Pentawards announces 2023 top winners

Pentawards 2023 packaging design awards has revealed the top winners including the Diamond - Best of Show. 

Now in its 17th year, the 2023 competition received over 2,000 entries from more than 60 countries across continents. Out of all the entries, over 600 were shortlisted by the competition’s international jury and revealed earlier this year.  

Top winning design agencies include Backbone Branding, James Cropper, Auge Design and Estudio Maba winning over 5 awards each.  

This year’s Special Awards, which recognize remarkable achievements in packaging design by individuals and agencies, were also handed out:  

• NXT-GEN, Best Student Work - Muety by Kuwasawa Design School  
• Best Use of Colour - Istriana by Studio Tumpić/Prenc  
• People’s Choice - Honeysty by Supperstudio  
• Educator of the Year - Elisava  
• Design with Purpose - Bosai Gift by drawrope 
• Design Agency of the Year - Auge Design sponsored by Kurz 

The Diamond – Best Of Show award went to Casa Marrazzo 1934, designed by Auge Design.  

Casa Marrazzo, an Italian sauce producer, tasked Auge Design with creating a unique line of premium products in a custom jar. Drawing from the brand's heritage, the visual identity developed was the ‘Collezione Casa Marrazzo 1934’, featuring a sophisticated design with oversized, screen-printed objects on clear glass. Custom caps and a distinctive palette distinguish each product, while gold-printed labels and a screen-printed illustration enhance the shelf appeal, creating an authentic and premium packaging design.  

The Beverage Platinum award went to Lagg Whisky, designed by Stranger & Stranger. 

The bottle bears a circumferential inscription, mirroring the surroundings of Lagg Distillery—embracing the two mountain ranges and the coastal waves of the Isle of Arran. Its distinctive rounded closure pays homage to traditional tools, symbolizing the centuries-old practice of cutting the island's peat. Amidst the challenging yet rewarding work, the brand captures the grit and boldness, reflected in the exceptional profile of this island whisky. Lagg's branding completes a package that honors the whisky's origin, poised to safeguard the best results the surroundings have to offer. The Kilmory and Corriecravie editions feature delicate watercolor illustrations, subtly evoking the softer peated style of these whiskies. 

The Branding & Consumer Platinum award went to Bigface Coffee Packaging, designed by Zenpack. 

Striving to transcend coffee packaging norms, the agency ventures into uncharted territories. The outcome was a digital-age brand, born from Miami Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler's hotel room coffee venture during the 2020 NBA bubble. Bigface, their brainchild, communicates uniquely from every angle, boasting precision in design with flat, double-folded corners and luxury packaging aesthetics. Exterior labels offer a glimpse, while a QR code allows consumers to explore farm details through satellite imagery. The Silver, Black, and White Boxes house distinct roasts, each enclosed in semi-translucent bags for a visually captivating experience.