Dave Selig, Webmaster
Ultraweb Awards

I do not imagine that any award giver or award seeker thinks that the award graphic is not important. Here are a few reasons why I believe that the award graphic is one of the most important aspects of an award program.

The award graphic is the symbol that represents your award program. It is the element of your program that the public first sees and uses to judge the importance and quality of your award program. The award graphic is like a corporate logo. The public identifies your "product" or "service" with the graphic, and your program gains more and more credibility the longer the graphic exists in the public eye.

Once you design a decent quality award graphic, you should stick with it for the life of your award program. Look at a couple of the big "awards." The Academy Award has been represented by the Oscar for years and years. The National Hockey League continues to award the Stanley Cup year after year. Actors and hockey players of all ages aspire to win those particular awards.

Why? In great part, because they are established high quality icons.

Successful corporations understand the importance of brand recognition, corporate identity, and long-term success. The same principles apply to your award program. Over time, your award graphic will help establish your program as a major player.

Consequently, if you desire to change your award graphic, you should generally work with your existing theme to improve the graphic, rather than create an entire new look, or you will risk losing the goodwill you have gained. Remember the New Coke versus the Classic Coke fiasco? Regardless of the industry, the award icon is very important. The big boys rarely change their awards. Why not follow their lead?

By examining the behavior of award seekers, it is apparent that the award graphic is significant. It is a fact that many award seekers do not read award criteria. They look at award graphics at different award programs, and decide whether or not they would like to display the graphics on their sites. They go straight for the application form. While I am not condoning such a practice, I am suggesting that the award graphic is a powerful icon that attracts or repels award seekers — in and of itself.

Even people who read the award criteria first decide whether or not they would want to add the award graphic to their sites before going further. It's human nature to want something "cool."

Finally, if you want to attract professional webmasters to your award program, understand that professionals are looking for recognition from top award programs. One major step in developing such a program is to design an award graphic that is worthy of being seen on a professional quality site.

In conclusion, I believe a good quality award graphic that becomes established over time will go a long way to establish your award program as one of the best. Keep it simple, and keep it clean. Best of luck in 2002!

Karen Pimtzner, Webmistress
petalperfect Digital Photography Gallery (site closed)

You've heard the expression "eye on the prize." Well your award graphic is just that ... it is the visual prize that will be earned, should an applicant meet or exceed the criteria set forth by an award program. It is the program's "eye candy" as it were. In a sea of words, ideas and mission statements, criteria, guidelines and disqualifiers, it is this one picture that is "worth a thousand words."

Your award graphic is the first impression an applicant will have of the quality of your awards program. How graphically pleasing your award is may just mean the difference between whether your submission box will be empty or full.

If the award is personalized, it is testament to the fact that a particular web site or webmaster earned the award. Often it is inscribed with the date or rating level, as well ... making it a truly unique offering to each person who earns it.

Some will argue that it is not the graphic, but the laudatio or words of praise that accompany it, that is important.

Those with more visual tendencies may disagree. But, whether it is the primary or the secondary reason that one may apply for a particular award, the significance is the same. It is an honor bestowed on the lucky few whose web site design skills are the representative best on the Web.

Marie Summers, Webmistress
Shadow Poetry Dragonfly Awards (award program closed)

The award graphic, in my opinion, is one of the most visually important aspects of an award program. The graphic gives the program a certain type of identity, one that other people throughout the Internet will recognize. In a sense, the award graphic may become a second website logo.

A web award graphic should match or compliment the design of the site hosting the award program, and it should be a reflection of the site's uniqueness.

Here are some guidelines that I think are important in designing an award graphic: