From the Publisher

By Chris Lyons

The Designers Have Spoken

The people have voted and the results are in: The winner of the 2006 Makeover Challenge is Kendall Ross. Five awesome teams and five remarkably creative redesigns, but the ultimate winners are you our readers who have had the opportunity to witness some of the most powerful ideation efforts in the package design industry. Our profile on Kendall Ross gives an in-depth look at this exceptional design firm.

In this issue we are pleased to provide a powerful supplement on sustainability and the critical role package designers have in identifying the best packaging solutions for every brand and new product coming into the market. This special section is further supported by an online package designer's sustainable packaging Toolbox of Resources. Please go to www.packagedesignmag.com to find additional tools to help you plan your next project with sustainability in mind. This supplement and online toolbox are great partners as the sustainable movement gains momentum.

Also in this issue you will find a terrific report on packaging innovations from Japan. Editor-in-Chief Ron Romanik spent a whirlwind week in Japan at Tokyo Pack and was wowed by the ingenious packaging solutions coming from this spectacular country, as well as the particular cultural nuances driving innovations there.

We also explore how the prototyping business continues to provide marketers with powerful tools for market testing, new product launches, commercial props, and television placements. The Comp24 Group has built a countrywide network dedicated to serving the needs of CPGs around the country.

We hope you enjoy this issue and the 2007 calendar, and we hope that you will join us at the Fourth Annual Package Design Conference in Orlando, FL, from January 30 through February 1. As always, we thank you for your continued interest and support!

Cheers!
Chris Lyons
Publisher