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Product Design Award - Red Dot

bobber team: travel talk Germany

The bobber team has returned from Frankfurt, where we visited the international trade fair Ambiente. The trip was not only an opportunity for us to present our team and products, but also to learn about new trends and share our experience with other participants. In our traditional travel interview we discussed the details of the trip, impressions of the exhibition and new cultural discoveries.

The interviewees were: CEO bobber, Head of design, Product manager, Digital marketing manager and Graphic designer.



Hi! You have recently returned from a trip to Frankfurt. Could you describe your main impressions of the trip?


CEO The main impression from the trip is that there are people in the world who are ready to drop everything and two hours after a call for help sit in a cab on the way to the airport to save a common cause. Or to be always ready to wake up at five in the morning on a weekend from an unexpected call from the exhibition to urgently change the stand together with the designer. And it is people like that who keep everything going.

Head of design: The main impression is that it makes sense to throw yourself into unexpected stories and situations, even if it's not easy.

Product manager: There are a lot of impressions from the trip - it wasn't easy, but it seems to have worked out for the most part even better than we expected.

What were the main goals of your trip?


CEO: To familiarize companies from different countries with our brand and product. To see reactions and first impressions of products from representatives of different countries, because different countries have their own user habits and idea of what an interesting product should look like.

Head of design: Seconded. All for the sake of expanding the scope of experience in how processes are organized. And it's not necessarily just design trends, it's also how human perception works. From which stands work better, to how texts are written or communication takes place.

Product manager: I identified several main objectives of this trip for myself. First of all, I wanted to look at our products from the outside through the eyes of other people who have a lot of experience of working with big brands. I wanted to understand what we liked and what needed to be improved. I also wanted to see what is relevant on the market now and get acquainted with something new for myself. The second goal was to convey to potential partners all the advantages of our products. To maximize their interest in our brand and product. However, it should be added that the design and quality of materials often did half the work for us.



What was the idea behind the creation of the stand?


Graphic designer: It was decided to divide the stand into three parts: Travel, the central presentation part and Urban + Colorful journey, which are connected by a common line symbolizing the whole path.

Logically, the stand starts with an introduction to the brand: through descriptive text, an atmospheric photo with a bike on the road and a basic steel lineup. Next is the spacious part of the stand, where the Flask visualization on a colored background takes center stage to highlight the product. The booth concludes with a third block, with products in color and upcoming new products.



What conclusions did you draw from the results of the exhibition? Were there any unexpected results or discoveries?


CEO:The main discovery is that people from all over the world are equally quick to identify a beautiful product.

Head of design: For me, discovery is often about small, barely visible local brands that take interesting approaches rather than being formulaic. For example, there were many Japanese brands, and I literally fell in love with Yamazaki. Also, it's nice to see history: for example, the Stelton booth with classic lines by Erik Magnussen and Arne Jacobsen. It's a measure of how time and customer love have kept really good products around for decades.

Product manager: I was surprised by people's sincere joy and openness at the sight of a good product. It is nice when communication that concerns business matters is accompanied by a sincere, human interest in the product and the people who make it.





How did you spend your free time after the end of the exhibition? Are there any events or places you visited?


CEO: After the end of the exhibition, we would drink the traditional Prosecco or beer handed out at the exit of the pavilion. Then, we got on the metro or streetcar and drove through the evening city towards the hotel. On the way, we exchanged our impressions of the busy day.

Head of design: Only a few places on the way to the exhibition. For example, the famous Walther König bookstore or the Saturday market on Konstablerwache.

Product manager: After the exhibition we walked around Frankfurt. We were sure to have a delicious meal and regain our strength before the new exhibition day. Frankfurt is a very quiet city with beautiful architecture. So it was a great joy for me to just walk around, look around and notice that everywhere you look is beautiful.

Digital marketing manager:After the exhibition, we went to explore the old town: we walked along narrow streets with old houses, went to souvenir stores with carvings. In one of the evenings we managed to go to the Frankfurt Cathedral, where the organ was played. I was left with very strong impressions of the scale and grandeur of this place.



What is your overall impression of German culture? Were there moments that sparked your interest or surprise?


Product manager: The surprise for me was that at 9pm on a weekday it is hard to find a cafe where you can just have tea and cake. Only restaurants or bars were open. I had to drink tea already at the hotel.

Digital marketing manager: I was surprised by the approach of the people of Frankfurt am Main to evening entertainment. No matter which café we went to, we were always offered to stand in the waiting area. Even on weekdays there were no vacant seats anywhere, as the locals had already pre-booked their tables for dinner with their families. It seemed like a nice tradition to me.

What's in store for bobber this year? Share your main plans.


CEO: Several new products and an ocean of discoveries and opportunities await bobber this year.

Head of design: For me, as a product designer, everything that is released has already been in some way. Ideas, production and design take about a year, and now I am already thinking about something completely new that will be in 2025-2026. Such is the peculiarity of our profession. But for customers, I can promise completely unexpected products. In other form factors and even materials.

Product manager: This year bobber is looking forward to the release of a product that proved to be an absolute favorite at the Frankfurt trade fair. The product was admired by everyone, regardless of country of origin or occupation. Keep an eye on our social networks, and don't miss the announcement.

Digital marketing manager: This year bobber will appear on marketplaces in Japan. And as you already know, new products are waiting for you. Be sure to sign up for our social media to be among the first to get all the details.