Studio · Our own format

Developed and published by Universal Brands

CultAWARD.

CULT is what you cannot let go of. The CultAWARD honours personalities, works, brands and objects that accompany people over years and decades – regionally, nationally and internationally. Universal Brands invented the format, built it as a brand and brought it to market: name, trophy, identity, rules, website, gala.

To the CultAWARD websiteUnderstand the format
The CultAWARD trophy, the Monique, on a dark background (AI-generated)

The format

An award for what remains.

There are many prizes. Most of them honour the new. The CultAWARD honours the enduring: things, people and brands that have a community, a ritual, a language of their own – and that still move people after decades. It is an award and a format of remembrance at the same time.

  • Three levels: regional with Bamberg as its place of origin, national and international.
  • Four categories: personalities, works, brands, objects.
  • The Monique: the trophy, designed by Oliver Hillebrecht in 2009 – an expression of human love for things that carry meaning.
  • Free of charge: a nomination costs nothing. Partnerships are disclosed.
  • Confidentiality: nominations remain confidential until they are accepted. Nominees are approached personally.

The characteristics

Seven characteristics of cult.

Not every well-known brand is cult, and not every masterpiece becomes one. Seven characteristics form the yardstick by which juries and the public judge.

  1. 01Endurance: it has survived decades without losing significance.
  2. 02Sign: it is instantly recognisable by form, colour, sound or gesture.
  3. 03Cult community: people collect, cherish and defend it.
  4. 04Ritual and language: it has created its own habits, terms and stories.
  5. 05Wilfulness: it did not follow the zeitgeist, it shaped it.
  6. 06Mirror of its time: an era can be recognised in it.
  7. 07Echo: it lives on in successors, quotations and memories.

The procedure

The AI prepares. People decide.

The CultAWARD is also a model for hybrid work: research and candidate screening are AI-assisted and documented. Juries judge according to the seven characteristics. The public chooses the Cult of the Year. Responsibility remains with people who have names.

  1. Research

    Candidates from culture, business, sport and everyday life – screened with AI support, reviewed editorially.

  2. Nomination

    Personal approach. Nominations are confidential until the nominees agree.

  3. Jury

    Three juries with seven members each – regional, national, international – evaluate according to the seven characteristics.

  4. Public

    The public chooses the Cult of the Year from among the award winners.

  5. Gala & Remembrance

    Presentation of the Monique in Bamberg and lasting tribute in the CultAWARD’s formats of remembrance.

The journey

From idea to brand.

  1. 2009

    The idea and the Monique

    Design of the trophy and the basic idea: an award for things that people cannot let go of.

  2. 2010–2011

    The first year

    First national nominations and certificates – the origin that today enters the history of the CultAWARD as an archive.

  3. 2026

    Market entry

    Rules with three levels, four categories and seven characteristics. Identity, website, club, partner documents. 111 nominations: 50 national, 21 international, 40 for Bamberg.

  4. 2027

    First gala in Bamberg

    Presentation of the Monique, planned for December 2027. After that: an annual rhythm and growing formats of remembrance.

Ballroom with stage and red light for the CultAWARD gala (AI-generated)
Museum showcase with objects and trophy in red, blue and cream (AI-generated)

What Universal Brands delivered

A format as a reference.

The CultAWARD is the most complete example of how we work: a format developed from the first sentence to the gala from a single source.

  • 01

    Idea & Concept

    Basic idea, rules, levels, categories, characteristics, procedure.

  • 02

    Naming & Protection

    Brand name, claim, trophy name, protection strategy.

  • 03

    Identity & Design

    Logo, colour world, typography, trophy, imagery, design manual.

  • 04

    Language & Story

    Manifesto, credo, communication manual, tribute texts, website copy in German and English.

  • 05

    Website & Digital

    cultaward.com with nomination and partner areas, club, bilingual.

  • 06

    Partners & Gala

    Partner documents, sponsorship model, gala concept for Bamberg 2027.

Get involved

Nominate. Support. Be there.

Nominate

Name a cult

Do you know a personality, a work, a brand or an object that is cult? Submit your proposal on cultaward.com – free of charge.

To cultaward.com →Support

Become a partner

Companies and institutions that want to support the culture of the zeitgeist will find in the CultAWARD a stage with attitude. We are happy to talk about partnerships.

Partner conversation →Experience

Gala 2027 in Bamberg

The first presentation of the Monique is planned for December 2027 in Bamberg. Information on dates and invitations on the CultAWARD website.

Learn more →

Interlude · CultAWARD

CULT is what,
you cannot let go of.

Contact

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Enquire about format developmentAll work

Note: the visuals on this page were created with AI support based on Universal Brands’ own designs and serve as illustration. Universal Brands is responsible for texts, selection and approvals.