1. Envelope | Dramatic Artwork

Judges praised UK-based Encore Envelopes Ltd. for the Campari Envelope, which featured a full range of shadows and highlights, skin tones, and jewelry. The entry wins Best of Show in the Envelope (Process, Coated) category. Explains Degree of Difficulty Judge Bob Muma (National Envelope), “The flesh tones were spectacular, especially in light of the fact that the piece carried such large areas of both high and low tones. The jewelry twinkled as a result of the precision of the dots and the fact that they were able to hold such a small dot.”

2. Paperboard | Registration Rules!

Executing nice overall registration on the Watchman 03.06.09 cup earns International Paper Co., Memphis, TN, a Best of Show in the Paperboard (Process, Wide Web) category. “There was very fine copy on the bottom edge of the cup that we needed a loupe to read and that was in perfect register!” says Degree of Difficulty Judge Greg Horney (The Robinette Co.).

3. Napkin | Coverage Cleans Up

Paper and Design GmbH, Wolkenstein, Germany, is recognized for its Fine Pendants Napkin featuring ornaments that seem to jump off the napkin. This entry wins Best of Show in the Screen category. “The vignettes were well printed, especially in the blue background, with superb screen values and dot percentages for the substrate, no hard edges, and clean dot reproduction.” says Horney.

4. Wide Web | A Broad Spectrum of Color

Clear Lam Packaging, Elk Grove Village, IL, dazzles the juding panel with its Kaytee Combo Bird Treats Wrapper, winning Best of Show in the Wide Web (Process, Film) category. Seven-color process printing with high line screens of 200 lpi and extended color gamut images across the web presented the kind of challenge the judges cannot overlook. “It was one of the best executions that I have ever seen,” says Level of Execution Judge Jose Soler (Comexi Group).

5. Graphic Design | Well-Rendered Illustration

The Café Borghetti Liquore label, printed by Buenos Aires-based Multilabel Argentina S.A., wins Best of Show in the Graphic Design (Labels) category. Says Judge Greg LaFond (Matthews Brand Packaging), “From my point of view, this piece had a very cohesive feel. The color scheme, the typeface, the illustrations all worked well together in one synergistic whole. It's a rich, classy piece.”

6. Mid Web | Well-Executed Screen Values

Label Technology Inc., Merced, CA, wins Best of Show for the third straight year in the Mid Web (Process, Film) category. Soft transitions in the vignettes of the Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave Pouch caught the judges' attention. “The screened drop shadow was well done in the logo and product shadow,” says Horney.

7. Preprinted Linerboard | Technical Challenges

Color consistency across a 69-in. web earns SCI, Mississauga, ON, Canada, top honors for the Taster's Rickard's 12 Bottles entry in a hard-fought contest in the Preprinted Linerboard (Process) category. “All of the award winners were certainly deserving, with the Best of Show standing out because of the varied process images and the dark background,” says Level of Executive Judge Bob Dauses (Mark Trece). Adds Degree of Difficulty Judge Tim Esselman (Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.-Castle Rock), “The preprint category was a very close decision with several nice jobs. The crispness of the different glasses of beer and the difficulty of keeping the black background clean of defects stood out.”

8. Narrow Web | Smooth Halftones

Value-added decorative technologies employed on the Dan Aykroyd 2008 Rieseling label bring a Best of Show in the Narrow Web (Screen, Coated) category to All Stick Label Ltd., Vaughan, ON, Canada. “In addition to the high quality printing of the image, the use of embossing, foil, and the spot coating varnish were well done,” says Degree of Difficulty Judge Jim Tenorio (Univ. of Wisconsin-Stout).

9. Combined Corrugated | A Range of Tones

Consistent print quality on a large sheet drew raves from the judges, earning Wellpappe Auerswalde GmbH, Lichtenau, Germany, a Best of Show in the Combined Corrugated (Process) category. Degree of Difficulty Judge Carmon Lovett (RockTenn) calls the Milkana Display entry “as good of a corrugated job [as] I have ever seen.”