Award-winning smart homes
CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association is the trade organisation for the home electronics and systems integration industry. CEDIA members specialise in the planning, design, supply, installation, integration, concealment and control of automated electronic systems for the modern, intelligent home. They install anything from multi-room audio systems and home cinemas to complete home networks that intelligently control lighting, security, heating and air conditioning.
We recognised the high media value of CEDIA member case studies to showcase the lifestyle benefits of smart-homes and the skills and professionalism of its members. However, we were faced with the challenge of securing the necessary information and images from member companies, who are mostly small businesses with little marketing experience. As a not-for profit trade association, the client had a very limited budget available for new campaigns.
Consequently, we developed the CEDIA Awards – an industry awards scheme to celebrate and reward excellence amongst members, with the ultimate aim of publicising the best entries within consumer and trade media.
Launched in 2006, we leveraged the success of the inaugural awards to boost the entry levels, credibility and exposure for the 2007 Awards, held in June 2007.
We assembled a prestigious judging panel, not only to lend gravitas to the initiative and assert the independence of the judging process but also to maximise media coverage opportunities. It featured the chair of the British Interior Design Association (BIDA), the editor of idFX (a key interior design title), the deputy editor of the RIBA Journal (Royal Institute of British Architects), the editor of Installation Europe and respected technology journalists, known to freelance for consumer glossies Home Cinema Choice and Homebuilding & Renovating.
We developed nine awards categories to boost entry levels and provide the most media-friendly case studies. Example categories include ‘best home cinema installation project under £20k, ‘best integrated home over £100k’ and ‘best special project’.
To engage the industry and drive members to the CEDIA website, we created an award for ‘Best Trade Supplier’, judged by an online vote. A further category, ‘Best Stand at CEDIA Expo 2007’, was developed to raise the awards profile at the industry’s annual exhibition.
To showcase the best 2006 entries and launch the 2007 Awards, Wildwood negotiated an exclusive, non-paid-for, eight-page special with Home Cinema Choice. Re-prints of this feature together with a dedicated Awards display area promoted the scheme at a CEDIA regional training event attended by 92 installers in November 2006.
Wildwood also pitched 2006 Award winner case studies to target media. Journalists were offered creative photography, interviews with CEDIA spokespeople, installers and satisfied customers, and CEDIA advice on what to look for when installing a home electronics system. This resulted in a five-page smart technology feature in The Sunday Times Home and a two page feature in The Sunday Times Style plus coverage in trade titles such as Inside Hi-Fi & Home Cinema, British Audio Journal and Television and Consumer Electronics.
Wildwood further encouraged entry to the 2007 Awards by placing a by-lined article by the CEDIA executive director in Custom Installer and issuing a series of press materials announcing the entry categories and judging panel. Further multi-page features, revealing the short listed entries were secured in idFX, What’s New SVI and Custom Installer.
Extensive coverage of the winning entries has appeared on industry e-zines, with additional coverage negotiated and expected in the following media:
•eight-page special in Home Cinema Choice
•project features within the FT’s How to Spend It magazine
•Homebuilding & Renovating
•idFX
•RIBA Journal
•Installation Europe
In addition, Wildwood has provided the winning CEDIA member companies and their local media with tailored news stories about their success.