The winners of the 2012 Golden Label Award have been elected!

On 11 October, the coveted Golden Label Award was presented in Vienna in a ceremony held in the contemporary setting of the Platinum Vienna event location. This competition was organised by Brigl & Bergmeister GmbH, the leading manufacturer of label papers.

The medals were awarded in 5 categories, and a special audience prize was awarded as well.

It is incredible how many thousands of enthusiastic supporters voted for their favourite label! There were more than 12,000 click votes for the 7 top favourites alone. Two Austrian beer labels were among these favourites (Villacher and Murauer beer).

The fact that label entries for the competition came from more than 20 countries, and winners from 8 countries can now enjoy their awards, demonstrates the international scale of this event.

Does this indicate a trend?

Labels are increasingly taking on the role of communicators.

Information alone has long ceased to be enough.

The label material becomes part of the message as well. It is not only the smoothness, gloss and whiteness of the material that counts; in addition to visual parameters, the label's haptic properties have become a smart communication feature, too. This makes the label material part of the message, strengthening or emphasising the brand as well as the design.

After all, it's not only about passing a competition – labels also need to sell a product. This is why only marketable labels are permitted to participate in the Golden Label Award. They have to prove their worth in practical use, too. Where it is a question of “to be or not to be” in the store, the label's communicative power decides on a product's survival.

These are the winners of the 2012 Golden Label Award:

Wine, spirits and other uses category:

• Gold: the Madeira Collection (Marzek Group)
• Silver: Cardal (Miguel Freitas Design)
• Bronze: Gmeiner (Marzek Group)
• Merit: Apfelsecco (Vollherbst-Druck)

Mineral water & soft drinks category:

• Gold: L‘Eau Sans Souci (Goetz & Müller)
• Silver: Proviant Biolimonade (Töpfer Kulmbach)
• Bronze: Hello Kitty & Friends (IGP Imprimerie Georges Paris)
• Merit: Vöslauer Gastro Ausstattung (Ferdinand Walcher & C.F. Rees)

Beer & beer mixes category:

• Gold: Gourmetbier – 1628 (Neumarkter Lammsbräu)
• Silver: Indus Pride (SAB Miller India)
• Bronze: Birrecco (Ferdinand Walcher & C.F. Rees)
• Merit: Bavaria Dark (Goetz & Müller)

Best technical quality category:

• Gold: Bodegas Los Frailes (Designstudio Ertel, Etiketten Carini)
• Silver: Cigar Band „Gurkha 125th Anniversary“ (TSO Packaging Printers)
• Bronze: Ashton Mi Amor Reserva (Vrijdag Premium Printing)
• Merit: Schneider Weisse Limited Edition (Töpfer Kulmbach)

Best marketing concept & design category:

• Gold: Stiegl Hausbier (Marzek Group; Demner, Merlicek und Bergmann)
• Silver: Lunares (Savasa Impressores)
• Bronze: Kapuziner Kellerweizen (Kulmbacher Brauerei)
• Merit: Atlantik-Ale (Störtebeker Braumanufaktur)

Special prize based on e-voting (audience prize):

• Gold: Allegria (Perla Harghitei)

However, the above-listed winners were only the best of the best,

as there were also several hundreds of other outstanding label entries submitted in all categories. It was quite a challenge for the international jury made up of 8 experts. The organisers would like to thank all those who took part, and are extending an invitation to take part in the next competition, which will again award prizes to the best labels submitted.