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| Event Industry Awards | |
|---|---|
| Name | Event Industry Awards |
| Awarded for | Excellence in live events, festivals, conferences, exhibitions |
| Presenter | Event Industry Awards Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| First awarded | 2008 |
Event Industry Awards The Event Industry Awards recognize excellence across live events, festivals, conferences, exhibitions and experiential marketing. Founded in 2008, the awards are associated with prominent institutions such as Exhibition News, The Caterer, Institute of Hospitality, Association of Event Organisers and industry bodies including Meeting Professionals International, British Institute of Innkeeping and Society of London Theatre. The annual ceremony attracts entries and attendees from leading companies like IMG, Live Nation Entertainment, Reed Exhibitions, Informa plc and agencies such as Jack Morton Worldwide and George P. Johnson.
The inaugural ceremony in 2008 grew out of initiatives by trade outlets including Event Magazine, Exhibition World and organisations like Confederation of British Industry and British Exhibition and Events Association, with early sponsors such as Blackbaud, Sapphire and Canon Inc.. Over time the awards expanded amid industry shifts involving festivals exemplified by Glastonbury Festival, corporate events run by BP plc and HSBC, and mass-participation events like the London Marathon. Key milestones include category additions paralleling trends from SXSW and TED Conference formats and partnerships with bodies like Institute of Directors and Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Categories span live event production, destination management, experiential campaigns, technology innovation, sustainability, and individual awards for producers and suppliers. Entrants reference benchmarks set by organisations such as ISO 20121, Greenpeace campaigns, and standards used by British Standards Institution and Event Safety Alliance. Criteria often mirror practices used at VenuesNow-listed arenas, corporate briefings for companies like Unilever and Procter & Gamble, and evaluation frameworks from Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Association of British Travel Agents.
Past winning firms and nominees include major promoters Live Nation Entertainment, creative agencies such as WPP, experiential houses like Momentum Worldwide, and venue operators represented by AEG Presents and Cvent. High-profile campaigns connected to winners reflect work for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung Electronics, Apple Inc., and cultural clients such as Royal Albert Hall, Natural History Museum, London and Barbican Centre. Individual winners have included producers formerly of BBC Studios, directors with credits for Royal Shakespeare Company, and designers from firms like Foster + Partners.
The awards are administered by a management company supported by advisory boards drawn from trade publications such as Event Magazine, associations including Meeting Professionals International and corporate partners like Reed Exhibitions and Informa plc. Governance structures reference best practice models used by Chartered Institute of Public Relations and Institute of Fundraising, with trustees and chairs often having affiliations to institutions like University of Westminster, London Metropolitan University and professional bodies including Association of British Convention Bureaux.
Submissions are judged by panels composed of senior figures drawn from broadcasters such as BBC, promoters from AEG Presents, venue executives from Madison Square Garden Entertainment, festival directors from Reading Festival and Latitude Festival, and academic experts affiliated with Goldsmiths, University of London and Manchester Metropolitan University. Judges apply scoring rubrics influenced by case studies from Kantar, measurement practices from IPA and evaluation techniques used by Event Research Institute. Shortlisting follows anonymised review stages similar to protocols used by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Recognition by the awards can enhance profiles for agencies, venues and suppliers, influencing contracts with global clients like Amazon (company), Google LLC, Microsoft, Samsung Electronics and Sony Group Corporation. The awards have driven adoption of sustainability practices aligned with Carbon Trust guidance, technology uptake mirrored by CES showcases, and career advancement for professionals moving to firms such as Freeman and Gartner. Industry benchmarking from winners informs procurement by public bodies including VisitBritain and corporate travel buyers at BP plc and HSBC.
Criticism has included concerns about commercial influence from sponsors such as Canon Inc. and Blackbaud, transparency compared with processes used by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and representational diversity issues raised by organisations like Equality and Human Rights Commission and Stonewall. Debates mirror wider sector disputes involving labour practices highlighted in reporting by The Guardian and regulatory scrutiny comparable to inquiries involving Competition and Markets Authority.
Category:Events awards