The enduring legacy of the Braun brand

My first experience with Braun was when I saw my father’s electric shaver as a child. I was fascinated by its simple yet striking design. (Little did I know back then that it was this kind of fascination that would lead me to study industrial design and manage brands one day.) I soon realized Braun's collection also included alarm clocks and coffee makers. Decades later, I discovered the brand had once been into audio. What stood out to me about this German company was its consistent focus on a single brand feature across all its products: design excellence.

Braun products are still available today, but I think they no longer hold the unique appeal they once did. The brand used to stand out in even less exciting categories like kitchen appliances and grooming products, but now it seems like the magic has vanished almost entirely.

What has happened to this once iconic brand?

From commodity items to design icons

Let’s first go back more than a century. In 1921, Max Braun founded the same-named company, initially focused on manufacturing radio sets. Over the years, Braun expanded its product line to include a wide range of household appliances, grooming products, and audio equipment.

So far so good.

Under the leadership of the renowned industrial designer Dieter Rams — and now things get exciting — Braun started to truly distinguish itself in the realm of design. Rams joined Braun in 1955 as an architect and interior designer, later transitioning to the role of Chief Design Officer. His design philosophy, characterized by simplicity, minimalism, and functionality, became synonymous with the Braun brand.

“Good design is as little as possible. Less, but better, because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.” — Dieter Rams

Rams' influence at Braun led to the creation of iconic products that have stood the test of time. His "Ten Principles for Good Design" became foundational in shaping the company's design ethos and formed the core of the Braun brand.

And that showed in the products. My favorites: the already mentioned Sixtant 6006 razor, the ET66 calculator, and — of course — the legendary Braun SK4 phonograph, nicknamed "Snow White's Coffin".

As a brand manager, I must also mention that Braun's communications, especially in print form at that time, adhered to the same design principles. This full-width consistency only brands like Dyson, Leica, and Apple master today.

Losing itself while paving the way for others

As Rams solidified his design philosophy in both theory and practice, other companies, or at least their designers, began drawing inspiration from his iconic creations. Today, we can observe product features like clean lines, geometric shapes, and a focus on usability mirrored in many other brands, with Apple being a prime example. A good thing for the world, I would say, but although those inspired brands weren’t necessarily direct competitors, the overall uniqueness of Braun’s design got some first dents.

But then it got worse.

In 1995, Dieter Rams departed from Braun. After decades of dedicated service, one might assume that his clear vision for the brand would have been deeply embedded in the organization and its operations - a transition scenario any successor would dream of.

But things came differently. In my view — and that’s the brand one — it’s somewhere around this time that Braun has started to lose it; it failed to maintain its distinctive design signature, the brand feature they once mastered in perfection. As a matter of fact, even the brand itself seems to be aware of this; in its current communications, Braun keeps reminding us of its rich design heritage and desperately tries to create links to current products.

For a while, I must confess that this heritage has been enough for me to prefer Braun products over others. Besides, some artefacts still remind us customers of the good old days. But when we’re honest to ourselves, leftovers of this era are limited to the minimalistic Braun font, some graphical patterns, and of course that remarkable logo that once suited the brand so well.

The current iteration of the brand can only leave me disappointed. The company seems unable to reach the bar it once set. A love factor has been lost in the Braun brand and, ironically, the very same one has probably delivered a considerable contribution to the success of the world’s most valuable brand, Apple.

"Rams had, more or less, created the Apple playbook." — The Washington Post

Loss of genius, focus, and ownership

Now, what has happened?

As mentioned, the decline started after Dieter Rams left, so that event might be the obvious answer. After all, it was his genius that was largely responsible for the brand's initial growth. His solid design philosophy has been pushed into every product carrying the Braun name and has made it to be the number one differentiator from any competitor in the category. Sure, some new appliances and personal care devices still bear Braun’s design characteristics, but they often lack the integrated approach that adheres to all 10 of Rams' design principles.

But that can’t be the only reason. People — even Rams — are replaceable and other strong design leadership could have stayed true to Rams’ established vision.

A brief online search led me to discussions where people mention that, in an increasingly crowded market, Braun has encountered stiff competition from both established players and new entrants. This has made it challenging for the brand to distinguish itself based solely on design. While design remains an important aspect of product development, technological innovation has become a primary focus for many consumer electronics brands and that might have made Braun nervous. The company may have succumbed to pressures and widened its focus to incorporate the latest technologies into its products, potentially at the expense of its design legacy. A brand management classic: the pursuit of becoming more can sometimes blur the image.

Thirdly, changes in ownership and corporate priorities may have also played a role in diluting Braun's design identity. In the late 1970s, Gillette acquired a major stake in Braun, but it wasn't until 2005, when Procter & Gamble acquired Gillette, that significant shifts occurred within Braun. As part of a multinational consumer goods corporation that owns 80 other brands, Procter & Gamble likely had its own vision and strategic direction, which may have influenced Braun's design direction. This shifting landscape may have resulted in inconsistencies in design execution and a departure from the iconic simplicity associated with Braun initially. Maintaining design consistency is crucial for preserving a brand's identity, but this can be challenging in a fast-paced environment with frequent product launches across various categories.

Milking the brand value

Today, no centralized Brand Management seems to take place for Braun as Procter & Gamble only controls the Braun brand in terms of toothbrushes and grooming products; home appliances under the Braun name are developed under license by DeLonghi, whereas the Braun healthcare line-up is owned by Helen of Troy.

Fortunately, other companies have not only recognized the enduring impact of the Braun name but are also committed to honor Dieter Rams' vision. For example, Zeon Ltd. has revived Braun's iconic clocks and watches, and I am glad to see the latest addition to the 'heritage family': Braun Audio, brought back to life by a British audio company.

Enduring influence on brands

Regardless of past events, Braun retains its esteemed reputation in the world of design, and its legacy continues to inspire designers and brands alike. While the brand may have experienced shifts in its design signature for its own products, its contributions to the field of industrial design remain indelible. With its emphasis on simplicity and aesthetic appeal, Braun has played a significant role in shaping some of today's most prominent brands.

Maybe the original brand has simply been ahead of its time, paving the way for future brands we adore today — when a used Braun SK4 is traded for up to 5k.