The document summarizes Sam Stone's experience judging the Packaging category at the 2013 D&AD Awards. Some key points: - There were over 200 packaging entries judged by a panel of 7 people from around the world. - Entries showcased trends in nostalgic/crafted designs, minimalism, typographic branding, and geometric shapes. Only one entry used augmented reality technology. - After 4 rounds of judging, nominations were selected for In Book status and Yellow Pencil awards. Winners would be revealed at the June awards ceremony. - The document captures insights and trends from the wide range of high quality global packaging designs evaluated.

1. SAM STONE
Creative Director, Identica
IDENTICA
INSIGHT
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D&AD JUDGING
GUEST EDITOR EDITION

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D&AD JUDGING 2013
I had the pleasure recently of being invited
to judge the Packaging Category at this
year’s D&AD Awards. There were seven of
us in total on the judging panel, some of
whom had flown in from the US and
Japan to participate.
We had over 200 entries to judge on the
day, some of which provoked great debate
and discussion amongst the judging team!
It was a fantastic opportunity to see what
has been happening across the world with
packaging design and innovation over
the last year. The standard was
incredibly high...
The following pages capture some of the
key trends happening, the judging process,
my thoughts and overall observations of
the day.
Some food for thought. Enjoy. Sam
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1. A sea of tables
displaying all the
packaging entries in
the main hall at
Olympia. The scale of
the task very quickly
became apparent.
2. The judging panel.
From left to right:
Taku Satoh, Sam
Stone, David Turner,
Adam Ellis, Pascal
Duval, Katrin Oeding,
Shaun Bowen.
3. Four rounds of
confidential judging
were made via an
iPad mini. In round
one, In Book awards
are given to entries
that receive votes
from at least 50% of
the jury. In the
following rounds,
Nominations, Yellow
Pencils and Black
Pencils are given to
pieces of work that
also receive over 50%
of the votes.

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TECHNOLOGY
It was a surprise to see that there was only
one submission, amongst all the entries,
that used technology within the its
packaging this year. By holding our
phones up to this bottle of Juice Burst we
were able to see how the juice was made
and the story behind the brand.
It would seem that, since the boom in
augmented reality has happened in other
marketing channels, the integration of this
technology has yet to be fully utilsed in an
engaging way in the world of packaging
design. Both a challenge and an
opportunity for us here at Identica. Watch
this space...
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There was a definite wealth of entries this
year that displayed their authenticity, craft
and heritage.
The search for the real, the genuine and
the true has always been at the heart of the
consumer experience, but perhaps the
effects of the economic downturn, have
amplified our need to find something real
and authentic.
The question has to be are these ‘real
authentic’ or ‘fake authentic’?
1. Packaging created
for a range of
chocolate bars
inspired by unique
flavours found in some
of the regions across
the Indian sub-continent.
2. This 100% made-in-
the-Philippines rum
was aged in oak
barrels for seven
years in the foothills
of Mt. Kanlaon.
3. Branding for
Kobrick Coffee
Company, a 92-year-
old artisanal roaster
of coffee for many of
New York City’s finest
restaurants.
4. Packaging for
heritage cider and
rare local varieties
grown on 12 acres of
land just outside
Halstock, Dorset.
NOSTALGIC/CRAFTED
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There was only one direction the recent
popularity in minimal design could go and
that was reductionistic to the extreme!
The concept of minimalism has its roots in
the mid-20th century, but it is clear that it
is still a major design influence today.
In this act of reduction there is desire to
create universal beauty, truth, and
simplicity.
However a common mistake in pursuing
extreme visual minimalism is to reduce the
design to a point where both the
personality and the functionality of the
brand fails to deliver.
You decide...beautiful or boring?
1. Studio Design
Depot labels for a
wine brand. The
empty square panel is
intended to represent
the perfection and the
simplicity of
the product.
2. Packaging for top
quality sausages from
family butcher,
Anton Riepl.
3. Packaging for Stina
wine, from the island
of Brac in Dalmatia.
Brac is known for its
white stone and for
being the birthplace of
famous artists. The
blank white wine-
bottle label represents
a block of stone,
inviting the drinker to
draw on it and create
their own artwork.
4. Packaging for top
quality sausages from
family butcher, Anton
Riepl.
BEYOND MINIMAL
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Typographic branding is all about being
blunt and unfussy about the product
behind the packaging.
These examples of bold typographical
branding help emphasize what a product is
and how it’s going to be of use to you and
your way of life.
Typographic branding helps to keep things
clean and sophisticated, which is precisely
what many retailers are attempting to do
when you walk in a store or down an aisle.
1. Dependable Engine
Oil packaging gets
straight to the point
by boldly telling the
customer exactly
what’s inside.
2. HealGel is an
aqueous gel, bringing
together in one
formula the best
active ingredients to
soothe, repair and
protect your skin. The
type style provides the
functional and
scientific reassurance
of genuinely effective
skin care.
3. Thanks to a
‘lenticular’ label
applied to their front
face these 100ml
bottles change their
typographic appearance
at every turn. It’s a
space saving exercise
(allowing for4 unique
panels) but also
helps create an
eye-catching package.
4. Butcher, Anton Riepl.
PURE TYPE
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Simple, bold geometric shapes have been
fighting back this year in a bid perhaps to
counter the hand-drawn or crafted styles
prevalent in packaging and graphic design
at the moment.
It would seem that minimalism,
simplification and experimentation with
basic shapes and colour have begun to
appear as a result.
This trend looks set to continue, perhaps
fuelled by our current love of infographics?
1. To Western
consumers, traditional
Japanese sake
labelling is
indecipherable and
largely indistinguishable.
Joto’s packaging opts
for bold colour and
infographics describing
each sake’s brewing
process and tasting notes.
2. Takarazuka Milk
Packaging in Japan
by Adesty.
3. In the city of
Rikuzentakata, a
single pine tree stands
as a testament to
survival after the
tsunami of 2011. This
beer’s name means
‘One Pine Tree’ and
its design is a symbol
of charity and hope for
Japan’s brighter future.
4. Designed by
Moruba, Rioja, the
wine of the barber,
where mundane chat
mingles with
ancestral wisdom.
GEOMETRIC
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FINAL NOMINATIONS
After four rounds of intense judging
and discussions the jury finally agreed
its selection for In Book status
and Nominations.
It is worth remembering, each round
required over 50% of the vote by the judges
to make it to the final round. The final vote
for Yellow Pencil was not made known to
the judges, so even though we knew what
had been nominated, we do not currently
know which entries from the nominations
have achieved a Yellow Pencil. All will be
revealed at the Award Ceremony in June...
If you want to see what we did nominate
you can find them all at the following link:
http://www.dandad.org/awards/profes-
sional/2013/categories/pack/packaging-
design
See if you can spot the
Yellow Pencil winners...
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9. THANK YOU
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D&AD AWARD JUDGING - PACKAGING 2013
TO FIND OUT MORE: Call +44 (0)20 3451 9700,
or email Leah Williams leah.williams@identica.com