Organizer Information
The Pro Carton Student Video Award is organized by Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers. The organization represents the interests of the European folding carton and cartonboard industry while promoting sustainability, innovation, responsible packaging, and consumer awareness through educational and creative initiatives. Through its annual awards programmes, Pro Carton encourages emerging creatives, students, designers, and media practitioners to engage with environmental communication and packaging innovation using visual storytelling.
The Student Video Award specifically focuses on encouraging young filmmakers and communication students to explore the benefits of folding cartons and cartonboard through short-form video content. The competition combines sustainability messaging, marketing strategy, creative filmmaking, and public engagement, offering students an opportunity to develop professional-level audiovisual campaigns connected to environmental responsibility and packaging awareness.
The initiative also acts as a bridge between the creative industries and sustainable manufacturing sectors by encouraging participants to communicate complex environmental and packaging topics through accessible and engaging media formats.
Title & Description
Pro Carton Student Video Award 2026
The Pro Carton Student Video Award 2026 is an international student competition inviting participants to create short videos promoting the benefits, sustainability, and environmental value of folding cartons and cartonboard packaging.
Participants are asked to produce an original video that creatively communicates the advantages of cartonboard, either by focusing on specific packaging features or broader ecological themes such as recycling, sustainability, circular design, or environmentally conscious consumer behavior.
The competition welcomes a wide range of storytelling styles and production techniques. Entries may include live-action films, animation, stop-motion productions, motion graphics, experimental media, or hybrid audiovisual formats. Videos should be entertaining, informative, visually engaging, and suitable for social media platforms, presentations, campaigns, commercial environments, and public communication contexts.
The initiative places particular emphasis on clear messaging and impactful visual storytelling. Participants are encouraged to experiment with narrative structure, editing techniques, performance direction, sound design, and environmental communication strategies while highlighting the value of cartonboard packaging within contemporary sustainability discussions.
Submitted videos must exclusively feature folding cartons and cartonboard materials. Projects featuring corrugated packaging or liquid beverage cartons are not eligible and may be disqualified.
In addition to jury-selected awards, shortlisted entries will participate in a public voting campaign promoted through the Pro Carton website and social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter/X.
Categories
- Video Art
- Short Film
- Animation
- Motion Graphics
- Audiovisual Media
- Environmental Communication
- Advertising & Marketing
- Multimedia
- Experimental Film
- Sustainability & Design Communication
- Stop Motion
- Social Media Content
- Creative Communication
Eligibility
The competition is open to students currently enrolled in recognized full-time educational institutions across Europe.
Eligible participants include students studying:
- Media and film production
- Audio-visual communication
- Marketing and communications
- Advertising
- Graphic design
- Business and branding
- Animation and motion design
- Related creative disciplines
Additional eligibility details:
- Entries may be submitted individually or in groups of up to five students
- Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time course at the time of submission
- International European student participation is allowed
- Both undergraduate and postgraduate students may apply if they meet the enrollment requirements
Program Benefits & Awards
The competition offers several financial and professional rewards:
- Main Winner Prize: €3,000
- Highly Commended Prize: €1,000
- Public Award Prize: €1,000
Additional benefits include:
- International exposure through Pro Carton promotional campaigns
- Public presentation and online visibility via social media promotion
- Inclusion on the official public voting platform
- Professional recognition within the packaging, sustainability, and creative industries
- Networking opportunities during Pro Carton award celebrations
If conditions allow, selected winners will also receive:
- Invitation to the Pro Carton Awards Gala in September 2026
- Travel expenses covered
- Accommodation provided for invited participants
For group projects, prize money is shared equally among participating members. Please note that only one representative per winning group will be invited to the Awards Gala.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to submit:
- Original video project
- Video duration between 15 seconds and 2 minutes
- File format: .mp4 or .mov
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Minimum resolution: 1080p HD
- English-language content
- Short project description (maximum 150 words)
- Public or accessible YouTube/Google Drive video link
Applicants must also:
- Include the official awards logo at the end of the video
- Ensure all submission links remain accessible to organizers
- Follow all official competition and packaging guidelines carefully
Repeat submissions from previous award editions are not accepted.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 19 June 2026
- Awards Gala & Celebrations: September 2026
- Public Voting Period: Following jury shortlisting (exact dates not specified)
Participants are encouraged to submit projects early rather than waiting until the final submission day.
Location
Europe
Additional Details
The judging panel will consist of professionals from marketing, filmmaking, and the folding carton industries. Projects will be evaluated based on creativity, storytelling quality, technical execution, environmental messaging, and communication impact.
Participants should pay close attention to the distinction between folding cartons and excluded packaging formats such as brown corrugated delivery boxes or liquid beverage cartons, as the inclusion of prohibited materials may result in disqualification.
By entering the competition, participants grant organizers permission to publicly present and distribute submitted videos through exhibitions, publications, social media campaigns, promotional documentation, and other competition-related communication channels.
The competition strongly encourages innovative storytelling approaches that connect environmental awareness with visual creativity and contemporary communication trends.