10 of the best packaging designs to inspire you to enter this year's A' Design Awards

Every year projects that focus on innovation, technology, design and creativity secure an A' Design Award. Categories range from Good Industrial Design and Good Architecture Design to Good Communication Design and Good Product Design, and there are 100 of them to choose from, so there's something to suit every creative discipline.

For now, we're delving deep into last year's winners, focusing on the winning packaging design projects. This will hopefully give you some encouragement to put forward your own work for consideration. Scroll to the bottom to find out how to enter.

1. Souldrops Detergent by Réka Baranyi

Souldrops is a laundry detergent brand whose packaging and identity by Réka Baranyi really stands out from the crowd. You could call its design revolutionary, as there is no other detergent in the world that shares the same look and feel. We especially love the reimagined bottle shapes and the dreamy palette of pastel colours.

2. Twenty Twenty by Panos Tsakiris

The main inspiration for this project by Panos Tsakiris for Twenty Twenty was the effect alcohol has on the brain and, consequently, the eyesight. The typeface and graphic elements were created based on this very idea.

Specifically, "alcohol slows the pace of communication between neurotransmitters in the brain. The delay in communication between the brain and the eyes means that they are not able to function effectively which weakens the eye muscle coordination. This is what causes distorted or double vision."

3. Excalibur by Fengsheng Cai

The inspiration behind the design for Excalibur whisky by Fengsheng Cai came from the legend of the sword of King Arthur as well as his armour.

Featuring the bottle inside the packaging, it rises up slowly with the opening of the outer case. "The package is shaped like a teardrop diamond," explains Fengsheng, "meaning every dip of the whisky is as precious and glorious as the diamond."

4. Create Your Own Moon by Yuen Lam Cheung

Create Your Own Moon is a innovative product that allows you to craft your own special mooncake, a delicacy in Hong Kong to celebrate autumn. Its seriously nice packaging was created by Yuen Lam Cheung of Invisible, a local design studio.

5. Amaro 33 packaging by YG Design

For Amaro 33, a new grappa-based liqueur, YG Design created contemporary packaging for a traditional drink that would appeal more to a younger audience. During the day, the label looks elegant and modern, but at night it brightens up and glows in the dark.

6. Omdesign 2017 promotional packaging by Omdesign

Omdesign's promotional packaging celebrates the 165 national and international awards they have won in the last three years, using sustainable materials in light of Portugal's devastated forest following fires and extreme drought in 2017.

7. Santaren Rum Bottle by Estudio Maba

A narrative design inspired by old engraving graphics, the packaging for Santaren rum suggests that the drink takes a long time to produce. That it's old and therefore full of feeling and history. Estudio Maba's packaging evokes a calm elegance of the distilling process as its amber hues contrast delicately with its lush textured label.

8. Flo Alkaline Water by Matter Branding

"With water being an elemental part of existence, the main concept behind the brand is how nature comes to life with the nurturing quality of water, a quality that flows through every aspect via the cycle of life," explains Matter Branding of its packaging design for Flo Alkaline Water.

Matter adds: "We were approached to work on the creation of a premium brand for the only Alkaline water to be released in Egypt, with a brand name and design that are unique and strong enough to become the most aspirational, Egyptian, water brand in the market. With a modern, progressive and artistic persona, we set to work to create an intricate brand that conveys its values of being bold, sophisticated and vibrant."

9. Licha Packaging by Uvisual

Licha, a local tea brand in Taiwan, is inspired by "the affection of gifts", emphasising the brand experience of "sweet quality, fresh mellowness and long lasting aftertaste". Licha has always worked closely with local tea farmers in Taiwan to source teas with a rich and full flavour and an enduring aftertaste. Its products include gift sets, teas and iced teas.

Uvisual's brand expands on the idea of sending gifts by creating western-styled sophistication, integrating the classic and the chic, and highlighting characteristics of different products with bright and colourful packaging, thus promoting the fine teas of Taiwan to the world.

10. Maker Oats brand packaging by PepsiCo Design

PepsiCo's brand packaging for Maker Oats was inspired by Scandinavian simplicity. The design language embraces simple geometry paired with clean iconography and san serif letterforms while also translating traditional premium cues into a modern interpretation.

Simple, natural, and high quality are the design principles the agency used to create the Maker brand. Black and white with an intense hit of colour. Simple iconography to communicate. A few little moments of delight to show you how thoughtful Maker Oats are.

If you want to submit your work and enter the 2018 A' Design Awards, you have to register online and follow the simple instructions. Entries will be judged by an international panel of over 200 leading designers, prominent academics and influential members of the press.

If you win the coveted prize, you'll get special treatment with lots of publicity, an award trophy and certificate, a gala night of celebrations at Lake Como in Italy (with the chance to network with the best in the industry) and inclusion in an exhibition for all the winners. You'll even be included in a special edition, hardback yearbook of published works.

Of course, we don't need to remind you that awards are an excellent way to showcase your skills and expertise. They add that extra layer of credibility, proving to potential clients that you're worthy of their attention. Winning an A' Design Award also means you can add its logo to your website and marketing materials for life.

Deadline is 28 February 2019 and winners will be announced on 15 April 2019 (watch this space, as we'll be sharing them on Creative Boom too). To find out more about the A' Design Awards, visit whatisadesignaward.com.