Poultry Expo Crystal Egg Award Winners

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association recently held its 3rd Annual Crystal Egg Award Marketing Competition. The competition recognizes excellence in marketing and promotion for exhibitors participating in the International Poultry Exposition. The awards will be presented at a special ceremony during the 2004 International Poultry Exposition.

The Crystal Egg Award is given to companies who exemplify superior quality in design and production of marketing materials for the International Poultry Exposition. Entries are evaluated on several factors, including design, communications content, achievement of predetermined sales goals, and overall appearance. Only exhibitors from the 2003 exposition were allowed to enter the competition. The competition was judged by a panel of professionals in the poultry and marketing industries.

Winners of the Crystal Egg Award were Big Dutchman, Embrex, Interplast, Intralox, Marel, Novus International, Preventive Environmental Management, and Robbie Manufacturing. Honorable mentions were awarded to Big Dutchman, BOC Gases, Jamesway Incubator Company, LEESON Electric Corporation, Marel, Robbie Manufacturing, and Stork Gamco.

Interplast won the Crystal Egg Award in the advertising specialty category. Interplast utilized an egg carton containing personalized golf balls as a thank you gift for customers and prospects at the International Poultry Exposition. Big Dutchman received an honorable mention in the advertising specialty category.

In the brochure/postcard/flyer category, Embrex took the Crystal Egg Award. Embrex developed a postcard to communicate to exposition attendees that “We Know Eggs Inside and Out,” and to encourage people to stop by their booth to find out why they could make such a claim. The look of the postcard was coordinated with the design of their booth, advertisements placed in the show guide and a trade magazine, and collateral material distributed at the booth. BOC Gases and Marel received honorable mentions in the brochure category.

The Crystal Egg Award for overall booth went to Big Dutchman. Big Dutchman debuted a new booth for the 2003 show. The booth incorporated the industrial look of brushed aluminum truss, light wood grain accents, and stretched fabrics with large format graphics. The bright, attractive graphics coupled with the actual equipment created a functional yet appealing booth. Stork Gamco and Marel received honorable mentions for overall booth.

Intralox received the Crystal Egg Award in the poster category. Intralox produces a commemorative poster each year for visitors to their booth. The poster drives traffic to their booth and provides visitors with a unique, humorous giveaway. The 2003 poster’s theme was “Elvis Poultry.” The poster was chosen to commemorate the King of Rock-and-Roll. Big Dutchman took honorable mention in the poster category.

Robbie Manufacturing received the Crystal Egg in the press kit category. The press kits, bearing the theme “Mission Impoppable,” were sent to a variety of trade publications. The press kits included a tape explaining their mission, fun spy glasses and handcuffs, a sample of their new product, and a CD with everything needed for a press release. Marel received honorable mention in the press kit category.

Novus International received the Crystal Egg Award in the print advertising category. Novus International developed an advertisement using the tagline, “The Solution is Clear.” The ads were introduced at the International Poultry Exposition and ran simultaneously in various trade publications. Jamesway Incubator Company and Robbie Manufacturing received honorable mentions for print advertising.

Two Crystal Eggs were awarded in the promotional campaign category. Big Dutchman used a promotional package to launch a new broiler feeding system. The promotional package included a color box with a sample of the product, a direct mail letter, literature, and an umbrella. Novus International’s award-winning promotional campaign utilized trade show graphics, a launch kit, print ads, playing cards, and a computer presentation in their booth.

In the special events category, Preventive Environmental Management won the Crystal Egg Award. Preventive Environmental Management hosted an evening of wine, food, and art during the International Poultry Exposition. The event was held as a thank you to past and current clients and as an introduction to new clients. Prior to the event, guests received invitations along with numbered rubber "duckies." At the event, a lottery was held and the guest with the “lucky ducky” won an oil painting.

The Crystal Egg Award in the video/CD-ROM category went to Marel. Marel designed a video to play on the large plasma screen in their booth. It was also distributed to customers and potential customers at the show so they could take something back to their plants that would assist them in making assessments regarding their equipment needs. Stork Gamco received an honorable mention for their video/CD-ROM.

In the writing category, LEESON Electric and Robbie Manufacturing received honorable mentions.