Brand owners, design agencies, marketers, and metal decorators face an approaching deadline for the annual Colored by INX Can Design Contest, an initiative that celebrates the creativity and technical innovation driving modern metal packaging.

INX began the event in 2020. Now in its seventh year, the popular contest has grown significantly with metal decorators and others who utilize the 2-piece metal INX Color Catalog.

Any commercial metal packaging beverage can design that was produced by an INX customer before January 1, 2026 is eligible. All entries must be postmarked by March 30 for consideration, and the rules stipulate it must include the submission form, electronic design, and the printed can.

The contest reflects INX’s ongoing commitment to supporting brand owners and metal decorators with tools, color management systems, and technical expertise that help deliver innovative packaging concepts to market.

Celebrating Creativity and Innovation in Beverage Can Design

“The Colored by INX Can Design Contest is a celebration of our customers and the artistry behind every can. Every entry reflects brand design, thoughtful color selection, skill, and the technical expertise required to transform a creative vision into a finished package,” says Jeanie Morris, INX marketing and promotions manager who oversees the Colored by INX Can Design Contest.

“The contest is open to companies that have purchased the INX Color Catalog, making it a true showcase of how color becomes a storytelling tool on metal. What I find most rewarding is seeing how design concepts evolve into cans that capture attention and express brand personality so vividly.”

Morris explained how the contest requires the use of at least one color from the INX Color Catalog. The industry’s only true color standard offers customers the choice of 650 color metal swatches and provides a standardized color reference developed specifically for metal decorating. This helps designers and metal decorators to understand how colors will appear on metal and reproduce them accurately during production.

A Growing Tradition: The History of the Colored by INX Can Design Contest

Since its debut in 2020, the Colored by INX Can Design Contest has highlighted the creative collaboration behind today’s most striking beverage cans. Winning designs have come from across the metal packaging ecosystem, including metal decorators, brand design agencies, and beverage producers.

The first title went to Crown Brand Building Packaging of Mexico, a major supplier serving the beer and soft drink markets. In the following years, craft brewers began to make their mark. Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland became the contest’s only two-time champions with back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, the award reflected the collaborative nature of can design when Shiner Beer in Texas partnered with Ball Corporation to claim the top honor. The trophy returned to Ohio the next year when independent craft brewer Jackie O’s Brewery, captured the title with standout can graphics.

Last year’s winner, Karbach Brewing Company in Houston, demonstrated how powerful design can be when color and storytelling come together. One of the largest breweries in Texas, their Dunkels & Dragons seasonal German-style dark lager beer featured bold, imaginative graphics that helped the limited release sell out quickly.

How the Judging Process Determines the Winning Can Design

An independent group of five judges will determine the top five finalists from all the entries that are received, and the candidates will be announced in mid-April. Returning judges Sara Jacks and Marshall Thompson are being joined by three newcomers: Hart Print co-founder Stephanie Hart, and beverage industry editors Jessica Jacobsen and Michelle Russell.

Each judge gets one vote, and public input through INX’s social media will also count as one vote. Voting is scheduled from April 20-22, and the winner will be announced on April 29.

“We look forward to seeing the design innovation and technical precision that continue to define this industry,” remarks Morris. “Each year we are impressed by the exceptional work our customers produce. This contest gives us the opportunity to recognize the teams behind these amazing cans, and we’re excited to see the entries that will arrive before the deadline.”