Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) was the big winner at this year’s ASTRID Awards, one of the world’s most influential programmes for design communications, taking home “Best of Show” for its corporate design and identity project, Hactl’s mascots “The Best Team”. Hactl also picked up two coveted Grand Awards.
Hactl scored the highest number of points of any participant in the competition to win “Best of Show”. “The Best Team” features Hactl’s new mascots, a family of five whimsical birds who represent the company’s professional staff and vital tools that keep the air cargo terminal running around the clock.
Hactl’s imaginative winning project combined physical and online components, including a boxed set of figurines, graphics, souvenirs, a calendar and an animation video. In addition to “Best of Show”, the project – described by the panel of judges as “lively” – earned Hactl two Grand Awards, both for the graphic design of its “The Best Team” mascots and its “The Best Team” video, which introduces the mascot family. The Grand Awards are bestowed each year to just one organization in each category that has already won a Gold Award; Hactl qualified for the shortlists after receiving two Golds at the main awards announced in April.
The ”Best of Show” designation and two Grand Awards add to Hactl’s existing 2024 ASTRID prize tally, which was announced in April. The list includes:
1. Gold Award in the Video category: “The Best Team” animation video
2. Gold Award in the Graphic Design category: “The Best Team”
3. Silver Award in the Calendars category: 2024 Hactl Calendar entitled “Museum of
Curious Minds”
4. Bronze Award in the Self-Promotion category: “New Lives for Old Uniforms” sustainability
project
5. Honors in the Magazines category: Hactl’s house magazine Hactlink
6. Honors in the Special Projects category: “Hactl x Free Periods Hong Kong – Be My Buddy
Buddy” Project, advocating menstrual equity
Organized by New York–based MerComm, Inc., the 34-year-old ASTRID Awards is the world’s only independent awards programme dedicated to excellence in all areas of design in corporate communications. The 2024 programme received around 260 entries from 11 countries, which were evaluated by a global panel of 30 judges comprising distinguished agency designers and creative directors. The ASTRID Awards programme is unique in permitting entrants to see the judges’ evaluations, which is felt to be of great value in the ongoing learning and creative process.
Says Hactl Chief Executive, Wilson Kwong: “We were already more than happy with our recent wins, but scooping “Best of Show” in competition with some of the world’s most accomplished designers elevates us to the global corporate design elite, and is well beyond all our expectations.
“We are extremely proud of this latest achievement in the ASTRID Awards and will treasure these tremendous honours. We are very grateful to the awards organizer and judges.”
