LONDON: Polyseam, a UK manufacturer of own-label sealants and adhesives, and design agency The Engine Room have won the Grand Prix at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.

These awards, organised by the Design Business Association, acknowledge examples of the power of design to drive measurable business success.

That was clearly evident in the Grand Prix-winning case, centred around a new product brand, GRAFT. The design insight and research carried out at the start of the project led to a change in strategy that transformed the manufacturer's business into a brand house, and delivered uplift in annual sales revenue of 744%.

In addition to the Grand Prix, a total of 15 Golds, 16 Silvers and 11 Bronzes were awarded at a ceremony in London last night. Warc subscribers can read the winning papers here.

While The Engine Room took the top honours, Elmwood emerged as the top agency, taking home four awards in all, including two Golds – one for its work on building SKYR yoghurt into a £12m brand for Arla Foods within 13 months of launch, another for Redefining a Mexican Icon: This involved an overhaul of Mexican beer Tecate which attracted a new younger audience while retaining existing customers, so driving volumes up 18.6% across the brand franchise.

Elmwood also picked up a Silver award for the design of Entertainment Unlimited for HOOQ Digital, an Asian video-streaming service which is now the No.1 OTT service in the Philippines.

"Design uniquely cuts to the heart of every business it touches," said Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the DBA. "It closes the gap between business risk and market success."

She added that this was especially relevant during unpredictable times. "The design sector should be confident in our ability to thrive in uncertainty," she declared.

"After all, we relish the opportunity to turn a complex challenge into serious growth for the businesses we work with and for."

Data sourced from DBA; additional content by Warc staff