The company was asked to create gift packaging for Jim Beam Honey for the Christmas season and it came up with the idea of a honeycomb design to illustrate the note of real honey in combination with a bourbon vanilla and oak flavor.
'Feel good factor'
Steffen Mossbacher, head of Insight Center Lauterbac, STI Group, told FoodProductionDaily finishing with matt, UV spot varnish and effect varnish made the structure of the honeycomb visible and feel good for the consumer.
“It was an honour for us to win the Beverage category of the ProCarton/ECMA Awards,” he said.
“Jim Beam Global came to us during the middle of last year and asked us to develop the packaging for its Christmas season.
“The Christmas season counts for about 30-50% of the company’s turnover so that means the success of that business is very crucial to them.
“We developed several alternatives and layouts and by August they decided to give us the job. It was a win/win situation for both of us.
“We designed the packaging for them again this year so hopefully it will lead to a long-term relationship with STI and Jim Beam Germany. Thanks to making the Christmas packaging this year again we hope to do it next year as well.”
Cut-out honeycomb sections
According to the judges at the event, held in Sorrento, Italy, last week, the carton ‘truly reflected its contents in that the emphasis in the design was on honey that the whiskey contained’.
“The judges viewed this as a really good thought process in that the presence of honey in the whiskey was indicated in several ways on the carton. The image of honeycomb was printed and embossed and also cut out sections were made in the shape of a honeycomb.”
The bold colours of black and yellow also made the carton, made by cartonboard manufacturer Tullis Russell stand out, especially at duty free outlets.
In addition, the logo and honeycomb structure are embossed to deliver a certain tactile shopping feeling and the honeycomb structure plays a part in the punching of the windows, allowing the product to be seen.
Mossbacher added the warm yellow and brown shades also reflect the drink’s mild taste.