Regensburg, May 4, 2020. In the prestigious Automotive Brand Contest 2020 design competition, Vitesco Technologies has scooped not one award for its all-new brand identity but two: The company was named a winner in both the “Brand Design” and “Digital” categories. In October 2019, the Powertrain division of Continental AG became an independent company under a new name. Since then, with an entirely new brand and its own brand values, Vitesco Technologies has been pursuing a sustainable strategy centered on electrified drivetrains.

The new name encapsulates the strategic reorientation of the company: “Vitesco” comes from “vita”, the Latin for life, and conjures up an image of energy, speed and agility − attributes also reflected in the corporate logo with its flowing transitions. The initial “V” is the central dynamic brand symbol. The dominant colours in the brand identity are an eye-catching yellow in combination with white. With this all-new, fresh look-and-feel that extends across all digital channels – website, social media and intranet – the company is not only making a clean break with its former identity but also creating a one-of-a-kind image in the industry.

“Unlike when an entirely new company is founded, in our case the birth of the new brand was a particularly complex process,” says Dr. Anne-Kathrin Bräu, Senior Vice President Communications at Vitesco Technologies. “That’s because we were out to keep all the positives, while at the same time framing a new identity, mission and vision and establishing a brand with its own unique profile. The fact that we’ve achieved all of this in impressive style, despite the tight time-frame, is highlighted by these awards, and the entire team can be very proud of them.” The core team was supported by design agency loved, part of the thjnk group, who lead-managed the creation of the new brand design.

First staged in 2011, the Automotive Brand Contest is the only international design competition for automobile industry brands and has rapidly emerged as a key event in the sector. Awards are presented in 13 categories and four special categories, with the focus on integral and consistent use of the brand across all media and products. The competition is organized by the German Design Council which was founded in 1953 at the initiative of the German Bundestag – the lower house of parliament – to foster the design expertise of German companies. Supported by more than 320 companies, this foundation is today one of the world's leading centers of competence for communication and knowledge transfer in the field of design, innovation and brands.

The official Automotive Brand Contest award ceremony takes place in autumn 2020.

Link to the online winner gallery.