The 7th annual MOD Awards, honoring the best modular system and custom modular exhibit designs for tradeshows and events, will take place on Tuesday, March 19th at The Four Seasons Hotel inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The MOD awards will be held as thousands of industry professional descend on Las Vegas for the EXHIBITOR 2013 Conference and Exhibition.
MOD ’13, presented by Exhibit City News, will showcase the work of exhibit houses and leading designers of modular structures, and award trophies to winners in 18 categories including the prestigious Best of MOD at an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. The ceremony will once again be hosted by Leeza Gibbons, the popular entertainment, news and talk show host.
Additional sponsors of MOD’13 include the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Exhibit and Event Marketer’s Association (E2MA), the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services and FAMAB, a German professional association representing service providers in direct business communications.
“The goal of the MOD Awards is to expose exhibitors and tradeshow professionals to the best in modular exhibit design,” said Don Svehla, publisher, Exhibit City News. “This year, MOD goes digital with online voting by the public, along with our distinguished panel of judges.”
Other MOD Award categories include Best 10’ x 10’ for custom and modular designs, Best 20’ x 30’ or larger for custom and modular designs, Best Green Exhibit, Best Lighting Exhibit, Best Technology Exhibit and more. Submissions are free this year, and must include the client, designer, production company, project name and project description.
“Modular exhibits are hotter than ever and exhibitors and exhibit companies are increasingly looking for ways to reconfigure and recycle their exhibit properties, positively impacting their bottom line and the environment,” said Svehla.
Entries for MOD’13 must be modular system or custom modular exhibits designed and built between Jan. 1, 2012 and Feb. 15, 2013. Three finalists in each category will be selected by popular vote on www.modawards.com and the winners will be chosen by an 11-member panel of international exhibit design professionals. Judges will evaluate designs based on originality, functionality and the creativity of the design.
The announcement of the winners of MOD’13 will be directly followed by the NuVista Close-up After Party at the Four Seasons, where attendees can network with some of the industry’s top designers, exhibitors and suppliers.
In conjunction with the MOD Awards is the E2MA and MOD’13 Breakfast Summit. Also taking place at the Four Season on March 19, the summit will be a senior-level marketing review of the latest Chief Marketing Officer Council’s report, “Why Live Events are still #1.” The review will be led by Liz Miller, VP of programs and operations, Hewlett Packard, and Sue Huff, director of global conventions, Medtronic.
“Over the past several months, the E2MA, in conjunction with its partner the CMO Council, has been engaged in a Global Event Market Study to benchmark the value of tradeshows and exhibitions from the perspective of senior level marketers,” said Jim Wurm, executive director, E2MA. “At the MOD’13 breakfast, we will explore the CMO Study findings in a Town Hall format with an esteemed panel of exhibit and event marketers, representing all levels within the corporate marketing hierarchy who will offer their views and insights.”
A portion of the proceeds from MOD ’13 will be donated to Leeza’s Place, a community gathering place and resource center committed to providing free support services and resources for family caregivers with a loved one suffering from a memory disorder. Leeza’s Place is the signature program of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, which was established after her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and her family’s subsequent caregiving challenges. More information on Leeza’s Place is available on its website at www.leezasplace.org.
