The 2025 edition of the Vertex Awards continues our mission to honor the very best in package design for Retailer-owned Brands around the world. With hundreds of entries from more than 50 countries, the competition reflects the creativity, innovation, and strategy driving this dynamic global industry.
As part of our global recognition, we award Agency of the Year in three regions, spotlighting the studios, agencies, and in-house teams that earn the highest total point scores across all categories:
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Best of Show = 10 points
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Publisher’s Choice = 7 points
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Gold = 5 points
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Silver = 3 points
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Bronze = 1 point
The three regional categories are:
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Americas (North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean)
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Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) (including all of Europe, the Middle East, and Northern & Southern Africa)
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Asia Pacific (APAC) (covering Central & South Asia, Northeast and Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania)
This year’s top honors in the Americas go to a powerhouse of global creativity and local insight: Equator.
With offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Toronto, and creative roots stretching across Manchester and Nottingham, Equator has built a reputation for delivering brand experiences that are as strategic as they are stunning. Founded in 1998, the agency is now more than 300 strong, led by Global Creative Director Michael Duffy, and driven by a passion for pushing boundaries.
At Equator, they don’t just design packaging—they “transform the ‘what’ into ‘what could be’,” blending global thinking with local perspective to create brands that resonate deeply and perform brilliantly. Their 2025 Vertex Awards entries embodied that mission, earning top scores across multiple categories and securing the title of Agency of the Year – Americas.
From storytelling to shelf impact, Equator brings bold ideas to life with precision, purpose, and a whole lot of creative energy.
Congratulations to Equator, the 2025 Americas Agency of the Year, for showing us what’s possible when ambition meets imagination.
