Ukrainian Branding Agency Dozen Wins Gold at Pentawards 2024 with the Half & Half Project

Pentawards is the world’s most prestigious annual packaging design competition, akin to the Oscars in the film industry, the Cannes Lions in advertising, and the Grammys in music. Since 2007, Pentawards has recognised excellence in design, inspiring and connecting the global packaging community.

More than 2,000 entries from over 62 countries compete each year, and in 2024, the jury shortlisted around 700 submissions vying for the top prize. The Pentawards jury comprises over 50 packaging design experts who work with globally renowned companies such as Diageo, Microsoft, Stranger & Stranger, Coty, Pentagram, and WWF.

Half & Half is a brand by the Ukrainian pet food and treats manufacturer, Suziria Group. The Dozen agency developed positioning, naming, a slogan, packaging design, POS materials, and a complete brand book for Half & Half. These components convey the idea of humanising relationships between people and pets, where pets are seen not merely as property or entertainment but as integral members of the family and society. This theme of connection and closeness is woven into every aspect of the brand’s verbal and visual identity created by Dozen.

The Half & Half logo embodies the visual duality of this project: a joining of paws and hands, the union of black and white, the harmony of opposites — "yin and yang," humans and animals, two halves merging into one life. This philosophy of partnership and equality is also captured in the brand slogan:

The packaging design concept for Half & Half is built around everyday scenarios familiar to pet owners, such as a cat sprawling across a laptop to "help" with work or a 50-kilogram dog pleading to be carried up the "scary" stairs. To make these everyday, humorous moments of life with pets relatable, Dozen departed from the standard approach of placing animal photos on packaging. Instead, they created a gallery of illustrated scenes in a modern, trendy style. These illustrations grace not only the packaging but also Half & Half’s merchandise and branded display shelves.

Dozen’s work on the brand design also introduced specific colour principles for the product portfolio: warm hues for cat products and cool ones for dogs. Dogs have a dichromatic vision and are thought to see only blue and yellow, perceiving purple as blue. With this consideration, Half & Half packaging is recognisable even to dogs.

Previously, the design for the Ukrainian brand Half & Half won gold at Ukrainian Design: The Very Best Of 2024 and bronze at the NAPA BALTIC Packaging Design Awards.

Participation and success in design events of this calibre help establish and uphold Ukraine’s status as a creative country, one that finds the strength to create anew even in times of crisis. Ukraine is inspired and inspiring, and it continues to demonstrate this to the world.