Promotion Design Competition & Awards

Out of HOW’s design competitions (launched in 1988), this is HOW’s longest running design competition and the only awards program that specifically recognizes outstanding promotion design work — whether it’s a self-promo to showcase a design firm’s capabilities, a project that touts a client’s goods or services, an announcement for a major life event, or professional or student designer’s résumé or design portfolio. HOW’s Promotion Design Awards celebrates design work that’s engaging, memorable and effective at moving the viewer toward action.

THIS COMPETITION IS CLOSED. Winners will appear in the September issue.

 

Let us promote YOU for a change. You spend your time creating promotional materials, whether for your own business or for someone else’s. You specialize in getting potential customers to pull out their wallets, click on a website, or remember a name. It’s about time someone acknowledged how effective, memorable and persuasive
your work is.

FINAL DEADLINE: April 6, 2012

WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER

• National exposure for your creativity and promotional skills – last year’s Best of Show winner found a new job with his winning entry!
• Our favorite entries will be featured in the October 2012 issue of HOW’s Self-Promotion Design Annual
• See how your work compares to your peers
• Opportunity to win a FREE TRIP or $100 Discount to the 2013 HOW Design Conference

Browse previous winners

 

PRIZES

• BEST OF SHOW scores a FREE TRIP to the 2013 HOW DESIGN CONFERENCE (round-trip airfare, hotel and conference registration) and an award to be presented at the conference.
• All Winners will see their work in HOW’s OCTOBER 2012 SELF-PROMOTION DESIGN ANNUAL and get a $100 discount to the 2013 HOW Design Conference.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Send 2 well-protected unmounted samples. No slides or digital images please.
2. Register and pay for your entry online. You will be prompted to print your entry forms after completing the checkout. The entry form must be sent with your samples.  If you choose to enter offline, type or print the Entry Form completely. This information will be reproduced in the magazine exactly as submitted if you are selected as a winner.
3. Credit all persons involved in the creation of the piece. HOW isn’t responsible for incorrect, illegible or incomplete credit information.
4. Describe the objective and results of your entry in 100 words or less and include the description with the Entry Form. (Optional but strongly suggested.)
5. Securely attach a copy of the Entry Form to the back of each sample of your entry. Include 2 copies of the Payment Form with your payment.

WHAT’S ELIGIBLE?
We accept actual samples of annual reports, brochures, catalogs, direct mail, book and magazine covers and interior pages, invitations, announcements, greeting cards, letterhead, logos, packaging, posters, print advertising, calendars, wearables, 3D objects and other print projects. We also accept color print-outs of workspaces, signage and other environmental graphic design. We do not accept videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, websites or other interactive work, or digital images or slides of print work. All digital work is eligible in our Interactive Design Awards. Designs may be entered in more than one category. Submit a separate entry and fee for each category. Work must have been created between Jan. 1, 2011, and March 19, 2012.

CATEGORIES

• CLIENT PROMOTIONS: created for paying customers (brochures, annual reports, ads, corporate identities, etc.)
• DESIGNER SELF- PROMOTIONS: created to promote your design business
• PERSONAL PROMOTIONS: created to celebrate life events (invitations, birth announcements, etc.)
• PRO-BONO PROMOTIONS: created for free or at a discounted rate
• ILLUSTRATOR PROMOTIONS: created for illustrators (not just work that includes illustration)
• PHOTOGRAPHER PROMOTIONS: created for photographers (not just work that includes photography)
• STUDENT PROMOTIONS: created while you were in school (whether you’ve graduated or not)
• MISCELLANEOUS PROMOTIONS: created for purpose other than those above

THE DEADLINE
All entries must be submitted no later than April 6, 2012 (11:59 pm EST).
Entries submitted after April 6, 2012, will not be accepted.

ENTRY FEES

• Single Entry — $65 (stationery systems are counted as single entries)
• Campaign — $90 (three or more pieces from a single campaign)
• Student Single Entry — $35
• Student Campaign —$55 (three or more pieces from a single campaign)

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Make checks payable (in U.S. funds) to F+W Media, Inc.
Payment must accompany entries. Entries received without payment will be disqualified. Entry fees are nonrefundable.
Mail to: HOW Promotion Design Awards
8469 Blue Ash Road, Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45236 USA

OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF

Winning entrants grant HOW the right to reproduce images of their work in the 2012 Self-Promotion Design Annual and to display the projects at HOW events. Some winning entries may also appear on HOW’s website and in other digital and printed materials.

HOW assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.

HOW is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.

If you wish to be notified of the receipt of your entry, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard.

HOW will notify winners by October 2012, after judging is complete. No entries will be returned.

PRIVACY PROMISE
Occasionally we make portions of our customer list available to other companies so they may contact you about products and services that may be of interest to you. If you prefer we withhold your name, simply send a note with your name, address and the competition name to:

List Manager, F+W Media, Inc.
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200
Blue Ash, OH 45242.

If you have additional questions, email us at self-promo-competition@fwmedia.com or call (715) 445-4612 ext. 13430.

 

 

 

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