Top 5 Awards You Should Consider for Trade Show Exhibit Design

Whether a company sticks to trade show booth rentals or invests in a custom booth to highlight their brand at a show, design is one of the most important elements required to catch the attention of targeted attendees.

Furthermore, custom exhibit designs that stand out and produce the desired marketing results can be eligible for awards. Some may think that applying for a design award won’t have an impact on overall results or success of trade show programs. But submitting for, and especially winning, an award actually provides a return on investment that lasts long after a show is over. Just the media coverage alone adds greatly to an associated show’s success.

Here are the top five awards that should be considered for trade show exhibit design.

1. Exhibitor Magazine’s Exhibit Design Awards

This magazine is specifically dedicated to bringing attention to high-producing trade show booths and highlighting designs.

Every fall, the magazine’s Exhibit Design Awards receive many entries from across the exhibition industry. Exhibit companies typically enter, on behalf of their customers, unique exhibits that have been produced during the past two years. There are a number of categories for project entries, including the following:

Before and After: Showing before and after views of refurbished projects. More than 50% of the product must be reused in some fashion.
Double Deck Exhibit
Excellent Element/Application: A larger exhibit that incorporates innovative elements such as graphics, technology, demonstrations, and more.
Experiential Exhibit: Exhibits geared towards creating a certain mood, experience, or atmosphere
Green Exhibit: Environmentally friendly
In-Line Exhibit
Interactive Exhibit: An exhibit that focuses on attendee interaction with the exhibit as a large part of the design
International Exhibit: Launched at trade shows outside the U.S.
Island Exhibit
Lighting Design: Lighting for the entire exhibit
Peninsula Exhibit
Self-Promotion: Exhibits that promote manufacturers, producers, or designers
Small Booth: 200 sq. feet or less
Small Budget: $75 per sq. foot or less
Use of Storytelling: Telling a story of brand, products, users, etc.

Additionally, the editors reveal the annual winners of the coveted Find It – Top 40, an award going to the industry’s 40 most successful and respected exhibit producers.

2. Event Marketer’s Ex Awards

Event Marketer’s Ex Awards serves as the world’s largest award platform for recognizing experiential marketing programs. It puts the spotlight on brands and face-to-face marketing. The biggest brands go against each other each year to achieve a one-of-a-kind recognition such as Best Trade Show Exhibit. These awards are judged by brand-side marketers who know what it takes to develop an award-winning design that ensures attendees have a memorable exhibit experience.

3. Event Marketer’s Fab 50

As it suggests, this award is given to the top 50 fabricators serving the event and trade show industry. Fabricators is one title, but the company deems the “structural problem solvers” as the ones who qualify for this award. Each winner has its unique specialties, culture and services provided.

If you’re looking for a new design house, the Fab 50 list is a great place to start. You can see who rises to the top and be confident that your exhibit will be designed at the highest standard. The full list of top fifty winners is published as a special report in the December issue of Event Marketer.

4. Hermes Creative Awards

The Hermes Creative Awards are handed out to those who create outstanding traditional and emerging media. Exhibitors can enter into the “Print Media” category under the Advertising section for Trade Show Exhibit. Another option is to apply under “Other” for Trade Show Exhibit Design or Trade Show Exhibit Design with Interactive Engagement.

5. American Business Awards (Stevies)

These prestigious business awards are given to all types of organizations, whether private, public, for-profit, nonprofit, large, or small. Exhibitors can submit their booth design under “Live Event Categories,” where there are a couple of award opportunities. Applicants must submit a 525 word-essay, which details the booth’s genesis, goals, development and results. They should also include images and web addresses to support their entry and provide more insight for the judges.

Winning a tradeshow design award requires expertise, teamwork and planning from the inception of the idea through the creative process onto the final product. The winners of these awards meet the goals and expectations of providing a world-class experience for customers and prospects, and they deserve to be honored for that. If you want to design an award-winning exhibit, look no further than Exhibitus.

We have achieved countless awards for both our custom-designed and rental booths: