Author: Peter Giannetti, HomeWorld Business
The 65 finalists in the 7th Annual Housewares Design Awards are set. A special celebration of their innovation will be held during a luncheon on February 3, 2010, at the New York Marriott Marquis.
The Housewares Design Awards competition recognizes the creative efforts of the 65 finalists and this year’s nearly 300 entrants who embody the resolve of the housewares industry, and who in the face of today’s fiscal challenges, enhance the utility, beauty and value of its products. That is the spirit in which HomeWorld Business created this design awards competition in 1993.
The finalists are vying for “Best in Category” honors in 13 categories, as well as “Best of the Best” honors. The winners will be announced at the luncheon along with a trio of “Green House” awards to eco-responsive housewares innovations.
If you haven’t attended a Housewares Design Awards luncheon, I encourage you to do so this year. Each finalist is featured during a special exhibit prior to the luncheon, which is attended by industry executives, top retailers and influential consumer media.
The International Housewares Association has been a valuable educational sponsor of the Housewares Design Awards since the program’s inception, providing a comprehensive entry process and an independent judging forum. This year’s sponsors, DuPont Teflon Housewares (a sponsor since the program’s launch) and GLM’s New York International Gift Fair (a three-time sponsor) underscore the cooperative advocacy of design innovation across the housewares landscape.
The 2010 Housewares Design Awards finalists represent a cross-section of the industry— from inexpensive kitchen gadgets to premium-priced espresso machines. They prove that price alone is not the measure of design value.
This design competition has helped amplify that message from housewares suppliers to retailers. Plus, it has opened another outlet for getting consumers to better appreciate how the housewares industry strives to improve the quality of their lives, often quite affordably.
More than 43 million consumers have heard about the Housewares Design Awards with the help of an intensified consumer press campaign implemented by HomeWorld Business. We expect to drive stronger PR results this year, and we encourage finalists and winners to highlight their accomplishments in press releases, on promotional materials, at housewares trade shows, on packaging and more.
The potential payoff for entering the Housewares Design Awards is much more than a chance to win a nice trophy. Participation can be rewarding, win or lose, because it encourages more creativity, stimulates corporate pride and supports the industry’s devotion to better design.
Go to housewaresdesignawards.com and homeworldbusiness.com to see the finalists for the 2010 Housewares Design Awards. Email Judy Colitz at jcolitz@housewaresdesignawards.com if you would like to attend the February 3 luncheon and awards ceremony.
Peter Giannetti is Editor-in-Chief of HomeWorld Business, the leading business-to-business title covering the U.S. retail housewares market. Giannetti has reported on the housewares industry for 20 years, and he is a frequent speaker on housewares news and trends. Giannetti also oversees editorial operations for HomeWorld Business sister publication, Gourmet Insider, covering the independent gourmet housewares channel. homeworldbusiness.com and gourmetinsideronline.com
