Following our Gala Ceremony, we're thrilled to reveal the winners of the 2023 Pentawards, the world’s leading packaging design awards! Take a look at the top winners including the Diamond - Best of Show

Now in its 17th year, the 2023 competition received over 2,000 entries from more than 60 countries across continents. Out of all the entries, over 600 were shortlisted by the competition’s international jury and revealed earlier this year.

Top winning agencies include Backbone Branding, James Cropper, Auge Design and Estudio Maba winning over 5 awards each.

This year’s Special Awards, which recognise remarkable achievements in packaging design by individuals and agencies, were also handed out:

- NXT-GEN, Best Student Work - Muety by Kuwasawa Design School

- Best Use of Colour - ISTRIANA by Studio Tumpić/Prenc

- People’s Choice - Honeysty by Supperstudio

- Educator of the Year - ELISAVA

- Design with Purpose - BOSAI GIFT by drawrope

- Design Agency of the Year - Auge Design sponsored by KURZ

For more information on the Special Awards winners please see here, and you can view the full line-up of the 2023 winners in the Winners Gallery.

DIAMOND – BEST OF SHOW

CASA MARRAZZO 1934, Auge Design

Casa Marrazzo, an Italian sauce producer, tasked Auge Design with creating a unique line of premium products in a custom jar. Drawing from the brand's heritage, the visual identity developed was the "Collezione Casa Marrazzo 1934," featuring a sophisticated design with oversized, screen-printed objects on clear glass. Custom caps and a distinctive palette distinguish each product, while gold-printed labels and a screen-printed illustration enhance the shelf appeal, creating an authentic and premium packaging design.

BEVERAGE PLATINUM

Lagg Whisky, Stranger & Stranger

The bottle bears a circumferential inscription, mirroring the surroundings of LAGG Distillery—embracing the two mountain ranges and the coastal waves of the Isle of Arran. Its distinctive rounded closure pays homage to traditional tools, symbolizing the centuries-old practice of cutting the island's peat. Amidst the challenging yet rewarding work, the brand captures the grit and boldness, reflected in the exceptional profile of this island whisky. LAGG's branding completes a package that honours the whisky's origin, poised to safeguard the best results the surroundings have to offer. The Kilmory and Corriecravie editions feature delicate watercolour illustrations, subtly evoking the softer peated style of these whiskies.

BODY, HEALTH & BEAUTY PLATINUM

Daydream Fragrance Collection for BY FAR, VV Creative sponsored by DERPROSA

In creating the Daydream Fragrance Collection for BY FAR, VV Creative prioritized consumer interaction. The innovative solution diverges from conventional perfume bottles, presenting a refillable, customizable, and portable bag charm. Functioning as a fashion accessory, it seamlessly aligns with the brand's entry into the beauty market, promoting the exploration of fragrances alongside its core bag categories. With modular design principles offering 168 combinations, consumers can personalize scents, colours, and straps, fostering individual expression. The refillable feature enhances sustainability, supports interactive engagement, and simplifies end-of-life recycling.

BRANDING & CONSUMER PLATINUM

BIGFACE Coffee Packaging, Zenpack

Striving to transcend coffee packaging norms, the agency ventures into uncharted territories. The outcome was a digital-age brand, born from Miami Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler's hotel room coffee venture during the 2020 NBA bubble. BIGFACE, their brainchild, communicates uniquely from every angle, boasting precision in design with flat, double-folded corners and luxury packaging aesthetics. Exterior labels offer a glimpse, while a QR code allows consumers to explore farm details through satellite imagery. The Silver, Black, and White Boxes house distinct roasts, each enclosed in semi-translucent bags for a visually captivating experience.

FOOD PLATINUM PLATINUM

PICK UP! GLOBAL RELAUNCH, Auge Design

PICK UP!, the youthful addition to the Bahlsen family enterprise, celebrated its 22nd birthday by embracing its defining feature, The Knack. With a focus on both the physical and attitudinal aspects of The Knack, four distinct flavours were introduced, each distinguished by vibrant colours across various packaging sizes. The standard yellow hue was invigorated for a more youthful appeal, allowing Pick Up! to showcase its personality within the family line. A modernized logo, drawing inspiration from the 90s design, solidified PICK UP!'s vibrant and youthful image in the competitive market.

HOME, LEISURE & OTHER MARKETS PLATINUM

Mi Earphones Explore, Xiaomi

Xiaomi's Mi Earphones Explore packaging, designed with a minimalist approach, addresses the complexity of Bone Conduction technology. Breaking away from traditional geometric shapes, the packaging utilizes moulded natural fibre, wrapping the product organically while minimizing material usage. High-frequency welding technology is employed to reduce glue and plastic auxiliary materials, enhancing sustainability. Crafted from bamboo and sugarcane waste, the packaging ensures effective display and protection while minimizing space and degradable material usage. The production process is optimized for minimal labour and energy consumption, promoting automation, and post-use, the packaging fully degrades through treatment.

PROFESSIONAL CONCEPTS PLATINUM

Cute Cure Healing Kit, Cute Cure voluntary initiative

CUTE CURE, a non-profit initiative, strives to assist children undergoing long-term medical care by transforming medication into a comforting and motivating experience. Research involving children, parents, doctors, and psychologists revealed a need for a story-based solution. The innovative packaging system features animal-themed covers for various medications, incorporating motivational stories and super-power stickers to make medical procedures playful. Designed for sustainability, CUTE CURE's kit is reusable, serving multiple purposes like holding different drugs or transforming into a paper toy or room decoration. Each pack includes a colouring space for art therapy, turning Cute Cure characters into super-powered healing heroes for children.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PLATINUM

ECOALF, Lavernia & Cienfuegos sponsored by UPM Raflatac

Ecoalf, the Spanish sustainable fashion brand renowned for using ocean-retrieved plastic in its fabrics, expanded into personal care. The commitment to environmental responsibility guided the entire process, involving collaboration in product development and formula creation. The resulting line features multi-functional products with eco-friendly ingredients, presented as solid or powdered alternatives that eliminate water content, reducing weight and CO2 emissions in transportation. The shift away from plastic bottles to reusable aluminium containers contributes to a lighter and more sustainable packaging approach, all crafted from eco-friendly materials. Packaging graphics serve as a communication tool, educating customers about intelligent consumption.

NXT-GEN, BEST STUDENT WORK

Muety by Kuwasawa Design School

In the students' graduation project, the focus was on the theme of "vitality beauty." With a personal affinity for mushrooms, they conceptualized a skincare product named "Muety," emphasizing the fusion of mushroom elements with beauty. Drawing inspiration from the distinctive curves of mushrooms, the bottle design reflects a dynamic sense of variation and vitality. Opting for a white gradient, the packaging exudes a clean and transparent aesthetic. Their goal was to ensure quick recognition of the product's key features through a straightforward design language.

To view all 2023 winners, see the Winners Gallery.