HP Inc., in partnership with Dscoop, has announced the inaugural winners of the first-ever HP Inkspiration Awards for the Americas, recognizing the most innovative work produced with HP digital printing technology, and Rod Key Marketing Excellence Award recipients, recognizing companies with the most creative marketing campaigns to promote their own businesses.

At Dscoop San Antonio, 27 awards were presented to 21 HP customers in multiple categories across general commercial printing, labels and packaging and large-format printing segments for unique applications produced on HP Indigo, PageWide Web Press, Scitex and Latex equipment. There were over 150 entries from more than 50 HP customers in the Americas.

“Rapidly changing market conditions are inspiring brands to find creative new ways to reach consumers, and they’re frequently turning to HP customers to make their ideas reality,” said Steve Sakumoto, vice president and general manager, Graphics Solutions Business, Americas, HP Inc. “The winning entries are representative of the exciting, high-quality work our customers are producing every day, and we’re pleased to offer advanced digital printing technology to help our customers continually reinvent their possibilities.”

The 2016 HP Inkspiration Awards for the Americas and Rod Key Marketing Excellence Award winners are:

General Commercial Printing –
·         Alternative Printing Methods: Clearstory
·         Best in Show: GLS / NEXT Precision Marketing
·         Brand Identification: Arizona State University Print and Imaging Lab
·         Brand Identification: Hemlock Printers Ltd.
·         Brochures: Oregon Printing Communications
·         Brochures: The World Bank
·         Calendar: GSB Digital
·         Catalogs: Duggal Visual Solutions
·         Catalogs: Duggal Visual Solutions
·         Direct Mail: The Standard Group
·         Invitations: Corrugated Synergies International LLC
·         Invitations: GLS / NEXT Precision Marketing
·         Photo Applications: Hatteras
·         Publishing: Mohawk
·         Rod Key Marketing Excellence Award: The Standard Group

Labels and Packaging –
·         Alcoholic Beverage: CMC Group doing business as Century Label
·         Beauty: Digital Label Solutions, Inc.
·         Flexible Packaging: Groupo Ercus
·         Folding Cartons: Tap Packaging Solutions
·         Food: Summit Print Corporation
·         Other: Digital Label Solutions, Inc.
·         Rod Key Marketing Excellence Award: Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS)
·         Wine and Spirits Labels: ILS

Large Format –
·         Banner: Britten Studios
·         POS Signage: GSB Digital
·         POS Signage: Blooming Color
·         Décor Wallpaper: Conestoga DPI LLC

“It was an honor to judge the HP Inkspiration Awards for the Americas and Rod Key Marketing Excellence Awards. The number of entries, the quality and the selection were all excellent,” said Jim Hamilton, group director, InfoTrends. “When I think about the submissions across all categories, a number of things were remarkable: the number of substrates – there were so many colors of paper and many types of paper; use of special effects to bring out foil or metallic looks or hot pink; and then design-wise the entries were very nicely done as well.”

To see some of the Labels & Packaging winners, check out the L&NW Slideshow.