PPC Awards | Cascades Boxboard Group Scores Package of the Year
- Published: November 01, 2014
The Paperboard Packaging Council, Springfield, MA, has announced the winners of its 71st annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition. Winners were announced during a banquet at the association’s Fall Meeting and Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA.
Following are details on the top seven winners. For a complete list of awards, visit www.paperbox.org.
Paperboard Package of the Year
- Cascades Boxboard Group
- 12-Pack Hybrid Egg Carton Lid for Hartmann North America
A new take on a traditional 12-pack egg carton substitutes the standard molded pulp lid with a striking and functional SBS lid. While the base still provides the proven protection of molded pulp (special, elongated base posts protect the eggs and add vertical strength), the new paperboard lid drastically expands the possibilities for branding; the hybrid egg carton features 45% more graphic space than traditional molded pulp or plastic cartons. Furthermore, with its non-glare finish, consumers can easily view the package displayed in bright supermarket refrigerators without the annoying glare generated by plastic containers.
The container creates minimal disruption down the supply chain, as it fits industry standard cases and packs, and was designed to work on existing egg graders. Finally, it is easily recyclable and repulped.
This package truly demonstrates how small, seemingly simple design changes can impact the success of final product.
Judges’ Award—Folding Carton
- Keystone Paper and Box Co. Inc.
- Family of cake boxes for Lighthouse Rum Cakes
A family of three different sized boxes was designed to accommodate the 5-, 16-, and 33-oz cakes in Lighthouse’s rum cake line. Each uniquely shaped, pyramidal package features beautiful coastal images that are enhanced by foil embellishments. The cartons also open up to reveal even more exquisitely printed imagery alongside buoy and sailboat cutouts.
While each carton is an individual work of art, when stacked, the three varying sized cartons resemble a tower or lighthouse, reflecting the nautical theme of the brand.
Judges’ Award—Rigid
- JohnsByrne Co.
- American Icon for Ralph Lauren for Macy’s
In designing this striking rigid box for Macy’s, JohnsByrne Co. was asked to create a carton that had the look and feel of real wood. To achieve this effect, their design team used reticulation and a dulled back, high-gloss coating on-press, in combination with a post-press embossing of the overwrap sheet.
While reticulation is usually used as a hologram substitute, this package instead uses the effect to create the exquisite wood design. That innovation, along with unique finishing techniques and exceptional crossover of the red, white, and blue striping between the lid and base, make this box a stand out on any store shelf.
Folding Carton of the Year
- Boehmer Box
- Choco Zoo for Imagine Chocolate
In the competitive confectionery segment, packages must immediately engage consumers, and Choco Zoo does just that with its eye-catching design. Its whimsical elephant head structure draws consumers in while its side windows create further interest by revealing the chocolates inside. What’s more, the carton can be transformed into a child’s piggy bank once the chocolate is consumed. The design even features a special locking tab on the trunk of the elephant that closes up the slot once the carton is transitioned into a piggy bank. Thus, this carton continues to provide value to consumers long after the product is consumed.
Rigid Box of the Year
- Bert-Co Industries Inc.
- Bates Motel for A&E Television Networks
This striking rigid box for the DVD of A&E’s recent television hit Bates Motel (based on the classic Hitchcock film Psycho) succeeds brilliantly in integrating the show’s plotline into the package’s structural design. Highlighting Norman Bates’ split personality, one half of the rigid outer sliding box features Bates’ face while the other half features that of his overbearing mother. The result is a creepy and perfectly aligned split-face front image that really jumps out.
Providing great interactivity, to access the DVD nested inside, consumers slide open the split front. A thumb slot helps consumers lift the DVD out of the case with ease.
Innovation Award
- Graphic Packaging Intl.
- Bertolli Rustico Bakes for ConAgra Foods
This hybrid paperboard/plastic tray, designed to evenly heat Bertolli’s frozen Rustico Bakes dinners, incorporates many of the features and benefits of both substrates while providing material reductions and optimization.
To create the tray, the paperboard is laminated, demetallized, printed, and cut, and then married to a plastic frame via injection molding. The use of paperboard provides a 45% reduction of non-renewable plastic as compared to traditional CPET trays. Furthermore, the tray is recyclable, with up to 50% reclaimed fibre by weight.
By combining the recyclability of paperboard, the protection of the injection molded frame, and special even-heating technology, this tray provides an innovative solution currently unmatched in the frozen food segment.
Eco Award
- Graphic Packaging Intl.
- 3# Clementines FruitPack for Fruition Sales
This breakthrough design offers an exciting, new way to package produce. Whereas less-sustainable packaging solutions for produce generally lack billboard space, this folding carton features a large billboard, allowing for attractive graphics that increase visual impact and appetite appeal. Furthermore, its built-in handle makes for easy carrying, stacking, and displaying at retail. It also works with existing distribution processes, leaving current supply chain systems undisturbed.
A sustainable, visually appealing, and practical design, this package may be the harbinger of a bright future for paperboard produce packaging solutions.
Holding the Gavel
Judging for the annual awards was held over a three-day period in July at PPC headquarters. Charged with scoring all the entries from small, family-owned box shops to major corporations were the following judges:
- Richard DePaul—owner, DePaul Associates, and author of PPC’s Ideas and Innovation Handbook.
- Joanne Grennille—senior packaging scientist for Mars Chocolate
- Sandra Krasovec—managing partner of Design Practicum and packaging design professor at the Fashion Inst. of Technology
- John Lyons III—former associate publisher of Packaging Design magazine
- Gary Miller—retired packaging executive with 40+ years of experience
- Dr. Diana Twede—professor, School of Packaging, Michigan State University
- Bill Wynkoop—adjunct professor in packaging, Rochester Institute of Technology.
