The beverage alcohol industry has long been successful in adapting to the challenges of changing market conditions, by either creating exciting new products or by re-positioning tried-and-true brands in more advantageous ways. Major elements in this industry-wide effort are the innovative merchandising and ingenious advertising programs introduced each year, especially for the many high-profile products that play an important role in spurring industry growth. It’s no secret that beverage alcohol suppliers collectively spend many millions of dollars annually to grow their brands. Though it all starts with the liquid in the bottle, there is vast collection of creative talent that contributes to the initial — and ongoing — success of brands, as marketers constantly seek to present brands that distinguish themselves from similar products on retailers’ shelves. The Beverage Dynamics Advertising & Promotion Awards competition is meant to highlight a broad array of innovative merchandising and advertising programs introduced during the past year. This is the 21st year of the competition, and once again, the results show how impressive these efforts are. As we’ve said here before, the investments that companies make in packaging, advertising, merchandising and promotion for their various brands are instrumental in directing consumers toward certain products. In fact, there are numerous examples of how a fresh advertising campaign or a redesigned package, for example, helped invigorate a brand. These efforts and how they appeal to consumers can often make or break a product, and signal why companies continue to spend millions of dollars in the creative arena. Our panel of judges – listed at the end of this article – include 10 well-respected members of the advertising, marketing and design communities. Once again, they graciously gave of their time, experience and energy, and we’d like to acknowledge their participation. As in every competition of this sort, choosing the winners is not an easy task, especially in the categories with a number of exceptional entries. The following pages are meant to showcase those winners and the companies behind our industry’s best advertising, packaging, promotions and merchandising materials. PANEL OF JUDGES
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