If you’ve been a long-standing attendee at NeoCon and a close follower of the Best of NeoCon awards presented there each year, you are likely aware of what some call, “The Curse.” It’s the prevailing perception, likely never validated, that the product that wins the Best of Competition award as part of the Best of NeoCon competition rarely sells well after winning that coveted designation. Natalie Hartkopf is not a believer.
Natalie Hartkopf is the CEO and Co-Owner of Hightower, and their newly introduced product, the Flote collection of comfort seating, won the Best of Competition at NeoCon 2023. According to Hartkopf, Flote has posted the fastest growing sales volume of any product Hightower has introduced in the last twenty years. “This award overall helps us build additional credibility and promotion for specific products during sales meetings and on social media. That is a very significant honor in our world so, of course, it might draw designers to consider our products when they’re working on projects,” according to Hartkopf. So much for that curse of winning a top award.
Another non-believer in the award curse is Tom Newhouse, a veteran furniture industry designer who has garnered high-profile design awards for multiple manufacturers and even in an array of industries outside office furniture. Newhouse believes that the cost in dollars and in effort for award submissions can pay off handsomely for manufacturers and for designers. “Award competitions, even when you aren’t a top winner, increase awareness and visibility. Designers, perhaps more than anyone else, are more positive about the value of awards.”
So, what’s the origin of some of this design-award cynicism and sour reputation? Perhaps it’s a circulating disappointment from manufacturers and designers who feel the sting of not winning a design competition. Or perhaps it’s the proliferation of some award competitions who don’t have rigorous judging standards or who might seem intent on creating and bestowing awards merely as a revenue stream for themselves.
That’s not the case with the iF Design Award, a globally recognized and prized design competition that spans a wide range of design categories, including workplace furniture. Headquartered in Hanover, Germany, the iF Design Award is nearly 70 years old and is regarded by many as one of the most coveted design honors. Numerous U.S. corporations submit for the iF Design Award; in fact, Apple, Inc. is one of the most frequent winners in multiple categories. Most recently, iF International Forum Design GmbH officially launched iF Design USA Inc., a fully owned subsidiary based in New York City. Lisa Gralnek is the recently appointed Managing Director of the new entity, and she is bullish on the value of design awards for promoting innovation and design excellence.
“We now have nine offices worldwide and receive over 10,000 award submissions from over 60 countries. Our organization believes iF Design USA will help deliver greater support and partnership for North American-based designers and design-driven businesses. I’m excited to support that mission,” says Gralnek. The IF Design Award bases its differentiation and distinctive value on multiple key elements: the integrity and independence of their juried process, the quality and transparency of their award criteria, and the feedback they provide to those who submit entrires throughout the judging process. They offer no sponsorships for their primary award process, accenting the objectivity of their process. “There is significant stature associated with the iF Design logo and our winners are proud to display that designation. We look forward to having our award provide even more incentive for design excellence in the U.S.”
If a renowned global organization whose mission is to recognize and promote design and innovation is increasing their commitment to that mission in the U.S. by dedicating a presence to this market, the value of design awards clearly merits some attention from the workplace and furniture industry. If that’s true, how should the industry understand, prioritize, and leverage the value of design awards?
It is important to acknowledge that there seem to be no specific metrics that document the explicit value of design awards, or especially their impact on business success or sales. But as many of the sources cited above would attest, there is an unmistakably intuitive sense that garnering a design award seems to bring significant benefits. Lacking any metrics, what factors merit consideration for furniture and workplace manufacturers and designers?
As a starting point, consider the rationale for submitting a product for a design award. What are the desired outcomes? Brand awareness? Reputation enhancement? Increased market presence? Sales force or distribution channel motivation? Any or all of these are valid, but tracking success from a design award submission will depend on identifying the goals at the outset. Otherwise, you’re guessing.
A second consideration around submissions for design awards should be the proportional investment between the fees and effort required to enter the competition and the potential gains from a win. Remember Natalie Hartkopf and Hightower winning the Best of Competition at NeoCon for the Flote collection? Flote was the company’s only entry in the Best of NeoCon awards. They invested in one product and it paid dividends. It’s all about risk and reward.
Just as important as how much to invest in awards submissions is the issue of which awards to seek. Assess the appropriateness of your product for the specific focus of the awarding organization, the realistic positioning of your product against the competition (your odds), and the overall benefit you might accrue from winning.
Finally, think ahead to how you will leverage a design award win. Will a high-profile design award become a key ingredient in your marketing strategy? In your sales planning? In the positioning of your brand? The value of a design award is turbocharged if the win becomes a focal point for business strategy.
The debate will likely endure about the true importance of product design competitions. Winners will tout their value. Non-winners will sneer at their insignificance. However, if design awards spark innovation and creative product development, the overall winner will be our industry.