Creating the Perfect Custom Trophy: A Guide for Organisations
What is a customised trophy?
With unmatched quality, unique personalisation, and tailored manufacture, a bespoke award from Gaudio is one of a kind. Whether you’re looking for an engraved trophy for a one-time event, or a set of bespoke awards with multiple categories, our services evolve to suit your requirements.
Custom Awards for Events and Businesses
It’s happening: invites sent, catering booked, and your judges are busy deliberating over a whole host of interesting applicants. The planning of your award ceremony is well under way.
‘But what about the trophies?’ we cry, with no ulterior motive, on this blog about trophies , ‘Do you have your trophies ready? What will your winners’ cherish as a symbol of their hard work and achievement for years to come? What will remind them of the role your business played in this success?’
Believe it or not, trophies are sometimes an afterthought for businesses planning award events.
In this article, we’ll outline how to create the perfect custom trophy and get the most out of our free design service.
How do I create a branded custom trophy? Making An Enquiry
To create a custom trophy, the very first thing you should do is ask the question: What are we celebrating, and how?
In our experience, every celebration looks different, and that has an impact on the look and feel of your bespoke award.
Are you holding a flagship award ceremony, hosting titans of the industry? It could be an evening of fabulous entertainment and good food to show appreciation for a project well done.
Is the award memorializing a rolling monthly accolade for the most ambitious of sales teams, or part of a more low-key appreciation on behalf of your industry? A love letter to dedication, to perseverance, to hard work?
You might be looking for a trophy to present on the world’s most competitive stages for sports, gaming, and technology.
Each event is uniquely different, and a well-designed custom trophy embodies both a curated brand or theme, and the feeling in the room when the winning name is called; the gravity of what that award means now, and in the future.
Knowing this gives us a place to start at the enquiry stage. Other information that can be helpful includes:
- Quantity: Gaudio tailor stock-holding and personalised fulfilment options to your individual requirements.
- Budget: We create designs from scratch, and always take your budget into account. The team will always discuss specific design elements with you in the context of your budget. For example, a gold trophy comes in many forms; gold plating is a premium option, but we also offer gold lacquer, gold acrylic, and even gold-effect print.
- Branding: Got a great graphic or logo you’re proud of? We’d love to see it! Every aspect of a brand provides an avenue for inspiration, whether that be font, shape, colour, or even tone of voice.
Can I design my own trophy? Design Development & Quotes
The stage is set: a brief, a brand, a budget. It’s time to raise the curtain on your designs.
The nature of the bespoke process means the first design isn’t always the final one, and this is our opportunity to iron out the details.
Things like specific print or engraving are decided at the proofing stage (spoilers!), but the space we’re personalising is what’s explored in the design. We present designs with a visual 3D render of what your award will look like alongside the quote.
When it comes to feedback, we’re all ears. Even if an idea sounds strange, or you just want to tell us something you don’t like, it’s all useful information. Our in-house design team and craftspeople are all under one roof, so no matter what the idea, we’ll see what we can do to make it happen.
You may prefer a more collaborative design process, whether you’ve got scribbles on a paper napkin or a fully rendered technical file. Alternatively, you might have no clue where to start. Our design team have over 15 years’ experience working with all sorts of events and businesses, and we’ll tailor our services to suit your needs.
The answer to the question ‘Can I design my own trophy?’ is yes! When it comes to the technical ins-and-outs, we’ll always create a version that we can manufacture – but when it comes to vision, we want to see what you see.
Placing an Order and Reviewing Proofs
So – design settled. The excitement’s building. Your event date is rushing closer, and you’ve got about 4-6 weeks left to go.
Don’t panic! Your judges have still got plenty of time to deliberate.
When we confirm an order, we don’t need every bit of detail right away. Depending on your design, any individual winners’ names are typically required around 2 weeks before the delivery date. In some cases, you may prefer to have name plates delivered post-event.
Winning an award as an individual, a team or a business has far-reaching benefits that stretch beyond the event. It can strengthen the trust in a business, or bolster confidence in a team member.
The proofing stage is where we fine tune those all important winners’ names and sponsor logos, making each and every trophy special. While the brand and design embody the spirit of the event, there’s nothing quite like a name in print to cement the hard-work of those individuals.
Proofs are a document that show you the technical files our machine will use. These proofs have the final say on spelling and detail, so it’s important to check them thoroughly.
Celebrating With A Perfect Custom Trophy
Custom Awards: Get Event-Ready
Get in touch with a member of the team for your free bespoke design.
@gaudioawards
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