- When will the 2011 competition begin?
The 2011 PEAK Awards competition will begin on September 13, 2010.
- How do I enter?
To enter your product, or products, please complete our
online entry
form or
download a printable PDF. Remember that in addition to completing your
form, you must submit two samples of each entry.
- What is the cost to enter?
If your company is a member of the
Print Services & Distribution Association
(PSDA) the cost for entry is $80 for your first entry, $40 for each subsequent
entry. If your company is not a member of PSDA, your cost for entry is
$150 for your first entry, $75 for each subsequent entry.
- What if my entry fits no category?
Choose the category you think is most appropriate. If an entry seems mismatched
to one category, judges will move it to another. Judges may create a new category
at their discretion.
- Who judges the competition?
A panel of distinguished industry veterans is selected by Print Solutions
Magazine to judge the competition each year. Entries are judged "blind,” meaning
the judges will not know who produced the entry or who entered it. Categories
may be created or deleted depending on the nature and number of entries. Judges
reserve the right to move entries to a different category if it seems more appropriate
than the one selected.
- Our presses and paper handling equipment are unique in the printing industry. May we enter them in the PEAK Awards?
PEAK Awards are not for equipment, but the printed pieces from your equipment
may be entered. If your company has developed an interesting product that
was produced with your equipment, the actual printed product is what should
be entered in the competition.
- Can we enter the same thing in two categories?
Yes, you may enter the same product in two or more categories, but you must
submit the product as two unique entries and pay an entry fee for each.
- What is the Solution Summary? Can we enter without one?
The Solution Summary is a brief description (no more than one typed page)
of the most important aspects of your solution and what it accomplished.
It gives judges an idea of the value added to the printed piece — value that
might not be obvious without some explanation. Your Solution Summary should
explain your client's business objectives and the improvements you achieved.
For example, did your design involve combining documents or reducing mailing
weight to eliminate costs? Did your work increase sales volume or the number
of prospects for your client? Quantify hard or soft dollar savings whenever
possible.
You may submit entries without Solution Summaries, but your entry will be
at a disadvantage compared to entries that include the summary.
- How many samples of my entry should I send?
Two samples of each entry are required. One sample will be used for
the judges to examine and one will be used by the magazine staff for reproduction
in the magazine, online, or at the Print Solutions Conference & Expo.
Do not send pictures of samples. Your entry must be the actual product.
- I'm a distributor and I don't want to identify my manufacturer. Do I have to disclose who manufactured my entry?
No. We would prefer to tell readers about those who made substantial contributions
to winning entries, but the names of manufacturers may be kept confidential.
- Who wins
the award, the printer or the distributor?
Whoever submits the entry will be the winner of the award. The entry form
also asks for names of companies responsible for manufacturing the entry.
Winning entries are featured in Print Solutions Magazine. Both printers
and distributors may enter the contest. When a printer enters, the distributor
should give approval for the entry submission. When a distributor enters
or approves a printer entry, the end user (the distributor's client) should
also approve the entry. All parties should understand that winning entries
will be on display and subject to publicity. Some distributors may want to
keep confidential the names of their clients and the products they buy. Some
clients may not approve of their name or brand images being entered in contests.
See the sample permission form below.
SAMPLE
(Distributor Company Name) would like to enter in a national
printing industry competition some work we did for (Client Company Name).
Our entry will consist of (Describe your entry—the products you created/supplied
for the client that will be submitted under your company's name.) The contest
honors the work of printing industry companies, like mine, which serve end
user clients such as yours. Contest winners will be displayed in our industry
magazine and at our national convention. By signing this document, you give
us permission to enter samples of the work we did for you. Thank you for your
assistance!
I approve the use of samples of (describe materials and use Client Company
Name) for the Print Solutions Magazine contest entry.
Name
Title
Signature
Date
- If my entry is chosen as a winner, what do I receive?
Grand Awards winners receive a trophy presented at the private VIP PEAK Awards
Ceremony during the annual Print Solutions Conference & Expo. Awards
of Excellence winners receive a certificate.
All winners receive PEAK Award Winner logos to use in their own promotions,
plus a press release from Print Solutions Magazine naming their
company as a winner. The release can be copied and distributed to local media.
Winning entries may be displayed in Print Solutions Magazine, on
the magazine's web site and at the Print Solutions Conference & Expo.
- Where can I download a logo and press release to use to announce that I've won
a PEAK award?
