For the fourteenth consecutive year, BillerudKorsnäs organizes the international packaging design competition Packaging Impact Design Award (PIDA). Together with approximately 200 students from leading design universities in Sweden, Germany, France and England, the packaging phenomenon unboxing will be challenged.

Unboxing, the moment when a packaging is opened for the first time, is not only the consumer's first encounter with a product, but also increasingly critical for a brand's ability to make a first personal, and through social media, global impression. The possibility of differentiation through unboxing is the theme of the 2018 edition of BillerudKorsnäs design contest PIDA.

However, the brief to the contestants is more far-reaching than just embracing the first impression. It is about creating a sustainable, innovative and functional packaging concept with a unique unpacking experience that differs from the conventional solutions we see in stores and e-commerce today.

"During the fourteen years we have worked with PIDA, the competition has succeeded in becoming an international institution and one of the most important meeting places for new generation packaging designers and the established industry with brand owners, converters and design agencies. PIDA is a way for us to push forward the development of sustainable packaging design and this year we want to challenge conventional packaging solutions by bringing unboxing to a new level where it can reach its full potential in terms of creativity, sustainability and innovation,"says Lena Dahlberg Manager Carton Solution at BillerudKorsnäs.

Three competitions and new international "public award"
The competition brief was sent to the participants during January and the concept presentation/announcement of winners will occur at three separate events; in Stockholm on May 22 for Swedish and English students, in Paris on June 21 for French students and in Ludwigsburg on November 8 for German students. A novelty this year is the addition of an international award, the Peoples Choice Grand Final Award, where the public is invited to designate a total winner via Facebook. The nomination of the respective winners from England, France, Sweden and Germany starts after all regional competitions have been settled, and the entry that receives the most likes and shares is then named as the total winner of Peoples Choice Grand Final Award.

About PIDA
BillerudKorsnäs Packaging Impact Design Award (PIDA), has been organized annually since 2005 in collaboration with leading colleges and universities in France, Germany and Sweden. The goal with the competition is to put the packaging at the center and show how significant packaging is for both the product and the environment. Every year, approximately 200 design students participate in the competition, which is an integral part of the education. Read more about PIDA at http://pida.billerudkorsnas.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/PIDAcommunity/.