The iconic Leica brand was challenged to reposition itself in an increasingly competitive camera market, where it was facing growing competition from smartphones. As a manufacturer of premium, high-quality cameras, the brand had a strong product focus and primarily appealed to a niche audience of enthusiasts.
In order to future-proof itself, Leica needed to create relevance beyond the product, tap into new target groups and build an engaged community. The goal was to establish the brand as a cultural icon with a global mindset and to foster long-term loyalty that extends beyond traditional customer relationships.

Leica has evolved from a product-centric premium brand into a global community brand that connects existing target groups, reaches new ones and fosters loyalty. Through holistic identity work — from values, vision and mission to an international mindset and clear communication frameworks — the brand was infused with emotional resonance. A differentiated product strategy, initial campaigns, new retail experiences and community initiatives now position Leica as a cultural icon with global appeal.

A clear strategic framework prepared Leica's culture for a new era, fostering a shared vision of the future among owners, C-suite executives and the workforce. The initial refinement of design codes, product campaigns and the new website were implemented as flagship projects that are already contributing to the new positioning. 2024 became the company's highest-revenue year to date, with €554 million, laying the foundation for Leica's sustainable development as a global community brand.

Responsibilities included:
- Co-creating the brand strategy, repositioning, brand identity, design, and more
- Leading campaigns, creative projects, and other implementation initiatives
- Developing new design elements (wordmark, colour system, typography, layout, logo animation) for digital, print, and retail
- Implementing brand guidelines, design principles, brand communication guidelines, and experience levels to guide creative work
- Working closely with marketing executives and the CEO

The goal was also to strengthen the luxury brand culture and set it apart from mass-market brands such as Bosch and Siemens. This would establish Gaggenau as a symbol of excellence, attracting talent and acting as the spearhead and margin driver of the group's portfolio. To achieve this positioning and enable international growth, a robust brand system was required.

This involved reinforcing the 300-year heritage with a new brand system, clear brand architecture, and consistent design codes to position Gaggenau as a luxury icon within the international kitchen sector. At the same time, the luxury brand culture within the B/S/H Group was strengthened, clearly distinguishing Gaggenau as the spearhead and margin driver from the mass-market brands Bosch and Siemens.

Responsibilities included co-creating the brand strategy, repositioning, identity and design.
• Lead campaigning and creative initiatives
• Developed new design basics (wordmark, colour system, type, layout and logo animation) for digital, print and retail
• Implemented brand guidelines, design principles and communication principles for creative direction
• Close collaboration with marketing executives and the CEO

Founded in 1999, the lighting company Occhio experienced stagnant growth within the niche designer lighting market, which was sold exclusively through specialist retailers. Growth was solely driven by acquiring new partners and low-margin project business.

In order to realise its full potential, the company shifted its focus to B2C sales, aiming to build awareness and relevance among end customers. The aim was to position lighting not merely as a functional design object, but as a status symbol.
The challenge was to enter a completely new segment, create a demand for 'light as a status symbol' and generate desire among end customers, thus enabling the company to develop independently of existing channels.

The company aimed to build emotional brand resonance through communication, design and experiences that would create desire and turn end customers into fans, as well as turning partners into a community. This was achieved through storytelling that translates technical USPs into emotional benefits and by positioning products as market icons, supported by global campaigns, A-list testimonials and flagship stores in prime locations.

Through this new positioning and B2C focus, Occhio achieved a +350% increase in sales within 6 years (from €30m to €120m), established itself as an international luxury brand, and created a new category in the lighting segment with flagship stores, global campaigns, and a strong community.

Axor, the Hansgrohe Group's luxury brand for taps and bathroom solutions, had failed to capitalise on its potential in the market. Its image had become uniform and lost its appeal — the original concept of individuality and avant-garde design was no longer clearly recognisable.
The challenge was to reposition the brand holistically, differentiate it within the group and the luxury segment, and develop its profile in a way that would inspire end customers, architects and partners once again.

Axor was repositioned holistically to breathe new life into the original brand concept of individuality and personalised design. The brand identity, visual system and communication strategy were refined to clearly differentiate the brand within the luxury segment. The goal was to establish Axor as a source of inspiration for end customers, architects, and partners, while also strengthening its role as a luxury brand, high-margin spearhead, and innovation driver within the Hansgrohe Group.

This repositioning sharpened Axor's differentiation within the luxury segment, breathing new life into the brand's concept of individuality and avant-garde design. It was repositioned as a source of inspiration, solidifying its role as the high-margin spearhead of the Hansgrohe Group. This contributed directly and indirectly to a cumulative sales increase of +30% to €1.4 billion.

Responsibilities included:
- Co-creating the brand strategy, repositioning, brand identity, design, and more
- Leading campaigns, creative projects, and other implementation initiatives
- Developing new design elements (wordmark, colour system, typography, layout, logo animation) for digital, print, and retail
- Implementing brand guidelines, design principles, brand communication guidelines, and experience levels to guide creative work
- Working closely with marketing executives and the CEO