Blending Heritage, Meaning, and Radical Creativity -
A Look Back at FLUID’s 6th Creative Confluence
On Wednesday, November 12, 2025 our Munich office once again turned into a buzzing hub of creators, designers, and innovators as we hosted the 6th edition of our FLUID Creative Confluence series. This time, we were thrilled to welcome a very special guest: Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design, who shared an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the creative journey of MINI × Deus Ex Machina.
Before diving into MINI’s design world, the evening opened with a talk from our very own Ralph Bremenkamp, Director Innovation Strategy & Industrial Design, setting the stage by exploring a topic at the core of contemporary design practice: the evolving relationship between brand and design - and why it matters now more than ever.
Setting the Scene: Brand as Relationship
Ralph kicked off the evening with reflections that resonated throughout the entire event. Drawing from a recent conversation with Holger, he unpacked why “brand” has become such a dominant force in design and innovation.
In a landscape overflowing with choice, differentiation isn’t driven by features alone - it’s shaped by meaning, perception, and emotional resonance. As Ralph put it, brand isn’t a logo or a tone of voice; it’s a relationship. A living connection between what a company represents and what people experience.
Design builds the interface. Brand builds the trust. And when both speak the same language, coherence emerges: that effortless feeling of “this just feels right.”
A Deep Dive into MINI × Deus Ex Machina
With this foundation laid, Holger Hampf took us on a captivating journey through MINI’s collaboration with Deus Ex Machina - a partnership rooted in creative spirit, craft, and cultural authenticity.
Holger shared how the MINI design team balances the brand’s iconic heritage with bold experimentation. By blending emotional storytelling, expressive form language, and a playful sense of mobility, MINI continues to redefine what the future of driving can feel like: not just intelligent, but human, joyful, and characterful.
From design philosophy to cultural references, from process insights to craft details, Holger’s talk sparked curious questions and lively discussions across the room. It became clear how deeply design decisions are anchored in meaning - and how heritage can fuel innovation rather than limit it.
A Night of Exchange, Energy, and Shared Passion
As with all Creative Confluence events, the atmosphere was electric.
Designers, thinkers, industry experts, and enthusiasts filled the space, connecting over shared ideas and challenging perspectives. Conversations flowed from brand semantics to mobility culture to the future of expressive design.
What made the evening truly special was the diversity in viewpoints - and the sense that design, at its best, is a collaborative discipline that thrives on collective curiosity.
Key Takeaways
The 6th Creative Confluence reminded us of a few powerful truths:
- Brand and design are inseparable - and strongest when they reinforce one another.
- Meaningful design emerges from clarity of purpose, not aesthetics alone.
- Heritage is not just an anchor, but a foundation for innovation.
- Creativity grows when disciplines intersect - and when people come together to explore, question, and co-create.
Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to Holger Hampf for the inspiring insights, and to everyone who joined us for an evening of openness, creativity, and conversation.
Your energy is what makes Creative Confluence such a vibrant platform.
We’re already looking forward to the next edition - where design, culture, and innovation meet once again.
DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR OUR NEXT CREATIVE CONFLUENCE
