2008 Clear Choice Awards Winners
Consumer packaged goods manufacturers continue to choose glass for new product introductions, purity, and sustainable positioning
Las Vegas, NV, May 5, 2008—The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) named the winners of its 2008 Clear Choice Awards during a Presentation and Reception at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on May 5, 2008. This year’s Awards recognized twelve consumer product goods (CPG) companies and their achievements in expanding the frontiers of glass packaging design. Also honored was the Orange Community Recycling Division of the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department with GPI’s Recognition for Outstanding Sustainable Practices.
“Through designing and using glass packaging for your brand, you are leading the way in providing your customers with what they really want—a ‘pure,’ ‘premium’ and ‘sustainable’ product,” says GPI President Joseph Cattaneo. “Choosing glass for a food, beverage, or cosmetic product is an environmentally friendly decision that allows for a package design that creates superior shelf impact and brand loyalty.”
Beer
Winning Product: Miller Chill
Manufacturer: Miller Brewing Company
Glass Container Supplier: Owens Illinois, Inc. (O-I)
New Product Trend: Specialty light beers that showcase flavor, quality, and heritage
Packaging Description: Miller Chill is a 12-ounce chelada-style light beer brewed with a hint of salt and lime. This new light beer is featured in an emerald green long neck glass package. The Latin-inspired brew has become Miller’s fastest growing brand in a decade. The bottle is complimented with eye-catching graphics and colors, along with shoulder embossing of the Miller Brewing Company brand. The end result is a unique package that screams thirst-quenching refreshment.
Press Contact: Scott Bussen, Director, Mainstream Brand PR, Miller Brewing Company · (414) 931-3848 ·bussen.scott@mbco.com
Wine
Winning Product: Tin Roof Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
Manufacturer: White Rocket Wine Company
Glass Container Supplier: Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc.
New Product Trend: Using a “retro and modern” package design to speak of old-fashioned quality while appealing to a new generation of consumers
Packaging Description: White Rocket Wine Company launched a new, uber-sophisticated package for its Tin Roof Cellars brand. The wines’ “retro and modern” label features an illustration of a small, tin-roofed winery. The package is meant to appear super-premium and appeal to a new generation of wine consumers seeking approachable, yet quality, wines. The wines are bold, smoothly textured, and unusually complex, just like the products’ new labeling. Clean glass is combined with a cutting edge label design to make the Tin Roof packaging unique, and the product stand out from the crowd on store shelves.
Press Contact: Mark Feinberg, VP Marketing & Business Development, White Rocket Wine Company · (707) 254-4811 · mark.feinberg@wrwines.com
Food
Winning Product: On the Border Salsa
Manufacturer: Truco Enterprises, LP
Glass Container Supplier: Vitro Packaging (bottle and label design provided by Flow-Design, Inc.)
New Product Trend: Combining glass container shape, embossing and innovative labeling to enhance brand recognition
Packaging Description: In the last quarter of 2007, Truco Enterprises, LP, launched their new 47 oz. “ON THE BORDER” salsa container. They chose a glass container with the brand name “ON THE BORDER” embossed on the neck of the container as well as contour embossing around the shoulder in order to create greater brand recognition. The package is finished with a Pressure Sensitive Label utilizing tactile inks on the word “ON THE BORDER,” making this glass container the complete package.
Press Contact: Dawn Grosnover, Director of Marketing, National Food and Beverage, Truco Enterprises, LP · (972) 869-4600 x 318 · DawnG@Truco.com
Carbonated Beverages
Winning Product: Q Tonic
Manufacturer: Q Tonic
Glass Container Supplier: Vitro Packaging
New Product Trend: Superior quality carbonated beverages for mixing that merge the gap between marketing and design to create powerful products
Packaging Description: Q Tonic has a commitment of making the world’s best tonic water - a clean, crisp, completely un-generic beverage that enhances the finest spirits or stands proudly on its own. The brand used one of New York City’s best design shops, aruliden, to develop a bottle as beautiful as the liquid it holds. Q Tonic chose a 6.3 oz. etched glass bottle to showcase its superior product. The result is superior tonic water. This tonic water is good enough for the best gin, vodka, or rum you would choose to mix it with, and good enough to change the way you think about tonic water.
Press Contact: Jordan Silbert, Founder, Q Tonic · (718) 398-6642 x 100 · Jordan@QTonic.com
Non-Carbonated Beverages
Winning Product: XanGo
Manufacturer: XanGo, LLC
Bottle and label design: Flow-Design, Inc.
New Product Trend: Creating brand identity and marketplace leadership by using a contemporary, custom bottle design
Packaging Description: XanGo hired Flow-Design, Inc. of Detroit, Mich., to create a complete brand identity—including the logo and bottle—for the original Mangosteen fruit supplement. XanGo introduced a new glass package for its beverages, featuring updated brand elements that reinforce its category creator position and worldwide market leader, including the use of the bold XANGO logotype and the Whole Fruit icon. XanGo is now presented in a very contemporary, pinched waist, tall, slender, clear glass container that allows the beautiful burgundy fruit juice color to show through. The indented seam that curves up the side of the label is a border between the logo and embossed emblems of the mangosteen cross-section. XanGo captured the essence of its Thailand origins with a mix of contemporary and traditional shapes, colors, and icons. The total package is finished with a clear PSL label and contrasting orange color shrink top sleeve over a 33MM aluminum closure system making the final offering as inviting as the product contained within.
Press Contact: Jeff Chandler, Public Relations Manager, XanGo, LLC · (801) 753-2820 ·Jeff.Chandler@xango.com
Distilled Spirits
Winning Product: UV Vodka
Manufacturer: Phillips Distilling Company
New Product Trend: Combining packaging structure for form and functionality with artful label designs for a sophisticated, yet approachable appeal
Packaging Description: Premium vodka is a booming category, and UV Vodka, offered by Phillips Distilling Company, is worthy of the category. This very smooth, four-times distilled spirit is presented in a 1.75 L pinched grip bottle that fits the hand for easy pouring from the long neck, which is topped by a custom Tamper Evident closure system. Offered in a crystal clear straight Vodka or Raspberry flavor infused Blue, UV Vodka is a new product that shouts to the consumer on store shelves.
Press Contact: Dean Phillips, President & CEO, Phillips Distilling Company · (612) 362-7506 ·dphillips@phillipsdistilling.com
Flavored Alcoholic Beverages
Winning Product: Saké2me
Manufacturer: Sake2me, LLC
Glass Container Supplier: Vitro Packaging (label design provided by Spear) New Product Trend: Using container size and labeling to create differentiation for the consumer
Packaging Description: Saké2me is creating the FAB Saké market with the introduction of a unique single serve brand in multiple flavors—which include Ginger Mango, Green Tea, Asian Pear, and Yuzu Citrus. Saké2me is a natural product that uses eco-friendly glass packaging. The bottles are made with up to 70% recycled glass. Saké2me utilizes a smaller container than traditional flavored alcoholic beverages (6.3 oz) with a unique neck taper to create differentiation for the consumer. The product is filled in the USA with Vitro glass and a U.S. made clear pressure sensitive label, provided by Spear.
Press Contact: Michele Angeloni / Henry Eshelman, PMG · (323) 337-9042 · mangeloni@platformgrp.com orheshelman@platformgrp.com
Organic Food
Winning Product: Del Monte Organic Pickles
Manufacturer: M. A. Gedney Company
Glass Container Supplier: Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc.
New Product Trend: Organic brands leveraging glass packaging for purity and a premium appeal
Packaging Description: In 1881 Mathias Gedney began his own pickle company. Since then, five generations of this family have continued his quest for excellence. Today, Gedney Pickles are still made and seasoned with the same care and attention as the original recipes. Gedney is one of the first to manufacture and market a USDA Certified Organic line of pickles. Gedney has determined their products fill better and have a longer shelf life in glass containers.
Press Contact: DaleAnn Murphy, M.A. Gedney Company Marketing · (763) 416-0858 ·daleann@themurphygroup.com
Organic Beverage
Winning Product: Tizane Beverages
Manufacturer: Tizane Beverages
New Product Trend: Organic beverages using custom glass package designs to stand out in the organics category
Packaging Description: Tizane® Beverages are the first 100% organic beverages featuring the unadulterated taste of botanicals. Focusing on purity, flavor and balance, Tizane takes the highest quality botanicals available, and then lightly sweetens them with blue agave nectar (never any added sugars) to enhance and reveal these unique botanicals. Recyclable clear glass bottles essentially deliver the overall consumer experience of full body and flavor in each sip, with a confidence in the purity and artesian quality of the product. The result - a destination in taste that’s pure, crisp, and refreshing!
Press Contact: Charles Pucciariello, CEO, Tizane Beverages · (888) 2-TIZANE [(888) 284-9263] · clp@tizane.com
Cosmetic and Fragrance Products
Winning Product: Avon Anew Clinical (15 mL & 30 mL)
Manufacturer: Avon Products, Inc.
Glass Container Supplier: Vitro Packaging
New Product Trend: Contemporary glass bottle shapes and label coatings for cosmetics to convey a premium image and luxurious appeal
Packaging Description: Glass packaging adds a unique sophistication and glamour for the Avon Anew Clinical products. To create the luxurious appeal of the product, flint glass bottles were sprayed with a white powder coating and then dressed with organic silver for the labeling.
Press Contact: Christina Bennett, Associate Manager, Public Relations, Avon Products, Inc. · (212) 282-8189 · christina.bennett@avon.com
Overall Package Design
Winning Product: Rose’s Mojito
Manufacturer: Cadbury Schweppes Beverages Americas
Glass Container Supplier: Vitro Packaging
New Product Trend: Using modern glass structure and labeling to create an approachable and trend-setting image
Packaging Description: Rose’s invites you to “set the rhythm” with its new non-alcoholic Traditional, Mango, and Passion Fruit Mojito mixers. Rose’s new package showcases the flexibility and design range of glass packaging. The Vitro Packaging-designed 21 oz. angled “designer” glass bottle is one-of-a-kind. The bottles’ slight rightward curve communicates sophistication, trendy and sleek. The designer bottles also nest perfectly side-by-side to create an eye-catching display. Rose’s Mojito packaging features vibrantly printed, pressure sensitive clear-film labeling with “island” style graphics.
Press Contact: Jason Genthner, Manager, Brand PR, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages · (972) 673-6688 ·Jason.Genthner@cs-americas.com
Conversion Recognition
Winning Product: Red Gold Salsa
Manufacturer: Red Gold, Inc.
Glass Container Supplier: Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc.
New Product Trend: Choosing glass for product repositioning
Packaging Description: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world.” This is Red Gold’s Mission Statement and all of Red Gold’s energies are focused toward achieving it. To obtain this high quality, after many years in cans, Red Gold has converted to glass containers for their brand name Salsa. This conversion into the premium 16-oz. package repositions the salsa as an upscale product. The new package allows the consumer to view the product and the eye-catching label and closure compliment the updated design of the overall package. Because Red Gold prides itself on consistent quality and attention to detail, demand for Red Gold products has grown tremendously. Converting from cans to glass is obviously the Clear Choice!
Press Contact: Theresa Warren, Assistant Brand Manager, Red Gold · (765) 754-7527 · twarren@redgold.com
Recognition for Outstanding Sustainable Practices
Winning Company: Orange Community Recycling Division of the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department
Story: Orange County’s commercial recycling program now serves over 140 businesses with source-separated collection of glass bottles and jars, metal cans, plastic bottles and mixed paper. The program collects over 640 tons annually about 400 of which are glass, and is financed primarily through the County’s universal recycling fee charged to all improved properties. The program has operated since 1992. Program services provided by Orange County include a set of 95 gallon roll carts at each site, bi-lingual labels with pictures, regular collection, which is mostly weekly, education and outreach, periodic public recognition of program participants in targeted print advertisements, articles, community presentations and an annual letter to each participant. Many participants use shared sites that present their own challenges with anonymous contamination. Feedback to the participants via the collectors through management staff is continuous and the program continues to expand to meet community demands and the new North Carolina state law mandating that all those establishments holding liquor licenses must recycle their beverage containers.
Press Contact: Blair Pollock, Solid Waste Planner, Orange County Solid Waste Management Department · (919) 968-2788 · bpollock@co.orange.nc.us
Clear Choice Awards Judge Iris Zavala, Managing Editor of Packaging World magazine, commented, “When I walked into the judging room for the 2008 Clear Choice Awards, I was immediately impressed by the creativity shown by every entrant. It was evident that a lot of long hours of planning and designing, and then executing the design, went into each product. One entrant that converted to glass from an aluminum can also impressed me. This was one of the best displays of companies striving to ‘go-green’!”
According to Clear Choice Awards Judge Lauren Hartman, Senior Editor of Packaging Digest magazine, “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience judging the 2008 Clear Choice Awards. There were so many interesting packages that it was difficult to select a top winner for each category. The competition illustrates the myriad of unique aspects of glass packaging and the endless innovations that can be created from glass.” The 2008 Clear Choice Awards judging panel included representatives from the packaging academia, packaging design and the packaging trade media:
- Bob Moore, Packaging Science Professor, Clemson University
- Dan Mishkind Principal, PURE BRANDING, LLC
- Iris Zavala, Managing Editor of Packaging World magazine
- Lauren R. Hartman, Senior Editor of Packaging Digest magazine
- Mark Ksiazewski, Design Director, Balducci’s Food Lover’s Markets
The entries were judged on aesthetics, creativity, marketability, and form and functionality. All 2008 Clear Choice Award winners received an engraved, one-of-a-kind Clear Choice Award created by internationally-renowned, Smithsonian-exhibited glass artist, Tim Tate. Winners also received industry recognition and brand building media coverage.
The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry. Through GPI, glass container manufacturers speak with one voice to advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental policies and educate packaging professionals.
See the latest winners of the Clear Choice Awards
