The annual Label Design Awards commences today, the chance for your label to shine! The eighth annual Wine Label Design Awards, the fifth annual Beer Label Design Awards and the third Spirits Label Design Awards open for entry on 14 September 2022

The awards are proudly sponsored by self-adhesive label supplier Rotolabel and are convened by Winemag.co.za – Wine magazine was published from 1993 until 2011 and now lives on in digital form. Self-adhesive label supplier Rotolabel has been associated with this initiative since inception, we once again welcomed Avery Dennison, Synchron and Kemtek HP Indigo as secondary sponsors.

The motivation for the competition is to reward outstanding design as an influence on wine, beer and spirit purchases and all South African wine, beer and spirit producers as well as design studios are invited to enter from 14 September to 26 October 2022. An entry fee depending on category applies.

Distinguished judges have been appointed as follows:

  • Christian Eedes, Editor, Winemag.co.za (all)
  • Sean Harrison, Design & Strategy - LUCO° (all)
  • Kassie Naidoo, Creative Director - Lampost (all)
  • Rob Gower, Product Developer for Wine, Woolworths (wine)
  • Francois Rautenbach, Head buyer Singita (wine)
  • Greg Gilowey, Beer Country (beer)
  • Troye May, beer judge, homebrewer, host of #Beertime podcast (beer)
  • Leah van Deventer, drinks writer (spirits)
  • Bernard Gutman, drinks writer and presenter (spirits)

Wines will be judged in four categories: 1) under R80 a bottle; 2) over R80 a bottle; 3) over R500 a bottle and 4) labels forming a series – no price constraints.

Beers will be judged in two categories: 1) single labels and 2) labels forming a series.

Spirits will be judged in two categories: 1) single labels and 2) labels forming a series.

Judging criteria include originality of concept, execution, shelf appeal and effectiveness as a piece of communication.

Wine, beer and spirits must be produced in South Africa; commercially available; and the minimum stock requirement is 50 six-bottle cases. Each entry must be accompanied by a 150-word creative rationale.

The entry kit will be available on Winemag.co.za from 14 September 2022, closing date is 26 October 2022. After official judging, finalists will then be displayed on Winemag.co.za from 14 to 24 November to allow for consumer voting for the People’s Choice Award. The winners will be announced 1 December 2022.

WATCH: Wine Label Design Awards

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Three gold awards for wine, two each for beer and spirits in the Label Design Awards 2020.

Results of this year’s Label Design Awards for Wine, Beer and Spirits proudly sponsored by self-adhesive label supplier Rotolabel, in association with UPM Raflatac, Synchron, Kemtek and HP Indigo, were announced online on Wednesday 1 April.

An initiative begun in 2015 by Winemag.co.za, wine has featured since inception, beer for the last three years and now for the first time spirits. The competition exists to reward outstanding design as an influence on consumer purchases. Judging criteria include originality of concept, execution, shelf appeal and effectiveness as a piece of communication and the adjudicators are drawn from the fields of graphic design, media and the liquor trade. This year, there were 99 wine entries in total up from 83 in 2019; 10 beer entries down from 31 in 2019; and 30 spirits entries.

“The brief to the panel is to reward work that triggers an experience rather than simply being beautiful for the sake of beautiful,” said Christian Eedes, editor of Winemag.co.za and judge. “In addition, we wanted to celebrate those brands that were an authentic and original expression of the South African experience wherever possible.”

The planned awards function unfortunately had to be cancelled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic but all the award-winning work is available for viewing on Winemag.co.za.

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