Press Release
Gradient Vodka Soda Vodka Soda Packaging by Mark Rowe and John Eresman Is Granted the Bronze A' Design Award in Packaging Design
Mark Rowe and John Eresman honored for packaging design by the international grand jury of the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 28, 2022 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Gradient Vodka Soda Vodka Soda Packaging by Mark Rowe and John Eresman, designed for Gradient Beverages Corp., has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Packaging Design category. The award was conferred within the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Bronze A' Design Award Explained
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
Regarding Gradient Vodka Soda Vodka Soda Packaging
Gradient is a packaging design for a mixed pack of vodka soda drinks. The pack holds six sleek 355 millilitre cans with gradually reducing alcohol strengths of 8, 7, 6, 4, 3 and 2 percent by volume. The cans sit in a single line inside the box, and a dot matrix pattern fades from dark to light across the row. An angled perforation opens the box from the stronger end towards the lighter end, so the cans are taken in that order. The layout encourages moderation across an evening. Three flavours are offered: raspberry lemon, cucumber mint and lime.
About Mark Rowe and John Eresman
John Eresman is a Cannes Lion and One Show winning advertising copywriter who has made the shift to building his own brands - the first of which is Gradient Vodka Soda - the world's first gradually reducing alcohol pack designed to help the world moderate their nights. John believes that moderation is the key to a brighter world.
Award Record
This recognition makes Mark Rowe and John Eresman a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Packaging Design Award
The A' Packaging Design Award is an international packaging competition that recognizes outstanding packaging designs by talented packaging designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to packaging designers, graphic designers, branding agencies and product manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include bottles, boxes, cans, pouches, tubes and cartons. Awarded packaging designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/packaging
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/138803
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/138803
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!138803
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/328104
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://drinkgradient.com
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Gradient Vodka Soda Vodka Soda Packaging
- Function
- Vodka Soda Packaging
- Category
- Packaging Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Packaging & Retail, Branding & Advertising and Manufacturing
- Colors
- Goldenrod, Lavender, Khaki, Gold and Burly Wood
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Gradient Beverages Corp.
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Mark Rowe and John Eresman
- Country
- Canada
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2021 - 2022
- Design ID
- #138803
Credits
- Team
- John Eresman and Mark Rowe
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Gradient is the world's first alcohol mixed pack to package multiple, gradually reducing alcohol content drinks in one pack – 8%, 7%, 6%, 4%, 3%, 2% alc./vol. The decreasing dot matrix design perfectly matches the gradient dot matrix on the one-of-a-kind six-in-a-line box. This unique concept gives people a fun way to moderate their night, encouraging people to drink less and less so they stay "bright" all night.
- Inspiration
- Moderation is important, but it isn't easy. Anyone who has woken up regretting how much they consumed the night before knows that the more we drink, the less control we have over our ability to moderate our alcohol intake. Gradient offers a solution to this "auto pilot" problem by being the world’s first to package multiple, gradually reducing alcoholic beverages in one pack.
- Research
- 52 percent of U.S. consumers are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption. (IWSR) Despite this, over the past two years alcohol sales have increased by 33% (IBOTTA). This tells us that people are looking for new ways to moderate their consumption.
- Challenge
- The most difficult aspect of this project was developing a system that would allow each individual can to stand out on their own, yet become part of a greater idea when seen together - which is the key purpose of the product itself. The gradually reducing dot matrix design solved this issue in a way that kept the product bright and appealing.
- Realization and Technology
- Key to the production of this design was meticulous Pantone matching across mediums to ensure a seamless match between shrink sleeve cans and and 24pt beverage grade box. Alignment of dot matrix grid also took careful planing at all stages of production.
- Operation and Interaction
- Gradient is designed to be enjoyed from the higher alcohol end to the lower alcohol end - the box's unique in-line design and perforated top nudges consumers to drink in the proper order. By starting strong, then drinking less and less through the night, gradient allows you to enjoy a few drinks without letting the night get out of hand. This works because of the way the average human body can process one 355 mL 4% alc drink per hour. Relatively high alcohol is introduced early, then decreased over time maintaining your blood alcohol levels.
- Project Duration and Location
- This product was launched in Canada in August 2021, where it has been met with an incredible response. International exports are scheduled to begin late 2022.
- Specifications
- 6x Sleek 355 mL cans at 8%, 7%, 6%, 4%, 3%, 2% each available in 3 flavours: Raspberry Lemon, Cucumber Mint, Lime. Angled perforation from front to back to encourage people to start at the stronger end and work their way down.
- Keywords
- gradient, moderation, vodka soda, seltzer, gradually reducing,
