Cal Poly Graphic Communication Students Win First in Packaging Challenge

Cal Poly graphic communication students won first place at the Phoenix Challenge Flexo Packaging Competition on April 26.

Ten schools and more than 80 students traveled to Baltimore to participate in the competition, sponsored by the Phoenix Challenge Foundation to encourage high school and college students to explore opportunities in the flexographic printing industry.

This year the students were charged with helping rebrand a company.

Cal Poly’s team showcased their skills by rebranding local winery Saarloos and Sons’ Rosé label, taking the lead in the categories of Best Concept, Design, Research and Execution.

The team’s rebranding strategy included printing a complex surface print-reverse view label with gold metallic ink. A label tag was incorporated using thermochromic ink that turns blue when the wine has been chilled to the proper temperature. The team also created a corrugated shipping container that functioned as a display.

Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing educational approach occurred throughout the project. Students worked with industry partners to receive donated materials to print their jobs. The team approached the project in a multidisciplinary manner, collaborating with Cal Poly faculty in the Wine & Viticulture, Agribusiness, Industrial Technology, and Graphic Communication departments to complete the project.

This year’s team comprised students Natalee Consulo, Mariah Linnett, Lena Haidar, Giulianna Riso, Connor Foltyn-Smith, Meredith Stewart and Mishay Murfield and Professors Colleen Twomey and Malcolm Keif.