The Gemeinnützige Hertie Stiftung is one of the largest private foundations in Germany. Its work focuses on two core themes: advancing brain research and strengthening democracy. Since the early 1970s, the foundation has supported neuroscience research in Frankfurt – including institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, the Ernst Strüngmann Institute and Goethe University Frankfurt
As part of the international Brain Awareness Week 2021, these leading research institutions joined forces with the Hertie Foundation to raise visibility and awareness for brain research. The goal was to create a digital platform that would make complex scientific content entertaining, easy to understand and accessible to a broad audience.
We designed, developed and launched the campaign website #FRANKFURT HAT HIRN. With its bold visual style, clear design language and playful use of gamification, the platform invites users to actively explore fun facts, fascinating comparisons and surprising insights into how the human brain works. Visitors navigate via clickable tiles – informative, interactive and engaging all at once.
To bring the idea to life, we combined our expertise across the full spectrum – from concept to delivery:
The city of Frankfurt also plays a central role. The platform highlights Frankfurt’s contribution to international brain research – from influential figures and key events to major scientific milestones.
The result is an interactive campaign website that communicates scientific content in a playful, engaging way, raises the profile of Frankfurt as a hub of brain research and sparks curiosity about the human mind. Combined with its social media presence, the project has created reach, attention and lasting knowledge transfer.