If you’re a Packaging designer, there’s no better way to show off your work and talent than at the 2023 Pentawards. The global competition celebrates excellence in packaging design, with entries being accepted now. With over 50 esteemed judges from 17 countries across four continents – many representing world-renowned brands such as Amazon, Estée Lauder, Microsoft, PepsiCo LEGO, Nestle, and Mars Food.

This year, our esteemed panel of judges is more distinguished than ever. We have prestigious experts from The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, PUMA, Pentagram, and Unilever in packaging to offer their valuable insights! Don’t let another opportunity pass you if you’ve been itching to add ‘award-winning’ to your bio! Submit your entry now to see your name up in the lights!

Why you should enter

Attaining a Pentaward is a significant accomplishment for any agency, brand, or student in packaging design. It has the potential to catapult your business or career forward and provides you with a fantastic opportunity to attend the Gala Ceremony and connect with some of the most prominent professionals in this domain.

The Pentawards Excellence Score allows participants to gain insight into their submissions and whether or not they win. This will enable them to understand what resonated with the judges and determine where there is room for improvement regarding their packaging design.

You don’t need to create anything special to enter the 2023 competition! Any packaging launched on a global scale between 1st July 2021, and 30th June 2023, is eligible for entry into this competition – as long as it hasn’t been entered before.

The competition’s categories range from food, beverages, body, and health & beauty to home leisure and more. To get the best rate on your entries, submit them as soon as possible! From 6 – 10th February is a special 48-hour launch rate; 8–10 February has an early bird Super Early Bird Rate; 13 – 24 February offers an even earlier Early Bird Rate; then starting 27th February till 10th March, there will be regular entry rates. For all further details regarding the submission rules, visit here.

If you need creativity, look at the remarkable packaging designs from previous Pentawards events. Get inspired and create something truly extraordinary!

1. Williams Premium Canned Cocktails by Offff

Williams Canteen refused to accept defeat during the first Rotterdam lockdown of March 2020. It successfully maintained its bar thanks to its specialty: offering customers exceptional cocktails.

After experimentation, they concocted six exceptional and high-grade cocktails that can be consumed in a mere can. Not only do these pre-packaged mixtures offer exact measurements, but their taste remains unaltered for extended periods. Offff’s branding studio created labels for the drinks and two snacks as accompaniments, all conveniently placed within one harmonious gift box of eight cans.

2. Pocket Neck Pillow by Urban Forest Lifestyle Ltd

Presenting a revolutionary approach to design and sustainability, Shenzhen Urban Forest has created an ultra-compact and convenient travel neck pillow. Its creative design utilizes the included silicon packaging as an air pump for quick inflation – making it both eco-friendly and stylish.

This tree-shaped, shell-like outer packaging is both a storage bag and an air pump due to the elastic nature of silicon, thus revolutionizing how inflatable pillows are used. It stands out for its innovation and functionality and encourages consumers not to discard it – cleverly changing the game altogether!

3. Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar by Big Fish

For generations, the Clothier family has guarded a special Cheddar recipe unlike any other. At Ivy’s Reserve, Rich Clothier designed his packaging to be simple yet bold and striking, with icons representing specific product benefits that people can relate to. His thoughtful attention to the visuals of the product serves as a testament to its quality and craftsmanship.

4. ShinkoQ by Grand Design

Grand Design crafted a minimalist design for ShinkoQ – an “anti-pollution” product designed to combat viruses. This sleek packaging features only a slash on the bottle face, omitting any product names and housing four different products: shampoo, treatment, oil, and mist with two distinct fragrances. ShinkoQ is sure to meet your anti-virus needs while making a bold statement in its simplicity.

The anti-pollution theme inspired this minimalistic and symbolic take on the “ban” symbol. ShinkoQ was specifically engineered to seamlessly integrate into any home, creating a design that would catch people’s attention with its global perspective.

5. BeanBean Coffee by BangBang

After the draining toll of 2021, BangBang wanted to give consumers a much-needed jolt for an energized 2022 start. With this in mind, they created BeanBean – six unique types of coffee beans released as a limited edition collection made possible through the vital partnership with ZAB café.

Entitled ‘By creatives, for creatives,’ this self-promotional project offers coffees named after fonts to honor the numerous typographic ‘B’s from The Fonderies worldwide. To express their gratitude towards customers and collaborators who contributed to their successes, these 100% compostable bags were hand-printed with water-based ink.

6. Fuzed by Vault49

Americans are increasingly seeking premium flavored vapes, and Fuzed answers the call! Known as “The Realest Flavors Around,” Fuzed stands out from its competition with a bold proposition of marrying top-notch cannabis with naturally derived, lip-smacking flavors. Get ready to experience an unforgettable vape journey like never before!

Vault49 exuberantly combined fun and natural qualities to create a fresh, modern take on the traditional bodega design concept. Drawing inspiration from grocery store signs and vivid fruit displays, they crafted packs of bold colors that effectively highlighted Fuzed’s flavor credentials while giving each flavor its unique persona with custom illustrations, icons, and eye-catching copy. With this creative approach, Vault49 created an engaging way to communicate the high-energy buzz that comes with every sip.

7. RE:INCARNATED SPIRITS by Ruska Martín Associates

The inaugural 444 RE:INCARNATED SPIRITS bottles, titled the RE:BRAND #1 Limited Edition, showcase an innovative blend of sustainability and craftsmanship. The label is printed on paper made from grape waste and post-consumer recycled fibers. At the same time, the uncoated cardboard box offers repurposed padding comprised of shredded Euro bank notes that didn’t meet public quality standards. Moreover, the glass bottle and cork are crafted using 100% recycled materials to ensure this limited edition honors environmental consciousness and creativity.

8. Eminente Reserva by Moët Hennessy and Stranger & Stranger

This rum was inspired by the Cuban land of “Isla del cocodrilo” (Island of the crocodile), and its logo and bottle are shaped like a crocodile to reflect this inspiration. The front label, enhanced with embossing, debossing, and hot gold stamping details, reveals the brand logo and product information. Meanwhile, on the back tag-shaped like a train ticket-you are invited for an unforgettable journey to wild Cuba! Plus, each individualized label is numbered, making it all that unique!

Conscious of sustainability, our bottles are crafted by the closest glass manufacturer in Mexico, and every label is made with cotton by-products from the textile industry. Every tag is carefully attached by hand in Cuba to complement its intricately engraved bottle stopper constructed using sustainable cork and wood sourced from FSC forests.

9. Pongo by CBA

Pongo is a pet-oriented aromatherapy spritz that gives your four-legged companion the love and attention they deserve. Its all-natural scents provide emotional support for pets, bringing them comfort and joy in their everyday lives. The unique packaging of Pongo consists of a custom plastic base with an adjustable trigger spray head which can be used across all products within its range! Adorning the structure’s body with full-bleed shrink-wrap graphics, you can choose from many doggos, fun outfits, and seasonal editions and even personalize them online. Furthermore, to delight users’ faces, we’ve given each scent funny names that feature vital ingredients and their primary benefits.

10. Vinho do Mar by Rita Rivotti

Drawing inspiration from the vast depths of the Atlantic Ocean, Monte da Carochinha sought a unique way to age their wine. As a result, they decided that ten months immersed on Portugal’s Alentejo coast was just what they were looking for, creating one-of-a-kind motifs adorning each bottle, crafted and shaped by nature alone. A minimalist approach is taken with labeling each edition of this unique underwater production – alluding to its mysterious origins.

11. Nice Cream by Han Gao

As we seek to redefine the standard food industry design style of incorporating pictures, this packaging injects energy. It creates a cutting-edge approach for new generations of ice cream brands. The packaging for this low-calorie healthy ice cream has been designed to capture the preferences of those who prioritize their health. By reorganizing information levels and using bright colors, it highlights the nutritional elements present in each product.

12. FRAHM Jackets – Tough Beautiful by Supple Studio

FRAHM is a UK-based, family-operated business that focuses on sustainability and men’s mental health. To encapsulate their Tough Beautiful mantra when packaging their jackets, Supple Studio used macro shots of native British beetles to emphasize the beauty in nature’s little creatures.

Featuring a beetle design, FRAHM’s big and bold packaging flawlessly captures the essence of their technical garments, perfect for any outdoor activity or weather condition. They created a custom tape with an encouraging ‘Open Up’ message to support Mind charity further.

13. Luncheon Meat by Xiaomi

Designed for a new generation of e-commerce shoppers, the stunning re-design of this luncheon meat packaging stands out from the usual. On its front is a fascinating contrast between vibrant pink and pure black colors that expressively showcase the brand. Moreover, Chinese characters 吃肉 (meaning ‘eat meat’) are transformed into a beautiful pig shape!

A ‘piggy nose’ is innovatively crafted on the back of the pack, dramatically increasing its visibility and captivating consumers with its playful design.

14. ASKUL Lohaco by Bold Scandinavia

Askul, a Japanese retailer, has created this exclusive set of kitchen cleaning and storage products that draw inspiration from the various textures found in the kitchen. A unique combination of raw materials, such as Kraft card stock paired with minimalist Scandinavian design, pays homage to all shapes and forms around any cooking area.

15. OCEANIQ by 2Yolk

Introducing a groundbreaking line of vegan cleaning products specifically designed for the environmentally-minded shopper. This exclusive supermarket collection cleverly combines ‘Oceanic’ and ‘IQ,’ with its name