ANTI Bergen First Norwegian Agency to be Awarded DBA's Design Effectiveness Award

Published 01.03.2018
– This marks an important step up for design in the region and nationally, says Tom Morgan, Strategic Director at ANTI Bergen (Photo: ANTI Bergen)

ANTI Bergen has been awarded for Design Effectiveness in London, for the brand identity and communication design for Bergen International Festival. 

The Media Cluster company is the first Norwegian agency to ever be bestowed in these prestigious awards, hosted by the Design Business Association. The DBA celebrates the power of design as a primary driver of business success, using thorough audit of commercial data connected to creativity as the key judging criteria, ANTI Bergen writes in a press release. 

The research, called Creative Impact, and independently audited by PwC in London, showcases the economic and social impact of design (ANTI) and culture (Bergen International Festival / Festspillene i Bergen). 

Photo: Anti

Communicating the value of design by measuring it’s effectiveness 
The case study is based on the 4 years from the launch of the new brand identity, where total number of festival attendees rose to a phenomenal 108%, and total income rose by 32%. In a time where large corporate sponsors were cutting down, the festival’s sponsorship income rose by a phenomenal 59%. The brand has also consistently generated stronger results year on year. Requiring no extra investment per audience member annually. Resulting in a 27% efficient use of public funds in the first year alone — evidence of the public value of design investment.

– The award is the beautiful evidence of social and economic contributions generated by both the creative and cultural industries. We are proud to be recognised for the impact that our services have on client’s business’. Design Effectiveness is no walk in the park, but we are committed to championing this area of professionalism in Norway. Clients place trust in us and its our responsibility to use creativity in supporting them to achieve their goals — there’s no formula, its about understanding business objectives, thinking and acting strategically through the power of design. Importantly, its not about a single outcome but a process of getting better. If you don’t know what works and what doesn’t, how can you design a better tomorrow, says Tom Morgan, Strategic Director at ANTI Bergen. 



Press release in full:

ANTI Bergen first Norwegian agency awarded Design Effectiveness by the DBA in London for Bergen International Festival.

ANTI Bergen has been awarded for Design Effectiveness in London, for the brand identity and communication design for Bergen International Festival.

ANTI Bergen is the first Norwegian agency to ever be bestowed in these prestigious awards, hosted by the Design Business Association. The DBA celebrates the power of design as a primary driver of business success, using thorough audit of commercial data connected to creativity as the key judging criteria.

Communicating the value of design by measuring it’s effectiveness. The case study is based on the 4 years from the launch of the new brand identity, where total number of festival attendees rose to a phenomenal 108%, and total income rose by 32%. In a time where large corporate sponsors were cutting down, the festival’s sponsorship income rose by a phenomenal 59%. The brand has also consistently generated stronger results year on year. Requiring no extra investment peraudience member annually. Resulting in a 27% efficient use of public funds in the first year alone — evidence of the public value of design investment.

“Bergen International Festival began its collaboration with ANTI Bergen in 2012 with the aim to develop and future-proof Norway's flagship in culture. Together we updated and modified the structure of the Festival’s content, its visual identity and its communication. Our ambitious plan of rebranding the biggest music, theatre and dance festival in the Nordic region continues to be a success in terms of audience diversity, box office numbers and overwhelmingly positive publicity regarding the artistic quality in both national and internal press. We are proud to have realised such a successful turnaround in collaboration with ANTI Bergen, and have been overwhelmed by the results, the recognition and the respect we have received, both at home and abroad. The Festival are immensely proud that ANTI Bergen and Bergen International Festival receives this prestigious award for Design Effectiveness.” Anders Beyer, Chief Executive & Artistic Director

“The award is the beautiful evidence of social and economic contributions generated by both the creative and cultural industries. We are proud to be recognised for the impact that our services have on client’s business’. Design Effectiveness is no walk in the park, but we are committed to championing this area of professionalism in Norway. Clients place trust in us and its our responsibility to use creativity in supporting them to achieve their goals — there’s no formula, its about understanding business objectives, thinking and acting strategically through the power of design. Importantly, its not about a single outcome but a process of getting better. If you don’t know what works and what doesn’t, how can you design a better tomorrow?” Tom Morgan.

Strategic Director, ANTI Bergen ANTI Bergen’s work for Bergen International Festival has been previously awarded the Cannes Lions Grand Prix in Design, the Grand Prix in Brand Identity at Red Dot, 2 Golds in ADC Global, Gold Pencil in One Show and Best of Show at the European Design Awards, Merket for God Design, Gold at Gullblyanten and 2 Golds at Visuelt. After several years of brad activity and analysis, in addition to the DBA Award, ANTI Bergen and Bergen International Festival has also been awarded the STELLA award and the standalone Hegnar Media Business Prize for Creative Effectiveness.

“The work that ANTI bergen has done for Bergen International Festival has, with its granular / modular approach and flexible scaleability, nailed perfectly the ambitions of the festival going forward; to simultaneously embrace tradition, absorb the integrations and juxtapositions of the artistic practices of our time, and meet the future with open arms. It is rare to see a both precise and playful combination that work so well, and so on behalf of the board of Bergen International Festival I would like to congratulate ANTI bergen on a well deserved award.” Magne Furuholmen, Chairman of the Board