London International Awards (LIA) is pleased to announce Oskar Lübeck, Chief Creative Officer of Bold, Stockholm as the 2024 Design and Package Design Jury President.

 

In accepting the position, Oskar said: “I am truly honored to return to the LIA Awards, this time assuming the role of Jury President for the Design and Package Design categories. What I think makes jury work so rewarding is not only to evaluate and discuss the best creative work in the world, but to meet and learn from some of our industry's most brilliant minds. The field of Branding and Design is evolving, with emerging technologies and new ways for brands to interact with their audiences. It is exciting times, and I believe that our industry now more than ever has the possibility to make meaningful impact on people's lives. Thanks again LIA for this opportunity - I look forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas!”

 

LIA has been awarding excellence in Package Design since 1993. The first Grand LIA awarded for Package Design was for Shiseido Feminite du Bois (Femininity of the Wood), a woody scent for the female profile. To some, the asymmetrical bottles in varying shades of maroon, with its graceful rise and fall were reminiscent of the work of Belgian Surrealist painter Paul Delvaux, who would portray women in the woods, sometimes as part of a tree - dark, unknowable and mysterious.
 
At LIA, this tradition of awarding excellence that moves industry standards higher has continued. Last year, LIA awarded Grand LIAs for both Design and Package Design – Japan Rail 150th Anniversary Campaign and “Life Extending Stickers” for Makro, respectively.  Both pieces were outstanding in their creative approach; both equally smart and strong in using design and package design to solve a problem and make lives better for their consumers.
 
The importance of Design and Package Design cannot be overstated. It tells so much about the product – its brand identity, value proposition and personality. It affects the brand story and plays a pivotal role in that storytelling. People do judge a book by its cover.
 
When Steve Jobs returned as CEO of Apple in 1997, he declared that Apple would only “sell four machines.” Jobs was emphatic in stressing that “the design was integral to what would make Apple great.” It was design that would dictate engineering. Apple became a company driven by design.  Not just engineering.
 
Barbara Levy, President of LIA, added: “Design and Package Design is close to my heart. I agree with Paul Rand when he emphatically said, ‘Everything is design. Everything!’ Design is ubiquitous, from what we eat to what we wear and even to the chairs we sit on. It plays such a significant role in our lives. But design is not easy. It’s not just about aesthetics. Good design gives us the most positive experience. All the elements come together seamlessly and to the untrained eye, it seems effortless. But, a lot of thought, creativity and hard work have gone into every piece of design and package design. I have the greatest admiration for designers. And I am proud to have the best practitioners on our Design and Package Design Jury, headed by Oskar Lübeck.”