DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Choosing the Right TYPE of Custom Award
When embarking on the creation of new custom awards and trophies, there are a number of decisions you need to make. Some are very high-level and strategic, such as the overall message you want to communicate, and the image you want to project. Others are much more practical, including your time frame, budget, award dimensions, frequency of presentation, and order quantities.
One of the decisions you will need to make early on in the custom award creation process is what “type” of custom trophy or award you want to create. Your choice of “type” will have significant implications on the cost of your awards, the time required to design and produce them, and their replicability.
Outlined below are the most common types of custom trophies and awards we typically create. There are not always hard and fast lines between these – some custom awards we create are combinations of a few of these types – but this should provide you with a general idea of the unique characteristics of each of these award categories. Of course, trying to choose one of these award types can be a daunting task, and we are always happy to help our clients find the perfect type of custom award for their needs.
Custom Cast Sculpture Awards
Custom sculpture awards are the most classic type of custom award we produce. Our company started out as a sculpture fine-art studio and foundry, so sculpture awards are one of our specialties. We can create sculpture awards in an almost endless combination of styles, sizes and finishes. The two metals we use most often to create these sculptures are bronze and pewter. Details on the benefits of each of these metals are outlined in the following article: Metal Choices for Custom Awards. In general, custom sculpture awards are a bit more expensive than the other custom options. They also require the longest lead-time, due to the fact that an initial model needs to be sculpted, and then the awards need to flow through a traditional casting process.
Custom Machined Metal Awards
While custom sculpture awards are produced using traditional casting processes, machined awards and trophies are hand-created one unit at a time. Machined metal awards are a great solution for award designs that require precise cuts and tight tolerances. The process ensure that shapes, angles, corners, planes, and other aspects of the design adhere with near exactness to the design specifications.In addition, machined metal awards are extremely flexible in terms of the aspects of the award that can customized for your specific awards, including their shape, size, finishes and colors. Machined Metal Awards
Custom 3D Printed Awards
3D printing, and the larger category of additive manufacturing to which it belongs, has emerged as a new and exciting methodology for creating custom awards. Custom 3D printed awards are created using digital designs and 3D printing technology. A custom award design is initially created using design software. Once complete, this design file uploaded to a 3D printer. The 3D printer then creates a 3D sculpture based on the design file provided. The 3D printer can create this sculpture using a variety of materials, including nylon, resin, plastic, and wood, as well as a broad array of metal alloys, including steel, titanium, and precious metals. Custom 3D awards can be manifested in one of three ways: 1) as a model used for casting the final awards; 2) as an object which can be embedded in acrylic; and 3) as the final award itself. For the right type of designs, custom 3D printed awards can be a more economical and expedient method of producing custom awards than either fabrication or casting. More details on 3D printed awards can be found out: 3D Printed Custom Awards
Custom Wood Awards
Wood is one of the most unique and striking materials we use for custom awards. Wood provides a number of variables that can be manipulated to customize awards, including the ability to create an almost endless variety of shapes, custom laser engraving directly into the wood surfaces (including both text and images such as logos), the different types of wood that can be used for the awards, different staining and color painting options, and even the variations inherent in the grain of a particular type of wood. Wood can also be accented with other materials, the most common being metal. The incorporation of metal bands or medallions in custom wood awards can create striking contrasts that emphasize different aspects of the award, as well as provide a platform for custom engraving. For more details on custom wood awards, see: Custom Wood Awards
Custom Cups
Cups are one of the most iconic and recognizable forms of recognition awards. Cups have long symbolized victory and the height of achievement. They have been used as awards for some of the top sporting events in the world, but are also a popular award for organizations recognizing outstanding teams or individuals. Bennett Awards has experience creating either totally custom cups, designed specific to your requirements, or pre-designed cups that can be customized for your event, organization or recipient. Some of the ways our cups can be customized include:
Total Custom Cup Design
Custom Handles on Pre-Designed Cup
Direct Laser Engraving on Cup
Custom Medallions on Cup Surface
Different Base Options
For more information on custom cups, please see: Custom Cups
Custom Medallions
Custom medallions are one of our most cost-effective custom recognition options from a per-unit price perspective. We can create medallions in a variety of custom sizes and shapes. These medallions also feature customized 3D reliefs on their front and back surfaces with images and text created per your specifications. In addition, we offer a number of different display vehicles for these medallions, including ribbons, bases, plaques, and cups. More information on our custom medallions can be found at: Custom Medallions.
Custom Crystal Awards
Custom crystal awards usually represent the lowest total cost (including up-front costs), and shortest lead-time, of any of our custom recognition options. These crystal awards traditionally take the form of a geometric block of crystal with customized engraving. These blocks come in a variety of different pre-cut polyhedral shapes. As an alternative, we can cut these crystal blocks into custom shapes, although this does increase their price and lead-time. The customized engravings for these awards can be applied in two different formats (and both can be combined on a single award design): a) a 2-D image engraved either on the surface of the award or inside the body of the award; or b) a 3-D image engraved inside the block of crystal itself, which creates the effect of the object “floating” inside of the crystal block. The 3-D image gives the award a unique perspective from every viewing angle. More information on our custom crystal awards can be found at: Custom Crystal Awards.
Custom Acrylic Awards
Acrylic awards provide another economical approach to custom awards, while still offering a number of dimensions that can be customized for your needs. Acrylic award personalization options include custom shapes, multiple engraving approaches, integration of an endless variety of Pantone matched colors, and the ability to embed physical objects into the acrylic that are relevant to the award. Acrylic can also be combined with other materials, such as wood or metal, to create unique multi-material awards. More details can be found at: Custom Acrylic Awards.
Custom Plaques
We can also create unique custom recognition awards using plaques. These custom plaques can be customized across a number of different dimensions, including their materials, shapes, colors, and sizes. In addition, we can combine them with other award components, such as custom medallions and display bases. Finally, we can combine them with a sculpture award to create a perpetual sculpture award plaque. More information on our custom plaques can be found at: Custom Plaques.
Value Awards
Our Value Awards are targeted at customers who are looking for cost-effective customizable awards. We offer a few basic shapes and sizes in a variety of materials, including acrylic, wood and metal. These awards can be customized through engraving (surface and subsurface), color, and add-on components such as medallions. Value awards are a simple way to produce unique, customized awards tailored to your organization, event or recipient. For more information, see: Value Awards.