Winners of the prestigious packaging design awards revealed at Pentawards Gala Ceremony held at Magazine London
● Auge Design (Italy) wins Agency of the Year, Diamond for Casa Marrazzo 1934 and Platinum in the food category for the Pick Up!’s global relaunch
● Pentawards partnered with Pantone for the 2024 Special Award: Best Use of Colour
● Istriana by STUDIO TUMPIĆ/PRENC wins first ever Gold for The Best of Use of Colour Award by Pantone
● Lagg Whiskey by Stranger & Stranger (UK) is awarded Platinum in the Beverages category
● ELISAVA (Spain) takes home Special Award for Educator of the Year award
The winners of this year’s prestigious Pentawards were revealed during a live Gala Ceremony at Magazine London on Friday November 10. Top winning agencies include Backbone Branding, Armenia with nine awards, Auge Design, Italy with six awards including Agency of the Year and James Cropper Luxury Packaging, UK also with six awards.
This year also saw the renowned awards body collaborate with Pantone LLC for the first time to create a Special Award celebrating best use of colour. The partnership comes after Pantone’s feature in the Pentawards’ inaugural Trends Report launched in 2021, where Laurie Pressman, Vice-President of the Pantone Colour Institute at Pantone LLC shared her thoughts on the trend ‘Colour As A Key Visual’.
The Best Use of Colour Gold Award Gold winner Studio Tumpić/Prenc was selected from a shortlist of over 25 entries that had used colour in an innovative way, that were disruptive in their respective markets and that were purposeful with their packaging design and colour choice. Other winners in the new coveted award are BYCOLOR Dental Beauty by Aekyung Industry and Doritos Rainbow Limited Edition 2022 by PepsiCo both of which took home Silver, and Mozzo Coffee by B&B Studio and BY FAR: The Daydream Fragrance Collection by Vincent Villeger who were awarded Bronze.
This year, the jury highlighted several notable trends among the Pentawards 2023 winners, including statement packaging which uses bold visual messaging to encourage better recycling practices, playing with paper to create more interactive and eco-friendly unboxing experiences, and packaging design elements to spark purpose and positive actions.
This year’s Diamond award, the organisation's highest accolade, went to Auge Design for Casa Marrazzo 1934. Capturing the brand's nostalgic essence, the agency used a sophisticated, warm, naive style to illustrate home objects on clear glass jars. Custom caps and an elegant palette distinguish each product, with vibrant gold-printed labels for shelf appeal. Unique screen-printed illustrations on the jars add authenticity and emotion, elevating the design to a premium level.
Davide Mosconi, Partner & Executive Creative Director at Auge Design, on winning the Diamond award has said: “We are ecstatic for our second Diamond award in five years. As the first design agency to achieve this remarkable feat, I have to applaud our exceptional team's talent and dedication, as well as our clients' trust.”
This year’s Special Awards, which recognise remarkable achievements in packaging design by individuals and agencies, were also handed out:
● Design Agency of the Year – Auge Design (Italy)
● Design with Purpose Award - BOSAI GIFT by drawrope (Japan)
● Educator of the Year – ELISAVA (Spain)
● NXT-GEN, Best Student Work – Muety, Yun Zhu (Kuwasawa Design School) Japan
Now in its 17th year, the 2023 competition received over 2,000 entries from more than 70 countries across five continents, with China, the United Kingdom, Spain, USA, Japan and Italy receiving the highest number of awards. Out of all the entries, over 600 were shortlisted by the competition’s international jury and revealed earlier this year.
Adam Ryan, Head of Pentawards commented: “It’s been a hugely exciting year for Pentawards, not only due to the calibre of entries, but also with the announcement of our partnership with Pantone and the introduction of a new category which allows us to celebrate arguably one of the most visually arresting aspects of packaging design - colour. With noticeable trends also emerging and a continuing focus on designing with interaction, purpose and action in mind, it's such an exciting time for packaging design and it’s an honour to celebrate it each year.”
Founded in 2007, Pentawards is committed to recognising excellence in design, providing a source of inspiration and connecting the global packaging community through its competition and events.
More information on the top winners this year:
DIAMOND - BEST OF SHOW
CASA MARRAZZO 1934, Auge Design, Italy
Capturing the brand's nostalgic essence, the agency used a sophisticated, warm, naive style to illustrate home objects on clear glass jars. Custom caps and an elegant palette distinguish each product, with vibrant gold-printed labels for shelf appeal. Unique screen-printed illustrations on the jars add authenticity and emotion, elevating the design to a premium level.
David Gadd, Design Director, Mars Food:
“What we loved about this entry was how it blended the structural design of a new shape with some beautiful and bold images and graphics that we haven't seen before. It brought many different elements together to create something which is just stunning and a beautiful object of design.”
PLATINUM BEVERAGES
Lagg Whisky, Stranger & Stranger, UK,
The bottle, inspired by LAGG Distillery's surroundings on the Isle of Arran, features a circumferential line representing the mountain ranges and coastal waves. The rounded closure pays homage to traditional peat-cutting tools, connecting to the island's peaty profile. LAGG's bold branding complements the pack, reflecting the whisky's provenance.
Jo Smith, Design & Visual Identity Leader, Diageo:
“It was a very difficult decision I have to say, there were a lot of good entries in there. We chose it because it was disruptive to the category. It paid homage to provenance but, not in a cliché way, and it also brought to life the liquid profile through the graphics.”
PLATINUM FOOD
PICK UP GLOBAL RELAUNCH, Auge Design, Italy
The Italian agency brightened Pick Up!'s standard yellow for a youthful look, allowing its personality to shine without overshadowing the family line. The modernised logo, inspired by the 90s but fresh for today, cements Pick Up! as a vibrant standout in the market.
PLATINUM BODY, HEALTH & BEAUTY
BY FAR: THE DAYDREAM FRAGRANCE COLLECTION, Vincent Villeger, UK
BY FAR is a multifunctional fashion accessory—a customizable, portable bag charm. This modular design offers 168 combinations, enabling self-expression, and promoting novelty. The refillable aspect enhances sustainability, interactivity, and ease of recycling while supporting smaller capacities, aligning with brand values and propelling its reach beyond conventional limits.
Chloé Templeman, Executive Creative Director, big fish:
“The reason the winner came through was that it was super functional as well as beautiful, and had real purpose behind it. It wasn't just for the sake of it, every detail on it was very functional.”
PLATINUM HOME, LEISURE & OTHER MARKETS
Mi Earphones Explore, Xiaomi, China
This moulded natural fibre solution tackles intricate minimalist product packaging. The headset's complex curves posed a challenge—requiring material efficiency, protection, and highlighting tech-art fusion. Leveraging pulp moulding's plasticity, the packaging's form mimics the product's, encasing it like a tailored coat, preserving function and aesthetics.
Clem Halpin, Design Lead, Taxi Studio:
“It was just so beautifully minimal, of course, we have seen so many minimal packs today in any number of categories but this particular winner within that particular category really stood out. It was like a beacon of simplicity and beautiful forms, it was a really easy decision for us.”
PLATINUM BRAND IDENTITY & CONNECTED PACKAGING
BIGFACE Coffee Packaging, Zenpack, USA
Crafted for all-around appeal, the design exudes luxury with flawless edges, filled negative space, and minimalistic labels. A QR code reveals farm data, whilst precision-made corners and custom moulds ensure durability. and landscape-oriented bags with tear-tops outperform competitors.
Precision-made corners and custom moulds ensure durability. Silver, Black, and White Boxes house distinct roasts, each with a unique charm.
Anita Kuit, Branding & Packaging EMEA | Global Product Creation, The Walt Disney Company:
“It was simply a product where it is very easy to go in a different design direction and stay in a more conventional way but this winner has literally broken all of the rules when it comes to that. They have really done something very different, it was outer packaging, it was inner packaging, complete packaging, it really puts a smile on your face. That emotional connection is again something that is very difficult to do but they have successfully done that.”
PLATINUM SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, sponsored by UPM Raflatac
ECOALF, Lavernia & Cienfuegos, Spain
A sustainable fashion brand that uses fabrics made from plastic waste dumped in the sea, the packaging of both the aluminium containers and the products is made with eco-friendly materials, whilst the graphics work as a communication element to explain each piece and bring the final customer closer to an intelligent consumption.
Jenny Greenwood, Innovation & Sustainability Manager, Butterfly Cannon:
“I would say the platinum winner from the sustainability perspective is all about reusability, rethinking some of the formulas of the packaging, how it feels in your hand and you want to engage with it. It's been thought of from all perspectives, every material and component is thought of and it's just beautiful how it's been packaged together, so top quality job across everything. It was a hands-down winner.”
PLATINUM PROFESSIONAL CONCEPTS
Cute Cure Healing Kit, CUTE CURE, Lithuania
CUTE CURE aims to support kids undergoing long-term medical care by providing a story-based solution. The innovative packaging system includes 12 animal-themed covers for various medications, offering emotional comfort and motivation. The reusable design promotes sustainability, serving multiple purposes such as drug storage, paper toys, and room decoration. Each pack features a colouring space for art therapy, transforming Cute Cure characters into healing heroes.
NXT GEN (Best Student Work)
Muety, Yun Zhu (Kuwasawa Design School) Japan.
The bottle design draws inspiration from mushrooms, symbolising diversity and vitality. Its white gradient colour imparts a clean and transparent aesthetic, enhancing the overall visual appeal.
SPECIAL AWARDS
- Design Agency of the Year – Ague Design, Italy
- Design with Purpose Award - BOSAI GIFT by drawrope, Japan
- Educator of the Year – ELISAVA, Spain
- NXT-GEN, Best Student Work – Muety, Yun Zhu (Kuwasawa Design School), Japan
- Best Use of Colour, in partnership with PANTONE - Istriana, Studio Tumpić/Prenc, Croatia (Gold)
- Best Use of Colour, in partnership with PANTONE - BYCOLOR Dental Beauty by Aekyung Industry and Doritos Rainbow Limited Edition 2022 by PepsiCo (Silver)
- Best Use of Colour, in partnership with PANTONE - Mozzo Coffee by B&B Studio and BY FAR: The Daydream Fragrance Collection by Vincent Villeger (Bronze)