Creative Firm Matrix Partners Earns Awards for Hound & Gatos, Beyond Antler Designs
Matrix Partners, the designers behind the packaging for several pet industry suppliers including Hound & Gatos, Beyond Antler, Caru Pet Food and 2Hounds Design was recently recognized by the Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media.
Top honors were given to Matrix Partners for packaging they created on behalf of Hound & Gatos’ new line of dry food, earning a Platinum Award in the design category for packaging. The designs, which incorporate vibrant colors to catch consumers’ eyes, feature sketched pets with real pieces of grilled meat, poultry and fish and are meant to convey the carnivorous instincts of dogs and cats. Additionally, the brand’s bold new logo is prominently showcased on the packages for easy brand recognition on store shelves.
The Matrix team also received a Gold Award in the design category for packaging they produced for Beyond Antler Natural Dog Chews. According to Natalie Murawski, Senior Graphic Designer at Matrix Partners, “The concept for Beyond Antler was to create designs that encompassed what makes these chews unique. That included highlighting the premium ingredients, long-lasting chewability and the benefits reaped from having ground moose antler in the chews themselves.”
With that in mind, Murawski used soft colors and designs to promote the natural product in a way that went along with the brand name and products themselves. The final designs, which are intended to appeal to the brand’s primary target audience of females, include antlers and mountains to further reinforce some of the ingredients in the products. The packages also feature a window so that shoppers can easily see what they are buying for their pets.
In addition to these wins, Matrix Partners received a Platinum award in the design category for packaging they created on behalf of Caru Pet Food’s new Daily Dish Smoothies and an honorable mention in the design category for package designs developed on behalf of 2Hounds Design.
The Hermes Creative Awards judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. The 2020 competition garnered roughly 6,000 entries from throughout the United States and dozens of other countries.