Categories & Criteria
Brand Experience Agency of the Year
This is open to all agencies who have produced three or more brand experience campaigns during the qualification period that have exceeded all brief expectations in terms of brand awareness, brand sales after the campaign, customer interaction, ROI and bringing the brand to life. Each entrant must show a high level of originality and an innovation solution for each event. They need to provide a minimum of at least one testimonial for each event showcased, and accurate descriptions of how they achieved all of the above. The events showcased will have been completed for different clients.
Exhibition Organiser of the Year
This category is open to exhibition organisers that have been responsible for producing three or more exhibitions over the past 12 months during the eligibility period, which have all exceeded expectations in terms of the visitor footfall, visitor experience, revenue and the brief. It will also take into account the year-on-year growth of each of the nominated exhibitions - unless of course they were launched during the eligibility period - and visitor feedback in the form of three testimonials for each showcased event. Entrants also need to highlight the impact of each of the exhibitions on the sectors they represent including pr coverage. All organisers should provide accurate descriptions and evidence of how they achieved all of this.
Creative Event Agency of the Year
This category is open to all agencies that have produced three or more creative events in the qualification period that have exceeded all of the brief’s expectations in terms of guest feedback, innovation, client satisfaction and brand perception. It is essential that entrants reveal the level of creativity that was involved in each of the projects from the theme of the event to the design of the food. Generally these events will be of the celebratory nature and can include aftershow parties, film premiere parties, gala dinners, product launches, Christmas parties, bespoke parties, charity events, award ceremonies, corporate hospitality, private parties and receptions. Entrants must provide accurate descriptions and evidence of how they achieved all of this for three different clients.
Teambuilding Event of the Year
This category is open to any brand or agency that has created a teambuilding event, which has exceeded the clients brief in terms of staff relationships, work practice, measured results and productivity amongst the clients’ staff since participation in the programmes. The entrant should also focus on the participant interaction and experience of each programme. Finally the organiser should provide a breakdown of the ROI achieved and a client endorsement.
Event Industry Supplier of the Year
This year we are opening up Supplier of the Year to the following sub-categories. A winner for each sub-category will be awarded and on the night of the Event Awards one overall winner will be announced.
Sub categories
- Production, AV, sound, lighting and technology
This category is open to any production, av, sound, lighting or technology companies who provide their services to the event industry. Each entrant should provide three examples of how their product or service has enhanced the quality of an event. This should include challenges they overcame, the level of service they provided, the impact of their service or product on the overall look and feel of the event, the level of innovation and value for money. It should also include client endorsement. - Crewing and construction
This category is open to any crewing company, stand builder, trackway or stage builder firm that provides their services to the event industry. Each entrant should provide three examples of how their product or service has enhanced the quality of an event. This should include challenges they overcame, the level of service they provided, the impact of their service or product on the overall look and feel of the event, the level of innovation and value for money. It should also include client endorsement. - Security & Staffing
This category is open to any security firm or staffing company that provides its services to the event industry. Each entrant should provide three examples of how their product or service has enhanced the quality of an event. This should include challenges they overcame, the level of service they provided, the impact of their service or product on the overall look and feel of the event, the level of innovation and value for money. It should also include client endorsement. - Theming, furniture and dressing
This category is open to any company that contributes to the look and feel of an event. This could be a theming company, prop supplier, draping specialist, florist or furniture provider. Each entrant should provide three examples of how their product or service has enhanced the quality of an event. This should include challenges they overcame, the level of service they provided, the impact of their service or product on the overall look and feel of the event, the level of innovation and value for money. It should also include client endorsement.
Venue Team of the Year
This category is open to any in-house venue team that hosts more than three events a year. Each entering team will need to reveal its size and the number of events it has helped organise at its venue. It will also need to reveal the amount of money the event team has generated for the venue during the qualifying period and compare this with the previous years. Entrants also need to choose three different events that showcase the team’s work taking into account the challenges that were faced and solved, and how the venue team helped enhance the success of each event. Client endorsement is also required from the client of each event showcased in the application.
Event Spaces of the Year (non-exhibition)
Small - under 300 capacity
This category is open to any venue whose main event space boasts a capacity of 300 or less for any type of event. Venues can range from clubs and restaurants to temporary structures and blank canvas venues. Each venue must provide details of the number of events it has hosted; the new business it has won and highlight a year-on-year comparison of the money it has generated through events during the qualifying period. Each entrant must also showcase how it has hosted three events during the qualifying period and exceeded the brief for each one with reference to the challenges it faced, the service it provided to the client taking into account any sustainability policies, technology, ease of access, catering facilities, disabled access, level of management before during and after the events, facilities, and flexibility.
Medium - 301 – 700 capacity
This category is open to any venue whose main event space boasts a capacity of 301-700 for any type of event. Venues can range from clubs and restaurants to temporary structures and blank canvas venues. Each venue must provide details of the number of events it has hosted; the new business it has won and highlight a year-on-year comparison of the money it has generated through events during the qualifying period. Each entrant must also showcase how it has hosted three events during the qualifying period and exceeded the brief for each one with reference to the challenges it faced, the service it provided to the client taking into account any sustainability policies, technology, ease of access, catering facilities, disabled access, level of management before during and after the events, facilities, and flexibility.
Large - 700+ capacity
This category is open to any venue whose main event space boasts a capacity of more than 700 for any type of event. Venues can range from clubs and restaurants to temporary structures and blank canvas venues. Each venue must provide details of the number of events it has hosted; the new business it has won and highlight a year-on-year comparison of the money it has generated through events during the qualifying period. Each entrant must also showcase how it has hosted three events during the qualifying period and exceeded the brief for each one with reference to the challenges it faced, the service it provided to the client taking into account any sustainability policies, technology, ease of access, catering facilities, disabled access, level of management before during and after the events, facilities, and flexibility.
Exhibition Venue of the Year
This category is open to all types of venues whose event space is primarily used to host exhibitions. Each venue must provide details of the number of events it has hosted; the new business it has won and highlight a year-on-year comparison of the money it has generated through events during the qualifying period. Each venue must showcase how it has hosted three different exhibitions during the qualifying period and exceeded the brief for each one with reference to the challenges it faced, the service it provided to the client taking into account any sustainability policies, technology, ease of access, catering facilities, disabled access, level of management before during and after the events, facilities, and flexibility. The venue should also provide a comparison of the number of exhibitions it hosted during the qualifying period with last year and outline any new business it has picked up in the last 12 months.
Caterer of the Year
This category is open to all external and in-house catering teams. Each entrant must meet the same briefs, as created by Event magazine, for two different events, plus showcase one of their own events that sums up their company’s ability and ethos. The first brief is to create a reception style event for 150 people with a budget of 30 per person excluding all drinks. The second brief is for a sit-down dinner for 300 guests with a budget of £100 per person without drink. Judges will initially create a shortlist of those caterers that they feel meet all of the above. Each of the shortlisted caterers will then be required to replicate these briefs in a live tasting session for judges. They will be required to do this during a two-day window. Entries will be discarded if they cannot do either of the dates allocated. These dates will be published here as soon as they are confirmed.
Act of the Year
This category is open to any act, speaker, artiste, or entertainer that has performed at more than five events and enhanced the guest or visitor experience at aforementioned events. It is open to independent acts and also to entertainment agencies that wish to put forward one or more of their own acts or artistes. Judges will be looking for client and guest endorsement, guest or visitor interaction, value for money and the acts impact on each of the highlighted events. Entrants must provide accurate descriptions and evidence of how each act achieved this. Three acts will be shortlisted by the judges and all three will be required to perform on the evening of the Event Awards. The audience will then get to vote for the act that they think deserves to win the award for Act of the Year.
**NEW in 2012** Act of the Year will be free to enter. Talent agencies will be allowed one free entry, with a surcharge incurred for any additional entries. Please note that any production or travel costs associated with performing at the Event Awards will need to be covered by the individual act.
Best Consumer Exhibition
This category is open to any exhibition organiser who exceeded the brief when delivering a consumer exhibition. Entrants will need to demonstrate how the event has exceeded expectations in terms of financial achievements, visitor footfall, originality, sales leads for exhibitors, visitor feedback and testimonials. It also needs to highlight the impact of the exhibition on the sector they represent including pr coverage, while it is essential to outline the visitor experience. Entrants must provide accurate descriptions and evidence of how they have achieved all of this.
Best Trade Exhibition
This category is open to any exhibition organiser who exceeded the brief when delivering a trade exhibition. Entrants will need to demonstrate how the event has exceeded expectations in terms of financial achievements, visitor footfall, originality, sales leads for exhibitors, visitor feedback and testimonials. It also needs to highlight the impact of the exhibition on the sector they represent including pr coverage, while it is essential to outline the visitor experience. Entrants must provide accurate descriptions and evidence of how they have achieved all of this.
Best Brand Experience Event
This category is open to brands, brand experience/experiential agencies, who have produced a experiential or brand experience event during the qualifying period, which has surpassed all expectations. Entrants must demonstrate how they achieved this through the following factors; brand perception; increase in product sales; successfully bringing the brand to life; reaching the right audience, press coverage; attendance levels and potential for the format of the event to be used again. The agency also needs to reveal the impact of the event on the client’s industry.
Creative Event of the Year
This category is open to event management companies, production companies and creative agencies who have produced a creative event in the qualifying period, which has surpassed all expectations. Entrants must demonstrate how they achieved this through the following factors; originality, creativity; theming; design; entertainment; catering; lighting; overall innovation; as well as client and guest feedback.
Best International Exhibition, Brand Experience or Creative Event
This category is open to UK based event management companies, brand experience agencies and exhibition organisers that have organised a B2B and B2C exhibitions, consumer brand experience campaign or consumer creative event outside of the UK. These events can either be new or international versions of ones already established in the UK. Entrants need to highlight how their event was a success through factors including visitor footfall, brand perception, increase in product sales, client satisfaction, financial success and originality. Judges will also be looking at how organisers overcame any regional problems and how the event exceeded the brief.
Best Launch Exhibition
This category is open to exhibition organisers who in the qualifying period have launched a show that has exceeded all expectations. Entrants must demonstrate this through factors including visitor footfall, innovation, exhibitor activity, visitor feedback, originality and positioning in the industry of the show’s content. It also needs to highlight the impact of the exhibition on the sector they represent including pr coverage, while it is essential to outline the visitor experience.
Best Outdoor Event
This category is open to organisers who produced an outdoor event in the qualifying period that surpassed the briefs expectations in terms of press coverage, visitor numbers, ROI, innovation, creativity and client satisfaction. Evidence of all of this criteria will be required, while judges will also be looking at the impact the event made within its particular sector and its potential for future success.
Best Brand Activity at a Festival or Public Event
This category is open to all brands, or agencies acting on behalf of clients, involved in creating brand advocacy through event activity at either festivals or public events. Judges will look for evidence of ROI measurement, reaching the right audience, creativity and success in meeting and surpassing objectives. They will also be looking for innovation and evidence of why and how the brand chose to host event activity at a festival or public event. Entrants must provide accurate descriptions of the campaign.
Best PR Event or Stunt
This category is open to pr agencies or event organisers that have produced a pr stunt to enhance the profile of an event before during and after the event, or to launch a product or service. Entrants should demonstrate how they surpassed the brief providing a break down of the ROI; the techniques they employed and why; the level of press coverage, and the innovation of the event or stunt. This should also include client endorsement.
Exhibition Feature Area
This category is open to suppliers, agencies, organisers or production companies responsible for creating a specific area at an exhibition, which provided maximum exposure for the client brand, served as major focal point for the exhibition. Entrants will need to demonstrate how the brief exceeded expectations, how original was the creative, and how the show benefited from this area, or how the area benefited the client.
Exhibition Stand
This category is open to agencies, organisers, production companies or exhibition stand-builders responsible for creating a stand at a consumer or trade exhibition, which exceeded the brief. Entrants will need to demonstrate how this happened through visitor numbers, client endorsement, an increase in brand perception, product sales increase, sales leads generated, and overall ROI.
Best Conference or Internal Staff Event
This category is open to in-house organisers and agencies responsible for producing conferences, forums; internal communication events; Christmas parties; teambuilding events; motivational seminars and incentive events. Judges will look for complete event solutions including the delegate journey, how the brief was met and surpassed, and an explanation of the ROI achieved.
Best Sustainable Initiative
This category is open to all event planners and venues in the event industry, who have produced or hosted an event that has made clear strides to achieving a high level of sustainability. It could be a system that has ensured a firm has reduced its carbon footprint, or an event that has achieved outstanding levels of sustainability. Judges will be looking at how the organiser or venue has taken significant steps to making the event industry greener through the use of suppliers and policies implemented. Clear evidence of this will need to be supplied by the entrant, as well as evidence of future sustainable plans to ensure this wasn’t just a one off.
Rising Star **New in 2012**
This category is open to any event profressional at a brand, agency, venue or supplier, who will be under 30 years of age on 31 May 2012. Each entrant must show why they are the future of the event industry and demonstrate how they have outperformed their older colleagues through the implementation of a number of game-changing systems or products that have transformed the way their companies operate in the industry. Five entrants will be shortlisted by a team of judges before being asked to present in front of a panel.
