‘Instant appeal’ lands beverage carton top prize in Pro Carton/ECMA Carton Award 2012

- Winners in Carton of the Year, Most Innovative and Sustainability categories named following earlier announcement of individual category winners

 

- 3D effect helps beverage packaging achieve instant appeal in the retail environment and claim Carton of the Year prize

 

A design using a 3D effect to make bubbles appear to be floating out of the packaging has been awarded Carton of the Year in the Pro Carton/ECMA Carton Award 2012 competition.

 

The Taittinger Rose Lens carton was produced by VG Angoulême for Taittinger. Cartonboard from Iggesund Paperboard and Mayr-Melnhof Karton was used in its construction.

 

The quality and impact at the point of sale were the main reasons that the judges awarded this product the accolade of Carton of the Year.

 

The “bubbles” were printed in such a way that they looked as though they were actually spheres and it was not until they were touched that it was realized that they were in fact completely flat.

 

A matt lacquer applied at selected points supports the effect of the “pearls” and gives the packaging sophistication and a silky tactile feeling, the judges added.

 

In a market that is fiercely competitive the judges felt this carton had instant appeal and standout, and demonstrated perfectly what quality can be achieved when printing on cartonboard. 

 

VG Angoulême is part of the Van Genechten group of companies, and Aurélie Lorenzo, Van Genechten sales director for premium packaging said: ‘We conducted a number of trials, also with matt and glossy effects, to find the perfect combination for Taittinger.’

 

Carton of the Year was presented during an evening reception at the end of the first day of the ECMA Congress 2012. Also announced were awards for Sustainability and Most Innovative carton.

 

The entry “Termo Astuccio Frusta Sorrentina” was the winner in the Most Innovative category. Brand owner Forno d’Asolo wanted a special folded carton for catering on aircraft; a product which could be heated in an oven together with its frozen content without burning. Microwave ovens are not permitted on aircraft, only conventional ovens.

 

Carton producer Boxmarche had the ambition of developing a packaging completely different from all existing concepts. Prior to heating, the two specially designed areas on the sides are pressed inwards using the thumbs to avoid overpressure in the oven. After heating, only the centre strip needs to be torn open which divides the box into two halves. This allows eating a hot sandwich without burning or soiling.

 

The carton, using material from Stora Enso, is also subjected to special treatment (Jazz heat treatment), which creates the barrier for heating in the oven.

 

The judges said the result was a concept that worked well and delivered exactly what it was designed to do. By having a tear strip in the middle of the carton, when the panini was cooked the carton can be removed from the oven, split in two and then used to hold the hot panini.

 

In addition two small push perforations had been added to allow air to escape safely whilst being heated but without the risk of contamination during shipping.

 

The Sustainability prize was awarded to the entry “Green Packaging bei Ja! Natürlich”, produced by Druckerei Ratt Dornbirn for REWE Group also using Stora Enso cartonboard.

 

This carton was designed to replace the plastic packaging that is used for many fruit and vegetable products in the retail environment.

 

It was designed to be delivered flat but could also be easily erected for use.  And being made solely from cartonboard it would be easy to recycle.

 

The graphic design reinforced the environmental attributes and the judges felt that of all the entries this carton best demonstrated the sustainability attributes of cartonboard.

 

The three prizes followed the announcement of the eight category winners in the Pro Carton/ECMA Carton Award 2012 competition, as can be read here.

 

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