cellarius
Mini Foil Shaver

82

Barba Pectinis

Capillus Pectine Denset

Beard Comb

Hair Comb

Certa Ferro

Want more?
Then our MultiGrooming Kits may be theright choice for you. They combine all-in-one
grooming, not only for your beard, but for yourwhole body. Annoying ear or nose hair? A thingof the past. Clip your hair, shave down there.
Wherever you want, need or like. Even in theshower – no problem.

Detail Trimmer

III-Dies-Rarum PectineDenset barbatum, I mm

III-Dies-Rarum PectineDenset barbatum, 2 mm

Stubble Comb, 1 mm

Stubble Comb, 2 mm

84

Green lightfor your heartiCheck 7 is a comfortable, intuitive and smart
device to read your heart health. This nextgeneration blood pressure monitor offers acohesive experience, whether on your arm oron the app. Get easy and quick color-coded
readings at a glance on your wrist. Accessyour data through the app to seam­lessly track
your progress over time and interpret yourreadings. Gain insight into your heart healthand learn how lifestyle factors influence yourblood pressure.

With iCheck 7 App

86

87

Finally,coffee.

88Mornings should start simply.

89

Simplicity. This is what our new breakfast
collection is all about. Simple iconic designs,
reduced to essentials and intuitive to use:
one smooth move is all it takes to open thecoffee ﬁlter basket, an extra-large spout
quickly ﬁlls the water kettle, conveniently
located, illuminated toaster buttons are easy
to see and reach. Small things for simple
tasks - yes, but these little details are whatmake the difference. Simplicity in life makes
us happy – and we think every day should
start exactly like that.

In 2018
The BraunPrize 2018 challenges
young creative minds to envision
design concepts that matter.

The BraunPrize.
Promoting Good Design.

IconicBraun.
Braun Collection

The Braun Collectors’ Fair

Cultural heritage: located next to the
Kronberg campus, the Braun Collection
documents the history of Braun, bringing
it to life for today’s world. With over 900
exhibits, historical films, and videointerviews, the permanent exhibition docu­ments the history of this extraordinary
brand, whose iconic design received
unparalleled worldwide recognition.

For the past thirty-five years, Braunaficio­nados have organized a yearlycollectors’ fair in Germany called
Braun+Design. It takes place every springin Kronberg, attended by many private
collectors who sell and trade soundsystems, radios, household appliances,clocks and watches
face-to-face.

Braun Collection
A permanent exhibition with over
900 Braun historical products.

Braun+Design
Private collectors sell and trade
old Braun treasures.

Over the course of the last 50 years the
BraunPrize has emerged as one of the mostimportant international educational designprizes and is highly regarded by the designcommunity. In 2018 we have seen thehighest number of entries with 3087 entries
from 107 countries. Established 1968 by
Erwin Braun, the idea of the BraunPrize is as
relevant today as it was then: to nurture andsupport young, up-and-coming designers
and inventors that take on the challenge ofmaking this world a better place with theircreativity and talent.

Thank you.
Our thanks go to all people who have contributed to our brand’s
outstanding reputation. To our dedicated allies, colleagues andfriends around the world, connected by their love for the Braunbrand and their desire to create the very best.
Excellent results can only be created by teams. It requires highest
quality and focus in everything we do and can only be realized
through close collaboration between experts in the field of planning,marketing, research & development, product supply, sales,
communication, design and more.
Whether as colleagues and friends at Procter & Gamble, the P&G
design function, the OneGrooming Design team or in R&D and Brandfunction, at De‘Longhi, Helen of Troy or Zeon: without your passion,
creativity, dedication and hard work, our unique approach to productdesign would have not been possible.
A special thank you goes to Jason, PJ and Dominik for enabling
this shared studio set-up between Braun and OralCare.
You guys and your team members rock!
Phil, Jean, Gary, Ale, Victor and Stefan: Thank you for your trustin us, the great collaboration and your ongoing support.
Let´s continue this journey together and build our businessand brand success more than ever before.

Braun Design Team