Propelis at PAC Global 2026

Five Lines of Business. One Growth Engine.

PAC Global has long been one of the most prestigious celebrations in packaging design – and this year, Propelis showed up in force. Together with our businesses – Marks, Equator Design, and Collide – we were proud to celebrate an exceptional year of creative, commercial, and collaborative impact at the 2026 PAC Global Awards in Toronto.

Across the group, our teams won for 10 awards and 7 awards of distinction – reflecting the scale, range, and innovation of work delivered over the past year. From holiday campaigns and brand reinventions to private label transformation, structural design, influencer activations, and high-impact shelf disruption, our lines of business delivered work that resonated with consumers, clients, and judges alike. And we were proud to bring home the awards to prove it.

Award Highlights

Marks: Six Trophies. Five Brands. Zero Ordinary Work.

At this year’s PAC Global Awards, Marks delivered across revitalized icons, private label, premium extensions, and seasonal innovation – earning six trophies across five standout projects. Here’s the highlight reel.

Alouette – Brand Marketing, Revitalized Brand, Food

In partnership with Savencia Cheese USA, we transformed a 50-year-old specialty cheese brand from overlooked to irresistible.

Bold color blocking. A modernized lark. Appetite-first photography.

The result? Expanded facings, stronger velocity, and a brand built for the social feed.

Starbucks Refreshers – Brand Marketing, Revitalized Brand, Beverage

For Starbucks, we repositioned Refreshers as a Gen Z cultural accessory.

Textured bottle silhouette. Hand-drawn typography. Digital-ready color systems.
Retail buy-in increased. Sampling lifted. Velocity followed.

Built for shelf. Designed for scroll.

Compliments Land & Sea – Brand Marketing, Own Brand, Food

With Sobeys, we rejected cliché patriotism in favor of quiet Canadian confidence.

Kraft-inspired backdrops. Archival linework. Province-first storytelling.
In a noisy frozen aisle, simplicity won.

Beyond Wild – Brand Marketing, Brand Extension, Non-Food

For Nestlé Purina North America, we built a premium bilingual system rooted in “Purposeful Sourcing.”

A commanding husky. Slate textures. Bold clarity.

65% weighted distribution. Share gain. 1,300+ five-star reviews.

Designed to disrupt. Built to perform.

Pringles HOT Halloween – Branding Marketing Speciality, Limited Edition, Holiday & Package Innovation Design, Technical

For Pringles, we turned darkness into advantage.

The iconic HOT flame became a ghost. Glow-in-the-dark ink transformed the can into décor.
Complex production. Seamless execution. Dual-category win.

A seasonal pack that owned the dark.

Equator Design: Three Wins. One Standard: Clarity That Performs.

At this year’s PAC Global Awards, Equator was recognized for transforming private label into premium experiences and complexity into clarity. Here’s the snapshot.

The Fresh Market Chocolate Library Boxed Set – Brand Marketing, Own Brand, Food

We turned premium chocolate into a collectible experience.

Each bar became a “chapter,” brought to life through intricate, hand-crafted illustration by our UK team – giving every flavor its own story and visual identity.

Encased in a book-style sleeve, the set feels curated, indulgent, and gift-worthy. From everyday treat to extraordinary keepsake.

The Fresh Market – Brand Marketing, Own Brand, Food

700+ SKUs. Three distinct tiers. One cohesive system.

This award recognizes the full-scale reinvention of The Fresh Market’s private label – designed to celebrate personality while strengthening navigation and consistency at shelf. Three families. Three identities:

• Everyday Extraordinary
• Chef Inspired
• Rare Gifts

Scalable. Structured. Built for premium perception.

Meijer LawnScape – Brand Marketing, Own Brand, Non-Food

Lawn care is crowded. We made it clear.

For Meijer, we built a system rooted in strategic color architecture, hyper-real grass imagery, and disciplined layouts that communicate performance instantly.

Premium. Practical. Powerful. Helping shoppers choose the right solution – fast.

Collide: One Win. Built to Be Shared.

At this year’s PAC Global Awards, Collide earned top honors for turning influence into impact.

Primo Brands Premium Influencer Advent Calendar – Brand Marketing, Specialty, Short Run Media/Influencer Kit

For Primo Brands, we reimagined the influencer mailer as a collectible experience. A structurally engineered advent calendar. Layered reveals. Elevated finishes. Designed for anticipation. Every detail was crafted to create an unboxing moment worth filming – and sharing.

Premium by design. Amplified by creators. Built to travel far beyond the first impression.

Beyond the Awards: A Conversation About the Future

The awards ceremony wasn’t the only highlight in Toronto. Propelis CEO Gary Kohl joined Jim Downham, CEO of PAC Global, on stage to explore what’s next for the packaging industry.

Their conversation covered:

• The evolution of the agency model
• Why collaboration is the new competitive advantage
• How our “Five Lines of Business, One Growth Engine” model unlocks integrated solutions
• What’s keeping brand leaders up at night
• The intersection of human creativity and emerging technologies

At a time of transformation across our industry, one message stood clear: human thinking remains our greatest differentiator.

The Bigger Picture

Our presence at PAC reflects something bigger than awards.

It reflects:

• Independent businesses operating at the top of their craft
• A model designed to unlock collaboration when it benefits clients
• A commitment to investing in creativity, innovation, and growth

Gary Kohl stated,"Events like PAC Global remind us how important it is to step out of our day‑to‑day and engage with the broader industry. The insights shared on sustainability, design, and global market pressures were both timely and actionable. I valued the chance to connect with fellow leaders who are facing similar challenges and opportunities."

Five Lines of Business. One Growth Engine.
Designed to win – in market and on stage.

Interested in how our integrated model can unlock growth for your brand?
Let’s start the conversation.