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2010 NACD awards honor innovation

Twenty-three packages representing a range of industries are lauded by the National Association of Container Distributors.

Hp 19363 Vivitaswomanandmomtobevitamins
The National Association of Container Distributors (NACD) has announced the winners of its Annual NACD Packaging Awards program, which recognizes the most innovative packages released during the previous year. The awards are given to the package distributors that developed the packaging for their clients. Judging for the 2010 program took place March.

This year's top honor, the Bernard M. Seid Best of Show award, was bestowed upon the Smart & Silky Foaming Hand Sanitizer package, developed by TricorBraun for brand owner Environmental Solutions, Intl. (ESI). The hand sanitizer package departs from the typical utilitarian design found in this category, focusing instead on one that is eye-catching enough that consumers will keep it easily accessible on counters and desks. A tote size for purses and bags was also developed.

TricorBraun designed an unusual shape, with a unique, slanted edge in the front that provides more space to get hands under the pump while dispensing the product. The shape also gives the container a stable base. TricorBraun also conceived the graphic designs for the label and the idea to have a colored, nonprinted side of the label show through the clear product, even reflecting on the bottom of the bottle, giving clear SKU differentiation for the different products in the line. The attractive package conveys the appearance of a colored bottle.

In addition to the Best of Show, 22 other awards were given out, representing Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards in seven categories and one winner for Creative Use of Stock Components. A People's Choice Award was voted on by attendees of the NACD 2010 Annual Convention. Following are descriptions of the top Gold award winners in each category.

Drug & Pharmaceutical: Vivitas Woman and Mom to Be Vitamins -
Purity Life Health Products
Distributor: TricorBraun

The rounded profile of a mother-to-be is one of humankind's most unmistakable images, and TricorBraun worked with Purity to create that figure in the packaging for their lines of multivitamin supplements for women.

The shape of one of the bottles is the silhouette of a pregnant woman, and the likeness is enhanced with the image of an expectant mother printed on a full-sleeve shrink label that is applied to the uniquely shaped container. The other container features the iconic hourglass shape representing a woman's figure for the line of women's supplements.

Bottle concepts were provided by Purity. TricorBraun's challenge was bringing these designs to fruition, creating a form that would hold a shrink-sleeve label and orient it properly for the shrink-label application. The bottom side needed a dramatic return into the base to maintain its hold on the sleeve. The bulb or high point on the lower bulge and its smaller inset base ellipse helped to increase the chance the sleeve would stay in place while at the same time added value to the end-result form.

The flip-top, full-orifice dispensing closure eases the access to the vitamins, which makes taking that one-a-day pill even more convenient, ensuring compliance for all women and mothers-to-be taking these supplements.

Novelty: eSHAVE™ Minis - Shave, Inc.
Distributor: O. Berk Company

Shave, Inc. was looking to create a line of samplers for its eSHAVE™ collection of shave creams and aftershave creams in a variety of natural scents. These trial sizes were a great way to create trial and excitement for the larger-sized containers. This small business needed to make an impact in the growing men's grooming business by targeting the spa and hotel markets.

Shave, Inc. chose to create a package for eight of its naturally scented shave creams. The eight creams are contained in 0.25-oz thick-wall clear polystyrene jars topped with shiny black, smooth-sided polypropylene caps with F-217 liners. The products are identified by colorful labels in-sync with each scent and are housed in a transparent package.

The eSHAVE collection has created significant buzz in that its line has been featured Oprah and Jay Leno. These novelty promotional mini-shave creams aided in the sales growth of these creams in the regular-sized containers.

Food & Beverage: Caribou Crossing - Sazerac Co.
Distributor: Continental Packaging Solutions

The Caribou Crossing whiskey package conveys the unique and elegant product within, while telling a story. It starts with a heavyweight, square carafe-design bottle that brings old world style and grace. After much work with ceramic inks, the perfect gold was found to help the package look truly rich. The Caribou designs screened on the bottle's side panels offer a three-dimensional look at Canada's beauty. The four-panel bottle is finished off with a pressure-sensitive label for both product description as well as regulatory requirements, and a holographic sticker on the front adds color and style.

The closure is a decorative maple leaf stopper top that allows for the flavor and aroma to remain stable in transit and on the shelf.

Cosmetics & Personal Care: SoTan Electric Bronze - Supre
Distributor: TricorBraun

This package represents the first commercial launch using the vendor's new "One Touch" closure. The easy-opening closure makes opening and closing the package a one-handed operation.

Smooth, feminine rounded arms and legs—that's the impression the package gives as you look at the elegant, curved lines of the bottle sweeping up to the meet the closure. The oval base means more billboard area for the product info, and a rounded shoulder means the bottle meets the silhouette of the closure perfectly.

Household Chemical & Auto: Zip Wax - Turtle Wax
Distributor: Berlin Packaging

As part of its growing sustainability initiative, Walmart challenged car care products maker Turtle Wax to upgrade its Zip Wax packaging. Turtle Wax teamed with Berlin's design division to tackle this initiative. After an in-depth review of the Turtle Wax brand, the category competitors, and a complete user study, the team targeted several areas for improvement, including greater sustainability, enhanced user experience, maximum efficiency, and increased shelf appeal.

Motivated by the sustainable benefits, a material conversion was made from polyvinyl chloride to high-density polyethylene with 25% post-consumer recycled content. Turtle Wax also opted to move the handle to the side of the bottle, giving the consumer a more controlled and comfortable grip. The side handle also allows for increased top-load stability, while it reduces excess splash when dispensing the product. By implementing a three-sided wraparound label, Turtle Wax was able to increase the label area with a seamless, upscale appearance with foil-stamped accents.

The new designs were fully refined to capitalize on manufacturing, filling, and transporting efficiencies. As a result, Turtle Wax was able to maximize the pallet capacity and increase the number of units per truckload by more than 12%.

General Industrial: Tri-Flow Soy Lube - Specialty Lubricants
Distributor: Kaufman Container Company

Having a product as earth-friendly as Soy Lube required packaging that would be as friendly to the consumer as it is to the environment. Working with the customer, Kaufman was able to source the type of packaging best be suited for Specialty Lubricants' new product line. This unique package consists of five different components produced in two different facilities—one domestic and one international.

The product is dispensed in a spray pattern as if it is coming from an aerosol can. Some priming that needs to be done by the consumer, but the eco-friendly benefits outweigh the work that must be done. Placing the orders was a challenge as the lead times in the marketplace were quite long.

The filling of these items is slightly tricky since there are multiple components that have to be assembled and handled to ensure the packaging is put together correctly. Kaufman needed to ensure that the customer was aware of this prior to receiving the shipment.

Pet & Vet: Simple Green Pet Stain & Odor Remover - Sunshine Makers, LLC
Distributor: Berlin Packaging

Sunshine Makers recently revamped its pet stain and odor remover products with the introduction of exciting new packaging. Berlin's design division was asked to develop a brand-centric, premium container for the relaunch of the company's Simple Green Pet products.

They wanted to create a custom-handled gallon with matching trigger bottle that would be both unique to the category and clearly identifiable with the Simple Green brand.

The deep-arched, textured handle allows for a wide grip and easy handling; it also allows additional airflow to reduce glug when pouring.

The new packages are directly reminiscent of the Simple Green logo. The handled gallon features a notch along the bottom to aid the consumer when pouring.

NACD People's Choice Award: Caribou Crossing - Sazerac Co.
Distributor: Continental Packaging Solutions

Creative Use of Stock Components: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Baby Line -
The Caldrea Company
Distributor: Kaufman Container Company

The Mrs. Meyer's philosophy is simple: to make straightforward, honest cleaners that smell good and remove dirt effectively. They are also aromatherapeutic. To add to its existing line of pet products and household cleaners, Caldrea decided to create Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Baby Products, a unique line of cleaning and personal care items specifically formulated for babies. Organic essential oils provide a refreshing, gentle fragrance. Dermatologist-tested to be pure and gentle and never tested on animals, the packaging for this line needed to be just as eco-friendly but also functional for use on children.

Because of that, 25% post-consumer recycled material was used in all of the packaging except for the pumps and closures. The dispensing closures on the shampoo and conditioner have a Simpli Squeeze valve system, which allows the user to squeeze the package with just one hand while washing their baby with the other. The 4-oz Gentle Baby Oil bottle also contains a heavier gram weight to eliminate paneling due to the oil-based product inside.

Labels were supplied by Berlin for the complete turnkey experience. The end result is sustainable packaging for an environmentally conscious company that is committed to the health and safety of its customers, their employees, and our planet.

Pictures of all 23 award winners can be found on the NACD Web site.

-By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor, Packaging World
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