Rules

1. Who May Enter

This year’s competition is open to:

• Consumer Product/Service Marketers

  Any company that uses retail-ready displays, signs and/or fixtures to promote its products or services is invited to enter. Marketers can enter either on their own behalf or on behalf of their P-O-P design firm.

• P-O-P Design Firms

  Those companies primarily responsible for the design and engineering of retail-ready displays, signs and fixtures are also invited to compete.

• Advertising or Sales Promotion Agencies

  All entrants must obtain all necessary third-party releases and consents necessary for the contestant to compete and the entry to be published in Shopper Marketing and P-O-P Design and on the In-Store Marketing Institute’s website. (i.e., XYZ Display Inc. should obtain written permission from their client Huge Manufacturing Co. before entering a Huge Manufacturing Co. display, sign or fixture in the competition.)

2. What Is Eligible

P-O-P displays, signs and fixtures that first appeared in retail outlets between January 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009 are eligible. Entries that are still being produced are eligible as long as they originally appeared in stores during the same 17-month period. No samples or prototypes are eligible. All entries must be from a production run of at least 50 units. This contest is not valid for, and no entries will be accepted from, companies located in Arizona, Maryland or Vermont. Void where prohibited.

3. Deadline for Entries

All entries must be received by Friday, June 12, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CST. (If you need additional entry time, an extension until Friday, June 19, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CST is available. Each entry received during this extension period requires an additional surcharge of $100 U.S.)

4. Judging

Judging will be based on creativity in design and engineering, innovative use of materials, compatibility of design within the retail channel, ability to enhance brand image and realization of objectives as set forth in the Contest Declaration. All decisions of the Judges and the In-Store Marketing Institute are final.

To participate, all entrants must agree to set-up their entry on the gallery floor at the In-Store Marketing Expo taking place in Chicago on October 7-8, 2009. Entrant companies are responsible for all arrangements and expenses related to set-up including, but not exclusive to, drayage and labor for set-up.

The winners of the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum awards, along with the winner of the Best of the Times award, will be announced at a reception during the In-Store Marketing Expo on Oct. 7, 2009.

5. Number of Entries

There is no limit to the number of entries that a company (or individual) may submit. Each entry must be submitted separately, complete with a Nomination Form, Contest Declaration, Entry Board, an uploaded Digital Photo and Entry Fee for each category in which it is entered. Entrants are encouraged to submit their entries in various retail category/campaign type combinations assuming they are qualified. Displays that are submitted under multiple retail category/campaign type combinations must be submitted separately.

6. How to Enter

• Nomination Form

  This form MUST be completed and submitted online. Print one copy of the completed Nomination Form for your records.

• Contest Declaration

  This form MUST be completed and submitted online. Print one copy of the completed Declaration for your records. A second copy of the Contest Declaration should be affixed to the Entry Board.

• Entry Board (Sample [98 KB])

  Each entry must be mounted on one 20"W X 16"H white foam board measuring 3/16-inch thick. The name of the entrant company may not appear anywhere on the Entry Board, Contest Declaration, Photograph or any of the Optional Elements.

  • Front of the Entry Board — Contest Declaration

    Affix one completed copy to the front of the Entry Board on the left side.

  • Front of the Entry Board — Photo

    Affix an 8” X 10” color photograph of the assembled display, fixture or sign to the right side of the front of the Entry Board. The photograph may be either horizontal or vertical in orientation. The photo must show the entry as it appears in the field and as it will be set-up on the gallery floor. No CAD drawings, photo manipulations, renderings or illustrations can be used in place of a photo.

  • Back of the Entry Board — Optional Elements

    Entries can be supplemented with additional flat images such as renderings, perspective drawings, CAD drawings, line drawings or photographs. These images should be affixed to the back of the board, leaving a 1/2-inch margin on each side. Copy that describes the entry in detail may also be affixed to the back of the entry board as long as it does not identify the entrant company in any way and is contained on a single sheet. No material samples or 3-dimensional pieces are allowed.

• Photographs

  Upload one high-resolution photo of the entered display. (Note: A digital photo MUST be uploaded for entry to be considered complete.) All photos must match the photo included on the entry board. Digital photos must be saved as a jpg file at a minimum of 300 dpi at 5" X 7" or 5 megapixels. The photographs may be either horizontal or vertical in orientation. The photo must show the entry as it appears in the field and as it will be set-up on the gallery floor. No CAD drawings, photo manipulations, renderings or illustrations can be used in place of a photo.

• Entry Fee

  Entries received on or before Friday, June 12, 2009, are $399 U.S. per entry. The fee for entries that are submitted during the extension period — Saturday, June 13 through Friday, June 19, 2009 — are $499 U.S. per entry. Entries requiring 110-volt electricity will incur an additional fee of $60. Entries over 20 square feet are subject to an additional fee of $50 U.S. per square foot. Oversized entries require pre-approval — contact Laura Carlson at (847) 675-7400, x173. Members of the In-Store Marketing Institute and In-Store Marketing Expo Exhibitors receive a $50 U.S. discount per entry.

  Upon completion of all your Design of the Times submissions, download, print and sign your Order Summary. Submit your Order Summary with your entry materials and payment. One form of payment may be submitted for multiple entry fees.

  Make checks or money orders payable to Design of the Times. The following credit cards are also accepted: Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Include complete credit card information (type of card, card number, expiration date, name on card, amount to be charged) on your Order Summary along with the cardholder's signature. All fees are non-refundable, including those for disqualified or withdrawn entries.

7. How to Ship

• Packaging/Shipping

  Submit all materials for each entry simultaneously and in a single package. Each package should include the completed Entry Board, as well as the entry fee. Each entry must be submitted in a separate envelope, but multiple envelopes may be shipped in one carton.

  All entries must be completed and received no later than 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, June 12, 2009. Late entries will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. CST, June 19, 2009, but must include the additional surcharge of $100 U.S. per entry.

  Ship all entries to:

  Design of the Times
  c/o In-Store Marketing Institute
  7400 Skokie Boulevard
  Skokie, IL 60077

The In-Store Marketing Institute (the Institute) reserves the right to reclassify entries. The Institute further reserves the right to disqualify any entrant not in compliance with contest rules. If an entrant should be disqualified, the entry fee will not be refunded. Entries received after the final deadline will not be returned or refunded. All materials submitted for the contest become the property of the Institute and will not be returned. The Institute reserves publishing rights for the use of all contest materials. Submission of an entry grants the Institute and its agents the right to publish, use, adapt, edit and/or modify such entry in any way, in any and all media now known or to be developed, without limitation and without additional compensation to the entrant. Entries must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe third-party rights. Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless In-Store Marketing Institute, Inc., its employees, directors and agents as to any claims relating to the submission or use of the entry in the contest.

Questions? Contact Laura Carlson at (847) 675-7400, x173 or on our contact page.

Note: All Contest Declarations and Nomination Forms must be submitted in English.