Make a Mark competition unveils packaging concepts for wine, food, and beauty products

Make a Mark, an exclusive design innovation project created in 2021 by ESTAL, Avery Dennison and KURZ, unveiled the new packaging concept entries at Luxe Pack Monaco on 2 October 2023. 

Twenty top packaging design agencies from across the world were invited to develop concepts around a three-pronged brief focusing on sustainability, luxury, and innovation. Designers were encouraged to try out new materials, within the Wines and Spirits, Beauty and Fragrance, and Gourmet Food sectors.

The design concepts have been transformed into physical prototypes using glass from ESTAL, labelling materials from Avery Dennison and printing tools and embellishments from the KURZ Group. All twenty designs are being showcased at Luxe Pack Monaco among other industry events, as well as appearing in a special-edition digital book and label sample pack to inspire the global design community.

Packaging concepts focused on sustainability, luxury, and innovation.  (Photos courtesy: Avery Dennison)

Some of the designs showcased at Luxe Monaco:

·        Bravo Design, South Africa integrates the oldest form of design (rock art) and the most recent innovation in design (AI-generated content) into the creative process to tell the story of the Karoo Mermaids to represent its Blue Agave Spirit. Using an Estal glass bottle with bespoke embossing, the team used AI to generate patterns and textures inspired by the scales of mermaids and the natural symmetry of the Agave plant. The neck label is made from multiple KURZ decorations to depict the shimmering scales of a mermaid, while pearlescent paper is used for the main label adding new sensorial possibilities.

·        Designsake Studio, USA focused on the continuous rise of the earth's temperature to create ‘Gingerly’, a new luxury sunscreen brand that brings together skin, sun, and the sea, with the ultimate mission of plastic-free sun protection. In partnership with Estal, the team created a unique double-walled glass component inspired by the sea's colors, shapes, and textures. A speckled pattern, reminiscent of freckles and seashells, floods the bottle's inner wall. KURZ holographic designs nod to textures and colors found in abalone shells, and embossed sun ray details kiss the back label. Advances in technology allow for glass embossing, using a self-adhesive label.

·        Lavernia & Cienfuegos, Spain created “EDIT (036)” which combines industrial techniques with artisanal processes in a unique customizable bottle. The design incorporates two elements designed with strict sustainability standards: a custom glass piece available in five finishes and another piece serving as a cap and bottle base. The latter comes in six forms, resulting in thirty-six potential combinations when paired with six plug geometries. Each option is offered in three materials, each with three finishes, allowing users to personalize their own bottles. In total, there are 40,500 possible combinations to choose from. The bottle features a unique label displaying perfume information, packaged in a sturdy, lined box sealed with a customizable label. Users can personalize the components through a website, viewing and choosing various characteristics for each element.

In a joint statement on behalf of ESTAL, Avery Dennison and KURZ, Vladimir Tyulpin, Avery Dennison's market segment leader for Premium Packaging Solutions said: “Year after year our designers continue to push boundaries in luxury packaging design. This year’s designs invite us all to learn more about how to harness the power of packaging, and to jointly expand our knowledge of decorative materials and packaging containers. The teams involved have highlighted the endless possibilities of our industry and we are extremely proud that beyond the project itself, we are forming a dynamic, creative community of thinkers and rebels—all united by our love for glass, labeling, packaging, and the desire to create new things.”

Design agencies involved in Make a Mark edition III include:

·    ARD Design Agency, Switzerland

·        Backbone Branding, Armenia

·        BRAVO DESIGN, South Africa

·        CF Napa Brand Design, United States

·        Dario Frattaruolo Design, Italy

·        Designsake Studio, United States

·        Farmgroup, Thailand

·        Firstbase, India

·        HOMEWORK^®, Denmark

·        HUMAN, México

·        Lavernia & Cienfuegos, Spain

·        Lewis Moberly, UK

·        Mazarine Pascalie Design, France

·        Olssøn Barbieri, Norway

·        Omdesign, Portugal

·        Oveja&Remi, Argentina

·        Parallax Design, Australia

·        Van Heertum Design VHD, The Netherlands

·        Ximena Ureta Studio, Chile

·        Yummy Stories, Germany