Thursday, July 19, 2007
On Emmy Nominations and Industry Awards...
Today's Emmy Nominations got me thinking... just how important are awards and award shows to industries and individuals, anyway?
Like me, you've probably got some awards littering up your office, lobby, or display case. And so do your suppliers, customers, and students. There isn't a single industry that doesn't give out an award for excellence.
And there isn't a single company that hasn't won at least one award! If you have yet to win, why, you can always scrounge for a high-profile award on eBay and often buy one for less than the contestant's original entry fee. What a bargain!
Award shows can be huge publicity events. And they bring attention to the industries they serve. But do the pieces of metal and neatly framed certificates really impress anybody? I've got to admit -- my own awards look a little dusty. I tend to set 'em and forget 'em -- choosing to focus on the work at hand instead of lovingly polishing and reminiscing about my past. And over the years, I've thrown a bunch of awards away.
Should I have done that? Or will my little pieces of gold sustain me in my old age? And will seeing them delight my clients? Do awards help convince prospects that I'm brilliant? How long do you keep awards? And do you throw the silver and bronze ones away immediately? What's the protocol?
I'm thinking -- sell the award on eBay after a year! Why? Well, the publicity hub-bub that surrounds the award is the real value of the award. After all, you can't have an award show without entries and nominations -- and the press releases that accompany them. And then there's the pre-show parade of spectacular outfits and make-up. More publicity.
Don't forget: it's all about presentation! And of course, who can forget the actual award show presentation? In this blog, I am rather fond of saying, "It's all about presentation..." and in the case of award shows, this is particularly true. There's the presentation of the nominations. The pre-show presentation of gowns and tuxes. The presentation of awards. The post-show presentation that summarizes the feelings of everyone involved...
And it doesn't stop there. The marketing maelstrom surrounding the award can live on and on. How many times have you read web copy that asks you to "see our award-winning such-and-such"? Never mind that the product won the award in 1982...
But wait -- there's more! When you win an industry award, you also get a little more post-presentation publicity when you distribute your own press release. This is where you present your own spin on how excellent you are, and how "proud and pleased" your CEO is. You reach far beyond your industry, and tout your award-winning brilliance to a broader audience.
Awards can be a horribly addictive substance. Once you have one, you might feel compelled to enter your work again and again, craving that praise and publicity! I don't know why, but lately I feel mostly embarrassed by my awards -- except for the ones I lie about. When people ask (they usually don't) "What's that award for?" -- I usually lie and say,
"Street fighting. Yep. Used to be a street fighter. Undefeated. Quit while I was ahead. I keep the trophy up to remind me of the violent life I used to lead, and to look to a more peaceful future."
Don't take me too seriously. I'm just a little burned out on award shows right now. I continue to advise them for my clients -- but the parade of award shows for the entertainment industry is getting to be a little much for me. When contestants win and don't even espouse the values of the competition -- many award shows seem to have lost their luster. And many great artists who don't have a giant publicity machine aren't included, making the award shows look scammy.
Seems celebs spend more time accolading than acting lately...
Today's Emmy Nominations got me thinking... just how important are awards and award shows to industries and individuals, anyway?Like me, you've probably got some awards littering up your office, lobby, or display case. And so do your suppliers, customers, and students. There isn't a single industry that doesn't give out an award for excellence.
And there isn't a single company that hasn't won at least one award! If you have yet to win, why, you can always scrounge for a high-profile award on eBay and often buy one for less than the contestant's original entry fee. What a bargain!
Award shows can be huge publicity events. And they bring attention to the industries they serve. But do the pieces of metal and neatly framed certificates really impress anybody? I've got to admit -- my own awards look a little dusty. I tend to set 'em and forget 'em -- choosing to focus on the work at hand instead of lovingly polishing and reminiscing about my past. And over the years, I've thrown a bunch of awards away.
Should I have done that? Or will my little pieces of gold sustain me in my old age? And will seeing them delight my clients? Do awards help convince prospects that I'm brilliant? How long do you keep awards? And do you throw the silver and bronze ones away immediately? What's the protocol?
I'm thinking -- sell the award on eBay after a year! Why? Well, the publicity hub-bub that surrounds the award is the real value of the award. After all, you can't have an award show without entries and nominations -- and the press releases that accompany them. And then there's the pre-show parade of spectacular outfits and make-up. More publicity.
Don't forget: it's all about presentation! And of course, who can forget the actual award show presentation? In this blog, I am rather fond of saying, "It's all about presentation..." and in the case of award shows, this is particularly true. There's the presentation of the nominations. The pre-show presentation of gowns and tuxes. The presentation of awards. The post-show presentation that summarizes the feelings of everyone involved...
And it doesn't stop there. The marketing maelstrom surrounding the award can live on and on. How many times have you read web copy that asks you to "see our award-winning such-and-such"? Never mind that the product won the award in 1982...
But wait -- there's more! When you win an industry award, you also get a little more post-presentation publicity when you distribute your own press release. This is where you present your own spin on how excellent you are, and how "proud and pleased" your CEO is. You reach far beyond your industry, and tout your award-winning brilliance to a broader audience.
Awards can be a horribly addictive substance. Once you have one, you might feel compelled to enter your work again and again, craving that praise and publicity! I don't know why, but lately I feel mostly embarrassed by my awards -- except for the ones I lie about. When people ask (they usually don't) "What's that award for?" -- I usually lie and say,
"Street fighting. Yep. Used to be a street fighter. Undefeated. Quit while I was ahead. I keep the trophy up to remind me of the violent life I used to lead, and to look to a more peaceful future."
Don't take me too seriously. I'm just a little burned out on award shows right now. I continue to advise them for my clients -- but the parade of award shows for the entertainment industry is getting to be a little much for me. When contestants win and don't even espouse the values of the competition -- many award shows seem to have lost their luster. And many great artists who don't have a giant publicity machine aren't included, making the award shows look scammy.Seems celebs spend more time accolading than acting lately...
Labels: fun, Presentation
¶ 7/19/2007 02:05:00 PM
Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
<< Home
Links to this post:
<< Home
