Flashes of Creativity

Like the nine muses of ancient Greek mythology, the many aspects and sources of creative thinking explain how two very different artistic pieces can stir equal passions. For 38 years, the Creativity Awards have celebrated some of the most innovative examples of different advertising media. What began as a small, 15-category competition, which contest officials jointly operated with the now-defunct magazine, Art Direction, has evolved into a 160-group behemoth that garnered nearly 2,800 worldwide entries this year, according to Kathleen Richie, the Creativity Awards’ marketing director.

Competition officials wisely recognize the contribution signage makes to effective and attractive advertising and environmental graphics. The Creativity Awards offers 13 sign-related categories: Ambient Media (visual graphics that incorporate new technologies), Campaign and Single-Unit; Billboards, Campaign and Single-Unit; Environmental Graphics, Campaign and Single-Unit; Sign Campaign; Trade Show Display/Graphics; Transit/Airport/Subway, Campaign and Single-Unit; Political Signs, Campaign and Single-Unit; and, Vehicle Graphics.

Fifteen judges – five from the publishing industry, five from the print-advertising arena and five who work in the field of emerging-technology advertising and marketing – evaluated the entries and ascribed Platinum (Best in Category, where the judges decided an entry was worthy of such accolades); Gold (consensus top 10% selection), Silver (top 20%) and Winner (honorable mention).

Whether they strike a humorous, aggressive or light-hearted chord, environmental graphics convey the vital role signage can play in an effective branding campaign, promotional message or any other visual application. In honor of the Creativity Awards presentation, which took place on November 1 at Louisville, KY’s Churchill Downs, here’s a sample of several victorious signage entries.

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