Three innovative labels were chosen as "the best of the best" among more than 250 entries to the 2004 FINAT Labeling Competition, judged recently at the group's headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands. The winners were:

Labelgraphics Ltd., (Glasgow, UK) for its "Ernest & Julio Gallo Turning Leaf" wine label (1) in the Marketing/End-Use category. This group was designed to demonstrate the effective use of the label as a point-of-sale, promotional or functional aid for particular products within each category. The positioning of the leaves "falling off" the bottom of the label reinforces that image coupled with the fact that they are turning brown, and the intricate diecutting gave an unusual profile to the label. The touches of gold-foil blocking gave that little edge of luxury and the clever use of several shades of brown in the lettering added to the overall attractiveness of the label. The technical quality of the flexo printing using UV inks was extremely high, judges said.

Tapp Technologies, Inc. (Canada) for its "Oliver (Butterfly) Sauvignon Blanc 2003" wine label (2) in the Printing Processes category. This group included non-self adhesive products, cartons and promotional labels (self-adhesive). The butterfly label shows waterless-offset printing at its best using a 300-lpi halftone screen with excellent register in the outline of the butterfly, showing what can be done with only four colors plus foil and varnish. Printed on a linen-embossed paper with good clear type and well-produced hot-foil stamping, this label shouts quality, judges said.

Schreiner GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) for its blisterpack label with conductive silver ink (3) in the Special Awards-Innovation category. In this group, a high standard of printing and converting was expected from entries along with diecutting accuracy. This label, screen-printed with solvent inks on PET, is a good example of the use of narrow-web tech to produce a "different" label. The label controls the recording and dosing of tablets taken by a patient. An electric circuit is activated when a tablet is re-moved from the blister pack and the time a dosage is taken is recorded. Subsequent information can identify when and how many tablets were taken. The quality of the diecutting and the deposition of the conductive silver ink are of vital importance to the successful practical use of the label, judges said.