In the 2024 Pentawards Competition, the brilliant Design Bridge and Partners scooped up Platinum Award for Brand Identity and Connected Packaging AND the much coveted ‘Agency of the Year Award'. We chatted to new Pentawards Jury member Claire Robertshaw, Executive Creative Director, Mike Stride, Senior Creative Director and Chris Algar Design Director at Design Bridge and Partners about what they loved most about working on these projects, advice for young designers and what’s next for the powerhouse agency…

Can you tell us a bit about Design Bridge and Partners?

Design Bridge and Partners is an award-winning global brand design agency, that’s part of the WPP group. With 900 creative minds across 16 studios worldwide, we design brands that motivate and move; pulling people towards them with an irresistible force that compels and connects. Taking organisations from where they are, to where they want to be. Globally, our clients include the BBC, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Heineken, HSBC, Lenovo, Mastercard, NASA Artemis, Tencent, Twitch, Reckitt, and Unilever.

Our foundations in packaging design go back 30 years to the early days of Design Bridge in London. Alongside this longstanding expertise, our specialised Gaming & Entertainment, Sustainability and Industrial Design skills help clients to benefit their business, people, and planet.

Congratulations on winning the Branding and Connected Packaging Platinum Award! Tell us a bit more about the Leone project – the journey of creating it, inspiration and challenges behind it - and what it means to win.

Claire Robertshaw: We are thrilled to win and so happy with the work on Leone. It has been a pleasure to partner with the clients, a relationship that started a decade ago when Massimo Pozzetti was leading the Lipton brand at Unilever! So this was very much a partnership built on trust – and that is so important to get the best creative work through.

Chris Algar: Working on this project was a real joy; stepping into the Leone factory for the first time and being immediately enveloped by the smell of warm cinnamon and seeing tables coated in a layer of powdered sugar will always be a special memory. It was fantastic to collaborate so closely with a brand that has such rich history, and a passionate team who were proud to share it with us so generously. Seeing these beautiful little boxes of happiness hit the shelves has been incredibly satisfying, and to be standing alongside our wonderful client when presented with the platinum award has made it all the sweeter.

Which part of creating the pack did the team love the most?

Chris: A real highlight of the project was digging deep into Italian culture to tease out the nuances of design around the streets of Turin - it was impossible not to be inspired. Whether it was the intricate art deco archways that surround the piazzas, or a piece of hand painted signage adorning one of many restaurants, we sought to capture the essence of their home and bring it to life in every detail.

One of our key challenges was to visually unify such a diverse portfolio, with varying types of confectionery added over the years it lacked a consistent thread. It was important to maintain Leone’s authentic heritage, and the quirks that the world had already fallen in love with, whilst also building an architecture that allows for innovative new products to be introduced harmoniously over time.

You also won one of the most esteemed awards of the competition– Design Agency of the Year! How did this feel and what does it mean to the agency?

Claire: We are thrilled! Agency of the Year is such a prestigious accolade because it reflects a combined effort from so many people in pursuit of ground-breaking creativity. The work from 5 brands over two of our studios contributed to this award and it really does take a village to create work that can be recognised at this standard within the industry.

Are you currently working on any exciting new projects? 

Claire: We continue to launch exciting work with some of our well-established brand partners, so expect a new Luxury collaboration from Tanqueray & Alessi and a project full of charm from Fortnum & Mason.

What do you love most about designing and the design community?

Mike Stride: What I love most about designing is the problem-solving aspect and the ability to transform ideas into something real—taking abstract concepts and shaping them into tangible solutions that can make a difference in people’s lives. Every project is unique, offering the chance to experiment, explore new possibilities, and challenge the norm. It’s a process of constant learning.

But design isn’t just about the work itself; it’s about the community. The sense of collaboration and shared passion is incredibly motivating. The field is so diverse, with different perspectives coming together to create something truly original. The design community is ever evolving, offering support through mentorship, awards, or simply sharing ideas. The connections we form and the conversations we engage in help us grow as designers.

What is your message to young designers or students who are entering the design world?

Claire: We are strong believers in nurturing talent from the ground-up and giving a platform to the fresh thinking and unique perspectives of junior creative voices. Our own talent programme The Start has just launched for 2025 which is a great way to get noticed. We have a long track record of employing our juniors in this way and also offer internships to the runners up. Other great industry movements such as D&AD shift, D&AD NewBlood, Creative Equals, and our work with charity Accumulate are great ones to follow and get involved with. Many host talks, workshops and initiatives which help to give you the access, connections and confidence you need when you are getting started, whatever your background.

Finally, where do you see the agency heading next? What is the future for Design Bridge and Partners?

Claire: Design Bridge and Partners is doubling down on what it’s always been about: people. Understanding what matters to, and what’s memorable for people, so that we can design brands that move them. Because people act with their feelings; and making decisions today seems to only get more and more challenging.

We’d like to think that by defining what brands Stand For , and using this to design how they Stand Out , we’re able to help people trust their gut to make the right moves. So, we’re spending most of our time understanding what it takes to move people in new and agile ways, to get closer to people’s motivations and behaviours. And then figuring out how to evoke those emotions across every interaction - visually, verbally, viscerally. Creating one brand identity that stimulates that feeling.

You can find out more about Design Bridge and Partners and their projects here . Enter the 2025 competition now for your chance to be up there with the best.