Awards, Seals and Product Evaluation - What's The Difference?
Even for the seasoned professionals in today's industry, the topics of awards, Seal of Approval, and product evaluation have become a literal blur. For many today, the fundamental method of determining the value of a product is now based upon the number of awards it has. The line which once clearly defined the purpose and value of an award in comparison with a Seal of Approval has become muddled and unclear.
Things are rapidly changing and the pendulum of opportunity is once again swinging back your direction. To help eliminate the enormous blur of all of the useless rhetoric and confusion so you can be on top of your game when the pendulum comes your way, you need to be able to make more informed decisions in your buying and/or selling. You must identify the values in your investments which are specific to your own needs to ensure a profitable gain.
Awards Programs, Awards & Product Evaluation
A greater understanding of Awards, Seals, and Product Evaluation, will assist in enabling you to use them to your advantage. It is also important to know and distinguish the difference between a Seal of Approval and an Award. They are similar yet entirely different from each other in purpose and the associated benefits associated which are exclusive to them. They can and will enable you to reach entirely new heights in brand awareness and sales if are aware of their purpose and how to taken advantage of it.
In the balance of this section and the some of the sections to follow, we have provided a group of brief definition summaries about Awards, Seals, Product Evaluation and the benefits/function of each to consider.
 |
|
 |
| |
AWARDS PROGRAMS | AWARDS |
Awards programs are a popular marketing tool in which products and/or services are submitted for judging during a specified period of time with the winners receiving an award or awards.
Awards programs generally use fee-based, no-fee - with fee to use award emblems for winners, or no-fee application methods.
The qualifications of the judges is dependent upon the structure and function of the awards program judging guidelines. The most commonly used method for judging is consumer feedback.
When it comes to choosing awards programs, it's more a matter of finding the right awards programs to meet your specific needs. | |
UPSIDE - Product branding development can be increased exponentially with minimal investment with many but not all awards programs.
Awards can provide an added element of visual appeal to a product packaging which will make or break a sale.
DOWNSIDE
- High fee rates may be required for application.
- As many as 5 samples may be required for evaluation.
- Independent lab testing results may be required.
- Additional fees for use of the digital award image or other unexpected charges may be charged for winners.
|
* Awards are something awarded or granted for merit or entitlement following examination. An important point to consider is that Awards Programs are quite varied in their method of judging and product evaluation with no specific standard in common.
With Awards Programs, the examination of a product or online service is generally, yet not always based upon comparative examination of products. Each one has its own unique traits of how the examination and selection of winners is achieved.
Regardless of the possible downsides, due diligence to ensure a full understanding of what an awards program can do for your will unquestionably pay off.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Seal of Approval - The True Definition
|
|
|
|
SEAL:
–noun
1. an embossed emblem, figure, symbol, word, letter, etc., used as attestation or evidence of authenticity.
2. anything that serves as assurance, confirmation, or bond: "She gave the plan her seal of approval."
3. to impress a seal upon as evidence of legal or standard exactness, measure, quality, etc.
4. set one's seal to, to give one's approval to; authorize; endorse.
SEAL OF APPROVAL:
An endorsement of something or someone, as in "Our candidate doesn't have the governor's seal of approval" or "The new management gave the old refund policy their seal of approval." This idiom was used, and perhaps invented, as an advertising gimmick of Good Housekeeping Magazine, which gave its so-called "seal of approval" to products it endorsed; the products' packaging in turn bore a small emblem attesting to this endorsement. The noun seal here is used in the same sense as in set one's seal on. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
SEALS | SEALS OF APPROVAL |
In many industries ranging from household goods to toys, games, apparel, juvenile products, video games and even home furnishings, the Good Housekeeping Institute, Underwriters Laboritories (UL), and The Toy Man® Product Guide have established standards which are recognized globally. A consistent factor with all three is they each have a Seal of Approval. In order for a company to be entitled to use one of these Seals on their product(s), the product(s) must meet strict evaluation standards. The Seal represents a product or service having met those strict standards. | |
UPSIDE - Product branding development can be increased exponentially with minimal investment with many but not all awards programs.
Awards can provide an added element of visual appeal to a product packaging which will make or break a sale.
DOWNSIDE
- High fee rates may be required for application.
- As many as 5 samples may be required for evaluation.
- Independent lab testing results may be required.
- Additional fees for use of the digital award image or other unexpected charges may be charged for winners.
|
* Awards are something awarded or granted for merit or entitlement following examination. An important point to consider is that Awards Programs are quite varied in their method of judging and product evaluation with no specific standard in common.
With Awards Programs, the examination of a product or online service is generally, yet not always based upon comparative examination of products. Each one has its own unique traits of how the examination and selection of winners is achieved.
Regardless of the possible downsides, due diligence to ensure a full understanding of what an awards program can do for your will unquestionably pay off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Understanding Product Evaluation
A greater understanding of Awards, Seals, and Product Evaluation, will assist in enabling you to use them to your advantage. It is also important to know and distinguish the difference between a Seal of Approval and an Award. They are similar yet entirely different from each other in purpose and the associated benefits associated which are exclusive to them. They can and will enable you to reach entirely new heights in brand awareness and sales if are aware of their purpose and how to taken advantage of it.
In the space below we have provided a group of brief definition summaries about Awards, Seals, Product Evaluation and the benefits/function of each to consider.
|
|
|
| |
AWARDS PROGRAMS | AWARDS |
Awards programs are a popular marketing tool in which products and/or services are submitted for judging during a specified period of time with the winners receiving an award or awards.
Awards programs generally use fee-based, no-fee - with fee to use award emblems for winners, or no-fee application methods.
The qualifications of the judges is dependent upon the structure and function of the awards program judging guidelines. The most commonly used method for judging is consumer feedback.
When it comes to choosing awards programs, it's more a matter of finding the right awards programs to meet your specific needs. | |
UPSIDE - Product branding development can be increased exponentially with minimal investment with many but not all awards programs.
Awards can provide an added element of visual appeal to a product packaging which will make or break a sale.
DOWNSIDE
- High fee rates may be required for application.
- As many as 5 samples may be required for evaluation.
- Independent lab testing results may be required.
- Additional fees for use of the digital award image or other unexpected charges may be charged for winners.
|
* Awards are something awarded or granted for merit or entitlement following examination. An important point to consider is that Awards Programs are quite varied in their method of judging and product evaluation with no specific standard in common.
With Awards Programs, the examination of a product or online service is generally, yet not always based upon comparative examination of products. Each one has its own unique traits of how the examination and selection of winners is achieved.
Regardless of the possible downsides, due diligence to ensure a full understanding of what an awards program can do for your will unquestionably pay off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More Doesn't Always Mean Better