Smarter packaging is an ideas carrier and has become an increasingly important means of competition when a large number of brands want to communicate, build and strengthen their brands. This was why Billerud, along with its design agency NINE, initiated a long-term collaboration with Berghs School of Communication – to contribute with knowledge on packaging development based on sustainable materials and, at the same time, to gain inspiration from Europe’s best students in the sphere of design and communication.
For the second year in a row, the collaboration, which goes under the name of SPICE, held a course at Berghs, “Sustainable Packaging Design – SPICE:11”, which has been taken by students on both the Graphic Design and Account Management/Operative Project Management programmes.
The kick-off for the course was held at Billerud’s Gruvön mill in Grums, Värmland, and the students were able to take a tour of the mill and visit Billerud’s knowledge centre, Box Lab, where they learned about Billerud’s range of materials and paper processes and were given help with their packaging samples.
"Bergh's starting point in teaching is that we are close to reality – and it could hardly be more real than to start this course with a visit to Grums" said Charlotta Rydholm, Head of Bergh's full-time education Account Management/Operative Project Management programmes.
The final challenge of the course was the SPICE:11 contest, in which the students competed in developing a completely new concept for gift packaging for Orrefors Kosta Boda’s products. The aim was for the packaging to increase the value of the product, achieve recognition and brand identification, and streamline and rationalise packing and logistics. The students’ solutions and communicative ideas were presented to a jury consisting of Billerud, NINE, Berghs and Orrefors Kosta Boda, and were assessed based on the following criteria: originality, relevance, quality/design and feasibility.
“It was incredibly exciting to see the packaging the students finally produced. Packaging is an important tool for communicating with and marketing a product in relation to consumers, and it’s crucial to have a strategy for the entire product life cycle. Much of the work involves striking a balance between creative ideas and practicality, which the winners succeeded in doing,” says Jimmy Nyström, Business Development Director, Packaging Boards, Billerud.
The winning team, made up of the graphic designers Oskar Wettergren and Anna Jadvi along with production managers Cornelia Röslund and Peter Orre, can now look forward toa stay at Kosta Boda Art Hotel, a course in glass blowing, and the privilege of producing their own design for the glass.
