Hasta La Ideas

We all know how important first impressions are. When it comes to the products we choose to incorporate into our lives, the packaging provides the first clue about its precious contents, whether its a bedecked box or a clever reveal. Thus, the honorees in the Packaging category of the 2014 Core77 Design Awards are designs that not only invite the user to open and experience them but also to keep and reuse them. Read on to see which entrants the jury team—led by Isabelle Dahlborg Lidström, Creative Director and Managing Partner of NINE AB—chose as the honorees:

Student Winner: Fortune Pill, by Jeongdae Kim

Taking a daily dosage of medication typically isn’t the highlight of one’s day. University of the Arts Bremen student Jeongdae Kim designed a whimsical pill packaging that might change your mind. Every time you pull open a different pill package, you’ll be greeted by a daily fortune. “We loved this concept, so much insight and care,” says the jury. One jury member commented “My father would smile everyday and look forward to eating his pills.”

» Learn more about Fortune Pill

Professional Runner Up: Budweiser Bowtie Can with Crown Tab, by Metaphase Design Group, Inc., Anheuser-Busch InBev and DCA

It’s safe to say that the beer can hasn’t changed much in terms of shape—you can always count on the classic can and the traditional tallboy. Metaphase Design Group, Inc., Anheuser-Busch InBev and DCA took a stab at innovating the can’s form and came back with a Budweiser pop-top that does more than just look good. Their bowtie-shaped can mirrors the logo, bringing the brand to a whole new level of marketing. “A real innovation in the beer can category, and superb graphic design to enhance the concept and shape,” says the jury.

» Learn more about Budweiser Bowtie Can with Crown Tab

Professional Runner Up: Google Chromebook 11, by Uneka

Google looked to Uneka to develop a packaging design worthy of the clean, simple laptop it would house. The Google Chromebook 11 packaging design is just that—and eco-friendly to boot. The jury appreciated the container’s brand loyalty: “Super simple shape that says it all, the form and concept reflects the brand.”

» Learn more about Google Chromebook 11

Student Runner Up: Spacklit—Smart Innovative Packaging Solution for Spackling Compound, by Muli Bazak

Bezalel Academy of Art and Design student Muli Bazak combined the power of minimal packaging and the efficiency of a built-in application tool with Spacklit. Spackling wall imperfections used to require multiple tools, but Bazak has simplified the process with an all-in-one solution. The base of the package is sandpaper, allowing the user to sand the wall area. By pulling the tab off of the back of the capsule, the repairer can squeeze the body and fill the hole with spackle and skip the mess. The jury team described it as “all you need,” “really brilliant” and “a ‘must have” feeling.'”

» Learn more about Spacklit—Smart Innovative Packaging Solution for Spackling Compound

Professional Runner Up: Battement Cosmetics, by Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill’s cosmetic packaging offers more than meets the eye. The visual branding is based off of a ballet move called the battement, a maneuver where the dancer begins with both feet together and sweeps one leg up—which is shown in the curved packaging art. The designer poetically attributes the packaging as adding “intrigue to the dance of getting ready.” The jury’s thoughts: “Conceptual and beautifully visualized. The materials are selected carefully and with a strong sense of fashion.”

» Learn more about Battement Cosmetics

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