Is adidas’ new business model leaving competitors far behind? BY SANDY STRASSER Whether a product fulfils its purpose, whether it’s trendy and stylish, and above all whether it has its finger on the pulse of time — these factors are increasingly being decided by the customer in the digital age. It is he who not…
Tag: das produktkulturmagazin
CYBER CRIME
Tracking down the perpetrators BY SANDY STRASSER As people conduct more of their private lifes online, attackers are increasingly focused on using the intersection of the physical and digital world to their advantage. In 2015, the American software company Symantec saw a resurgence of many tried-and-true scams. Cybercriminals revisited fake technical support scams which saw…
BEAUTY IN MOTION
Mercedes-Maybach luxury BY ANJA FAHS Each year in August, the world’s vintage car fan community transforms Pebble Beach in California into a superlative beauty pageant – a summit for the most exquisite classic automobiles. This year, it proved to be the perfect venue for premièring the exclusive Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, a luxury-class coupé of the…
WORLDS OF WONDER
Adrenaline kicks in ice and snow BY NADINE PELZER The ability to tell stories through images is a rare gift. A gift that Mark Fisher is lucky enough to possess. With great passion and dedication, he captures human emotions on a background of alpine landscapes. As a result, he produces breathtaking images of extreme situations…
MAN OF THE FUTURE
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff creates Artificial Intelligence for anyone BY NADINE PELZER Artificial Intelligence is creating new ways for people to engage with technology and with one another. Various forms of AI already power for many years some of the world’s most popular consumer experiences, such as Apple’s Siri or Facebooks deep learning facial recognition…
DRESSED
Interview with Falke Managing Director Paul Falke BY SANDY STRASSER Fashion is driven by our own quest for beauty. The need for people to adorn themselves and to look for, and gradually find, their own style is also the driving force in fashion. Sock manufactory Falke has committed itself to developing stylish fashion for modern…
BORN TO RIDE
Where man and machine are one BY ANJA FAHS Every man dreams of fingering his own oily motorbike in order to make it his own custom machine. Imagine a cool garage somewhere at a beach where the sun shines and waves crash on the sand, and where the surfboard leans against the wall as it…
DIGITAL TO THE TOP
Interview with Dr Torsten Wingenter, Head of Digital Innovations at Lufthansa German Airlines BY JÜRGEN BURGER The Lufthansa Group is a globally operating aviation group with a total of 540 subsidiaries and affiliates. Over the last financial year, these were organised inter alia in the business segments of Passenger Airline Group, logistics, technology, catering, etc….
BALANCED
The importance of personnel development BY TEMEL KAHYAOGLU How can companies win the most talented employees while skilled workers are scarce today? How does good and honest loyalty work in detail? Dirk Jurkowksi, Managing Director of Xtentio GmbH, and graduate psychologist Silke M. Jürgensen reveal the positive effects a consistent strategy for personnel development can…
START ON PAPER
Continue everywhere BY SANDY STRASSER To let one’s thoughts run free in a surrounding that is both beautiful and exclusive: the feeling to write on paper by Montblanc with the respective pen or fountain pen remains unparalleled for many. For more than a hundred years, the label is synonymous with writing culture and master craftsmanship….
KOBE BEEF
The Beefbar Butcher Shop BY ANJA FAHS No other foodstuff invokes our basic instincts like a juicy steak being grilled on the barbecue and we catch the spicy aroma of caramelising meat. Meat is pure pleasure, and it is also healthy, in view of the fact that it has been one of our most important…
DYNAMIC, NOT STATIC
Effective content is a matter of data management driven by demand BY MATTHIAS KANT Communicating across all channels is a challenge all companies face in times of cross-channel. But only those that provide high-quality information in their external communication while creating a personalised customer experience will have success in the long-term. Modern content management must…
GENERATION HUMAN
Why companies have to rethink in view of the ‘War for Talents’ BY THOMAS LUCAS-NÜLLE The emerging generation of working people has changed just as strongly as the working environment itself. The classical office or industrial workplace has in many cases disappeared and been replaced with flexible structures and tasks. At the same time, the…
TRAFFIC GUIDE
What traffic information will do in future BY THOMAS LUCAS-NÜLLE TomTom is a market leader in providing traffic services and products around the globe. With a market reach of 47 countries, its services aim to make the journey of the driver both safer and faster. However, the customer portfolio of the company, although indeed placing…
RETRO PERSPECTIVE
The sound of style BY NADINE PELZER Bluetooth speakers generally sound pretty well and are easy to use. In terms of style however, they rarely blend in with, shall we say, more carefully orchestrated surroundings. Not so the Caruso, a rather hip example which cleverly combines acoustics with storage space and sports a gramophone mimicking…
DATA SYNERGIES
Interview with Ingrid-Helen Arnold, President SAP Business Data Network By Temel Kahyaoglu In view of the digital economy and the Cloud, CIOs are today taking on important strategic leadership roles. Forward-looking CIOs have recognised that the Cloud is here to stay. For this reason, they are preparing their companies for a digital future that will…
MULTILANGUAGE
Learning to understand the customer’s language BY RAM APPIKATLA Nowadays market analyses show significant change in behaviour and demand of retail. It is therefore imperative for retailers to not only have a physical presence but to be present across channels also - to engage in omnichannel retailing ideally. To do this efficiently, targeted and while…
An Ode to Winter
If you work in a sprawling office with lots of colleagues, then it’s possible the main impression the people at the top have of you will be the way you dress. Whether you’re in a cubicle or a corner office, the way you dress can be a key determining process on your future career path….
MAR ADENTRO
Gateway to the ocean BY ANJA FAHS Dazzling light reflecting on the ocean, with nothing but endless blue all the way to the horizon. A gentle swell subtly hints at the power of the currents – a crass contrast to the rigid desert landscape of the coast. Here, the sun bears down on the radiantly-white…
GROWING PLAYFULLY
The new LEGO People House BY SANDY STRASSER A place for work and fun. A space to cooperate and play. These are some of the elements of LEGO’s new office building. Starting this year, it will serve as a global meeting point at the headquarters of one of the world’s leading toy manufacturers. We spoke…
MARITIME FUN
Welcome on board with Compass BY TEMEL KAHYAOGLU Compass is Europe’s largest mail-order company for motor boating and sailing sports. Ever since its foundation in 1979, the company is independent and family-run. Together with his wife, owner Michael Dehler is the second generation to lead the company in over 25 years. Today, with over 30,000…
HANDICRAFT
Individualism in Italian BY SANDY STRASSER Functional, practical and easy to carry - that is what the Italian label Piquadro stands for. Marco Palmieri is the boss of this bags and briefcases brand. Former engineering student and IT entrepreneur, he discovered his love of leather at an early age and eventually came to the decision…
A PANORAMIC VIEW
How to keep full control during digital transformation BY CHRISTIAN COLMER “Speaking to the pilot is strictly forbidden!” It was with these words that Picasso once curtly interrupted someone who was admiring his work. Successful CMOs do just the opposite. They are pilots who seek dialogue and keep an ear to the ground for customer…
MARKETING MATERIAL AND EYEBASE
MRM is the next extension of DAM BY WOLFGANG KAUFMANN Yet another three-letter acronym … Just as ECM (Enterprise Content Management) and its subordinate system, DAM (Digital Asset Management), have become second nature, people are already talking about continuing efficiency improvements with MRM (Marketing Resource Management). And indeed for many companies, MRM has already paid…
DAM — IN THE CENTER OF THE IMAGE LIFE CYCLE
Modern Digital Asset Management for the creation, organizing and distribution of your media files BY CHRISTIAN LEEGER With the constant influx of new products, improvements and updates, as well as the changing needs of distribution channels, product information systems are being kept on their toes. Graupner/SJ, a leader in RC-toys, recently reorganised its entire communication…
TEMPLE OF ART
About the desire for the very special BY SANDY STRASSER Now, will ya’ give me? Sold!” Just some of the typical rants heard at the premises of Christie’s, the world’s oldest and most respected art business. Since on December 5, 1766 James Christie conducted his first auction in London, the house has expanded into no…
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
Volkswagen’s commitment to design and technology in the era of digital transformation BY SANDY STRASSER At the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, Volkswagen Group defined new goals for the future of mobility. With digitisation at the top of its agenda, the largest car manufacturer in the world hopes to bring in new business and…
INTERFACE
How to create greater flexibility for your data BY GABRIELE MATTHES The TKD Kabel GmbH is one of the largest suppliers of cables, wires, ready-to-connect cables and accessories for virtually all industries worldwide. The company has locations in Europe, America and China. Its focus is on markets for materials handling, industry and cable tracking chain…
Temel Kahyaoglu in conversation with Tom Ebling
Tom Ebling CEO of Demandware on the Future of the Retail Business Tom Ebling has been President and General Director at Demandware since December 2009. Among other things, his previous career positions included being General Director of Torrent Systems, Inc. Furthermore, he held various management positions at Marcam Solutions, Inc. Currently, Ebling is General Director…
RAINBOW GIRL
Designer Hella Jongerius in an interview BY SANDY STRASSER Colours and fabrics affect our well-being. In many cases they influence whether we like a particular product or not. For this reason, industry acknowledges its power in the manufacturing process. Dutch designer Hella Jongerius has made her mark internationally for her typical style, craftsmanship and industrial…
CULTURAL MIX
Head of Alibaba Germany Terry von Bibra on their online expansion plans BY SANDY STRASSER The Chinese online merchant Alibaba has arrived in Germany. The huge demand for international brands in China has triggered a veritable battle for access to coveted goods. We talked to Germany boss Terry von Bibra about Alibaba’s plans to achieve…
BE YOURSELF
… just the way you are BY SANDY STRASSER We are into great designs and into small details. We are all about quality and understated looks. We started out with denim and advanced into collections. We go beyond borders and believe in true friendship. We value our heritage, love today, long for tomorrow. We are…
NOT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
A portrait of picture book artist Helme Heine BY SANDY STRASSER Restraint and sensitivity are the trademarks of picture book artist Helme Heine. The 75-year-old is one of the true great artists of his trade. However, he not only creates illustrations, he also simultaneously invents the stories that go with them. These include such veritable…
WAKE ME UP
BY NADINE PELZER Feeling energised when just waking up — every day. A dream. What sounds like fantasy is now to become a reality. At least in the world of two founders from California and their Kickstarter project ‘Sense’. Their little round gadget promises not only to improve our sleep but also analyses how the…
SOUL FOOD
Dishes that make you happy BY ANJA FAHS The days are becoming ever shorter, the evenings already feel cool and the sun has to try hard dispersing the morning mist. Autumn is around the corner and we look forward to cosy hours at home and cooking with friends and family. This is the best time…
I, ROBOT
Machines with finesse BY SANDY STRASSER Robots are on the rise all over the world. Experts in the field speak of it as Industry 4.0. Google and Facebook have become fierce competitors in the development of artificial intelligence whereas Kuka Roboter is a leading pioneer in the field of robotics and systems engineering. All innovations…
DECISIONS FROM THE HEART
Substantial customer loyalty BY JÜRG WEBER Consistent brand management – anytime and everywhere – is at the essence of any business. Consider it the best way to safeguard its health. Protected access then becomes the practical solution for sharing data and knowledge. The eldest private insurance company in Switzerland (Bern, 1826) got in touch with…
ON THE GO
Mobile shopping for advanced consumers BY JANINA EGE Shopping was still relatively simple in the nineties. Now, however, technical achievements such as the smartphone and changing consumer behaviour are transforming the shopping process. According to a study by Demandware, a Salesforce company, the traffic channel that brings in the most customers for retailers is mobile….
The smart Business Look
There are two ways to approach a business look – the super-classic, straight-forward suit, tie, hard shoe combo. Then there is the slightly more casual, contemporary take on business wear which allows room for flexibility and feels more “of the time”. This dressing incorporates ready-to-wear pieces and separates that are smart enough for formal meetings,…
BEYOND TIME
Billions of thoughts captured in music BY SANDY STRASSER An old proverb states that the best stories come from life itself. But we are all familiar with the fact that it gives us more than just sunshine – something that singer Axel (Aki) Bosse is also all too aware of. He creates veritable musical treasure…
CLOUD WORKING
Business solutions for mobile teams BY CLAUDIA PELZER The market for online data storage has been battled over for years, and yet, some newcomers, like the start-up Box, have managed to penetrate it and even expand their business. The technology platform increasingly focuses on enterprise customers and particularly seeks to stand out from the competition…
HIGH-FLYERS
Airbus and Siemens shaping the way into a new aviation future BY SANDY STRASSER One of the greatest industrial challenges in our days is flying without kerosene. Hybrid-electric propulsion systems can significantly reduce fuel consumption of aircraft and minimise noise load. To push this technology, Airbus and Siemens have signed a collaboration agreement. In doing…
Temel Kahyaoglu in conversation with Matthias Kant
Matthias Kant CEO of pirobase imperia GmbH on the new MarketPlus Manufacturers Since July 2015, Matthias Kant leads the pirobase imperia GmbH as new Managing Director. Previously, he worked as a partner and board member for management consultancies like Droege Group and the IM + C AG for twelve years. In 2011, he founded CityGuide…
BATHROOM INSPIRER
Creating your dream bathroom with virtual reality BY SANDY STRASSER A bathroom can be an oasis, a private retreat in one’s home where one can relax; some may even feel as though they are going through a thorough process of rejuvenation. Richter+Frenzel, a German wholesaler for plumbers and builders founded as far back as 1895,…
BACK TO THE ROOTS
A life away from the conventional BY ANJA FAHS They might very well be modern hippies, beatnik heirs or following the footsteps of Lost Generation artists, Victorian explorers and romantic poets. Just like all those distinct groups from the past, so-called gypsetters let go of the limitations that social conventions impose on them and search…
DIGITAL BOND
Data management then and now BY SHAMANTH SHANKAR Always-on technology isn’t new. In fact, most of us grew up with a version of this tech in our homes – the telephone dial tone. In 1908, German engineer August Kruckow created the first dial tone as a signal to users that their phone was off-hook and…
Temel Kahyaoglu in conversation with Markus Fuchshofen and Jörg Rewer
Markus Fuchshofen Managing Director of bonprix Handelsgesellschaft mbH Markus Fuchshofen has been Managing Director of bonprix Handelsgesellschaft mbH since July 2016, where he is responsible for e-commerce online marketing, sales, brand and advertising. He has been working at bonprix since 1994, responsible for various areas, including the strategy development for the transition from a mail-order…
Temel Kahyaoglu in conversation with Oliver Frömmer
Oliver Frömmer CCO of SDZeCOM on “Customer Obsession” Oliver Frömmer is a Member of the Management Board at SDZeCOM GmbH & Co. KG, responsible for sales, marketing and the strategic further development of the company. He is also a Member of the Board at United E-Commerce and has been actively working in PIM, MAM and database publishing within the…
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
Hollywood’s heroes of the silver screen BY SANDY STRASSER Many generations have grown up with the blue-and-gold logo of the American entertainment giant Warner Brothers. The company based in the Californian city of Burbank is one of the so-called “majors” – the six largest film companies in the United States. Along with Columbia Pictures, the…
KING OF ENTERTAINMENT
ProSiebenSat.1 loves to entertain you BY SANDY STRASSER Range meets ideas: it is with this innovative concept that ProSiebenSat.1 has become the number one media investor in Germany. By exchanging TV advertising time for company shares or revenue sharing, the media group has built an attractive e-commerce portfolio over the past few years, which today…
AS FAR AS FEET WILL CARRY
Shoe craftsmanship with a promise BY NORA MANTHEY Luxury shoemaker John Lobb dates back 150 years. The business moved from making boots for Australian gold diggers to making bespoke shoes that remain classics to this day. Since 1976, the brand belongs to Hermès group and now includes ready-to-wear shoe collections that are handmade in England….
SENSE OF FORM
Understanding mail-order as a precision craft BY SANDY STRASSER Delighting people with what you do is often precisely the factor that decides one’s degree of success in the catering industry, the food retail sector and the hotel and restaurant trade, among others. In addition to personal commitment, high-quality, visually-attractive presentation is also what counts here…
SET IN STONE
The Wadi Rum Desert Resort in Jordan BY ANJA FAHS Wadi Rum in southern Jordan is one of the world’s most impressive deserts. Rugged, steep rock faces open onto far-reaching desert valleys, the view disappearing on the seemingly endless horizon. Even Lawrence of Arabia had been mesmerised by the Wadi Rum and its breathtaking landscape….
