BR&Me wins at DBA Awards

Last night’s Design Effectiveness Awards held in London saw BR&Me scoop the annual prize-giving ceremony’s Grand Prix award for its Foster’s lager brand packaging.

Foster’s multipacks showed a 36 per cent jump in sales following the packaging overhaul, making it a clear winner of the prize, according to Raymond Turner, chairman of the judging panel. ‘Small design changes that make a business difference are much more difficult for a designer than large ones. BR&Me’s work for Foster’s used the brand’s existing elements, with relatively subtle changes that were incredibly well managed,’ says Turner.

BR&Me, which also won the Packaging – Branded Food & Drink category, was briefed by Foster’s to convey ‘coldness’ through the packaging, while retaining the brand’s signature deep blue colour and its two vertical column logotype system. The proposed design departed from these guidelines by introducing frozen waterfall imagery and placing the Foster’s name in a horizontal position.

The Design Effectiveness Awards aim to recognise design work that has a measurable effect on a client’s bottom line. Clients enter jointly with design consultancies, and may also enter the work of in-house teams. Although the DBA declines to reveal how many entries the competition received, a shortlist of 28 finalists was selected, from which 12 category winners emerged.