Winners revealed: DBA Design Effectiveness Awards 2021

“From digital platforms to consumer products, transformative branding to customer service, the depth of impact and scale of reward achieved by the DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners demonstrate the relevance of design to every aspect of business. In the current context there are more opportunities than ever for business and government to capitalise upon design’s capabilities to drive change, and this year’s winners resoundingly prove who dares, wins.” Deborah Dawton, DBA Chief Executive

The creation of a new brand for Sodexo’s corporate food offer covering every aspect from proposition and identity, to customer experience, interiors, packaging, menu cycles and marketing comms. The Modern Recipe brand transformed corporate canteens across nine countries into thriving spaces to eat, meet, work and relax following the 2017 launch, increasing dining rates 45% and revenue 60% at one key site, and pushing whole business forwards. Read more >

A bold new identity and pack design transformed the fortunes of ethical coffee company Cafédirect enabling it to increase the money going back to growers by 27% in 2019. Read more >

Accelerating sales, the ‘stock in a can’ packaging solution was so successful it saved 1.3 tonnes of plastic waste in a year and the business has grown from 10 to 25 staff to meet demand. Read more >

Eye-catching design enabled new, low-alcohol Australian wine brand to secure distribution in 2,500 stores and exports to New Zealand, Canada and Europe within 18 months from launch. Read more >

A dramatic makeover of this gin brand increased retail listings 500%, reduced cost of goods sold by 44% and unlocked an innovation opportunity for BrewDog Distilling Company. Read more >

Reimagining this flagship through service, proposition and environment design has created a completely new financial services experience for customers and all refurbished Bank of Scotland branches will be modelled on the scalable design. Read more >

Sales leapt 75% (against 30% target), overseas listings were gained and the business expanded, taking on a second unit and three new staff following its repositioning and redesign. Read more >

A re-invigorated identity and pack design drove brand reappraisal; 320,000 extra shoppers consumed Princes’ products and brand value grew +8.8% YOY, outpacing competitors in the canned category. Read more >

This memorable new identity and packaging design solution which uses 85% less plastic, added £8 million in sales growth without any media spend, and increased penetration 40.1%. Read more >

Gourmet liquorice brand achieved 139% bottom-line comeback through design, despite COVID-19’s impact on retail operations. Turnover grew +16% YOY versus 2% category growth. Read more >

“Despite these challenging times, the standard of applications and quality of stories was stronger than ever. The judges, as rigorous as usual, were able to identify compelling and inspiring stories that showcase how and why design, as we look forward to new horizons, is vital to our future. This year is a celebration of courage and achievement in the face of great challenges across all aspect of business. Congratulations to all of the DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners who have achieved so much, by design.” Chairman of the Judges, Clive Grinyer

All of the winners results and full case studies can be viewed here: effectivedesign.org.uk/winners

The call for entries for the 2022 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards starts soon. Put your business in the frame to win one: sign up for news and to receive the entry pack when it launches this summer. The entry deadline will be on 5 November 2021. 

Image credits: 

Oxfam Superstore | Oxfam | One Fine Day Design 

Modern Recipe | Sodexo | Without 

Cafédirect Branding & Packaging | Cafédirect | Family (and friends)

Potts’ Packaging | Potts’ Partnership | This Way Up 

Tread Softly | Fourth Wave Wine | Denomination 

LoneWolf Gin Re-brand | BrewDog Distilling Company | LOVE.

The Bank of Scotland Flagship Branch | Lloyds Banking Group | M Worldwide 

Soapsmith Repositioning & Rebrand | Soapsmith | Bulletproof

Princes Branding | Princes | BrandOpus

Whitby Seafoods Branding | Whitby Seafoods | BrandOpus

Lakrids by Bülow Rebrand | Lakrids by Bülow | Pearlfisher

Castle Fine Art Website | Castle Fine Art | Thursday 

DigiBete Digital Platform | DigiBete | HMA 

Clive Grinyer, Chairman of the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards judges 

Air Wick Essential Mist | Reckitt | DCA