Pentawards 2021 winners announced
The winners of this year’s prestigious Pentawards were revealed during a live streamed virtual Gala Ceremony on Thursday 30 September. Top winning agencies include Supperstudio with 10 awards, Pearlfisher with 9 awards, Estudio Maba with 8 awards, Backbone Branding with 7 awards, and Mousegraphics with 5 awards.
The jury highlighted notable trends among this year’s winners, from using packaging to raise awareness around social issues such as mental health and diversity, to the prevalence of environmental responsibility and communications, and reinvigorating traditional household products through bold design.
This year’s Diamond award, the organisation's highest accolade, went to Moët Hennessy and Stranger & Stranger’s stylish and sustainable design for luxury Cuban rum, Eminente Reserva. The Platinum award winners include: wine bottles aged and crafted by the ocean by Rita Rivotti; redesigning ‘spam’ luncheon meat for Gen-Z by Xiaomi; and facilitating conversations around men’s mental health through packaging by Supple Studio. More information can be found in the ‘Notes to Editors’ section below.
This year’s Special Awards, which recognise remarkable achievements in packaging design by individuals and agencies, were also handed out:
- Best Newcomer of the Year – Intertype Studio, UK
- Design Agency of the Year – Supperstudio, Spain
- Designer of the Year – Mario di Paolo, Spazio di Paolo, Italy
- People’s Choice Award, Iliada Olive Snacks by Mousegraphics, Greece
- NXT-GEN, Best Student Work – Gosha Chubukin, HSE Art & Design School, Russia
Now in its 15th year, the 2021 competition received over 2,000 entries from more than 60 countries across five continents, with the United Kingdom, Spain, USA, Russia, Japan and China receiving the highest number of awards. Out of all the entries, over 500 were shortlisted by the competition’s international jury and revealed earlier this year.
The Italians awarded in 2021
In the 2021 edition there was a massive presence of Italians, with a total of 40 candidate projects, of which 18 entered the shortlist and 13 awarded.
Of exceptional importance is the special Designer of the Year award given to Mario di Paolo, owner of the Spazio di Paolo studio: a very important recognition for which the international jury of the Pentawards had no doubts. Mario di Paolo, in fact, is the most awarded Italian designer ever and in the last 5 years he has won 10 metals at the Pentawards, in addition to the 3 won in the 2021 edition with Velenosi Villa Angela (silver), Urciuolo Votiva (bronze ) and Dannami (Bronze).
The other awards went to Auge Design, which won two gold medals in the food category, one with Gruvi Sammontana and one with Pedon There is good in Italy (in the Sustainable design - food category) and two silvers, again food, with Bahlsen and with Vioiello La Scaramantica. The Letter 7 agency won two silvers in the food category with Colatura di Alici Armatore and Scacciaventi; Luxoro was awarded a silver for the limited edition of Pasta Felicetti. Silver also for onlab.io for the Stationary - 365 - a epic year project and finally two bronzes, one for RBA design in the Sustainable Design category for the red Saturnalia of Fattoria La Maliosa and one for Amr Mousa - Politecnico di Milano for the Nefer project presented in the Student Concepts category.
Adam Ryan, Head of Pentawards commented: “From addressing today’s social agenda to carving out sustainable packaging alternatives, this year’s Pentawards entrants embody the future of the industry. I am always blown away by the calibre of our winners, and this year is no exception, particularly inspiring given the challenges we have all faced over the past couple of years. The Pentawards pipeline continues to prove the unquestionable power of design and set the barometer for the next generation of creative thinkers.”
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.
This year’s winners will also be featured alongside next year’s winners in The Package Design Book 7 by Taschen, which will be released in 2022. The 2022 competition will open with Super Early Bird rates on 21 February 2021.
The full line-up of the 2021 winners can be seen here in the Winner’s Gallery.
01/10/2021
