Awards for packaging and corporate design 

The brand and design agency impressed in its core disciplines of packaging and corporate design: the redesign for the Portuguese coffee brand Bellissimo received an award for its modern, expressive design with maximum brand presence on the shelf and references to Italian mid-century modernism. The corporate design and brand book for Bechtle, Europe's leading IT service provider, have already won several awards and have now been honored once again at the iF DESIGN Award. The striking new design sums up Bechtle's brand identity: the Peter Schmidt Group reinterpreted the diamond, the company's established symbol, as a shape created by the intersection of opposites. This shape opens up new possibilities, particularly in digital media and interactive applications, and is part of a comprehensive branding system. 

 

Design with social impact 

In addition, the jury honored two socially significant projects by the Peter Schmidt Group: The Hope Bear and Friendly Fire. The Hope Bear addresses gun violence in US schools and is an effective tool for education and prevention. 

The deep fake installation Friendly Fire opens up a critical dialogue about digital interaction: Through technical replication in the style of a digital campfire, it questions how social media is changing the way we come together and invites us to reflect more consciously on our own digital interactions. 

Both works address social challenges and help to promote awareness, sensitivity, and dialogue. “Design is only effective when it takes a stand,” affirms Lukas Cottrell, CEO of the Peter Schmidt Group. “Design with attitude can help spark and challenge social discussions.” He is convinced that after an extremely successful year in 2025, both economically and creatively, the iF DESIGN Award provides an optimistic outlook for the creative year 2026.