The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has announced the finalists for this year’s Excellence Awards.
 
The association claimed entries for its 17 judging-based award categories this year were up by 25 per cent. The finalists and winners are chosen by an industry judging panel made up of representatives from different corners of the events industry.
 
The 2012 AEO Excellence Awards will be held on Friday 6 July at the Honourable Artillery Club in London.
 
This year’s finalists are:
 
BEST TRADE LAUNCH SHOW

• Centaur Exhibitions - AidEx 2011
• Clarion Events - Home
• CloserStill Media - The Clinical Pharmacy Congress
• Reed Exhibitions - World Travel Catering and Onboard Expo
• Regent Exhibitions - IMEX Group - IMEX America
• Revo Media Partners - Lux Live 2011

BEST CONSUMER LAUNCH SHOW

• Media 10 - Ideal Home Show at Christmas
• Media 10 - Ideal Home Show Scotland 2011
• Ocean Media - The Luxury Wedding Show
• QD Events - The London Pet Show

BEST TRADESHOW EXHIBITION (>2,000sqm)

• Centaur Exhibitions - Marketing Week Live 2011
• Clarion Events - DSEI
• Fresh Montgomery Ltd - Speciality and Fine Food Fair 2011
• GSMA - GSMA Mobile World Congress 2012
• i2i Events Group - Spring Fair International
• Integrated Systems Events - Integrated Systems Europe
• Reed Exhibitions - in-cosmetics
• Tarsus Group - Labelexpo 2011

BEST TRADESHOW EXHIBITION (<2,000sqm)

• Closer2 Media - Cloud Expo Europe
• CloserStill Media Healthcare Ltd - The London VET show
• Diversified Business Communications - lunch!
• Informa Exhibitions m- Intermodal Europe
• Quartz Business Media Ltd - WT Middle East 2012
• Diversified Business Communications - Service Desk and IT Support Show

BEST CONSUMER EXHIBITION

• BBC Haymarket Exhibitions - BBC Gardeners' World Live and The BBC Good Food Show Summer
• BBC Haymarket Exhibitions - BBC Good Food Show Winter
• Brand Events Ltd - Taste of London 2011
• Brand Events Ltd - Taste of Christmas 2011
• Clarion Events - Spirit of Christmas Fair
• Media 10 - Ideal Home Show 2012

BEST LIVE EVENT

• doll - Range Rover Evoque Live UK TOUR
• George P. Johnson - Zumba Instructors Conference
• GSMA - GSMA Mobile World Congress 2012
• ITCH - V Festival
• MS Society - MS Life 2012
• UBM Awards and Partnerships - National Business Awards 2011

MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

• Clarion Events - The Caravan and Motorhome Show 2012
• Diversified Business Communications - Lunch! 2011
• George P. Johnson - Cisco Live Europe 2012
• i2i Events Group - The Energy Event
• Media 10 - Ideal Home Show at Christmas
• Tarsus Group - Labelexpo Europe 2011 - the greatest label show on Earth!

ORGANISER TEAM OF THE YEAR

• easyFairs - The StocExpo Team
• Fespa
• i2i Events Group - Operations Team
• Impact Events - Operations Department
• UBM - CPhI Japan 2011
• William Reed Business Media

VENUE OF THE YEAR

• Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company
• AEG Europe - The O2
• Arena Coventry Limited - Ricoh Arena
• Excel London
• Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC)
• Silverstone Circuits Limited - The Silverstone Wing
• The NEC, Birmingham

VENUE TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Business Design Centre
• Earls Court and Olympia - EC&O Commercial
• National Exhibition Centre - NEC Temporary Mains Team
• National Exhibition Centre - Team NEC
• Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) - SECC Team
• Searcys at The Hurlingham Club - Sales Department and Banqueting Department at The Hurlingham Club
• Tatton Park - Tatton Park Events Department

SERVICE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

• Agility Fairs and Events Logistics - Logistics
• ASP - Online marketing solutions
• Etherlive - IT and technology for event sector
• International Lifting and Shipping - Lifting
• Melville | GES - Events Service Supplier
• Overseas Trade Show Agencies (OTSA) - International Sales and Marketing for Exhibition Organisers
• Smart AV - Audio Visual and IT Hire
• SO Group - Exhibition contractor - floorcovering

STAND DESIGN & BUILD SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

• 4D Design & Display
• Bray Leino Events
• Exhibit3Sixty
• Mayridge Limited
• Melville | GES
• Skyline Whitespace Exhibitions
• Solutions2 UK

PRODUCTION DESIGN OF THE YEAR

• 4D Design & Display
• Exhibit3Sixty
• George P. Johnson
• Melville | GES - Word Skills
• Solutions2 UK

UNSUNG HERO

• Andy Williamson - Melville | GES
• David Rodgers - Show Management Services
• Hayley Constable - Venue Services Manger - Business Design Centre
• Michelle Bird - DB Schenker
• Richard Hart - Smart AV

INNOVATION AWARD

• CEVA Showfreight - Exhibition Logistics
• Index Group - Service Supplier
• Melville | GES - Events Service Supplier
• Reed Exhibitions - SmartSpace stand build
• SO Group - Exhibition Contractor - registration and data capture
• Smart AV - Audiovisual and IT Hire Company

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

• Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company - Events
• EC&O Venues - Venue
• Fresh Montgomery - Organiser
• RTH - Exhibition and Event design and build agency
• Smart AV - Audio Visual and IT Hire

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

• CloserStill Media - Events Organiser
• FESPA - Federation of national associations for print industry and exhibition and event organiser
• Reed Exhibitions - World Travel Market - B2B Travel Event
• SO Group - Exhibition contractor
• UBM - Decorex - Trade Event

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