International PR Support for Belgium’s Designer of the Year

Cruso OTAP benches Julien Renault

Each year, the Designer of the Year award by Knack Weekend / Le Vif Weekend recognises a Belgian designer whose work demonstrates a strong contribution to contemporary design. The award provides an important moment of visibility within Belgium’s design community and creates an opportunity to introduce the designer’s practice to a wider international audience.

As part of this partnership, COVERED supports the selected designer with a six-month communication and PR campaign designed to extend the impact of the award beyond the initial announcement.

The Challenge

Winning a major design award creates immediate attention, but maintaining visibility afterwards requires a clear communication strategy.

For designers, the challenge is often not a lack of recognition, but the ability to translate that recognition into long-term opportunities: international press coverage, collaborations, exhibitions and stronger positioning within the design sector.

COVERED helps transform the award from a single moment of recognition into a structured communication opportunity.

Objectives

• Strengthen the designer’s positioning within the Belgian and international design landscape;

• Develop a clear communication narrative around the designer’s practice;

• Generate relevant editorial visibility across design, architecture and lifestyle media;

• Support new opportunities such as partnerships, exhibitions and collaborations;

• Ensure that the award contributes to the designer’s long-term professional growth.

Strategy

1. Studio visit and research

We begin with a studio visit to get to know the designer and understand their practice, references, and goals. This conversation helps us identify the core messages and opportunities that will maximize their visibility in the right contexts.To establish credibility and coherence, we focused on three strategic pillars:

2. Communication planning

Based on the designer’s calendar and ambitions, we build a communication plan that outlines key moments during the six-month period. This includes recommendations around product or exhibition launches, partnerships, or other moments that may benefit from public attention.

We advise on the timing of releases, formats for content, and relevant collaborators, such as photographers or stylists. We also act as a sounding board for the designer as they navigate new opportunities and requests.

3. Press and editorial support

We write and distribute a press release to announce the Designer of the Year title. In the following months, we support the designer with additional press materials as needed. This may include writing press releases about new projects, collaborations or exhibitions.

We prepare press kits that include biography, imagery, and contextual information. Our goal is to ensure that journalists, curators, and other stakeholders receive clear and well-edited materials that reflect the designer’s identity.

4. Support with partnerships and introductions

We support the designer in identifying or formalising partnerships with institutions, brands, galleries, or media. When relevant, we introduce the designer to potential collaborators and advise on communication related to these partnerships. 

5. International press outreach

We conduct targeted outreach to international press contacts in design, lifestyle, architecture, and cultural media. We focus on in-depth editorial coverage that positions the designer within a broader context, rather than short or repetitive mentions.

OTAP collection by Julien Renault, Designer of the Year 2023, featured in Leibal

OTAP collection and Hay collaboration by Julien Renault, Designer of the Year 2023, featured in Design Milk and L’Eventail

What Design Brands and Designers Can Learn From This Project

• Awards create opportunities, but strategy determines their impact: Recognition becomes more valuable when supported by a communication plan that continues beyond the announcement.

• Strong design communication starts with understanding the practice: Journalists respond better to clear perspectives on process, research and intention than to award titles alone.

• Editorial visibility requires relevant narratives: International media coverage is built by connecting a designer’s work to broader conversations within design and architecture.

• Consistency strengthens professional positioning: A series of well-timed communication moments creates a stronger profile than isolated announcements.