Marco Arroyo, LABASAD student, triumphs with gold and bronze at the 2025 International Design Awards

Marco Arroyo, a student of the Online Master’s in Strategic Packaging Design in Spanish at LABASAD, has achieved a remarkable success at the prestigious International Design Awards (IDA), winning awards in two different categories. With outstanding creativity and an innovative approach to his projects, Marco has made his mark in the world of packaging design, once again demonstrating the excellence of the education provided by LABASAD.

The International Design Awards (IDA) were created in 2007 by a group of designers, thinkers, and entrepreneurs in response to the lack of recognition in the design industry, with the aim of celebrating smart and sustainable designs across various disciplines. The IDA seeks to recognise, celebrate, and promote design visionaries and discover emerging talents in the design world, covering five main areas: Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, and Product Design.

The IDA awards are a reflection of design excellence and are supported by influential figures in the industry. The IDA trophy was designed by Ron Taft, and the IDA logo, as well as the books from 2007 and 2008, were created by Chen Design Associates in San Francisco. The mission of the IDA is to honour the most outstanding designers worldwide and offer an international platform for emerging talents to be recognised.

The Mind CBD project by Marco won the Gold Award in the Student Food Packaging category at the International Design Awards. This innovative packaging is designed for “sublingual strips of CBD,” a cannabidiol (CBD) product, a non-psychoactive substance from cannabis that is consumed quickly and effectively through sublingual strips.

The project addresses a relevant social issue: mental health, particularly among generations like millennials and Generation Z, who are often labelled as “the sad generation.” Mind CBD seeks to raise awareness of mental well-being in a clear and direct way, challenging the taboos associated with this topic. The packaging features a unisex face with a serene expression of “mental peace,” conveying the calm and well-being the product aims to promote. This approach not only makes the design emotionally resonant but also invites an open conversation about mental health.

The project was guided by professors Clara de Sousa and Alex Gobern, who helped Marco develop the idea and aesthetics of the design. The combination of a profound message and striking visual execution were key factors in Mind CBD receiving the Gold Award in its category.

Another of Marco’s achievements at the IDA was the Bronze Award in the Student Beverage Packaging category for his project Unbroken. This design has a deep and meaningful concept, inspired by the difficult year 2020, which marked the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unbroken is a limited edition wine bottle from a winery in Valladolid, designed with an emotional and symbolic approach.

The design uses golden lines to create a Kintsugi effect, a Japanese technique of repairing broken pottery with gold. This detail symbolises human fragility and, at the same time, resilience. The bottle, which evokes how we have all faced challenges, shows that although we may be somewhat “cracked,” no one is broken. This concept perfectly reflects how, despite challenges, the human spirit is capable of recovering and moving forward.

The professor who supervised this project was Manel Quilez, who supported Marco in the conceptualisation and development of the idea. The final result was a visually striking piece with a powerful message about personal and collective resilience.

The awards won by Marco Arroyo at the International Design Awards are a testament to the high level of teaching and comprehensive training offered by the Online Master’s in Strategic Packaging Design at LABASAD. With projects like Mind CBD and Unbroken, Marco has not only demonstrated his talent in packaging design but also his ability to connect with the emotions of the viewer and tell stories through packaging.

Marco’s success is proof that LABASAD’s Master’s programme not only offers technical knowledge but also a creative and strategic approach that allows students to stand out internationally. With the support of highly skilled professors, students are prepared to face the challenges of contemporary design with an innovative vision.

If you would like to learn more about LABASAD and our Online Master’s in Strategic Packaging Design, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We are here to help you take the next step in your professional career.