Iconic Jamaican beer brand, Red Stripe, has announced the top six finalists in its highly anticipated special edition label design competition to commemorate the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

The competition, which garnered an overwhelming response with close to 200 submissions invited talented local artists to craft a limited-edition Red Stripe beer can and six-pack design. From a pool of exceptional entries, the top six designs have been shortlisted, marking a pivotal moment in the quest for the winning design. 

The finalists will face a prestigious panel of judges during a pre-judging session earlier today, where their creations will be scrutinized for their ability to evoke inspiration Jamaican pride, and innovative design elements. The esteemed panel of judges includes sub-10 King and Olympic champion, Asafa Powell; Daniel Thompson, Kingston Creative’s art district project manager and Susan Lee Quee, department head of the School of Visual Arts at Edna Manley College. 

Winner to be unveiled this Thursday

The winning design, set to be unveiled this Thursday (February 8), will not only grace the limited-edition Red Stripe beer cans but will also etch its mark in Jamaican history. Speaking on the competition’s impact, judge Daniel Thompson expressed his excitement at witnessing the diverse interpretations and exceptional quality of works submitted.

Thompson emphasized that this competition is affording the opportunity for creatives to contribute o Jamaica’s iconic Olympic legacy through their artistry noting, “Red Stripe has brought together a diverse set of talented creatives it’s been pretty exciting to see the quality of work that has been put forward and their interpretations of the theme in celebration of Jamaica’s iconic Olympic history and the show the athletes will put on at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It put creatives and their talent to the forefront and gave them a platform to introduce their work to a new target audience who may have never seen their work before until now.”

Creatives were tasked with creating a design to celebrate the triumphs and accomplishments of Jamaican athletes. The official announcement of the competition came during their press conference last December, as a part of Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign and official partnership with the Jamaican Olympic Association. 

Winning design to be showcased at Olympic Village in Paris

This campaign allows consumers to be a part of the excitement of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The winner of the design competition will have the chance to pocket half a million dollars, and the opportunity to have this monumental design showcased at the Olympic Village in Paris, France and for consumers to purchase as a limited edition.

Looking ahead at what’s to come for the campaign, Red Stripe Brand Manager, Nathan Nelms shared his feelings about the competition  saying it plays an important part in showcasing the talent of Jamaicans in a new way. 

According to him, “we have been supporting Jamaica’s culture for almost 100 years and this competition showcases that Jamaicans will always go hard to showcase our talents and that includes our creatives. We know the importance of investing in our people and their talent. This competition is more than just a way to give back to our consumers but another way to show our Jamaican pride through the celebration of our athletes. We are grateful for the support this competition has received thus far and I cannot wait to see who the winner will be.”