Top prizes go to alcoholic beverage packs

Alcoholic beverage packs scoop 10 top awards – plus one is named overall Starpack Champion at UK industry awards.

From the 11 product categories included in the 2010 Starpack Awards the judges awarded 11 Gold stars, 17 Silver, 10 Bronze and one commended. Ten of these awards went to alcoholic drinks including the top accolade 'Starpack Champion'

This year, as Starpack celebrates over 50 years of recognising packaging excellence, the competition included a new category specifically for Alcoholic Beverages, sponsored by The Drinks Report. A Gold star and two Silver stars were awarded in this category and it was Scotch whisky packaging that starred by winning all the prizes in the Decoration and Luxury, Promotional & Giftware categories, which are open to all types of product.

The winning alcoholic beverage packs are featured below:

SAB Miller's beer can is Starpack Champion
SAB Miller's Event Can with full aperture Superend manufactured by Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East won Gold in the Alcoholic Beverages category and beat all over Gold winners in all categories to take the top accolade as Starpack Champion.

The can, developed exclusively for SAB Miller, was introduced in time for the FIFA World Cup. It was devised to reduce queues at bars around the event, with a quicker serving time, without compromising on the drinking experience.

The full aperture end suitable for pressurized beverages represents a hugh technical achievement. It allows the entire lid to be removed, turning the can into a drinking cup so removing the need for glassware and draught installations.


 

Alcoholic Beverages - Silver
Caoruun Gin bottle manufactured by Allied Glass Containers is, the judges said, "a Superb design reflecting the Celtic heritage of the product. Innovative and well thought out".

The bottle impressively reflects the super premium nature of Caoruun, combining intricate design with complex production techniques to produce a superb example of innovative glass packaging which is reliable down the filling line.

Alcoholic Beverages - Silver
Le Froglet Tulip by Wine Innovators is, the judges said, "Perfect for picnics and outdoor events. It has a clean drinking edge and is reusable". The M&S Le Froglet Tulip is a high quality PET 187ml wine goblet prefilled with either red, white or rosé wine. The wine is then sealed behind a layer of inert nitrogen to maintain quality and give a shelf life of over one year. This is then covered with a peel-off, foil top lid. The container is shatterproof and 'nearly' unbreakable.

Luxury, Promotional & Giftware - Gold
Ballantine’s Finest blended Scotch whisky self-illuminating bottle, created by London-based packaging agency The Core, reflects a graphic equaliser. The dark blue electostatically coated bottle on a moulded plastic base appears to react to the tonal quality of audio passing through it by lighting up intermittently.
It is powered by batteries or mains. The ‘Listen to Your Beat’ initiative, was be rolled out across bars and nightclubs in 35 key markets in 2009.

“A terrific and innovative idea that will bring the brand to life on the back shelf of a bar and on the night club table,” said the judges.

Decoration - Silver (Also Silver winner in the Luxury, Promotional & Giftware category)

Ballantine's Limited presentation box by Differenti-8 uses a combination of wood, leatherette and high quality textured cartonboard and features an enamel crest. And the blue smoked glass bottle is printed with real gold.

"The box makes good use of all elements of packaging - an elegant pack designed to protect and enhance at the same time," said the judges.

Decoration - Bronze
Glenfiddich 21 and 30 year old celebration packs by McLaren Packaging use the latest in shaped composite tube technology, design and print finishing.

"A superbly decorated pack making good use of foils and varnishes - stunningly decorated to enhance brand values," said the judges

1 September 2010 - Felicity Murray