This year, the theme of Korsnäs’ PIDA competition is ‘anything but square,' which can be interpreted as encouraging unusual shapes but also as ‘anything but boring,' The contestants’ job was to design packaging for luxury products.

Despite tough competition, the French jury unanimously chose a winner. This pyramid-shaped underwear pack with a handle, a product window and a relatively simple design is delivered flat and folded in the shop. "Brilliantly simple yet utterly irresistible," according to the jury.

Several weeks after the Swedish PIDA event in Frövi and one day after Sweden lost to Russia in the European Cup, it was once again time for competition, this time in Reims, in the heart of Champagne. Among the 24 contest entries were several lovely champagne packs, but a pack for underwear nevertheless took home the top prize.

First prize was a trip to the production plant in Frövi combined with a weekend in Stockholm and entry in Easy Fairs. The Swedish winner will also be participating in October when the PIDA competitions are presented and the winning entries are exhibited.

Inspiring event attracts many participants
Korsnäs’ partner in PIDA France is the Université de Reims (IUT). The event drew some 150 participants including – besides the competing design students – many representatives of customers, producers and designers. It was covered in the trade press and other media, including regional television coverage.

Panel debate took off
For tactical reasons, the awards ceremony was the last item on the agenda and the high point of the day. The remainder of the program, including packaging guru Lars Wallentin and a panel debate moderated by Bo Wallteg, editor-in-chief of Nord Emballage Magazine and packnyheter.se, guaranteed a full day of inspiration and entertainment centered on packaging design. In the panel debate, Bo asked the questions in English and the panelists responded in French.

The topic was ‘What is good, cost-efficient packaging design?’ After a few leading questions, the discussion took off, with lively contributions from the audience, too. Olivier Roussier from the converter Edelmann and designers J-L Azizollah and Christophe Fromentin generously shared their ideas, sometimes going head to head in debate.

Source: Korsnas AB