Exhibition industry invited to showcase its best work and people at EEAA awards

The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has called on the exhibition industry to showcase its best work and people by nominating for the 2013 EEAA Awards for Excellence.

Nominations have now opened for the prestigious awards which honour organisers, venues, suppliers and people working in trade and consumer shows across Australia and in New Zealand.

EEAA member venues host around 650 events each year creating a rich mix of events and industry categories.

The 2013 Awards for Excellence will take place at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on 26th November, one of the last official events to take place at the site.

The awards recognise leadership within the industry and provide an opportunity for EEAA members to showcase their innovation, creativity, performance and business success. Entries will be judged by a panel of independent industry experts.

EEAA Chief Executive Joyce DiMascio said the awards represent another important platform for putting the spotlight on the Power of Exhibitions, stating "the Association recently launched the Power of Exhibitions – the Awards for Excellence gives members of the association the opportunity to showcase that power and have their work appraised by their peers."

There are Award 16 categories:

• Best Consumer Show Under 10,000

• Best Consumer Show Over 10,000

• Best Trade Show Under 10,000

• Best Trade Show Over 10,000

• Best New Show

• Best New Zealand Show

• Best Australian Show

• Best Custom Stand

• Best New Product/Service

• Most Outstanding Marketing Campaign for Event, Visitor, Exhibitor, Product or Service

• Best Green Initiative

• Best Show Team

• Best Venue Team

• Best Supplier Team (Category A & B Members)

• Best Supplier Team (Category C & D Members)

• Richard Geddes Young Achiever

DiMascio adds "we invite our members to present the story behind their achievements in their award submissions – we've streamlined the judging criteria to ensure the judges evaluate crucial information rather than fancy submissions.

"While many companies now use PR companies to prepare their submissions, we encourage member companies that cannot afford to outsource writing their entry to follow the guidelines and entry writing tips. This is designed to ensure the EEAA Awards are accessible to all members, large and small."

Comments from winners from the 2012 Awards for Excellence on the value of the awards:

"Winning the EEAA Best New Product Award 2012 enabled our contributions to the exhibition industry to be recognised and, importantly, endorses Info Salons innovations to our clients. The award was a fantastic achievement for our entire Info Salons team - in fact, we are still celebrating!" Jo-Anne Kelleway, Chief Executive, Info Salons Group

"ExpoNet has proudly been the recipient of a few EEAA Awards for Excellence over the years and the benefits have been manyfold including a fantastic recognition of our staff s' hard work, as well demonstrating to our clients and potential clients our capabilities. Entering the awards allows us the opportunity to consolidate our year's achievements and by participating in the event we showcase our support for the exhibition industry as a whole." Jim Delahunty, Managing Director, ExpoNet

"Winning two awards at the EEAA's Awards of Excellence including Best Australian Show has provided us with a valuable marketing tool for next year's event and has also provided us with a great deal of credibility with our exhibitors,sponsors,owners and the industry in general. Then, of course, there is the pride and motivation that awards such as these inspire in our team. It's an honour to be recognised by your peers." Alec Gilbert, Chief Executive, Adelaide Convention Centre

"We made a special effort to enter the EEAA Awards and this eff ort paid dividends on many levels. The teams that won felt great about the recognition they received. After all the hard work required to deliver a winning show or marketing campaign there is a real sense of fulfilment and reward. The award race is followed with much anticipation and excitement by all here at Diversified." Sarah Brennan, Marketing Director, Diversified Exhibitions

"The EEAA Awards are the ultimate recognition by our peers of the work we do every day, every year. Exhibitions are an important part of the marketing mix by providing the opportunity for buyers and sellers to meet, engage and do business. ETF is rewarded by the positive responses from our exhibitors and visitors to our exhibitions and recognition through a EEAA Award is the icing on the cake." Gary Daly, Managing Director, Exhibitions and Trade Fairs

"It was extremely rewarding to be recognised by the industry for Best Marketing Campaign for Life Instyle in 2012. It was an incredible win for the Life Instyle team with some well thought out marketing strategies. The Awards for Excellence is a great way to recognise teams and also an opportunity to self-critique your performance. The document we prepared for the awards helped highlight just how far we had come." Amelia Coote Harris, Exhibition Manager, Reed Exhibitions

Entries close at 5pm on Friday 20th September 2013.

To enter the EEAA awards for excellence go to www.eeaa.com.au/about-awards.php

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