by Gerrit Bester
The dreams of two Integrated Communication Design students studying at the Faculty of Arts and Design’s Department of Visual Communication came true when they were announced winners of the ROTOCON wine label design competition on 5 May. Mpho Moema (20), a fourth-year student, bagged R30 000 with her winning design, and in a surprise twist, ROTOCON also decided to award Jimmy Libese (25), a third-year student, with a runner-up prize of R15 000.
The label and packaging print giant launched the competition earlier this year, challenging undergraduate students to develop innovative, cutting-edge wine label designs.
The designs had to factor in the design process and strong ideation that must speak to contemporary printing processes as well as finishing, including foils, varnishes, die-cuts and embossing.
Some 30 design wizards jumped at the opportunity.
Mpho and Jimmy will be flown to Cape Town to be recognised at the WineLand Media/ROTOCON prestigious 30 Under 30 Awards luncheon in June, and each will receive certificates from ROTOCON about their knowledge in label printing and finishing. The winning label designs will be printed on a press with auxiliary technologies, all represented by ROTOCON, and applied to wine bottles for presentation at the awards.
Mpho said she is over the moon to receive the top honours and to be noticed in this way. "On completion of my studies, I plan to open my own studio where creatives can collaborate on distinct African designs."
Her design is inspired by the Cape vineyard scenery. "I portrayed this by illustrating the vineyards in the foreground and Table Mountain in the background. The dots used to form these illustrations give the perspective of viewing this scene as though you are in the vineyard looking out and seeing Table Mountain in the distance. The dots represent stars, as the design was inspired by a scene of the landscape under a starry sky. When looking at the dots from afar, it gives the illusion of the dots having a subtle glimmer. I used the stars to capture this landscape," she said.
Jimmy said the fact that he was chosen as runner-up came as a "big surprise" since initially only one winner would be chosen. "It’s a feather in my cap."
His design is inspired by animals stealing grapes from vineyards – monkeys being one of them. "The illustrations are whimsical and playful. The brand might be targeting younger, more adventurous consumers who are looking for a fun and unique wine-drinking experience," he said.
"This can help create a positive emotional connection between the brand and its consumers."
ROTOCON CEO Michael Aengenvoort gave an inspiring keynote address about the power of dreams at the event, emphasising that pursuing dreams is not always easy. "Dreaming helps you set goals that are measurable and achievable, fuels motivation and fosters creativity to think outside the box," he told a hall filled with tomorrow’s young design guard.
He added that failure is a natural part of this journey and challenged students to never become complacent. "You have the power to create the life you want."
The ROTOCON-TUT collaboration was made possible through industry partnerships spearheaded by Dr Herman Botes, Head of the Department of Visual Communication, and Banie Stafford of B Creative, ROTOCON’s marketing and branding agency.
In congratulating the winning duo, Stafford, a former Design student, said it is an honour to see how students are still flying the design flag high 32 years after he completed his studies. He reminded students that passion, dedication and a love for what you do are non-negotiables in this industry and encouraged them to attend their classes. "You guys rocked this project."
Dr Botes said he treasures this partnership with his former classmate and that choosing a winner was a tough decision.
The 30 young individuals to be awarded by WineLand Media are from a variety of fields in the wine value chain, including soil scientists, sommeliers, winemakers, wine marketers, academics, PR and marketing experts, harvest assistants and brand ambassadors.
Winning duo! Jimmy Libese (25) and Mpho Moema (20), runner-up and winner of the ROTOCON wine label design competition, respectively.
Photographed at the ROTOCON wine label design competition prize-giving ceremony are (from left): Michael Aengenvoort (ROTOCON CEO), Jimmy Libese (runner-up), Prof Nalini Moodley (Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Design), Mpho Moema (winner), Dr Herman Botes (Head of the Department of Visual Communication) and Banie Stafford (B Creative).
Mpho’s design.
Jimmy’s design.