A global packaging leader, Spearhead will work with rising stars in global design to develop innovative new concepts for spirits brands.
August 21, 2019 (Yardley, PA) – The Spearhead Group, Inc. has announced their exclusive sponsorship of an innovative luxury packaging design program with the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) Turin in Italy. Launching this September, students will have several months to create a luxury packaging design for an imaginary spirits brand. The project is the first packaging collaboration of its kind with the European Institute of Design.
“We offer a full-circle, creative packaging process that starts with ideation and cutting-edge design and ends on our manufacturing floor with a completely custom business solution for each client,” says Heather Fritzsche, Co-Founder and CEO of The Spearhead Group. “The European Institute of Design is a dynamic global partner who will challenge us to re-imagine what great spirits packaging can deliver and offer a full suite of design options that clients have never seen before.”
“We’re committed to investing in the best packaging design and quality manufacturing process in the spirits category and are thrilled to launch this first program with IED Turin,” adds Natale Bauducco, European Advisor for The Spearhead Group and one of the project leaders. “We can’t wait to unveil the new designs later this year and look forward to an ongoing collaboration with the best and brightest students in design.”
All participants are currently enrolled as design students in IED Turin. In September they will receive a brief from Heather Fritzsche, President of The Spearhead Group, challenging them to create a bottle, label and luxury presentation box that will inspire brand owners and consumers of global spirits brands. Bottles can be designed in glass or ceramic in a standard 750-ml product size; beyond this specification, students are not restricted by size or shape. Luxury boxes can be made from wood, paperboard, leather, textiles, or metal. To inform their research, students will also be briefed on the capabilities of the Pioneer Partners, a group of best-in-class innovators from around the globe who collaborate with The Spearhead Group, including a profound education in the latest techniques in carving, die-cutting, hot stamping, embossing, plating, paper/material wrapping, laser engraving and manual packaging assembly.
The end product must include a fictional generic brand, detailed specifications and drawings, mockups, and animations of the packaging. Students will be judged on overall design, functionality and innovative thinking. The winning designer will receive a cash prize and a trip to the U.S. to visit Spearhead’s Innovation Centers and present their ideas to Clients. Additional opportunities will also be available to intern with Spearhead or within the Pioneer network. Students will present their ideas at the end of November 2019 to Heather, Natale and Robert Catalano. The winners will be selected in December.
About The Spearhead Group
A leader in packaging innovation for spirits, food and beauty brands, The Spearhead Group delivers customized packaging solutions from creative brand design to manufacturing through a full suite of Physical Brand Enhancements that enable clients to stand apart from the competition. Founded in 2018 by Heather Fritzsche, CEO, and Robert Catalano, President, the Spearhead team brings more than 45 years of collective experience enriched by Pioneer Partners around the world. The result: a proprietary packaging process and unparalleled relationships that ensure the execution of high-value business and brand-building goals for each client. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, The Spearhead Group manages a client-facing Packaging Innovation Center in Louisville and a production center in China. The Spearhead Group is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and actively supports diversity suppliers.
About Istituto Europeo di Design (IED)
For more than fifty years, the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) has been operating in the fields of education and research in design, fashion, visual communication, and management. Today, the IED is a constantly expanding international network that awards academic achievement diplomas and organizes Masters courses, continuing professional education and advanced training. Originally founded in Italy, the IED is based globally in Milan, Rome, Turin, Florence, Venice, Cagliari, Como, Madrid, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Coursework is taught by leading design faculty with a respect for applied skills, constant innovation, and environmental sustainability. The IED-Turin school is known for a cross-disciplinary approach from filmmaking and fashion to communications, industrial design, visual arts, and humanities.
For more information about The Spearhead Group worldwide, including interview requests, please contact Helen Gregory, helen@gregoryvine.com or Amanda Davis, amanda@gregoryvine.com.