The Categories
Outstanding Contribution of the Year NEW
The 2008 Frontier Awards sees the introduction of a new category designed to celebrate companies, associations or individuals who have brought something remarkable to the world of travel-retail in the past year. The Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award has been created to recognise exemplary and inspirational efforts, initiatives and achievements by industry players that benefit not just their particular business, but travel-retail as a whole. This award will be open to industry nomination online and successful nominees will be reviewed by the Frontier Awards judging panel.
Airport Retailer of the Year
It was an important step in the history of the Frontier Awards 2006 when we decided to open up the voting for this prestigious award to the industry. After the success of online voting in 2006, we continued with asking the industry to vote for their top three Airport Retailers in 2007.
Landbased Border/Downtown Retailer of the Year
In a change to last year's Awards, we have split the Airport/Land-based Retailer of the Year Award into two distinct categories to better reflect current industry trends. The Frontier Awards now recognises Land-based Border/Downtown retail as a dynamic category in its own right. Voting for this category will also take place online.
The Voting Process: Each member of the trade will be allowed a single vote (and will be required to enter name and email address to ensure that no individual or company is able to exert a disproportionate influence). This vote will be counted to indicate the top facilities. The nominated companies will then be required to submit a document outlining their operations for the judges' consideration. This ensures that the Awards are still reliant upon the expertise of our judging panel, but also allows for the input of the wider industry.
Best Supplier of the Year
Brands make up the backbone of the travel-retail offer and suppliers have to work hard to get their brand recognised in the highly competitive travel-retail environment. This Award was developed for those companies who are most committed to travel-retail as a brand and will look at suppliers from the point of view of business development, sales, brand awareness and overall performance in the travel retail channel.
Best Partnership Initiative of the Year
Partnership is very much the name of the game as we move towards a tougher, more competitive future. The Partnership Award is intended to reward those who have worked together - often across category divides - in order to grow business for all concerned. Entries for this Award can relate to any kind of partnership formed in the name of better retailing: airport authorities working with retailers, retailers working with each other or with suppliers, or even two or more suppliers working hand-in-hand.
Speciality Concept of the Year
Specialist store concepts are the initiatives which help to make the travel retail offer even more attractive and fresh to the travelling consumer. Entrants in this category must be able to demonstrate how their offer has been tailored to suit different locations and customer profiles, and must include information on merchandise, presentation and customer service that has maximised profits at that outlet.
Best Marketing Campaign of the Year by a Retailer
Retail marketing in the travel-retail sector has reached new heights in recent years. This year, we hope to see that evolution move forward to the next stage. We want to see creativity, customer awareness and, above all, a clear translation into customer sales. The promotions or marketing efforts should be sophisticated initiatives aimed at improving any or all of the following: penetration, loyalty, repeat business, the creation of a stronger presence and image for the retailer that is beneficial to business, or simply an increase in sales volume in a given period of time.
Inflight/Marine Retailer of the Year
This category aims to reflect innovation and excellence in retailing to a highly specialised audience. Entrants should show evidence of having raised the prevailing standards in their sector significantly through merchandise selection, presentation, customer service, crew training, marketing and promotions, or all of the above.
Best Marketing Campaign of the Year by a Supplier
Supplier entrants for the Best Marketing Campaign Award have to be able to demonstrate real flair and ingenuity in grabbing the attention of an increasingly spoilt and fickle public. It is not about the cost but the way in which the campaign enhances the product and attracts consumers.
Star Product of the Year
The Star Product must have been a revelation for the brand owner, the retailers and the consumers. It has to have shown real star quality, over and above the competition, either in tapping a new market or creating enhanced sales in an existing market. Ideally it will have generated phenomenal sales and have all the hallmarks of a new classic.
Plantinum Sponsors 2008
