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One big reason is cost . Generally speaking , a predesigned trophy that can be personalised , is going to be less expensive than a bespoke design .
So if you ’ re after a more affordable award , then an off-the-shelf option is likely to be the best choice for you .
Another big reason you may want to go for a ready-made award , is that it ’ s usually a lot quicker to produce . If you need your trophy fast , then there ’ s a much shorter turnaround if you choose a predesigned award .
The last reason you might want to go down the predesigned award route , is because it ’ s just a lot simpler .
If you don ’ t want to spend too much time and effort creating the perfect design , a printed or engraved off-the-shelf award is going to be the most straightforward way to get what you want .
Why choose a custom award ?
Unlike off-the-shelf awards , custom made awards are designed from scratch , just for you . That means they ’ re a much better option if you ’ re looking for a completely unique design .
Bespoke awards can be almost anything you imagine , so if you ’ re after a trophy that really makes a statement or truly reflects the personality of a competition or event , then this is definitely the best option for you .
But if you ’ re feeling a little daunted at the idea of creating your own award from scratch – don ’ t worry ! A good trophy designer can help bring your ideas to life – or even come up with concepts from scratch .
And if your award design company is also your manufacturer , then things get even better ! When your award is designed and made by the same company , it means that your designer will have a great knowledge of the different award manufacturing processes and finishes available . They ’ ll also be able to advise how you can choose the right material for your award .
So they ’ ll know if there ’ s the possibility to create a 3D scan to base your design on , if they can use laser cutting or CNC turning to get the structure they need , or whether you can use digital UV printing for the perfect finish .
But this additional work does mean that a custom trophy is usually more expensive than an off-the-shelf option .
So it can be really helpful if you let your designers know how much you ’ re looking to spend right at the start of the process . This way , they can put together a concept that brings your vision to life without busting your budget .
I want an award that incorporates my logo and branding – what should I choose ?
If you want your logo and branding to be part of your award design , you still have the choice of a custom or off-the-shelf award .
Many of our ready made designs can be personalised with UV digital printing , which can bring your logo , font and colours into your award really easily .
That means you can still get an affordable award quickly – even if you ’ d like it to use your branding .
But if you ’ re looking to go to the next level , a custom award could be made in the actual shape of your logo , or be uniquely designed using your branding as inspiration .
So it really comes down to how intricate you ’ d like your award to be , and how creative you ’ d like your designers to get .
Personalised or custom awards and engraving
If you want to have your award engraved , then both personalised and custom awards could be a good choice .
One thing to bear in mind , is whether you ’ re looking for a perpetual trophy or award , as that may change what options are available to you .
A perpetual award is one that is presented to a new winner , usually every year . Sporting trophies are usually a good example of these .
If you want to engrave an award with multiple winners over time , it ’ s important that it ’ s designed with that feature in mind – otherwise you could find yourself rapidly running out of space !
So generally , it ’ s better to go for a custom perpetual award , as there aren ’ t very many ready made designs that cater for multiple winners over time .
But both ready made and bespoke awards can be engraved for you , whether you choose a custom glass trophy or an off-theshelf bamboo medal .
You may also want to consider printing as an alternative to engraving , so that you can make better use of colour and go for more detailed personalisation .
How to choose between a custom and ready made trophy
So , now you know the big differences between predesigned and bespoke awards , it ’ s time to decide which is right for you ?
Do you want a simple , customisable option that you can get quickly and at a lower price ?
Or do you want something that ’ s uniquely designed , just for you ?
Why not have a chat with us today !
Telephone : + 44 ( 0 ) 1789 450005 Email : award @ efx . co . uk Visit : www . efx . co . uk
28 FEBRUARY 2022 twitter / facebook / instagram : @ trophexlive