February 2017

Congrats to one of Trophies2Go's kiddos, Joseph Hanson, for winning one of the three 2016 Presidential Scholarships from the Awards and Recognition Industry Educational Foundation (ARIEF).  Joe, our Production Manager Tom Hanson's son, was awarded the 'Awards Associates Scholarship' at our trade show in Las Vegas earlier this month.

One of Joe's teachers at Silver City High describes him as an outstanding person, student, and athlete; active in school, extracurricular activities and his community.  With a 3.6+ GPA, he is a member of the National Honor Society, was Kiwanis Student of the Month, and received the "ScholarBaller" Award for being a student athlete with a 3.5 or higher GPA.  He is varsity football team captain, leading his team to 3 consecutive playoff state championship appearances and participates on the track team in the off season.  He has a positive attitude and is responsible and caring.  He is well deserving of recognition!

Other Trophies2Go scholarship recipients include Chelsea Peart, Zach Hall, and Ryan Peart.

Thank you to the Awards and Personalization Association and in particular the ARIEF scholarship committee for their generous support of Trophies2Go students and students across the country.  We appreciate the giving nature of our industry, it's the best!  And Congrats again to Joe!

Cheers! Jessica

Celebrate Oscar Sunday!

Check out our Pinterest page for even more ideas!

Are you a fan of the big screen, watching every nominated film?  If so, you won't want to miss the 89^th Annual Academy Awards , also knows as the Oscars!  This star-studded event takes place in Los Angeles on Sunday February 26 at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific Time.

Why should movie stars have all the fun?  Consider hosting an Oscars Party with your family and friends and make it a celebration with the stars in your life!

Party Ideas

1.  Invitations:  If you have the time, make your own invitations with a red carpet or old Hollywood theme.  If you want to purchase premade invitations, many party stores offer options, as well as Etsy.  If you want to email your invites, evite has some cute and easy choices as well - click here to view.

2.  Attire:  Since the Oscars are THE fashion event of the year, host your own catwalk by having your guests dress in finery.  OR have everyone be a critic with the worst fashion faux-pas!  Have your guests vote on their favorites!

3.  Décor:  At the door, roll out the Red Carpet for your guests; they will feel like stars when they enter your party!  Consider having a camera on hand to snap pictures for your own paparazzi, or a Dolby Theater photo booth with lots of props, such as boas and top hats, for social sharing.

Red roses with gold vases along with small candles are the perfect decorations for an Oscar Party.

For other decorating ideas, consider red flowers in gold vases, gold accent pieces such as runners, trays and napkins, and ample candlelight.  Small golden-tone votives set the feel of old Hollywood charm in a festive atmosphere. Old filmstrip reels make great props too.

4.  Drinks:  Get inspired by the silver screen and feature delicious cocktails from famous movies.  The most notable are Vodka Martinis from James Bond movies, White Russians from The Big Lebowski, and Cosmopolitans from Sex and the City.

Depending on the drink you choose, dress it up with ultra cool glasses.  Barware with sparkling gold accents look festive for a glam night.  Crate and Barrel have some great options - the Gala Double Old-Fashioned and the Mingle Bar Glass.  So pretty!

5.  Games:  Consider hosting a pool, where guests pick the winners and contribute a small amount of money, which is then awarded to the winner.  Or create "Oscar Bingo" with fun things to look for throughout the show.

One of our most popular trophies, perfect for an Oscar Party!

6.  Trophies:  Did you know that the famous Oscar Statuette is made in Chicago by one of our suppliers, RS Owens?  Even though this iconic trophy is trademarked and cannot be duplicated, we offer many similar looking Achievement Trophies  for our customers, the most popular of which is the Large Male Achievement Trophy.

As seen in People Magazine, our Small Male Achievement Trophy makes an affordable accessory for your Oscar party and will impress all of your friends.  Host a contest and give it to your winner or use as a decoration to make your party even more festive!  Or put two back to back on your table for the perfect centerpiece.

For even more ideas, check out our pinterest page Oscar Party Ideas. In closing, I'd like to thank the Academy for giving me an excuse to throw a party!

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on February 10th, 2015.  It has been updated for content.

Cheers,
Jessica

Last week Tom and I attended the 2017 Awards and Personalization Association (APA) Trade Show in Las Vegas, NV. The awards industry's biggest event, it gives awards retailers like us the chance to meet with our trophy manufacturers and reps face-to-face. Industry leaders from across the country meet to network, receive education through seminars, and touch and feel the newest award products. There is even an achievement gala where the best in the awards industry is recognized with The Gold Obelisk Industry Awards!

Highlights of the Show

New premium art glass pieces from Crystal Blanc.

New Products:  We will be adding many new products this spring to our website!  Watch for Polar Camel tumblers, similar to Yeti travel mugs, perpetual crystal awards, new colorful art glass awards, acrylic perpetual plaques, and fantasy football championship rings, to name a few.

Education: The APA tradeshow offers interesting and informative education seminars for it's members.  Experts in different facets of the awards industry present on a wide range of topics, from technical training on how to operate equipment and software, to growing sales in your business.  One seminar I attended, given by Sam Varn, was about using licensed logos on awards.  It is quite a process to become registered to use trademark logos, so it was very interesting to learn exactly how to do it and the legality involved.

Thank you to Victor and Larry from Crystal Blanc for the best meal in Vegas!

Meeting Suppliers: We had great conversations with all of our key suppliers, including Kathy and Greg from Tropar Manufacturing, our 2016 Vendor of the Year, Casey, Erick, Matt & Armando from Simba Cal, Jody and Mike from JDS Industries, Dan from Western Trophy & Sign Supply, Lily from Topmost World, and Chien from Toujours. A big thank you for Larry and Victor from Crystal Blanc for a delicious Italian dinner, Grazie!

Networking with Competitors: Yes, we all own awards businesses, and we are technically in competition with each other. But because our industry is so small, and what we do is positive, we have a very supportive and helpful community. The phrase "A rising tide floats all boats" seems to apply in our industry, as when recognition across the country grows, so does our sales. Each awards company seems to occupy an unique niche market so there is business for all.

After Hours:  Since it's Vegas, there's lots of opportunity to have fun with friends!  After attending the show for many years and having my hubby Jeff serve on the APA board, many of my suppliers and competitors are dear friends that I only see once a year.  It's fun to go out on the town with them and make memories!

ARIEF Scholarship: Tom's son Joe was awarded one of the industry's student scholarships.  Once announced by the APA, I will be writing an additional post about his award.  Congrats Joe!

Thank you to the APA board members, committee members, and staff for putting on a great show this year.  See you all in 2018!

Cheers!
Jessica