For the creative industry, the Benchmarks Awards, hosted by Design Week magazine, is a highlight of the year, when independent judges assess the quality and innovation of some of the most outstanding branding campaigns and projects of the last twelve months. 

This year the event was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 30th November, where agencies working for winning brands such as Umbro, Shelter, The Manchester Literature Festival and Deloitte picked up the top prizes.  Made from nickel plated, solid aluminium and depicting the Benchmarks logo, the ruler styled awards gleamed impressively under the spotlights and looked equally stylish in the smaller, highly commended format.

www.designweek.co.uk

The flash of inspiration, for the design of the APA awards, came from illustrator James Joyce, who created this stylised light bulb, as a suitably contemporary take on creative brilliance.

In this instance it was the power and ingenuity of branded magazines such as BEER, the Audi Magazines, Tesco Baby & Toddler, and High Life, which were being celebrated, at the 2010 International Customer Publishing Awards. 

Both gold and fluorescent yellow versions of the awards were made for the event by EFX.  Acrylic proved to be the perfect material to reproduce the striking and vibrant original artwork. 

www.apa.co.uk

Producing awards for Lloyd’s List, in the knowledge that they have to impress the major pillars of the world’s shipping community, is a little daunting. For continuity, the anchor design was repeated from 2009, but Informa’s in-house event team for Lloyd’s List Asia Awards and the Middle East & Indian Subcontinent Awards, wanted to differentiate and elevate them above the previous glass versions.  EFX suggested gold plated solid aluminium anchors mounted on richly toned sapele bases would provide the required aspirational value and withstand the rigours of shipping them half way around the world.

Both events were a huge success, with Samantha Graham at Informa effusive about the quality and service she received from EFX: “I love their honesty and complete commitment – they worked with us around the clock, produced a 360 degree service and fabulous trophies, which received lots of positive feedback from the recipients”.

www.lloydslist.com

The Autosport Awards is one of the most glittering and anticipated events of the sporting calendar, and was held on 5th December.  Some 1200 guests attended the occasion including a “Who’s Who” of the racing fraternity past and present. It is the avid readers of Autosport, who vote for the winners and therefore determine who goes home clutching one of the iconic Autsports awards. Standing 450mm high and made from solid aluminium the awards exude bravado and are made, with almost reverence, by the guys in production at EFX.

This year, there were no surprises when Sebastian Vettel collected the International Racing Driver of the Year; Heikki Kovalainen  won the Moment of the Year award for his cool extinguishing of his own burning Lotus, but the highlight of the evening was the announcement of Lewis Williamson as the winner of the much coveted Mclaren Autosport BRDC Outstanding Young British Driver. So watch out for Lewis – Lewis Williamson that is.

www.autosport.com

Surely, anyone can deal cards can’t they?  It always looks so effortless on TV! If you had attended the Dealer Skills Championships 2010 at G Casino in Coventry on 23 November you may have changed your mind, and would have probably crossed it off your “alternative career” list, should times get hard, because it takes real skill AND you have to have to be good at maths!  Contestants were judged on dexterity, numeracy, chip work security, float management and their aptitude for encouraging punters to fill the tables, all of which they have to be able to do simultaneously.

The overall winner, Murat Salih from Luton, was presented with this EFX brushed aluminium, colour-printed trophy, which has a two tiered base neatly held in place by magnets, and the individual trophies had similarly striking graphics depicted on clear acrylic.

www.tcsjohnhuxley.com/rank

The Springboard charity strives to improve the lot of unemployed and disadvantaged youngsters, by providing sustainable jobs and careers in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector, and each year it hosts a magnificent awards evening to recognise those companies and individuals who support its efforts. 

Special EFX took the opportunity to entertain a table of guests, at the Lancaster Hotel, for an evening of celebration, fine dining (perfect filet steak evidently) and dancing, with a table of guests.  A fabulous night was had by all, from all accounts: “It always makes me smile to see our awards dotted around the dance floor by elated winners!” a rather jaded Melanie reported back the next morning.

www.springboarduk.net