The first ‘bpma Design Innovation Award’, sponsored by 3M, has been won by Andrea Pisa, a design student at Brunel University.
The Competition challenges UK based undergraduate design students to create a new product idea for the promotional merchandise industry. Launched by the bpma, the annual competition seeks to create new British designed products for the promotional market, and to focus UK design students on the large and thriving UK promotional industry that will be largely unknown to them.
$24 billion global technology company 3M, the perfect sponsor for the Award, has been creating innovative products for over 100 years, and of course invented the Post-It Note – one of the most versatile successful and popular promotional items ever.
“3M has always put a premium on creativity and innovation, so getting involved with this Award makes perfect sense for us” says Simon Edwards, 3M UK brand manager.
Finalists also spent a morning at 3M HQ in Bracknell, and were given an outstanding and inspiring presentation tour of the 3M Innovation Centre.
Winning designer Andrea addressed the universal issue of safeguarding personal belongings in bags and backpacks by designing an easy to use lock that requires two hands to open it, thus deterring most thieves who work on a quick sleight of (one) hand. Inexpensive and with plenty of branding space, the concept can be tailored to protecting business computer bags, backpacks for kids, and ladies shoulder bags for instance, and would be a must for commuters on busy bus, rail and metro journeys.
Bpma director general Gordon Glenister was delighted with the first Design Innovation Award, and commented “ I am always fascinated by the design talent this country has to offer and was particularly excited to receive over 120 entries for this first year award. Any industry needs fresh innovative ideas and lateral thinking and some of the products we saw have definite commercial application,
1st Photo – (Simon Edwards –Andrea Pisa – Gordon Glenister)
2nd Photo – finalists
The British Promotional Merchandise Association
Gordon.glenister@bpma.co.uk
stephen@colourchange.com
0207 631 6963