HOW TO STAND OUT AND WIN IN THE STUDENT GOLD PACK COMPETITION


Remember that the first purpose of this practical assignment is for an academic mark which is used for your OYD course.

To add interest to this assignment, the Student Gold Pack competition was created to reward those assignments that showed a special spark ' outside of the norm'. This is separate from the academic mark awarded.

The difference when judging projects for SGP purposes vs. marking them academically is that when judging for the competition the projects are being compared against one another within each project brief - i.e. this is similar to products/packs competing in their category of the market. Therefore, the write up really needs to ‘sell’ the benefits of that specific packaging concept and how its best meets the challenges as laid out in the project brief. A clear, concise and well written executive summary can make a big difference to an entry's success at this stage of the evaluation.

What the Judges look for as the competition prize winners - 

The judges will be looking for a project that has met all the basic mandatory requirements from an academic point of view – i.e. meets all criteria required in the presentation guidelines and discussed with your lecturers and mentors, but then also delivers beyond those basic expectations, and ‘stands  out’ from the rest of the projects, in the following areas:

• Displays innovative thought in the selection made of packaging materials taking technology, process, design, supply chain and the environment into consideration
  The ability to think innovatively and ‘push the boundaries’ a bit creating something exciting comes from having a practical insight into all the basic principles and performance requirements of packaging relating specifically to the project brief put forward
  
  
• Marketing Appeal: Does the entry have design appeal, feasibility, fit-for purpose, communicate and inform, add value, have a special purchase appeal or presents a particularly unique and appealing concept?
  
• Sustainability: Does the entry demonstrate and support the pursuit of global environmental sustainability and packaging that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The successful entries will probably involve the concept of one more of the four 'R's of packaging - Reduce, Recycle, Recover, Re-Use.
  
  
• Feasibility: Ease of processing/manufacturing, the extent to which a pack is fit for purpose and complies with the functions of packaging and efficiency in the packaging system
  
  
• A well justified case study is put forward clearly motivating each decision/selection made in putting together the packaging concept
  
  
• Demonstration of excellence in research, documentation and presentation.