Bottledwaterworld Design Awards 2006

Bottled water companies from around the world gathered last night for the presentation of the prestigious 2006 bottledwaterworld design awards organised by Zenith International Publishing. Sponsored by PET tooling specialist R&D Tool and Engineering and flavour manufacturer Mastertaste, the magazine’s awards programme attracted a record 135 entries this year from 30 countries, resulting in a truly international competition of outstanding quality.

The glittering awards dinner took place at the San Pellegrino Casino, as part of this week’s Third Global Bottled Water Congress in Bergamo, Italy.

The best bottle in PET prize was awarded to 42 Below from New Zealand for its 420 volcanic water ribbed bottle evoking images of 1970s lava lamps.  Other finalists in this category were the elegant flask from US based SEI Water and the square bottle from Voda Voda produced by Arteska International of Serbia and Montenegro.

The best bottle in glass category, aimed primarily at the hotel and restaurant market, was won by the striking New Zealand based Waiwera Infinity, with runners up Chaudfontaine in Belgium gaining accolades for its bottle shaped like a rising droplet as well as US based Dabau’s eye catching tall and slender bottle.

The best label section received 18 entries, so competition was particularly fierce.  The winner was iLove from Modern Media Concepts based in Australia, which has produced the first magazine on a bottled water as part of the label.  Other finalists in this category were the vibrant shrink sleeve label design for Kona Deep produced by Deep SeaWater International and the vertical label from Voda Voda produced by Arteska International.

In the best enhanced water concept category, the winner was Glacéau Smartwater, a US based calorie free drink formulated for rapid hydration with electrolytes and minerals.  Close behind were Germany’s Gerolsteiner Sport and slimming water Formas Luso from Centralcer in Portugal.

The winner of the best closure category was Flavor Top developed by Innovation Fund and Nottingham Spirk, both US based companies. The screw top technology safely stores and dispenses ingredients moments before consumption. Other finalists were UK based Seaquist Closures for its original sport cap design and Austria’s Vöslauer Junior which designed a cap for kids which can be used as a whistle.

Nestlé Waters North America was the clear winner in the best packaging innovation category for its stackable 3 litre PET bottle design, which is being used across the company’s brands in the US. Runners-up were the flexible drinking pouch developed by Switzerland’s Amcor Flexibles and Dolphin/SmartPack from the Netherlands and the collapsible plastic beverage container developed by Max Drinks of the Czech Republic.

42 Below doubled its trophy count by winning the best press marketing campaign with a sophisticated set of press advertisements. Tipperary Water’s Water for Africa marketing campaign devoted to charity donations and organising educational activities was one of the runners-up in this category along with the press campaign from BLU by UAE based Oasis Water Company, which served up a branded CD to magazine readers of Time Out Dubai among other related promotional activities.

The best screen advertising campaign attracted many entertaining television and screen advertisements. The winner was a set of amusing advertisements for Bonaqua, produced by Denmark based Coca-Cola Nordic Services, broadcast in Norway and Finland. The unlikely setting for the humorous commercial is the Taste Centre, a James Bond type location where bizarre science experiments take place. The two other finalists were Bebidas de los Angeles of Mexico with a campaign using guardian angels to portray how its water takes care of consumers and the Unicer television commercial for its Vitalis Revitalizante water in Portugal.

In the best website category, the winner was the lively and fresh www.resolutionsonfilm.com from US based PepsiCo. The microsite promoting Aquafina bottled water encouraged an online community to engage with short films on New Year’s resolutions created by professional filmmakers. The other finalists were US based SEI Water with www.seiwater.com and The O-Company from the Netherlands with www.ogolife.com.

Lastly, the prize for best overall concept was awarded to iLove from Modern Media Concepts for developing the concept of on product publishing that is likely to attract applications across the food and drinks industry.  The judges all agreed that its overall impact, along with originality and ability to offer additional revenue streams to fast moving consumer goods such as bottled water, is an innovation the bottled water industry will take pride in.

Other finalists in this category were Austria Vöslauer Junior water, which combined practical and functional packaging such as a whistling cap and brightly coloured bottles with a fun marketing campaign for kids. Meanwhile, the flexible water pack from Dolphin/Smartpack and Amcor Flexibles with special seal mouthpiece was voted third overall concept of the awards programme.

 “The calibre of entrants this year has been phenomenal. The competition demonstrates the ability of this industry to reach consumers in new and exciting ways using excellence in packaging design and marketing,” concluded Zenith International Publishing Managing Editor Bill Bruce.  “I never cease to be amazed at the pace of innovation and fitness for purpose in this, the fastest moving sector of the non alcoholic beverages industry.