KIT backpack, approx. 2015, ca. 45 × 40 × 19 cm, synthetic fiber, plastic, metal. KIT Archives 28506/26.
Karlsruhe and its environs is hardly conceivable anymore without the familiar backpack imprinted with the KIT logo. It is handed out to new students each semester at reduced cost. Its genuine practicality has led to it being widely adopted and it serves as an effective ambassador for the KIT brand. Even members of KIT’s presiding board have been spotted with one on the streetcar. Like many universities, KIT operates a retail store in which the backpack is offered alongside such everyday items as T-shirts, shopping bags, writing utensils, and coffee cups. By distributing such items as gifts to visitors or for the personal use of staff employees, KIT seeks to enhance its brand visibility regionally and beyond. Such merchandise is a key component of the marketing strategy of all major companies, associations, and universities. To make a positive impact on the brand image, it is nowadays essential that such promotional material be ecologically sustainable and not dismissed as disposable. Consequently, KIT’s assortment of products focuses on durable consumer goods. as
When I began my studies at KIT in 2018, I received the anniversary edition of the backpack, which was also admired by students in higher semesters. Since then, the backpack has been an essential companion, particularly when I need to transport books to and from the library. It will remain an important keepsake, even though I will soon be completing my studies. Magdalena Pfeiffer