Shapes are changing in glass

The winners of the Glass Packaging Institute's (www.gpi.org) 2007 Clear Choice Awards favor curvy new structures, sparkling clarity and bold graphic statements for maximum sales impact. Announced May 7, during the Food Marketing Institute show in Chicago, the winners recognize 11 brands with expanding the frontiers of glass packaging design and honor a national restaurant chain with a recognition for Outstanding Sustainable Practices. The winners, by category, include: an amber, pub-style bottle for Anheuser-Busch's Michelob AmberBock from O-I (www.o-i.com) and Saint-Gobain Containers (www.sgcontainers.com) and an intriguing and elegant 24-oz "bullet-style" bottle for Michelob Celebrate beer from Saint-Gobain; approachable but sophisticated bottles with twist-off closures from Vitro Packaging (www.vitro.com) for Sonoma Vineyards wines from Rodney Strong; for food, a new jar shape with an elongated neck from Saint-Gobain for La Familia DelGrosso pasta sauce, with an embossed metallic label from Gamse Litho (www.gamse.com) and an elegantly designed cap from Crown Closures (www.crowncork.com); in carbonated beverages, Hank's Beverage Co.'s Hank's Gourmet in a craft beer-style bottle from Saint-Gobain; a retro 1930s-style, green bottle design from Vitro for Mountain Valley Spring Co.'s spring water in the noncarbonated beverages category; a sculpted, crown-shaped decanter with a fire-polished crystalline finish from Vitro for Diageo's Crown Royal XR, in distilled spirits; an upscale jar from Saint-Gobain showcasing Unilever's Bertolli organic pasta sauce in the organic food category; for flavored alcoholic beverages, Diageo's Captain Morgan Parrot Bay drinks in O-I's stepped-shouldered bottle design, wearing a cleverly decorated, clear label from Spear (www.spearsystem.com); in the organic beverages group, Frutzzo organic pomegranate Acai juice in Vitro's custom, eye-catching, pinch-waist, contoured bottles with closures from Crown; in cosmetics and fragrances, the sleek, round OS Signature bottle from Vitro for Procter & Gamble's new OS Old Spice fragrance, topped with a large, flush-fitting sprayer button in silver; and winning for overall package design, Brown-Forman's Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey in a premium, showcase bottle from O-I with a curved shoulder and an embossed decoration reminiscent of the Jack Daniels heritage.

The final winner, honoring Outstanding Sustainable Practices, is Ted's Montana Grill restaurants, owned by Ted Turner and business partner George McKerrow. The chain uses sustainable food containers and recyclable drinking glasses and is committed to creating an environmentally friendly enterprise.