SIGN AWARDS – ENTRY DEADLINE APPROACHES

The deadline for entry to the 2018 British Sign Awards, organised by the BSGA,  is just over a month away.

“The closing date for submitting entries is Friday, September 7th, so any sign makers out there who have completed work they are proud of should get their submissions ready now,” said David Catanach, Director of the BSGA.

There are 15 award categories covering every facet of sign making from large scale structural signs, through wayfinding schemes to wide format projects and multi-site roll-outs.

“We also have a special award for the Young Sign Maker of the Year which is open to anyone working in the industry aged 25 or under and which, for the first time, carries cash prizes for the winner and runners-up,” added Catanach.  “The award recognises the role young people play in the industry and highlights the importance of providing them with the right type of training.”

There is also a change in this year’s vehicle graphics awards.  “Advances in materials, technology and application skills means that virtually any vehicle can be either wrapped or liveried and we have given the judging panel the facility to make a range of awards in this category. So, depending the quality of the entries received, we could end up with awards for Best Van Wrap, Best Fleet Livery, Best Sports Livery,  and so on,” said Catanach.

“We want the awards to reflect what’s happening in this sector of the industry and this year’s format gives every business involved the opportunity to gain recognition for their outstanding work.”

There’s also a special award for the Small Sign Business of the Year, recognising that by far the largest part of the industry is made up of SMEs.  The category is open to any business employing five or less people and they are invited to submit a selection of work completed over the past 12 months.

“Winning the Small Sign Business title can be a major boost for a small enterprise, giving it the impetus to move on to the next level,” said Catanach.

Another special category is for The Product of the Year and, whilst industry experts are invited to nominate products, manufacturers and suppliers are also invited to submit entries.  The big difference with this award is that it is decided by the sign maker members of the BSGA, who are polled for their votes.  “Winning the Product of the Year” award is marketing gold so anyone who has introduced a new product to the UK sign industry should make sure they don’t miss the opportunity,” added Catanach.

Entry to the awards is free and is open to all UK sign and associated businesses (eg specialist vehicle wrappers). Membership of the BSGA is not a requirement for entry.  All that is needed is to complete the relevant entry form and attach some (good quality) images of the featured project.

Entry criteria and advice for each award, together entry forms, can be found on the awards website at britishsignawards.org.