Pentawards 2026 Special Award winners

In addition to Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, every year, Pentawards awards special prizes for people who have made remarkable achievements. The special prizes awarded this year include Agency of the Year, Educator of the Year, Best Newcomer, People's Choice, KURZ Best Use of Embellishment and the NXT-GEN awards.

Servaire & Co has been named Design Agency of the Year, after 10 of its entries were shortlisted and 8 went on to win trophies - including the Platinum Award for the Body, Health & Beauty category. The awarded designs include Darphin - Stimulskin Plus (Platinum), Johnnie Walker x Olivier Rousteing - Couture Expression (Gold), Johnnie Walker x Olivier Rousteing - Couture Blend (Gold and Bronze), Patrón - Core Range (Gold) and Lancôme - Curl Goddess (Gold).

The 2026 Best Newcomer Award has been awarded to GOOD PEOPLE WANDER (France) and Clay Andrews (Australia). In their first year competing, GOOD PEOPLE WANDER had four entries shortlisted, with three going on to win trophies, while all four of Clay Andrews’ shortlisted entries were winners. Their winning works include:

GOOD PEOPLE WANDER: GRIMAUD (Gold and KURZ Best Use of Embellishment Gold), CANARD DUCHENE X PANGEA (Silver) and DIAGEO/ RARE SERIES (Silver)

Clay Andrews: L16° Far North Dry Gin (Silver), Laughing Owl Whisky (Bronze), Lark Wilderness Collection (Bronze) and Outback Distilling Co - The Founders Cask (Bronze).

This award celebrates the exceptional educators who inspire and support their students to achieve remarkable success in academic and creative endeavours. This year, ELISAVA takes home the award, marking its third title in four years. The 5 winning works are: Nelly (Gold), Nexcare Modular (Silver), Alternavita (Silver), Minisponge Pack Soap (Silver) and QUESO FINOJOSA (Bronze).

In addition to professional expert opinions, we listen to the voice of the public. As part of the 2026 competition, we gave you a chance to vote for a winning entry, the People's Choice Award. 12 designs were selected and put to the vote to our community, with Korean Bros by Truffl winning people's hearts.

Korean Bros set out to redefine how Korean food appears on American shelves, replacing traditional cues with a bold identity reflecting contemporary Korean culture. Inspired by ’90s pop nostalgia and Korean graphic design, the packaging combines vibrant colour blocking, layered typography, custom lettering and high-impact food photography to create a playful, distinctly Korean American identity.

The NXT-GEN Award recognises the best student project of the year, chosen by our International Jury. This year’s winner: CUBBLY shampoo by Anaëlle Van Laer, from LUCA School of Art, Belgium.

CUBBLY is an innovative children’s shampoo concept built around a simple idea: every child has a unique hair type. The range includes three variants for straight, wavy and curly hair, each brought to life through playful mascots with distinct hairstyles. Colour, illustration and typography make the packaging intuitive and engaging, helping children and parents easily identify the right product while communicating key ingredients and benefits. The bottles also feature a pump system that encourages children to wash their hair independently, supporting ease of use, autonomy and confidence. By combining thoughtful design with functionality, CUBBLY creates a more inclusive and empowering experience for children.

Alongside our Special Awards, we’re also delighted to feature a sponsored recognition, created in collaboration with our partner KURZ .

This Partner Award highlights outstanding achievement in embellishment. The awarded designs are Grimaud from Good People Wander (Gold), Gifting The World Range by Hotel Chocolat (Silver) and DIVERSA Tequila by Tridimage (Bronze).

Congratulations to all of this year's Special Award winners. See the full list of 2026 winners here!