Ink World staff08.13.20
The Printing Industry Association of the South, Inc. (PIAS) announced the winners of its 2020 Graphic Awards Print Competition.
The winners were to be announced at the June Awards Banquet during the PIAS Annual Convention in Destin, FL. The event was canceled due to COVID-19.
The PIAS Graphic Awards competition, held annually, is designed to recognize and appropriately honor those responsible for the creation, design and production of top-quality printed materials; those which have an impact, appeal and effectiveness as sales/marketing, communications or educational medium.
Entries were submitted in one of four divisions: Printers with less than 20 employees; printers with 21 to 60 employees; printers with more than 60 employees; and trade houses specializing in binding & finishing services.
The judges determined which would receive the Best of Show Award; one of four Best of Division Awards; mounted certificates for Best of Category; or unmounted certificates for Award of Excellence.
One special award winner was also decided for the best Self-Advertising piece.
In total, 262 awards were presented this year, including 89 Best of Category awards, in addition to the Self-Promotion Award, Best of Division, and Best of Show awards.
The PIAS Graphic Awards Competition is judged by a panel of 3 experts using a point system.
A printed piece must earn a certain number of points based on set criteria to receive an Award of Excellence.
The judges evaluate each entry based upon the following criteria: The degree of difficulty; quality and technique of reproduction; excellence in creativity, design, typography and general layout; and, if appropriate, unusual applications such as special effects, etc.
The entry receiving the highest composite score within each category receives the Best of Category Award.
After judging is completed for each category within a division, all of the Best of Category winners from that division are grouped together and judged again to determine which entry is to receive the Best of Division award.
After judging is completed for all divisions, all of the Best of Division winners are grouped together and judged again to determine which entry is to receive the top honor - the Best of Show trophy.
- BEST OF SHOW: Welch Printing Company in Louisville, KY for “Constellation Magazine;”
- BEST OF DIVISION – PRINTERS WITH LESS THAN 20 EMPLOYEES: ColorStream Digital of Nashville, TN, for “Admissions Automation is Out There;”
- BEST OF DIVISION – PRINTERS WITH 21 TO 60 EMPLOYEES: Welch Printing Company for “Constellation Magazine”
- BEST OF DIVISION – PRINTERS WTIH MORE THAN 60 EMPLOYEES: TPC Packaging in Chattanooga, TN for “NARS Extreme Effects Eyeshadow Packaging;”
- BEST OF DIVISION – TRADE HOUSES – BINDING & FINISHING SERVICES: McGraphics, Inc. of Nashville for “Nissan Express Service Package;”
- SELF ADVERTISING AWARD: Graphic Creations in Knoxville, TN for its “Customer/Prospect Self Promo Packet”
Additionally:
- BPI Media Group (Boaz, AL) received 10 Awards of Excellence and 2 Best of Category awards;
- Democrat Printing & Lithographing (Little Rock, AR) won 6 Awards of Excellence and 1 Best of Category award;
- Magna IV (Little Rock) won 7 Awards of Excellence and 3 Best of Category awards;
- Gutenberg's (Marietta, GA) won 7 Awards of Excellence and 4 Best of Category awards;
- Harp Enterprises (Lexington, KY) won 24 Awards of Excellence and 5 Best of Category awards;
- Derby City Litho (Louisville) won 3 Awards of Excellence and 2 Best of Category awards;
- The Merrick Printing Company (Louisville) won 31 Awards of Excellence and 8 Best of Category awards;
- Welch Printing Company won 39 Awards of Excellence, 17 Best of Category, 1 Best of Division award and 1 Best of Show award;
- Baton Rouge Printing (Baton Rouge, LA), won 15 Awards of Excellence and 1 Best of Category award;
- Hederman Brothers (Ridgeland, MS) won 11 Awards of Excellence and 9 Best of Category awards;
- Arcade Beauty (Chattanooga) won 1 Awards of Excellence and 1 Best of Category award;
- Starkey Printing Company (Chattanooga) won 22 Awards of Excellence and 6 Best of Category awards;
- TPC Printing & Packaging (Chattanooga) won 22 Awards of Excellence, 2 Best of Category awards, and 1 Best of Division award;
- Graphic Creations (Knoxville) won 5 Awards of Excellence, 2 Best of Category awards and 1 Overall Self Promotion award;
- Arena Imprints (Nashville) won 6 Awards of Excellence and 2 Best of Category awards;
- Bindtech (Nashville) won 3 Awards of Excellence and 1 Best of Category award;
- ColorStream Digital (Nashville) won 22 Awards of Excellence, 15 Best of Category awards and 1 Best of Division award;
- McGraphics, Inc. (Nashville) won 5 Awards of Excellence, 3 Best of Category awards and 1 Best of Division award;
- Parris Printing (Nashville) won 18 Award of Excellences and 4 Best of Category awards;
- Randall House Publications (Nashville) won 5 Awards of Excellence and 1 Best of Category award.
PIAS is a graphic arts trade association representing more than 250 member companies in its seven-state region: Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia.