The association was founded with the aim of promoting, awarding and strengthening the public awareness of the high design quality of the poster medium.

In the spirit of the European ideal, the contest was expanded to all German-language posters, thus integrating artists from Austria and Switzerland.

Poster designers, artists, students and printers are invited to submit the best works of the past year.

An annually changing jury of graphic designers selects the 100 best from the submitted posters, which are subsequently awarded and exhibited.

The award-winning posters are presented to the public in Berlin (Kulturforum am Potsdamer Platz), Essen, Nuremberg, Lucerne, Zürich and the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna as well as other changing locations in multi-week exhibitions.