Press Release:
ENTRY PROCESS BEGINS FOR THE SIMA IMAGE AWARDS: HONORING THE BEST OF THE SURF INDUSTRY FROM 2011
– Entry Deadline is September 30, 2011 –
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (September 13, 2011) – The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is proud to announce that the entry process for the SIMA Image Awards is now open. The awards will recognize the best of the surf industry from 2011. In an effort to continue to honor the most innovative products and advancements in the industry, a new category has been added to the traditional SIMA Image Awards lineup: the Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year award.
Providing yet another opportunity for member recognition, the new award will highlight the more technical innovations coming out of the sport by featuring products such as fins, leashes, bags, wetsuit accessories (heat vests, boots, etc.) and other hardgood accessories.
“Now in its ninth year, the SIMA Image Awards have become a staple in our industry and with the addition of the Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year award we have increased the spotlight on great products that are creating opportunity and growth,” said Doug Palladini, President of SIMA and Vice President of Marketing for Vans.
“Nominees and winners earn bragging rights as seen in past winners and nominees’ ad campaigns, media coverage, company reports and marketing collateral. The entry process is a crucial time to get your brand involved, so make sure to supply all your entry information before the September 30 deadline!”
SIMA will begin accepting entries for the SIMA Image Awards on September 13, 2011. All Regular and Board Builder category SIMA members that are current on their membership dues will be invited to enter their brands and/or products at www.simaimageawards.com.
Paid Regular and Board Builder SIMA members will also be able to enter retailers in the three retail categories of Men’s, Women’s and Breakthrough Retailer of the Year. Companies that enter a retailer in all three categories will be entered into a drawing to win five free tickets to the Image Awards ceremony.
The main SIMA contact at each paid Regular and Board Builder category SIMA member company will receive a username and password to access the secured entry form page where members can then easily submit entry materials for the SIMA Image Awards. The strict deadline for entries is September 30, 2011.
Following the success of last year’s SIMA Image Awards ceremony and due to popular demand, the awards presentation will again take place in Orange County, Calif. This marks the second time that the awards ceremony will be held stateside after the awards were moved out of their former home of San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, during the annual Surf Summit conference.
More information about the ceremony date and location, as well as how to access tickets, will be available in the coming months.
The goal of the SIMA Image Awards is to identify the surf industry’s most influential companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry over the past year. The SIMA Image Awards is the only awards program that gives SIMA members and surf specialty retailers the opportunity to recognize fellow surf industry companies for their outstanding contributions to the surf industry.
The SIMA Image Awards features 16 award categories honoring the achievements of products, brands and retailers in 2011:
Product Awards
Accessory Product of the Year
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year *NEW*
Footwear Product of the Year
Surfboard of the Year
Wetsuit of the Year
Environmental Product of the Year
Men’s Awards
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Men’s Boardshort of the Year
Men’s Retailer of the Year
Women’s Awards
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year
Women’s Retailer of the Year
Overall Awards
Breakthrough Brand of the Year
Breakthrough Retailer of the Year
See page 2 for more on the SIMA Image Awards…
A complete description of awards criteria, as well as a detailed explanation of the entry and voting processes and materials required can be found at www.simaimageawards.com.
A Nominating Panel comprised of manufacturers and retailers will review allentries. Votes of the Nominating Panel will determine the five nominees in each category. Official nominees will be announced in early November, followed by final voting by all categories of SIMA member companies and 200 specialty retailers.
Visit www.simaimageawards.com for more information.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relationsefforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research.
In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 22 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5.8 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches andwaves. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people.
Liquid Nation Ball serves as the annual fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, and since 2004 has raised and donated more than $1.45 million to surf-related non-profit humanitarian organizations. For more information regarding SIMA, please visit www.sima.com. Follow SIMA at Twitter.com/SIMA_SURF.
