The Barracuda torch manufactured by the Dutch company Aquam Europe B.V. has won the top IAW Trendseller award, which was presented recently at the IAW – International Trade Fair for Promotional Products in Cologne. The company received the award at a presentation ceremony held on 3 March during the trade show in Cologne. A panel of expert judges from retailing and marketing were especially impressed by the product’s environment- friendly, energy-saving credentials. It is powered either by dynamo charging or by solar cells integrated within its watertight case. Thanks to the use of renewable energy, there’s no need to worry about changing batteries. Even if the torch is left lying around during the daytime, it will work perfectly during the night. Explaining their decision, market expert Ulrich Eggert, who chaired the panel, said: „This is a clever product which meets the current interest in green products, features a robust design and is supremely usable – we expect it to prove a real top-seller.“
Second prize was awarded to the company Top Action from the North German town of Schorten for a neat set of luggage scales with an integrated measuring type. Ulrich Eggert explained the benefi t to the consumer: „It enables travellers to check whether their luggage meets the weight and size restrictions put in place by fl ight operators before leaving home.“ This is particularly important at a time when operators offering cheap air travel apply rigorous luggage restrictions. According to Eggert this is an example of an intelligent product idea with a sound future.
Third prize went to a Polish company called Cell-Fast for their robust garden hose system. Jury member Uwe Erker, head of the competence centre of Münchener Nymphenburg Consult AG, stated: „This product should sell well, not least because the sophisticated packaging reveals all of the useful components of the set to the consumer.“
Due to the numerous outstanding entries submitted to this competition, the judges decided to award a fourth prize. This went to another North German company, Vagros Stemmler in Delmenhorst, for its useful dashboard pad – the Dash-Pad that adheres to smooth surfaces (such as a dashboard) to provide a place to stow cell phones, glasses, etc. It can be detached later leaving no marks or residual adhesive.
The decisive criteria for the judges of the Trendseller awards are design, originality/innovativeness, sales appeal, quality, functionality, packaging and price-value ratio. The award, often referred to as the Oscar of the retail trade, is presented twice a year in recognition of products which are expected to be trend-setting topsellers. The organizers stress that there were countless examples of top-selling products of the future on display in Halls 2 and 3 of the Cologne exhibition centre. For further information on the Spring Fair, the award winners and the upcoming event, visit www.iaw-messe.
