Conference

THE RHYTHM OF THE FLOW

May 22

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May 23, 2025

Hamburg, Germany

Event partner |

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Join us in the vibrant city of Hamburg for the "Rhythm of the Flow"

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As a dynamic hub of innovation and creativity, Hamburg - shaped by its maritime heritage - sets the perfect stage for inspiring discussions. Just like the ever-moving currents of the sea, ideas, trade, and culture flow through the city, mirroring the forces that drive branding and packaging in the global marketplace.

Immerse yourself in the key topics shaping the design industry today. Gain fresh insights from leading experts in audio branding, brand & narrative architecture, and image creation at the intersection of reality and virtuality. Discover how industry peers successfully lead their businesses, and connect with like-minded professionals in an inspiring atmosphere. Exchange ideas, network, and find your own rhythm in the flow of innovation!

The full conference schedule will be published soon!

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Schedule

THURSDAY, 22 MAY 2025

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WELCOME DINNER

7:30 to 11 pm

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Restaurant CLAAS
Am Lohsepark 8, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

Welcome to Hamburg! Let’s enjoy the first evening together in HafenCity with a delicious, seated three-course dinner in a modern maritime atmosphere. It only takes 15 minutes on foot to walk from the recommended hotel, PIERDREI, to Restaurant CLAAS. Check out our Google map.

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FRIDAY, 23 MAY 2025

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CONFERENCE

9 am to 6:30 pm

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Check in: YES LOCATION
Stockmeyerstrasse 43, Hall 4 Gate 17, 20457 Hamburg

The congress venue is a beautifully open old warehouse in the former freight station at Oberhafen Quartier in HafenCity. Arrive at 9 am to enjoy a morning coffee, and don’t miss our little opening surprise before we start on time at 9:30 am.

You can easily walk from the hotel to the venue in no more than 20 minutes. Be prepared for a full day, as we won’t return to the hotel before dinner. Make sure to wear casual clothes - no high heels. It will hopefully be warm and sunny, but since we’re in Hamburg, you might also need something to protect yourself from a light breeze or a rain shower when we set sail through Hamburg’s harbor in the evening. ;)

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LIGHT DINNER

7 pm to 8.15 pm

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Restaurant BERLINER BAHNHOF
Deichtorstraße 1/Halle Nord, 20095 Hamburg

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After finishing the conference, we will take the opportunity for a group photo and then walk to the restaurant, which is just a five-minute walk from the YES location.

With a light flying buffet, we create a good foundation for our nightly excursion on the water. Starting at 8:15 pm, a fleet of electric taxis will shuttle us to the boarding point of the "Hedi.

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BOAT TRIP

8.45 pm to 12 am

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Check in: HEDIS TANZKAFFEE
Sankt Pauli-Landungsbrücken, Brücke 10, 20359 Hamburg

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We'll begin boarding the HEDI at 8:45 pm. to depart promptly at 9 pm. The captain will then take us on a scenic journey through Hamburg's impressive harbour. HEDI will serve as our home to socialize, network, and party among peers and friends. Worried about becoming seasick? No problem – HEDI will dock at the pier every hour, giving you the option to disembark and find a good night's rest before we meet again for our Saturday program.

There are taxi stands close to the pier where you can find a way to get back to the hotel.

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SATURDAY, 24 MAY 2025

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VISIT TO THE GREEN BUNKER

10:45 am to 2 pm

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Meeting point: GREEN BUNKER
Feldstraße 66, 20359 Hamburg

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For our visit to Hamburg's largest high-rise bunkers, we'll meet in front of the entrance gate to greet our guide and begin our walk up the nearly 50-meter-high colossus. Don’t worry – there's also an elevator! While enjoying a 360° view of the city, we'll hear the building’s history, from its origins as a flak bunker to its transformation into the Green Bunker of today.

A traditional fish sandwich and a beer will recharge our batteries on the terrace of the rooftop restaurant, where we’ll wrap up with a final meet & greet.

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VISIT TO THE BOOKBINDERY

If you still have time and are interested in visiting the bookbindery of Soraya and Max Kühne right after the bunker tour, please let us know. Soraya will be happy to welcome us!

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Get to know our Speakers!
We will continuously update this page.

Soraya Kühne

Managing Director & Shareholder, Paperlux Studio, Germany

Soraya Kuehne is Managing Director and shareholder of Paperlux Studio, a global design company based in Hamburg, Germany. With a rich background in publishing and marketing, she leads the studio with a unique blend of creativity and strategic insight, together with her husband Max. Since 2006, Paperlux Studio has been working for both international and local clients, always keeping a stronghold on all things tangible. The studio thrives on an unconventional approach, turning challenges into opportunities by seamlessly integrating its own bookbindery with both offline and online retail experiences. At Paperlux Studio, they are committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity and excellence, crafting solutions that inspire and captivate. Soraya is passionate about connecting people and ideas. Beyond the studio, she indulges in travel, savoring culinary delights, diving into books, and staying active at the gym.

Christian Prill

epda Germany Representative, Germany, Germany, Hamburg

Christian Prill is a strategic business consultant and CEO of STRATFWD in Hamburg. Within epda he leads the local actitiies of epda in Germany. - At the upcoming conference Christian will introduce to a series of 4 short impulse talks by German designers and agency representatives: They will take you on a personal journey, sharing their unique perspectives, philosophies, and creative approaches to "German Design". This isn’t just about aesthetics and functionality - it’s about their individual approach, and the overall cultural influences that shape their work.

Jan-Erik van Dijk

Head of Marketing, AstorMüller, Schwalmtal, Germany

Jan-Erik van Dijk is a bachelor engineer for the apparel industry and a master in retail marketing management and marketing. He studied at the technical university of Amsterdam, the Tilburg University and followed several Master courses in marketing at Cranfield University (UK) and the university of Illinois (US). In his 38 years working life he has been involved in building brands, developing sound marketing strategies, and leading large omnichannel marketing & sales organisations. He is the former Head of Marketing for Europe at C&A, SVP global marketing at Esprit, Managing Director at the Otto Group (House of Brands), Global Marketing Director at Jack Wolfskin and Head of E-Commerce and digitalization at van Laack. Today he is the head of Global Marketing at AstorMueller AG, one of the leading shoe-brand Groups in Europe, with well-known brands such as Bugatti shoes, TT.BAGATT and Salamander. One of the biggest challenges established older brands are facing is to rejuvenate in an authentic way, addressing younger generations, but without losing the core DNA of the brand. Matching perfectly in the theme ‘rhythm of the Flow’ Jan-Erik will address this topic, illustrating some of his past experiences, and illustrating this with the current relaunch of the 125-year-old Salamander brand.

Thomas Polster

Business Development Brand Owner, hubergroup, Fulda, Germany

Thomas Polster, soon to be 62 years old, lives in Fulda (Hessen) and has been working at hubergroup for almost 25 years, currently as Manager Business Development Brand Owner and Global Key Account Manager. His career started in 1980 as a printer, and after further training to become a Bachelor Professional of Print, he joined hubergroup in 2000. His responsibilities include the development and cooperation with international packaging groups, the establishment and management of projects with brand owners, as well as collaborating with the design agencies of the EPDA.

Karsten Kjems

Audio branding specialist, Sonic Minds, Copenhagen, Denmark

Karsten, with over two decades of international experience as a professional jazz drummer, is a fervent advocate for audio branding. He is deeply committed to enhancing communication and customer journeys by harnessing the potential of sound and music. Despite his sensitivity to noise, Karsten utilizes this trait to champion the significance of silence and the strategic influence of sound and music in branding and product development. Karsten’s upbringing immersed him in a world of music. His father, a renowned jazz drummer, transformed their family home in Copenhagen into a hub for musicians and instruments. The basement housed a professional recording studio frequented by top artists. Following in his father’s footsteps, Karsten embarked on a career as a professional jazz drummer at the age of 23.

Brosie

Music maker and cookie baker, Hamburg, Germany

Say what you want about BROSIE — chances are, she’s already woven it into a lyric. With sharp wit and raw emotion, she dives into the messiness of growing up, relationship dynamics, and the echoes of the past. Her songs balance introspection and humor, turning life’s toughest moments into something oddly comforting. Having toured with Biig Piig, Christopher, Sir Chloe, and Lauran Hibberd, she’s been steadily growing her ever-loyal BROSIEhood. For those who feel too much and say too little, BROSIE offers a soundtrack to figuring it all out.

Natalia Acevedo Ferreira

Creative Producer, Colors and the Kids, Berlin, Germany

Natalia is a creative producer from Colombia based in Berlin. She holds a Master’s in Space Strategies from the Weißensee Berlin Academy of Art and a BA in Visual Arts from Javeriana University in Bogotá. Before joining COLORS AND THE KIDS, she worked as a producer at YUKIKO and HelloMe, driving strategic collaboration between creative teams, global brands, and cultural institutions. She contributed to a wide range of projects, including 3D motion graphics, animations, digital campaigns, global branding and announcement campaigns, editorial and research work. Natalia values working with brilliant teams and genuine people who inspire and challenge each other daily, channeling that energy into focused, sustainable outcomes.

Ronny Schmidt

Operations Director, Colors and the Kids, Berlin, Germany

Ronny Schmidt is a 3D Designer and Director living and working in Berlin, Germany. Fascinated by creating and sharing three-dimensional worlds in the late 90s he was quickly drawn into 3D modeling at a young age. After studying Multimedia Design at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle, Germany and Graphic Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn, Estonia, he specialized in crafting complex visual ideas for commercial productions. Fluently bridging the gap between early design stage and final 3D production, he enjoys collaborating with his international network of interdisciplinary artists. With a career spanning over a decade as a freelance 3D designer, Ronny collaborated with renowned studios such as Sehsucht, Zeitguised, and Onformative. In 2018, he embraced a permanent role as a 3D Director at COLORS AND THE KIDS, contributing his expertise to transformative projects for global giants like IBM, Apple, Google, Nike, Lego and many more.

Sebastian Dräger

Sales Director, Copper & Brave, Bremerhaven, Germany

Sebastian Dräger is Sales Director at Copper & Brave, a distinguished Craft Spirits manufactory based in Bremerhaven, Germany. Representing a brand that seamlessly blends craftsmanship with captivating storytelling, he brings over 25 years of expertise in branding and advertising to the world of design. Copper & Brave is known for its Story Spirits-exceptionally crafted products that stand out through cinematic brand narratives and meticulous attention to detail in packaging and storytelling. With a deep understanding of design, storytelling, and market differentiation, Sebastian shares how creative, unconventional thinking can break through even the most saturated markets. His approach is both inspiring and surprising, offering valuable insights for industry experts in packaging and beyond. Always driven by a passion for compelling brand experiences, Sebastian believes in the power of stories to shape perception, evoke emotions, and ultimately drive success.

Peter Kohl

Designer & CEO, Flaechenbrand, Hamburg, Germany

Flaechenbrand is committed to building and guiding big brands for the German and European supermarkets. Peter gained his experience at agencies like Landor, Leo Burnett and KW43 (Grey). He found the field of packaging design particularly fascinating as it provides „the most direct customer feedback imaginable: it either sells, or it doesn’t“. With over 15 years of experience in strategic brand building and packaging design, Peter is passionate about design that works for the masses - be it postage stamps that he creates as a designer for the German Ministry of Finances or award winning designs for brands like Warsteiner, granini or Ferrero which he works on together with his fellow CEO Kai Geweniger and their experienced team of designers and strategists.

Ana Čakar

Co-Owner & Design Director, Colell & Cakar Design, Germany

As a co-owner and Design Director at C&C Design, Ana spearheads the agency's creative direction and oversees the design team. Alongside her partner, Michael Colell, who founded the agency 25 years ago, she has been at the helm for the past three years. With over a decade of experience in graphic design, Ana has developed her expertise by working extensively within the agency before stepping into her current role. Her passion for branding and packaging design emerged more than 15 years ago, drawn to designs that are tangible and integral to everyday life. Despite the agency's expanding portfolio and new challenges, this remains her favorite area of focus. Ana envisions a future where she collaborates with creative minds to produce innovative and inspiring work, stating: "To create creative things with creative people."

Joana-Maria Bauchwitz

Owner & Design Strategist, baries design GmbH

After training as a prepress specialist, Joana worked as Head of Design in several agencies. Her artistic background as a freelance artist and gallery owner continues to shape her perspective on design, trends, and brand aesthetics. Driven by this passion, she founded and built baries design. Since 2009, Joana has successfully led the agency for innovative packaging design, specializing in beauty & FMCG, with a team of 12 professionals. Her expertise lies in visionary brand development, digital transformation, and sustainability.

You can find all venues on a map here.

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Most of our event venues are located in the Speicherstadt, Hamburg's harbor area. We have chosen a hotel that offers high-quality design, a charming story, and fair prices. A campsite, entertainment, and culinary delights - all under one roof. From there, you can easily reach restaurants and the conference venues in the Oberhafen on foot.

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We can also recommend hotel AMERON, just opposite PIERDREI, VILLA VIVA close to the main station or MOTEL ONE, Fleetinsel.

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PIERDREI Hotel Hafen City

Am Sandtorkai 46, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

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A HAMBURG HOTEL. A HOTEL FOR HAMBURG.

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"Have you ever felt the heartbeat of a city? It’s not that simple, because to do that, it has to have a heart. And then you have to find it. In Hamburg’s spectacular HafenCity, it even has an address: Am Sandtorkai 46. That’s diagonally opposite the world heritage Speicherstadt warehouse district and right in the middle of yesterday, today and tomorrow."

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The hotel offers more than 200 inspirational rooms and a rooftop garden, where you can enjoy a fantastic view of the HafenCity. You can also sleep in a caravan in if your inner adventurer is calling. The hotel even has its own theatre.

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Single room incl. breakfast per room and night:

SMALL - 18 qm: 195 EUR
MEDIUM - 23 qm: 225 EUR

The double room fee is 10 EUR per night, plus breakfast

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Please download the Call In Room Reservation Form here and send it by mail to reservations@pierdrei-hotel.de Mention ABK_EPDA in subject line.

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RESERVATION DEADLINE IS 10th APRIL 2025. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.

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CLAAS Restaurant

Am Lohsepark 8, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

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A restaurant by Claas-Henrik Anklamm that reflects the maritime charm and cosmopolitan atmosphere of Hamburg. The traditional cuisine of the Hanseatic city is reinterpreted here in a modern and creative way, inspired by the spirit of HafenCity.

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Dinner participation fee for a 3-course menu: EUR 75

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YES Location

Stockmeyerstrasse 43, Hall 4 Gate 17, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

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The beautifully open old warehouse in the former freight station at Oberhafen Quarter in HafenCity captivates with its popular industrial charm. A meeting place for artists and creatives has emerged here.

A bright industrial ambience meets well thought-out fixtures and creative design elements on 200 m². The event offers plenty of space and is used for business workshops, corporate dinners, product presentations, press events, conferences, photo shoots and more.

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Conference fees see BOOKING

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Hobenköök - Restaurant and Farmers' Market

Stockmeyerstraße 43, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

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Between the Speicherstadt and HafenCity lies the Oberhafen, Hamburg's creative and cultural quarter. Amidst old brick halls, creatively repurposed industrial facilities, and urban gardens, you'll find Hobenköök - a restaurant and market hall spanning 800 square meters.

"Regional has never been so delicious! You can taste our passion in creative and honest cuisine - pure, holistic and always redefined according to the seasons. In addition you´ll get great organic wines from our market hall and a location with history and character. Enjoy!"

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The restaurant is next door to the Conference venue: YES Location.

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The fee for conference catering is included in the conference fee. See BOOKING.

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Restaurant Berliner Bahnhof

Deichtorstraße 1/Halle Nord, 20095 Hamburg, Germany

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Berlin station in Hamburg was the Western terminus of the Berlin-Hamburg railway, which opened in 1846. The Berlin station was completed in 1857 and closed in 1903.

Today, the restaurant and bar Berliner Bahnhof offers exquisite drinks, fine wines, and a cosmopolitan cuisine of selected quality. The modern and spacious interiors are complemented by a large outdoor terrace, creating a timeless and sustainable art and dining experience between the Old Town, HafenCity, and Speicherstadt.

Just next to it: The Deichtorhallen - interesting museum of visual arts.

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Dinner fee see BOOKING

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Hedis Tanzkaffee

Sankt Pauli-Landungsbrücken, Brücke 10, 20359 Hamburg, Germany

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"Frau Hedis Tanzkaffee" is a barge with a bar. In fact, it is also a floating disco, a drifting concert hall, and a venue for readings. It’s fair to say that since 2003, "Frau Hedis Tanzkaffee" has been an authentic and unique part of St. Pauli.

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Participation fee for boat trip see BOOKING

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Green Bunker

Feldstraße 66, 20359 Hamburg, Germany

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From flak bunker to green bunker

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A gray concrete colossus rises from the Heiligengeistfeld zone, right in the heart of St. Pauli.

What tends to irritate tourists at first glance is now an integral part of Hamburg’s cityscape: nestled between the Millerntor Stadium and the Karoviertel quarter, the almost 50-meter-high bunker in St. Pauli has long been a landmark for Hamburg’s younger crowd. Known as the “Media Bunker,” the “Bunker on Feldstrasse,” or more recently as the “Green Bunker,” this is Hamburg’s largest - and one of its few preserved - high-rise bunkers. It represents creativity, urban culture, and involvement.

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Participation fee for visit see BOOKING

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Ticketing will open on March 1st, 2025

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EARLY-BIRD 1 March to 15 April 2025

1st representative of a member agency: 390 €
2nd representative of a member agency: 195 €

1st representative of a non-member agency: 585 €
2nd representative of a non-member agency: 290 €

Young design agency (owners below 35 years): 195 €
Students: 85 €

1st industry representative: 650 €
2nd industry representative: 325 €

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REGULAR 16 April to 21 May 2025

1st representative of a member agency: 450 €
2nd representative of a member agency: 225 €

1st representative of a non-member agency: 675 €
2nd representative of a non-member agency: 335 €

Young design agency (owners below 35 years): 225 €
Students: 85 €

1st industry representative: 750 €
2nd industry representative: 375 €

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‍THURSDAY DINNER, 22 May 2025:

3-course menu: 75 €

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FRIDAY EVENING PROGRAMME, 23 May 2025:

including light dinner and boat trip: 75 €

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SATURDAY ACTIVITY, 24 May 2025:

visit to the Green Bunker, including light lunch: 55 €

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Registering for an epda event is easy! If you click on "Register here", you will be led to our online booking service.

Once you have submitted your booking form, we receive an email to validate your registration. After approval and payment, your conference ticket will be issued immediately. You can edit, transfer or cancel your booking until 7 days prior to the event.

Note:
We are offering Early-Bird-Fees until 15th April 2025.
Hotel room are blocked until 10th April 2025. First come first serve.

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