German Telekom
Deutsche Telekom Hackathon – international in-house event

The task was to organise and run an international corporate event, where we had to ensure a relevant, inspiring and seamless experience over two days for an extremely diverse group of participants in terms of age, nationality and job roles. IT specialists, communications professionals and colleagues from various fields worked together, so the programme had to be efficient, flexible and accessible to everyone at the same time.

The biggest challenge was that we had to cater to the participants’ needs practically around the clock, whilst creating an environment that not only supported their work but also provided a sense of community. We also wanted the Deutsche Telekom Hackathon to have a memorable, easily recognisable and endearing identity, in which every participant could find their own favourite detail.

The client opted for the ‘industrial’ event concept, for which Progressive proactively developed a comprehensive visual identity proposal.

When designing the key visual, we took Deutsche Telekom’s open, bold, youthful and innovative character as our starting point. We created a visual system capable of bringing together the mandatory branding elements, the various logos and the unique world of the hackathon under one umbrella. The client connected with the concept right from the first presentation, so the key visual became the defining foundation of the entire event.

At the event, we didn’t just apply the visual identity to static surfaces; we brought it to life: we animated the individual graphic elements and displayed them at every possible touchpoint. The industrial atmosphere was created through layered elements, strong visual structures, a custom-designed, wooden, puzzle-effect modular furniture range and striking decorative solutions.

The aim was for the event’s design not to function merely as a backdrop, but to actively shape the atmosphere of the event. The space, the furniture, the branding elements and the animated visuals together created an environment that simultaneously supported creative work, social interaction and Deutsche Telekom’s innovative brand experience.

Based on feedback from participants and the client, the Deutsche Telekom Hackathon proved to be an exceptionally successful in-house event. Feedback from guests at the venue confirmed that the setting, the programme and the visual design provided a truly inspiring backdrop for the two-day event.

The bold, striking design also had an impact on social media activity: participants shared content in large numbers on Twitter and Instagram, which further enhanced the event’s visibility and its value for internal communication.

One of the most significant outcomes was that the key visual was not confined to the original event. Deutsche Telekom’s management rated the visual identity as exceptionally high quality, and it was subsequently adopted for other similar events. It was used on several occasions in Germany, whilst its furthest-reaching international appearance was in Mexico.

The hackathon visual identity, proactively created by Progressive, thus not only made a single event more memorable but also went on to enjoy a life of its own on the international stage: it lived on, travelled the world, and became a recognisable visual element at Deutsche Telekom’s internal innovation events.