Ranking ID Design Awards

Which design awards do you think are the best and most worthwhile to enter? Which do you think are the most influencial?

My picks are:

  1. BusinessWeek IDEA
  2. IF
  3. Red Dot
  4. CES Innovations
  5. Good Design (Japan G-Mark)
  6. ID Magazine Annual
  7. Good Design (Chicago Athenaeum)

What’s your pecking order and why? Actually I think #2-5 are a bit pricey.
Please rank them based on what benefits you think designers get out of them and in terms of recognition and level of prestige you think they garner in the eyes of the public and/or potential clients.

  1. IDEA (Sure I think it is chock full of nepotism and the proceedure is arcane but the value of PR for our industry is hard to beat.)

  2. ID Their focus seems to have blurred and the selections are constantly riding the verge but the circulation is high and from what I have heard their process is fair. I think their top 40 designer issue is also great but could be better.

  3. IF (fun and well run but the fee makes me question the credibility), good design, red dot, CES, Housewares, (good and fun to win but the scale does not compete with the others).

So I guess if funds are limited, put your money in IDEA and ID Magazine and don’t worry about the rest?

What is Good Design Chicago Athenaeum’s story? The proces seems invisible. Does this seem like a easier win so you can slap their label on your products?

Anyone get their clients to pay for all the competition fees? Or is it yet another area designers end up footing the bill for?

We usually pay the fee and try to either get paid to do the video or have the client help. That is where all the cost is…in my experience.

In my field of Medical Device design, it’s the MDEA (Medical Device Excellence Award) and IDEA.