Creativity wherever you look: Award ceremony of the 16. Pro Carton/ECMA Award

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Please click on the category for more details and pictures on the winners, case stories and the jury's comments.

The award winners of the different categories were the morning highlight of the first day of the congress, followed in the evening with the presentation of the three Special Awards against the magnificent backdrop of the new Copenhagen Opera. All prizes were presented by Roland Rex, President Pro Carton, and Dr. Andreas Blaschke, President ECMA.

Carton of the Year was awarded to a packaging by Van Genechten, the most successful award winner in the history of the Pro Carton/ECMA Awards, who for the first time won the Carton of the Year award. Brand owner Champagne Taittinger had opted for the 3D bubble effect as it was brand new. The result conveys fruitiness, “delicatesse” and the bubbling charm of the Rosé Champagne in a most elegant manner. A true eye-catcher on the shelf, the pearly bubbles provide that “First Moment of Truth” (FMOT) and support the aura of the champagne. The jury was enthusiastic: “The amazing quality and the tremendous impact at the Point of Sale were the main reasons for deciding to make this carton the Carton of the Year. The “bubbles“ are printed as if they were really convex. It is only when touching them that you notice that they are absolutely flat in reality.”

The most innovative carton solution came from Italian carton manufacturer Boxmarche. The intention: to create a carton for heating small snacks on an aircraft. The trick: prior to heating, the two specially designed areas on the sides are pressed inwards using the thumbs to avoid overpressure
in the oven. After heating, only the centre strip needs to be torn open which divides the box into two halves. This allows one to eat a hot sandwich without burning or soiling.

The award for sustainability was an absolute premiere. Award winner Rewe International was the first retailer to enter the competition: with Green Packaging for “Ja! Natürlich”. Martina Hörmer, managing director trade brands, was presented with the Pro Carton/ECMA Award. The packaging differed completely from that of the competitors, not only in design but especially in terms of the material used. “Ja! Natürlich” is clearly committed to the raw material wood fibre. By 2015 up to 70 tonnes of plastics will have been saved for fruits and vegetables – blueberry packaging alone saved 3 tonnes in 2011.

By being open to entries from all partners in the supply chain, the Pro Carton/ECMA Award set important new standards. Three entries from this expanded circle of entries reached the finals at their first attempt, with one of them ending up as a major award winner. Overall, the ideas presented this year were extremely multi-faceted: the innovations spanned printing, carton structure, sustainability and convenience.

PS We had invited all to name their personal favourite of all finalists before the Award celebration: here are the winners, who had been drawn from all entries: Natan Guitart (Panapel), Waltraud Weiss (Mars) and Arnold Steinbrecher (Steinbrecher Marketing-Sales-ECR). They will each receive the “Carton of the Year” – with contents. Cheers!

We already look forward to the entries for the coming year: as always, invitations for entry will be available at the end of February 2013 on the website www.procarton.com, the final date for entry will be early June 2013. The Pro Carton/ECMA Awards will be presented at the ECMA Congress from 18.–20. September 2013 in Dubrovnik.

Winners

CARTON OF THE YEAR
Taittinger Rose Lens
Sparkling packaging

MOST INNOVATIVE DESIGN
Termo Astuccio “Frusta Sorrentina”:
Hot, hot, hot

SUSTAINABILITY
Green Packaging bei Ja! Natürlich:
It had to be cartonboard

BEAUTY & COSMETICS
Beiersdorf mini essentials:
Small gift, big results

BEVERAGES
Coeur de cognac:

At the core of packaging

CONFECTIONERY
tic tac Fan-Rassel:

The sound of packaging

PHARMACEUTICALS
Ampullenverpackung:

Where less is more

SHELF READY & DISPLAY PACKAGING
Ben & Jerry’s ‘Wich:
The well-organised deep freezer

ALL OTHER FOOD
Cupholder Müsli & Yoghurt:

Handy and fresh

ALL OTHER NON FOOD
Folding box with measuring device:
Sustainability in high doses

VOLUME MARKET CARTONS
Bacofoil Classic 30 cm:

Cartonboard in perfections

Extensive information with case studies of the winners and print-ready photos are available at http://www.procartonecmaaward.com.
Printed brochures in English are available from Pro Carton via Suzanne E. McEwen, mcewen@procarton.com.
Invitation for entries for the new Pro Carton/ECMA Award 2013 will commence February 2013, final date for entries will be early June 2013.