For the fourteenth consecutive year, BillerudKorsnäs, Sweden, is organizing the international packaging design competition Packaging Impact Design Award (PIDA). Together with approximately 200 students from leading design universities in Sweden, Germany, France and England, the packaging phenomenon unboxing will be challenged.

Unboxing, the moment when a packaging is opened for the first time, is not only the consumer's first encounter with a product, but also increasingly critical for a brand's ability to make a first personal, and through social media, global impression. The possibility of differentiation through unboxing is the theme of the 2018 edition of BillerudKorsnäs design contest PIDA.

However, the brief to the contestants is more far-reaching than just embracing the first impression. It is about creating a sustainable, innovative, and functional packaging concept with a unique unpacking experience that differs from the conventional solutions we see in stores and e-commerce today.

"During the 14 years we have worked with PIDA, the competition has succeeded in becoming an international institution and one of the most important meeting places for new generation packaging designers and the established industry with brand owners, converters, and design agencies. PIDA is a way for us to push forward the development of sustainable packaging design and this year we want to challenge conventional packaging solutions by bringing unboxing to a new level where it can reach its full potential in terms of creativity, sustainability, and innovation," said Lena Dahlberg, manager, Carton Solution at BillerudKorsnäs.

The competition brief was sent to the participants during January and the concept presentation/announcement of winners will occur at three separate events; in Stockholm on May 22 for Swedish and English students, in Paris on June 21 for French students, and in Ludwigsburg on November 8 for German students.

 

 

 A novelty this year is the addition of an international award, the Peoples Choice Grand Final Award, where the public is invited to designate a total winner via Facebook. The nomination of the respective winners from England, France, Sweden, and Germany starts after all regional competitions have been settled, and the entry that receives the most likes and shares is then named as the total winner of Peoples Choice Grand Final Award.

BillerudKorsnäs Packaging Impact Design Award (PIDA), has been organized annually since 2005 in collaboration with leading colleges and universities in France, Germany, and Sweden. The goal with the competition is to put the packaging at the center and show how significant packaging is for both the product and the environment. Every year, approximately 200 design students participate in the competition, which is an integral part of the education. 

Read more about PIDA online.

BillerudKorsnäs provides packaging materials and solutions that challenge conventional packaging for a sustainable future. The company has eight production sites in Sweden, Finland and the U.K., and about 4,300 employees in more than 13 countries. BillerudKorsnäs has an annual turnover of about SEK 22 billion.