“I think it is essential that organisations like ANFACO-CECOPESCA and the Banco Sabadell Foundation promote initiatives that support the work and talent of young graphic designers. I firmly believe that this kind of recognition gives visibility to our work and helps to open doors for us in the world of employment”, Alba Castro, prize winner.

The Banco Sabadell Foundation and ANFACO-CECOPESCA promote and present the Design Award, which recognises and fosters creative talent among young designers and offers them an opportunity to showcase their work.

Having considered the 179 candidates taking part, the jury of this 5th edition of the award decided to award the ANFACO–Banco Sabadell Foundation Design Award to Alba Castro, a 22-year old graphic designer, for her “Good fisherman” packaging proposal. The panel of judges appreciated the creativity and professionalism displayed in the execution of the design overall. The clean lines of the design, predominantly in black and white, contrast with an ingenious reinterpretation of the brand’s logo “Cata la Lata” (“Taste the Tin”) overlaid in bright colours. The illustrations, depicting a friendly fisherman in different situations, have an emotional charge and are used with great versatility, bringing the front and back of the packaging into play. The overall result develops a clear visual narrative, skilfully integrating the various product categories into a homogeneous product family.

The design will be printed on the sleeves of tins used in the “Cata la Lata” campaign, which aims to encourage people to eat more tinned fish and seafood, over the coming year. In addition to the winner, 10 other finalists have been selected and included, together with the award-winning design, in a digital catalogue which can be found on the following link.

The jury was made up of renowned professionals from the graphic design, audiovisual and creative industries: Miquel Molins, Chairman of the Banco Sabadell Foundation (chair of the jury); Roberto Alonso, Secretary General of ANFACO-CECOPESCA (deputy chair of the jury); Roman Pereiro, Director of the CANAL UNO agency and associate professor of audiovisual communication and advertising at the University of Vigo; Ana Soler, multi-disciplinary artist, teacher and researcher at the Pontevedra Faculty of Fine Art and director of the “dx5, digital & graphic art research group” at the University of Vigo; Emilio Gil, graphic designer and founder of Tau Diseño (1980); and Pati Núñez, graphic designer specialised in branding and packaging and the first woman to win the National Design Award in 2007.

The award ceremony held at the Palacio de la Oliva de Vigo was attended by various representatives from the worlds of art, advertising, politics and business. Participants at the ceremony included Regional Minister of Sea Affairs, Alfonso Villares; Chair of the Banco Sabadell Foundation, Miquel Molins; Chairman of ANFACO-CECOPESCA, Iván Alonso-Jáudenes; and Secretary General of ANFACO-CECOPESCA, Roberto Alonso.

Spotlight on award winner, Alba Castro

Alba Castro García (Castropol, 2001) is an Asturian graphic designer who currently lives in Madrid, where she has recently completed a degree in Multimedia and Graphic Design at the University of Design and Technology (UDIT). Her passion for plastic arts dates back to childhood, when she showed a particular talent for drawing and painting. With that talent she was able to lay the foundations that would serve her later in her career, developing a special interest in applied illustration in design. Recently recognised, as part of a team, in the prestigious Laus Awards with a magazine proposal, she wants to continue her training in editorial design, packaging design and art direction.

What does it mean to you to receive this ANFACO–Banco Sabadell Foundation Design Award?
I am delighted to have received this award, not just on a professional level but also personally; I am so excited that my work and dedication over the years has been recognised. The opportunity represented by this award inspires and motivates me to keep my work focused on the same path.

About your award-winning design… can you tell us more about it?
I wanted to create a different design which, apart from displaying the product, also features the human figure that is key to the whole process. So, I designed a generic person that interacts with the product in a fun way. On one hand, this design is a nod to the fishermen and shellfish gatherers of Galicia, as without their work it would not be possible to obtain a product of this quality. On the other hand, it is also intended to appeal to the consumers who enjoy the product; I wanted them to be able to identify with the design, regardless of their age.

The illustration is composed of large shapes and rounded finishes, resulting in a kindly and lovable character. Although the product is shown in proportions similar to those in real life, it stands out from the character because of the black infill.

The illustration on the rear side of the packaging features the same person shown from the back, so that the whole packaging becomes the character itself. In terms of colour, the focus is on black and white, which is unusual for this type of product, and vibrant colours are used for the “Cata la Lata” logo which helps to identify each variety.