The first big awards show of the season — the Golden Globes — has come and gone. But don’t fret star-gazers: there are plenty more chances to stalk the red carpet at the Grammys and the Oscars.

In Hollywood, major awards like these aren’t just statues — they’re a chance for entertainers to boost publicity, enhance their image, and increase their stock price. But awards aren’t only for the rich and famous. Any good PR program should include an awards strategy, to help build recognition for products, people and companies.

Finding relevant awards can be tricky, but there are many sources. To help our clients find opportunities for recognition, we look to awards databases, membership organizations, industry groups, and online information. Award submission can be a time-consuming process, including reviewing criteria, putting together the entry and assembling supporting materials. And, entry fees can take a bite out of your marketing budget. But if promoted well, a shiny new award is something that you can use to market your product or service for years to come. Announcing the awards, and referencing accolades in marketing materials and online marketing all work to get the word out. Awards can help build trust and reputation with consumers, and that’s something money can’t buy.

One word of caution before entering an awards program: be sure to check what others have to say about the awards, and look for past winners. Some awards programs are only out for your money, supplying a meaningless award that is essentially for sale. Stick to reputable awards…and don’t forget your acceptance speech!

This entry was posted on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 10:06 am and is filed under Hot Topics/Cool Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.