Artexis Easyfairs announced its acquisition of Pentawards, the most prestigious worldwide competition exclusively dedicated to packaging design. The acquisition goes a long way in complimenting the worldwide packaging events portfolio of Easyfairs. Easyfairs currently organizes 200 events across 19 countries, a formidable footprint that will be further enhanced by the presence of Pentawards as a group entity.
Created in January 2007, Pentawards’ primary mission is to increase awareness of packaging design and those who create it. Its 55 categories are open to all those across the globe who are associated with the creation or marketing of packaging, and are judged by an international jury consisting of 12 highly reputed designers and packaging design directors from major companies.
Trophies are awarded each year in a different city in Europe, Asia or America during an official ceremony that welcomes hundreds of designers from around the world. The tenth annual Pentawards ceremony took place on 23 September at Shanghai’s Hyatt on the Bund, with previous ceremonies being staged in London, Tokyo, Barcelona, Paris, New York, Brussels and Monaco.
Pentawards will be operated by Easyfairs UK and Global office, part of Global Top 20 exhibition company Artexis Easyfairs. It complements Easyfairs’ existing global portfolio of packaging events that run across Europe and North America, including Packaging Innovations, Luxury Packaging, Label&Print, Empack, ADF (Aerosol Dispensing Forum) and PCD (Packaging of Perfumery, Cosmetics & Design).
Matt Benyon, managing director of Easyfairs UK and Global says, “We are delighted by this latest acquisition, which cements us as the leading organizer for packaging events globally. The Pentawards are a prestigious and well-recognized concept with a respected heritage, which enhances our global presence and ensures a foothold in the awards marketplace.”
Founders Jean Jacques and Brigitte Evrard will remain involved with the awards, to help direct the strategy and integration. According to Brigitte, “We have been very proud to bring the Pentawards to the global packaging industry to celebrate the media of packaging, which is often the unsung hero in the media mix. It has been an exciting ten years so far, and we are delighted to continue our involvement by working closely with Easyfairs, which is clearly as committed to quality and the packaging marketplace as we are!”
The chairman of the Pentawards jury, Gerard Caron, who is the co-founder of the French design marketing agency, Carre Noir and a contributor to the development of French design marketing overseas, will speak at the first ever Packaging Design Innovation Technology (PDIT) Conference in Mumbai on 16 and 17 December 2016. He will share his ideas and experience in a discourse aimed at achieving optimum synchronisation between technology and innovation on one hand and design and sustainability on the other.
Know more about PDIT Conference here.
