Alex Awards

CMP Information Inc. & IRMA Present Alex Entertainment Packaging Awards

The Alex Awards for Excellence in Entertainment Packaging were established in 2003 by CMP Information Inc. and the International Recording Media Association in honor of Alex Steinweiss, the creator of the first album cover in 1939 for Columbia Records.

Scorpions

Best CD - Alternative Design
The Scorpions: A Box of Scorpions
Client: Universal Music
Art Directors: Michele Horier and Smay Vision
Designer: Smay Vision
Photographer: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
Packaging Company: Shorewood Packaging

In accepting the award, Shorewood's Britt Davis said when entering the project they knew they "wanted to do something with foil." All involved were pleased that they could achieve such special packaging for this catalog product.

BeastieBoys

Best CD - Illustrated Cover
Beastie Boys: To the 5 Boroughs
Client: Capitol Records
Drawing: Matteo Pericoli
Art Director: Mary Fagot
Designer: Nathaniel Hornblower
Packaging Company: AGI Media, Inc.

The cover illustration of the pre-9/11 Manhattan skyline was based on a 2001 book called "Manhattan Unfurled" by Matteo Pericoli and Paul Delicacy Goldberger. That book was read by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, and suggested the image for its use in the package.

Dylan2

Best Vinyl Package
Bob Dylan: Rolling Thunder
Client: Classic Records
Art Director: Jeff Bowers, Geoff Gans
Designer: James Lizardi
Photographer: Ken Regan
Packaging Company: Stoughton

In accepting the award, Classic Records president Mike Hobson said the company set out "to do a job that Bob Dylan deserves" and was "over the top" in regard to its three-LP boxed set packaging. Besides the records, it features a 7" blue vinyl single, a 70-plus page perfect bound 12" x 12" book, a reproduction of the original tour poster, two show tickets, and the hand bill.

Goodbye Babylon

Best CD - Boxed Set
Goodbye, Babylon: Various Artists
Client: Dust-to-Digital
Art Director & Designer: Susan Archie
Book: Hignell Printing
Box: Woodpak Industries

With art direction and design executed by World of anArchie, this CD is reverently packed in raw cotton and housed in a deluxe 8" x 11" x 2.5" cedar box, which also includes a 200-page book with Bible verses, complete lyric transcriptions, and notes for each recording-plus over 200 illustrations.

Rolling Stone

Best Disc Decoration
Rolling Stones: Four Flicks
Art Director: Tom Hingston
Designers: Tom Hingston & Danny Doyle
Production Company: TGA DVD
Packaging Company: AGI Media, Inc.

David Anthony, who produced the DVDs and accepted the award on behalf of TGA, said: "I know that the band was very interested in the packaging. Needless to say, they're a demanding client."

Texas

Best DVD Package - Single Disc
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Limited Edition
Art Directors: Zach Pennington & Norma Sierra
Designer: The Cimarron Group
Production manager: John Bailey, Pioneer/Geneon
Packaging Company: Bert-Co

In accepting the award, Pioneer's John Bailey praised printer Bert-Co's ability to take "key art and sculpt it" into an award-winning, memorable design.

RingsTwo Tower

Best DVD Multidisc
(First Prize)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Client: New Line Home Entertainment
Art Director: Par Larsson
Designer: Mor Potivas
Packaging Company: 30sixty Design

In accepting the award, 30sixty Design head designer Par Larsson said: "After growing up with these books, it was great to come back to them 20 years later and work on this project." A judge commended the package as being "very elaborate eye-candy for marketing."

Other Alex Awards

• Best VHS - Single Tape X2: X-Men United Client: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Packaging Company: Bert-Co

• Best CD - Photograph Cover Iggy Pop: Skull Ring Client: Virgin Records Art Director: Sean Mosher-Smith Designer: Mike Joyce Photographer: Mark Mau

• Best DVD Multidisc - Second Prize Schindler's List Client: Universal Home Entertainment Design: Drissi Multimedia Packaging Company:AGI Media, Inc.

• Best DVD Multidisc - Third Prize Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition Client: Shout Factory Art Directors: Al Quattrocchi and Jeff Smith Designer: Aaron Kahan Printing Company: AGI Media, Inc. Packaging Company: Sony Manufacturing

• Best Promotional CD or DVD (tie) Maroon 5: Songs About Jane Client: BMG UK Packaging Company: Pozzoli SPA of Italy Illustrator: Sean Evans Designer: Scott Madill

• Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Client: New Line Home Entertainment Packaging Company: 30sixty Design Art Director & Designer: Par Larsson