Oceanside, CA – New strategies, new gadgets and new ideas are popping up everywhere in the exhibition industry, and Trade Show Executive (TSE) is turning to its valued readers to decide which ones are the cream of the crop. The editors of TSE are inviting show organizers, service contractors, venue managers and other tech whizzes to take part in the next evolutionary step of the popular TSE Innovation Awards by nominating the best new ideas for the Innovation Awards | Readers’ Choice 2012 competition.
The categories for the 2012 TSE Readers’ Choice Innovation Awards include:
1. Technology Innovations
- The Most Innovative Initiatives Serving Show Management (Virtual event platforms, audience response systems, registration systems, attendance promotion, housing, etc.)
- The Most Innovative Initiatives Serving Exhibitors (Freight tracking, lead retrieval, gamification, etc.)
- The Most Innovative Initiatives Serving Attendees (Product locators, RFID, message systems, etc.)
- The Most Innovative Initiatives Serving All Three Groups: (Show Management, Exhibitors and Attendees)
- Green Innovations
- The Most Innovative Green Initiatives by a Convention Center
- The Most Innovative Green Initiatives by a Service Contractor
- The Most Innovative Green Initiatives by Show Management
Innovation Leaders - The Most Innovative Person in the Trade Show Industry
- The Most Innovative Company in the Trade Show Industry
Nominations will be accepted until June 18 for the most intriguing and practical technology, procedures or strategies that are driving attendance, boosting exhibitor ROI, improving sustainability and generally improving efficiency on the show floor. The nominations will be narrowed down to a roster of finalists that readers will vote on July 16-31.
“Innovation has been booming in the trade show industry and who better than the trade show executives in the field to determine which ideas hold the most promise?,” said Darlene Gudea, president of Trade Show Executive Media Group. “Since the original Innovation Awards debuted in 2003, we have saluted everything from a badge reader that foils counterfeit badges to a mobile app to track service orders and freight. The Readers’ Choice Innovation Awards will use input from the entire industry to shine a light on the next generation of cutting-edge innovations coming to the show floor.”
The winning innovations will be announced September 3. The winners will also be featured in the September issue of TSE and announced worldwide via TSE’s E-Clips Breaking News. Recipients will receive a plaque for their office trophy case and a press release that can be issued to their customers along with a logo for use on their company web site and marketing collateral.
“We believe TSE’s Readers’ Choice Awards are the highest accolade and endorsement an innovator can receive because the ‘seal of approval’ comes from peers and customers rather than tech experts who may be biased or lack experience as a show organizer,” Gudea said. “The Reader’s Choice Awards are also an ideal and credible vehicle for vetting a new product or service that is being introduced to a discerning market,” she said.
Nominations must be submitted on the official entry form available at www.tradeshowexecutive.com and must include artwork of the product, person or company logo. Products/services released on or after June 1, 2011 are eligible.
Entries must be e-mailed to InnovationAwards@TradeShowExecutive.com
Entries submitted to the wrong address or to TSE staff members will not be eligible.
A sample entry form can be found below. Please refer to our FAQs section for more information. All of us at TSE wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing your nominations. Nominate your company, boss, colleague or yourself. This is no time for humility!
Reach Darlene Gudea at dgudea@tradeshowexecutive.com
