The contest challenged students on design courses at 25 UK universities to “reimagine brands for the future”, through a combination of research and design. It was run in conjunction with design agency Brand Opus.

Winner Tom Wood, of Nottingham Trent University, took inspiration from the emergent trend of oxygen bars to create a new direction for drink brand Malibu.

“We wanted to create a competition that celebrates the role that insight plays in creating great design,” said Stuart Chapman, associate director at The Big Picture. “Universities have responded really positively to this – they assert the importance of solid research to their students, but typically design competitions don’t actually judge that work so it can feel like it goes to waste.

“Instead, Design in Sight places an equal emphasis on insightful research and creative design – and that’s resulted in some really challenging and visionary reimagining of brands.”

“A meaningful insight can inspire us to think differently about our ideas,” added Paul Taylor, executive creative director & partner, BrandOpus. “They force us to challenge our preconceptions and enlighten us to the potential of what we don’t yet know.

“This is the catalyst in the creative thinking and development that inspires design to be both unique and effective.”

More information about the contest can be found here.