From public broadcaster to
a digital first media brand

From public broadcaster to a digital first media brand

The MDR is the east german branch of the ARD. 
A public broadcaster with over 100 brands, over 70 social media channels and historically divided into TV, Radio and online divisions. Our task was to transfer the newly developed transformative strategy into one coherent design system to unify TV, digital and social media.

The MDR is the east german branch of the ARD.  A public broadcaster with  an estimated 8 million viewers everyday, over 70 social media channels and historically divided into TV, Radio and online divisions. Our task was to transfer the new digital strategy into TV, digital and social media.

A motion design system 
that unifies TV, digital and social media.

A motion design system 
that unifies TV, digital and social media.

Over a span of 9 months we partnered closely with various MDR in-house teams. Along the collaborative journey we established a coherent digital first design process to unify the realms of TV, digital and social media. The result is a frictionless brand experience worthy of a modern and confident public broadcaster.

Over 9 months we partnered closely with various MDR
in-house teams. Along the collaborative journey we solved a variety of tricky brand challenges and established a coherent digital first design process to unify the realms
of TV, digital and social media. The result is a frictionless brand experience worthy of a modern and confident public broadcaster.

A dynamic frame adapts
to every format.

A dynamic frame adapts
to every format.

The existing monolith from 2014 transformed into an open and flexible element. Derived from the idea of an adaptive frame we designed over 120+ elements following the core idea. The results comes in form of various toolkits & templates for a cross-channel promotion system, a social media graphic language and an abundance of digital applications.

The existing monolith from 2014 transformed into an open and flexible element. Derived from the idea of an adaptive frame we designed 120+ elements following the core idea. The results come in form of various toolkits & templates for a cross-channel promotion system, a social media graphic language and an abundance of digital application.

Idents are the core
of the rebrand

Idents are the core of the
rebrand

The newly designed MDR »Typogramm« (designed by Scholz & Friends, Berlin) becomes the creative cell of the rebranding. It transforms through the seasons, signals categories and provides a playground for all sorts of brand storytelling. 

The newly designed MDR »Typogramm« (designed by Scholz & Friends, Berlin) becomes the creative cell of the rebranding. It transforms through the seasons, signals categories and provides a playground for all sorts of brand storytelling. 

Social media toolkit

Social media toolkit

The design system extends to a simple yet powerful social media toolkit enabling inhouse design teams to push out coherent content on all platforms. The system was build on a simple layer principle and a set of animation templates. The frame element becomes an imaginative device to enable a more playful tone of voice and visual variation. 

The design system extends to a simple yet powerful social media toolkit enabling inhouse design teams to push out coherent content on all platforms. The system was build on a simple layer principle and a set of animations templates. The frame element becomes an imaginative device to enable a more playful tone of voice and visual variation. 

Promotions designed
to work across channels, formats and sizes

Promotions designed to work across channels, formats and sizes

The coherent system is used across all channels to choreograph campaigns and promotions.

The coherent system is used across all channels to choreograph campaigns and promotions.

Consulting & Process

Consulting
& Process

In an extended discovery & research phase we hosted a major workshop with over 20 participants from 4 departments to develop a  shared understanding for the task at hand and laid down the foundation for a creative and collaborative work process.

In an extended discovery & research phase we hosted a major workshop with over 20 participants from 4 departments to develop a  shared understanding for the task at hand and lay the foundation for a creative and collaborative work process.