The first PIXI entrant I saw this year was a three-dimensional point of purchase display for a children's book. It was vivid green and had a friendly dinosaur, a CD and the display stand was personalized for the very bookstore in which it would be used. The print quality was great, the design of all the components and the concept and execution just rocked. I immediately thought, "Whoa, this could be a keeper."

As it turned out, my fellow final round judges --Dan Adler and Andreas Weber-- agreed. While we worked independently in judging the different entrants, we soon found we scored the innovative entry from deBudelse in the Netherlands higher than any others and easily wound up as Best in Show. Another entry from the same firm took first place in the new business applications category. These guys do great work and it was great to chat with Harry Mennen of deBudelse last night.

But at the end of the day, and no matter how they ultimately rated in the final standings, all the entrants in this PIXI design competition were flat out great. In the three years I have been honored to be a PIXI judge the bar for success has gotten much higher, as has the level of design innovation. Designers around the world have been looking at digital printing not only as a way of producing their work, but as way of making it better, stretching the envelope, doing things they couldn't do any other way. Sure, great designers can do terrific work regardless of how a particular piece will be produced. But digital printing technology enables them to stretch their limits --and their visions-- more easily and reach new levels of excellence. In case you missed it, I shot a quick little video at the judging that gives a look at some of the entries. Check it out at http://members.whattheythink.com/allsearch/video.cfm?id=36516.

I'll miss judging next year --it's a three year term-- but I'm looking forward to seeing how much higher the bar, the visions, and level of innovation is in 2009.

Noel Ward
Industry Analyst & Journalist
WhatTheyThink.com

For information about all of the PIXI Award winners, please visit the Xerox Newsroom.