What do Awards Mean?
As we wrap up the Oscar’s this past weekend, the topic of awards is filling the air. Who or what won? Who or what should or shouldn’t have won, and why? Everyone seems to have an opinion. I certainly do.
This got me thinking about awards in general and my feelings about them. My industry has a plethora of awards and the Addy Awards Show, one of the largest in our industry, is coming up this week. We have a more than a handful of projects submitted this year and I am excited to see the outcome. I love when the work that we do for our clients gets recognized. Who wouldn’t? A lot of time and energy is put into producing these projects. This got me asking myself some questions.
Are awards just beauty contests?
Partly. Depends on the award. Aesthetics are a huge part of our world. We all like to look at something nice. Can’t deny that. This also is subjective and needs to be balanced with something quantifiable.
This is why at Chartwell we approach our client projects with a deep understanding of who you are, who your audience is, and what both of you need. It’s all about designing and communicating with the correct purpose. We never start a project by saying. “Let’s design something award winning!” That’s like a musician saying, “I’m going to write a hit song!”.
Well… that’s not going to happen. There is absolutely nothing honest in that approach.
If a project doesn’t win an award, is it not good?
No! That’s just crazy talk. We have to remind ourselves that most awards are judged by a small panel, and on criteria we are not always privy to. What makes a project a winner, are the results and impact.
Look at it this way. Minding the Gap didn’t win best documentary this year at the Oscar’s. Yet every conversation, near or far, I have encountered about that film argues that it should have. Is it a lesser film because it didn’t? Absolutely not. It has connected with so many people and brought awareness, not just about the stories, but also about our city. People will be talking about it for years to come. That’s impact.
I honestly believe every project has the potential to be award winning. It’s how you decide to approach it. At Chartwell, we can get your project off on the right foot and headed toward that red carpet.
