Challenges
Vaillant, a German heating brand founded in 1874 by John Vaillant in Remscheid, Germany, has over 140 years of history. As a leading European manufacturer of heating, hot water, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and the largest producer of domestic gas boilers, Vaillant sought a transformative brand identity through this project.
Kurz Kurz Design was tasked with defining a highly recognizable product feature, maximizing market differentiation, and ensuring scalability across product lines.

Research and Insights
During initial manager interviews, we learned that product quality and superior customer service are Vaillant’s core strategic strengths and points of pride. The leadership emphasized the importance of externalizing these values through design.
Customer satisfaction surveys confirmed Vaillant’s market leadership, with its products and services widely recognized for their excellence.
Our goal was to make this satisfaction visually tangible for users.

Solution
After analyzing the product’s structure and functionality, we focused on differentiating the front panel design. By integrating a functional handle area for the panel’s opening and closing mechanism, we created a distinctive "smile curve" shape, forming the iconic "Vaillant Smile" brand image. Paired with a classic matte metal chassis, this design achieved an approachable and gentle aesthetic, enhancing the coherence of the heater series.

Results and Impact
Kurz Kurz Design earned an IF Design Award in 2002 for the Vaillant gas water heater, establishing a timeless and highly recognizable identity for the product line.
