Get Recognized

Whether you’re a new product innovator, industry disruptor offering a revitalized spin on a classic or a legacy consumer product with more than a century of success, nearly all brands have a compelling story to tell. From what’s often a matter of unearthing the gems or strategic positioning, PR teams are trained to work with brands to find their story, uncover the innovation and elevate the product, service or ethos to the forefront. Part of this discovery phase and deep dive into the brand lends itself to creating deeper and much more meaningful story arcs for the media. It also arms PR teams with the content and creativity needed for high-profile industry accolades and award submissions. A pivotal element of all robust PR programs and company profiles, relevant industry awards should remain consistently top-of-mind for brands and the teams representing them

Awards are far more than figures collecting dust on an office shelf or plaques lining the walls on the way to the breakroom. Not only do industry awards assist in garnering a significant amount of visibility for your brand and industry-relevant exposure, it also works to attract new customers, appeal to new retail partners, attract investors and give you an edge over competitors. Mapping out industry-specific awards relevant to your product category or service is an ongoing initiative for PR teams, encompassing a significant amount of planning and organization throughout the calendar year.

With the hustle and bustle of seasonal gift guide planning, major retail events, including Black Friday, Cyber Week and the holiday rush of product fulfillment and year-end planning, some of the most important awards can be overlooked. This is especially important for our consumer innovations and CE/tech partners leading into the holiday season. Not only is holiday one of the most important sales periods for consumer goods, it’s also when brands are preparing for the much-anticipated, annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. What’s essentially the Super Bowl, World Cup and Olympics wrapped up in one tradeshow marks one of the most important activations for tech brands of the year. While brands are wrapped up in finalizing booth designs, booking travel and mapping out essential retail meetings and tradeshow networking events, PR teams are gearing up for award season and all things CES to ensure our brands are ahead of the curve for making a major splash at the show. Planning for this should happen far in advance of the fall season, including working towards early bird submissions which can often mean discounted rates and more. This is not a principle that only applies to all things CES as most awards typically have a brief window for submissions that come at a heavily discounted rate prior to the formal deadline.

In addition to the important CES awards (also listed below), here’s a few more industry-related opportunities for brands and their PR teams to consider throughout the year:
• Fast Company, Innovation by Design Awards
• Red Dot Design Awards
• CES Innovation Awards
• TIME Best Innovations
• TWICE Picks Awards
• Last Gadget Standing (CES award)
• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Has your team applied?