Flashy, innovative, functional, classy. Those four words pretty much sum up this year’s entries in our packaging design awards, as you will see on the following pages. After a hiatus of a few years following the passing of Murray Lubliner, who we used to partner with to conduct this award competition, the editors of Beverage World decided this year to revive our packaging awards. Since a few years had passed, we didn’t know how much interest starting up the contest again would generate. But as you can see from this year’s entries, package designers and the beverage marketers they work with have great pride in their work and, as might be expected, love to show it off—and be honored for it as well.

We considered a variety of aspects when judging each package, from the general attractiveness of the design, to its structure, functionality and originality. Also, since we wanted to single out those packages that excelled when it came to functionality, labeling, closure and eco-sensitivity, we decided to issue Special Jury Awards in those categories. Until next year and the 2009 awards, we hope these designs will serve to inspire.

Best in Show
Kai Vodka LLC
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Design Firm: Kai Vodka

Kai Vodka’s packaging embraces the subtle curves and look of an exotic flavor bottled. The intrigue and appeal of the Orient is captured in the presentation of the bottle. It was designed with a feminine appeal in mind, but has transcended into a more alluring feel of mysterious beauty. The word “kai” itself means many different positive things in various cultures and the entire package and product was meant to give personal definitions to those meanings. The company says Kai has evolved into a 50 ml gift package, which fulfills a Far East tradition of “Omiyage,” which simply means an “object a traveler brings home for the memories associated with it. Gifts for those who did not make the trip.” Kai bottles that experience, the company says, in its packaging, and affords you the memories of a trip not taken, but one you can’t afford to miss.

Gold Winners
Rogue 12PA 750 ml
Ceramic Bottle
Rogue Ales, Newport, Ore., USA
Design Firm: Rogue Ales
Key Supplier: Phoenix Packaging

Rogue describes this package simply as “a ceramic bottle, elegant design and a package that allows ales to be ‘cellared.’”

Pepsi Raw
PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., USA
Structural Package Design, Engineering: 4sight, Inc., New York, N.Y.; PepsiCo

Pepsi has launched a new healthful beverage option with Pepsi Raw, which is made from natural ingredients. The drink was launched in the UK initially, although a wider roll-out is expected later in the year. The company hopes the new drink, one of the most significant innovations from Pepsi UK in the past 15 years, will help it catch up with market leader Coca-Cola, and enable it to capitalize on demand for more natural products. A simple, elegant, sensual glass bottle structural design relay the cues “natural” and “health,” says 4sight.

Silver Winners
Zubrowka Vodka
Polmos Bialystok, Poland
Design Firm: Pearlfisher,
New York & London

Zubrowka’s new packaging identity is a significant departure from the original. Pearlfisher says it achieved a modern look with a unique substance and story, something that often lacks with some of the new entrants to the vodka category. The structure was created to reflect the premium vodka language of tall and sleek, with cuts appearing within the glass to reflect the Bison grass that grows wildly in Eastern Poland. The color palette was selected to give a premium, yet natural look—using greens, browns and gold—as well as giving them an ownable ‘green’ color palette. The label area was kept to a minimum, allowing the bottle structure to stand proud and give the brand a natural confidence. An illustration of the Bison captures the personality and heritage of the brand.

Bavaria Waater
Bavaria, Lieshout, The Netherlands
Design: Frank Tjepkema; Agency: KesselsKramer; Creation: Ewoudt Boonstra, Erik Kessels; Strategy: Matthijs de Jongh
Production: Jeanette Luttik, Nicole Nijsen

Bavaria has now launched its own mineral water. Its communication agency, KesselsKramer, developed the name and visual style for Bavaria’s line extension. The visual language of Waater reflects the pureness and the pure strength of the product, says the company. Waater comes in a unique bottle, designed by Frank Tjepkema. The bottle design is made up of circles, echoing ripples on water. 

Hawaiian Springs Young Natural
Artesian Water
Hawaiian Springs, LLC,
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Design Firm: Sae Design,
Wailuku, Hawaii
Key Suppliers: Pacific Allied (Preforms)

Elements of this packaging include two-sided printing of the flowers; visible water droplets on the flowers; soft teal PET bottle tint like the color of tropical water or glass and a bottle shape that is unique to the category. It is designed to reflect the natural beauty of Hawaii through the water’s label design, flower images, bottle shape and PET tinting. 

Coca-Cola Beijing Olympic Games Packaging
The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Ga., USA
Design Firms: Anthem Worldwide, Chicago

When Anthem Worldwide took on the project to help create and develop the package design for Coke’s Beijing Olympic Games special packaging, the focus was on knitting together a variety of design elements that would best create a powerful message for Coke that spoke to its partnership with the Olympic games. Images including Coke’s trademark logos and the Beijing Olympics logo were used to engage millions of consumers with the company’s packaging.

Bronze Winners
Gatorade Tiger Thirst Quencher
PepsiCo Beverages & Foods/GTG, Chicago
Structural Package Design, Engineering: 4sight, Inc., New York; PepsiCo Development: 4sight, inc., Amcor PET. (The two companies worked together to convert this package into a functional hot fillable container.)
Graphic Design: Landor Associates
The new Gatorade Tiger, launched in a revolutionary hot-fill bottle, was developed for and tested by Tiger Woods. The product and package embody his mental strength, physical powers and technical perfection and builds on Gatorade’s overall branded global equity line of packages. The challenge, say the designers, was to launch the Tiger sub-brand in a package that would accurately reflect the values, qualities, tastes and persona of Tiger Woods in a manner that would resonate with US consumers. The structural package solution is likened to a piece of exercise equipment used by Tiger and consumers as part of their training and fitness activities.

Fentimans Botanically
Brewed Natural Sodas
Fentimans North America, Danville, Calif., USA
Design Firm: McLean Design, Inc., Walnut Creek, Calif., USA
Key Supplier: NEPA Carton and Carrier Co. (Printer)

Fentimans hired McLean Design to develop a North American-specific interpretation of its steadfast brand, to be introduced on the four-pack bottle carrier. In a quirky homage to the brand’s quintessentially British character, the result is an ownable shelf set of six audacious flavors displaying a deep sense of heritage and whimsical narrative that celebrates these eccentric, handcrafted sodas.

Icelandic Glacial
Icelandic Water Holdings ehf, Reykjavik, Iceland
Design Firms: Design Bridge, London (bottle); Wayne Moran Designs (label)
Key Suppliers: Fuji Seal (labels); Resilux (bottles)

The company has redesigned its labeling to clearly communicate Carbon Neutral certification and environmental commitment, and highlight the brand’s logo in a more distinct color. Other changes: The color scheme was reversed so the Icelandic Glacial logo is illustrated in a bolder blue; The H2O insignia is now in silver and can be subtly seen by the consumer from a distance. Also, the 3D square panel bottles are structurally unique and have been designed to stand out on a shelf and minimize space requirements for retailers. The neck of the bottle is designed with four subtly different profiles, to give a fractured ice effect.

(ri)1
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Deerfield, Ill., USA
Design Firm: Doe Anderson, Louisville, Ky., USA

Heightened interest in the whiskey, and more specifically, the rye category, has led to the emergence of the sub-category of super premium rye whiskies. (ri)1, an ultra premium rye, debuted in October to meet this consumer demand. It will define the rye whiskey category through the brand and help educate the consumer. Smart, elevated and informational, (ri)1 has an unapologetic design and phonetic logo that captures the pure sentiment of that logic. The packaging also adds an element of attitude and intrigue to the brand. The bottle is sleek and modern and does not include any of the traditional packaging cues for whiskey. Everything from the shape to the color and oversized label allows for (ri)1 to stand out on the bar.
 

McCormick Vodka
McCormick Distilling Co.,
Weston, Mo., USA
Key Suppliers: Amcor PET Packaging, USA, Ann Arbor, Mich., USA

McCormick Vodka worked with Amcor PET Packaging, USA to create a
lightweight PET bottle with a built-in handle, which no one has been able to successfully create commercially until now, the companies say. The package allows for portability while also helping to reduce the product’s environmental impact during transportation compared to glass packaging.

Absolut 100
V&S Absolut Spirits, Stockholm, Sweden
Design Firm: Pearlfisher, New York & London

The brand has a look and feel that is totally different from any other Absolut Vodka. The design is powerfully sleek and uses a minimal and masculine color palette of semi-opaque black glass. The silver typography contrasted with subdued grey lettering adds to the sleek and stylish masculine feel. The design conveys strength and exclusivity and therefore ensures that there is no confusion amongst the proliferation of flavored vodkas in the market. Absolut 100 is in a league of its own, says the designer, Pearlfisher, and while it sits perfectly with the rest of the Absolut family, it also has its own daring edge.

Ardmore
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.,
Deerfield, Ill., USA
Design Firm: Reach Limited, Bristol, UK
Key Suppliers: Owens Illinois (bottle); Ribeiro (cork); Erben (capsule); Labelgraphics (labels); Chesapeake (tube); Smurfit Kappa (case)

Ardmore Traditional Cask is a peated malt whisky from the Highlands of Scotland. First matured in typical ex-bourbon barrels, the spirit receives its second maturation in hand-made quarter casks, similar to those used 200 years ago. The process allows greater contact between the maturing spirit and the oak of the cask, creating a well-rounded flavor. The packaging emphasizes these brand characteristics and helps consumers feel relaxed and connected to the spirit. The transparent bottle emphasizes Ardmore’s accessible nature and the warm tones reflect the peated flavors. The embossed Eagle and “Founded 1898” on the bottle accentuate the credentials of Ardmore—a clear and simple concept.

Eco-Friendly Bottle for Non-Carbonated Pepsi Brands
Pepsi Lipton Partnership, Purchase, N.Y., USA
Structural Package Design, Engineering: 4sight, Inc.,
New York, N.Y.; PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., USA

Pepsi Lipton Partnership launched a new 500 ml light-weight, environmentally friendly bottle design boasting a 20 percent reduction in plastic for a variety of flavored, non-carbonated brands.The new light-weight bottle also communicates the message of Pepsi’s non-carbonated brands through more refreshing quality cues. This package builds on the Lipton global equity package initiative that also has resulted in the launch of a sustainable, light-weight, non-carbonated 1 gallon size in the US featuring a first-of-its kind attached flex-grip handle. The packaging eliminated 20 million pounds of waste.

Special Jury Awards
Functionality
Running Water
Innovative Product Design, Inc., Hoboken, N.J., USA

This unique package design is the first of its kind to truly allow consumers to take a beverage with them comfortably in a sporting environment or along with them in today’s active lifestyle, says the designer.

Label
Oops
Via Wines, Santiago, Chile
Design Firm: Pearlfisher, New York & London

The identity and label design is as engaging as the story of the Carmenere grape from which Oops is produced. The use of newspaper to “sell” the story is inviting and unpretentious. Therefore, the bottle has been wrapped in one big label; one whole sheet of newspaper. “(oops)” becomes the headline and the “Lost grape of Bordeaux,” the sub-headline. Pearlfisher says it decided to be playful and witty with the name and slanted the second “O” in (oops) to reinforce the notion of mistake. The result is a more branded approach to wine and the category mold has been broken. The look is more unique and ownable and creates more impact on the shelf. As a result, says Pearlfisher, Oops was the No. 1, and then No. 2, best-selling SKU after four weeks in a major US retail chain.

Closure
Jolt Energy
Wet Planet Beverages, Rochester, N.Y., USA
Design Firm: Mason Selkowitz Marketing, Rochester, N.Y.
Key Suppliers: Rexam, Chicago; Dayton Systems Group, Chicago

Wet Planet Beverages says it delivers more innovation by launching Jolt Energy in the new 16-ounce Rexam Cap Can with Dayton Systems Group closure technology. The 16-ounce size represents nearly 60 percent of all energy drink sales. Wet Planet says it is the first company in the world to feature its energy drink in a resealable 16-ounce can package, providing wider consumer appeal.

Green Package
Aquapax Pure
Mineral Water
Just Drinking Water Ltd., Brighton, UK
Design Firm: Tetra Pak, UK & Ireland
Branding Design: Bandit Design Limited, Sussex, UK

Aquapax in Tetra Pak prisma carton is made from majority renewable and wholly recyclable paper board, sourced from genetically modified-free sustainable forest sources. Its layered construction helps keep it cooler longer without the need for constant refrigeration. The protective package also is less carbon intensive to produce, transport and pack. One truck can transport enough carton packaging material to form 1 million packages. It takes around 50 trucks to transport the same volume of pre-formed glass or plastic bottles for filling, the company says.

From Beverage World November 15, 2008