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One judge shares six factors that make the difference between winners and also-rans
Last year, Print Solutions magazine received 220 entries for the second annual Print Excellence And Knowledge (PEAK) Awards competition. Many of the winners were recognized for their achievements at an awards banquet held at the Print Solutions 2006 Conference & Expo in Rosemont, Ill.
This year’s competition is expected to draw even more entries for the 34 awards categories that cover the many products and programs the print industry has to offer, from 4-color multi-component commercial printing to e-commerce and promotional products. Winners will receive recognition at the Print Solutions 2007 Conference and Expo, Oct. 17-19 in Las Vegas.
Deciding which of the hundreds of entries should receive the Award of Excellence or Grand Winner designation isn’t easy. For the past two years, it has involved meticulous analysis by judges who are not told which companies produced the entry or who submitted it. Each piece is judged on the merits of production and application, according to John Leininger, professor in the Department of Graphic Communications at Clemson University and a judge of two previous PEAK Awards. But sometimes, entries fall short. To be a winner, Leininger says companies should submit the best samples with the strongest descriptions and presentation. To do that, he offers six helpful hints:
Judging entries in last year’s PEAK Awards competition were (left to right) Ivars Sarkans, a noted printing industry consultant and a member of the Board of Trustees of the 2007 PEAK Awards Info Deadline for Entries: May 4 |
Make Sure All of Your Components Are Top Quality
When submitting an entry for recognition of a specific high quality printing technique, choose the samples that have all other supporting features at the same level. For example, if the entry is being considered for digital printing and it has been folded and stitched, proper folds and stitch placement can mean the difference between being ranked first or second in a category.
Examine Your Piece Closely
Use a loupe on the entry before you decide it is the best sample. Last year, there were more than a few images that were out of register and quickly fell from the top tier in their category.
Give Real Examples of How a Product Can Be Used
When judging an entry, the “Solution Summary” description can be the most critical element in the entire submission. This is especially true when the entry deals with a new technology application, or a unique combination of existing techniques. Many times the entries have a description of how something could be used rather than an actual application, which is much easier to understand. Explaining in detail how the innovation saved money, increased profitability or turnaround time for the customer helps to sell the value of the printed piece. The more specific the description, the easier it becomes to justify the value of the printed piece.
All Details Are Worth Mentioning
Some pieces were recognized only by one of the three judges as being unique because all three judges had different backgrounds and recognize different features depending on the entry category. Hoping a judge will recognize all details is a mistake. They might be overlooked. Report the obvious and make sure all critical elements are outlined in the description.
Don’t Forget the Customers
Sharing the customer’s expectation helps the judge zero in on the critical design requirements and how well the process was designed to fulfill the ultimate goal.
Don’t Underestimate the Value of Presentation
How the piece is presented can be just as important as how it is produced. What makes it special should be identified and enhanced in the presentation. Some samples actually had Post-it Notes on them to make sure the judges saw the important elements.
To find out more information about the third annual PEAK Awards or to enter online, visit http://www.printsolutionsmag.com/peak/peakform.html. To download a PDF of the entry form, go to http://www.printsolutionsmag.com/peak/PEAK07entryfm.pdf.
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