ROTOCON Reveals Winners of Fourth Annual Student Wine Label Design Competition

ROTOCON, in collaboration with Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), SA Litho Label Printers, and Polyflex Premedia, is pleased to announce the winners of its fourth annual student wine label design competition.

First place was awarded to Mpilo Mthembu, followed by Kara-Mari Gresse in second place and Itumeleng Mohlala in third place. Ntokozo Tshabalala received a special mention.

Thecompetition was open to undergraduate students in TUT’s Department of VisualCommunication (Integrated Communication Design (ICD)), Faculty of Arts &Design, with 57 students participating.

Banie Stafford of B Creative, ROTOCON’s marketing agency, led the competition and facilitated sessions with the students, covering an introduction to ROTOCON, printing processes and embellishments, as well as key wine label design elements, including paper, colour use, die-cutting and typography—concluding with the importance of ‘knowing your target market’. This year’s design theme was A New Vintage of Vision, reflecting a new generation of designers shaping the future of wine branding.

Joining Stafford on the judging panel held on 16 April were Michael Aengenvoort, ROTOCON Group CEO; Dawrian Salies, General Manager of SA Litho Label Printers; and Stuart Baylis, Group Operations Manager of Polyflex. The ROTOCON awards ceremony, where the winner was announced, took place on 17 April at Irene Lodge.

Mthembu, Gresse and Tshabalala will be flown to Cape Town for a factory tour of SA Litho Label Printers where their winning label will be printed. They will also be recognised at the WineLand Media 30 Under 30 Awards on 5 June. ROTOCON is sponsoring the event for the seventh consecutive year.

“This competition is about more than design — it’s about shaping industry-ready thinkers,” said Stafford. “And this year’s group delivered exactly that.”

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