Wen Liu Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Zhang Gong Lao Jiu Packaging in Packaging Design

Wen Liu recognized for packaging design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 24, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Zhang Gong Lao Jiu Packaging by Wen Liu, designed for Shenzhen Oracle Creative Design Co.,Ltd., has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Packaging Design category. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

The Silver A' Design Award Explained

The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.

About Zhang Gong Lao Jiu Packaging

Zhang Gong Lao Jiu is a packaging design for an aged Chinese baijiu. The bottle is made of coarse terracotta with embossed details, and the form recalls the accidental deformations of pottery shaped on a spinning wheel. The rough surface gives the bottle a strong tactile quality. The cap is made of plastic with a simulated wood grain finish and meets strict sealing standards. The outer box combines natural cork oak with metal, adding thermal insulation and shock absorption for safe transport. The design is centered on touch.

Award Record

Wen Liu is a winner of 44 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards were granted between the 2019 - 2020 and the 2025 - 2026 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.

About the A' Packaging Design Award

The A' Packaging Design Award is an international packaging competition that recognizes outstanding packaging designs by talented packaging designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to packaging designers, graphic designers, branding agencies and product manufacturers from all countries. Typical entries include bottles, boxes, cans, pouches, tubes and cartons. The awarded packaging designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/packaging

About A' Design Award & Competition

Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/173416
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/173416
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!173416
Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/249896

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Zhang Gong Lao Jiu Packaging
Function: Packaging
Category: Packaging Design
Discipline: Communication Design
Industry: Packaging & Retail, Branding & Advertising and Manufacturing
Colors: Dim Gray, Saddle Brown, Sienna, Gray and Gainsboro
Images: 5
Client: Shenzhen Oracle Creative Design Co.,Ltd.

The Recognition

Laureate: Wen Liu
Country: China
Recognition: Silver A' Design Award
Edition: 2025 - 2026
Design ID: #173416

Credits

Team: Xianfeng Wu, Wentao Li, Zhipeng Li

Design Details

Unique Properties: With a legacy spanning 4,000 years of brewing craftsmanship, the brand stands as an iconic classic in the history of Chinese baijiu. As the pioneer of "low-alcohol baijiu," it innovated with the "locust blossom fermentation" technique during the brewing process, endowing the liquor with a distinctive flavor profile and an exceptionally smooth, mellow taste. Its packaging design draws inspiration from the "art of time," interpreting historical artistry through contemporary forms and innovative materials. Every detail is a refined representation of centuries of masterful craftsmanship.
Inspiration: Inspired by the accidental deformations of pottery shaped on a spinning wheel, the bottle captures this spontaneous form to emulate the texture and silhouette of time-weathered artifacts. The coarse ceramic retains a raw, tactile roughness. To touch it is to feel the passage of time—an experience that savors the soft narrative of years and the story of its brewing legacy.
Research: Based on in-depth field research—including organized interviews with over a hundred consumers and systematic visits to major distributors—the team obtained comprehensive and detailed market analysis reports. After multiple rounds of thorough communication with the client, it was decided to integrate design concepts from multiple perspectives, ultimately creating a unique baijiu packaging centered on the theme of "tactile experience."
Challenge: The product is positioned as an aged liquor. In the Chinese baijiu market, brands emphasizing the concept of "aged liquor" are not uncommon. Therefore, breaking away from conventional product design approaches to create a product that stands distinctly apart from market competitors is crucial. Additionally, the scalability of the packaging design must be considered for potential future brand series development.
Realization and Technology: The bottle combines modern craftsmanship with the rustic texture of traditional terracotta, featuring embossed details for a good tactile experience. The cap meets strict sealing standards with a simulated wood grain design made of plastic, balancing visual harmony and shipping durability. The outer box pairs natural cork oak with metal. Beyond providing thermal insulation and shock absorption for safe transit, this sustainable material underscores the brand's commitment to environmental responsibility.
Operation and Interaction: This work is centered around the theme of "touch," guided by the philosophy that "design should speak for itself." This core principle directed the meticulous selection of materials and techniques specifically for their tactile qualities. When consumers physically interact with the product, they can intuitively perceive and appreciate the profound concept embedded within it.
Project Duration and Location: November 2024, Shenzhen, China
Keywords: Natural, Rustic, Time-Tempered, Eco-Conscious