Award winners: Meet Harpers' design champions 2017

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 08 August, 2017

Once again a panel of judges came together to determine this year’s design stars from across the wines, beers and spirits stratosphere.

Harpers Design Awards 2017 saw the new, the subtle and the bold sit side by side, showcasing some of the true creativity of the designers working in our industry.

But initial impact was just one of the things that our business-savvy judges were looking for when judging entries, which were made up of designs that have either been launched or relaunched over the past year.

They were also looking for a keen commercial understanding of UK consumers and how to clearly stand out in today’s crowded marketplace.

Looking out for a commitment to innovation as well as execution and business nous, this year the judges awarded a total of 33 medals – 10 golds, four silvers, 14 bronzes and five commendations.

They also awarded five trophies to those entrants that truly stood out and added value to their categories by elevating them beyond the everyday or expected.

Congratulations to all of our trophy and medal winners.

Here are this year’s winners in full.

BEST REDESIGN & SUPREME CHAMPION

Four Winds Vineyard

Brand Owner: Four Winds Vineyard

Design Agency: Denomination

What our judges said:

”Warm, contemporary, evocative and elegant,” was the consensus of the judges, who praised Four Winds’ ability to tell a relatable story with simple yet compelling artwork.

BEST SPIRITS DESIGN

Italicus

Brand Owner: Italspirits

Design Agency: Stranger & Stranger

What our judges said:

The Italian liqueur rosolio, which is usually derived from rose petals, is virtually unknown in the UK save for a few niche advocates. But judges agreed that Stranger & Stranger has injected the right amount of intrigue to make its design the perfect vehicle for introducing it to the UK market.

MOST INNOVATIVE PACK FORMAT

Most Wanted Wine Pouches

Brand Owner: Off-Piste Wines

Design Agency: Denomination

What our judges said:

Judges could imagine picnic and festival devotees pouring the wine into glasses – or even drinking straight from the pouch – and could also see the pouches becoming mainstays in travel retail and hotel minibars.

BEST WINE RANGE

No Evil

Brand Owner: Fourth Wave Wine

Design Agency: Denomination

What our judges said:

No Evil was also commended for the restrained aspects of its design, in particular its subtle but effective use of textured paper stock.

BEST ALTERNATIVE PACKAGING

PinotPinot - Pinot Grigio Sparkling Cans

Brand Owner: Off-Piste Wines

Design Agency: Denomination

What our judges said:

Cans may not be new to the market, but judges agreed Denomination hit the right note bringing this alternative format closer to the mainstream, with a smart design that borrows cues from the world of fashion.

DESIGN AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Denomination

Once again, last year’s winners Denomination swept to the top of the scoring board as our standout design agency of 2017.

Across the board its designs showed an ability to capture the essence and messaging of the product as well as the initiative to throw the rulebook out of the window when necessary, and play with established formats.