New design partners for the Loeries

Sappi Marketing Manager: Brand Communications, Simon Grose, says: "We have taken the position as partner of the Design Category of this year's Loerie Awards as we have - on a global basis - always supported designers who share a belief in the power of ideas, especially on paper.

"Our commitment to Icograda, the South African Graphik Design Council (think), Design Indaba, as well as to cause related design through our international 'Ideas That Matter' initiative are all testament to this."

Managing director of The Loerie Awards, Andrew Human, says: "Sappi's commitment to the design industry is well-known as is the sterling work of Design Indaba and we are honoured to be recognised through this partnership as the premier communication awards in Africa."

Another development is the creation of a Creative Alliance between Sappi, Design Indaba and the Loerie Awards, as a platform to create better synergies within the 13 sectors that typically comprise the creative industries, namely graphic design, advertising, film and video, music, performing arts, fashion design, product design, new media, publishing, radio and television, visual art, architecture and crafts.

"There is a new maturity and purpose amongst the creative industries - and the realisation that in order to compete, we need to first collaborate," says Ravi Naidoo, founder of the Design Indaba.

The design category for The Loerie Awards 2005 includes six sub-categories - Brand Identity & Collateral Design, Three Dimensional & Environmental Design, Publication Design, Public Service, Political & Charity, Campaign and Crafts.

The judging panel will be led by Ken Cato, an Australian designer with a highly respectable international reputation. His participation in the Loerie Awards is being hosted by Design Indaba.