The Pentawards, the most prestigious worldwide competition exclusively devoted to packaging design, will host a dedicated conference in China in collaboration with ADF&PCD Shanghai 2018. As part of this partnership The Pentawards Exhibit will showcase a selection of the 2017 award-winning packaging, offering visitors the unique opportunity to gain a global perspective of the best and most creative packaging designs from the last year. 

ADF&PCD Shanghai 2018, which is China’s only dedicated event for the aerosol, dispensing, perfume and cosmetic packaging community, held at Shanghai MART on 28 & 29 March, will welcome big-name brands, cutting-edge innovation and top design agencies. Not only will the show benefit from the industry-leading Pentawards Conference, but The Pentawards Exhibit will provide visitors with a first-hand look at the best and most creative packaging designs from the last year.

Paul Macdonald, Global Brand Director of the Easyfairs Packaging Portfolio, comments: “It’s really exciting to have The Pentawards on board for this year’s show, with some of the best and brightest minds from the packaging design world set to speak as part of the conference programme. Attendees will learn the best ways to tell a brand’s story, how to deliver innovation through design, and how to turn packaging challenges into opportunities. Having The Pentawards Conference at ADF&PCD Shanghai adds a unique gravitas to an already packed show, and helps us build on the momentum generated by our sister shows in Paris and New York.”

The dedicated packaging design-focused conference will be hosted and chaired by Rhonda Jiang, Editor-in-Chief at Package & Design Magazine, and will boast major names from all over the globe, specifically focusing on the creative design community. For example, Laurent Hainaut, President and Founder of forceMAJEURE, will be headlining the conference programme. forceMAJEURE is one of the leading international design houses, specialising in brand creation, brand renovation, product design and innovation, whilst Hainaut brings with him expertise from working on accounts including Unilever, Diageo, PepsiCo, Danone Waters, L’Oréal, Revlon and many others.

Ippei Murata, Art Director of Packaging Design at Shiseido, will be taking to the stage to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with developing a packaging design team for the Chinese market. Murata joined Shiseido, one of the leading cosmetics companies in the world, in 2001 helping to design the global Shiseido brand and establish it as a leading makeup brand in Japan. After a stint at Shiseido Europe, she moved to Shanghai to develop the package design team.

Also speaking as part of The Pentawards will be MS Xiaojing Huang, Strategic Director at YANG DESIGN. YANG DESIGN is one of the most forward-looking product strategy and design consultancies in China, with both international and local experience. Not only is Huang an internationally renowned Design Strategist and Trend Expert, but she is also a leading figure within the Chinese design marketplace.

In addition to big name speakers and international brands taking part in the conference, cutting-edge and innovative topics will also be on the agenda, with the theme for the 2018 conference finalised as ‘how can you turn design challenges into opportunities?’. Visitors to The Pentawards Conference can expect to hear an array of subjects, ranging from ‘How to meet the expectations of the always connected and demanding millennials’ and ‘Store Shelf vs E-Commerce. Do they require different packaging?’, through to ‘The importance of ensuring brand recognition and identity’ and ‘Why the future of packaging must be both interactive and responsive’.

Macdonald concludes: “The Pentawards is recognised around the world, not only because of the major names it attracts, but also the subjects it covers. Anyone with an interest in packaging design will not want to miss The Pentawards Conference or The Pentawards Exhibit at ADF&PCD Shanghai 2018. It is inspirational, educational and innovative, offering something for everyone.”

For further information, visit the website or via the show team on +44 (0)20 8843 8800 or [email protected].