"It put this start-up business on the map" - Raccoon Media Group

How did winning an AEO Excellence Award influence stakeholder confidence - internally and externally?

Raccoon won its first award in 2018 for Best Consumer Show Launch and it completely took our CEO by surprise. At the time he was operating out of a shed in his garden and had attended the awards on his own. As he sat down he joked that there was no way he was going to win as his seat was the furthest away from the stage with about 1000 attendees in the room.

Winning that first award meant so much as it validated the success of the show and all of the hard work, sweat and tears that had gone into it. The show wasn't making much money; our CEO wasn't paying himself properly and yet an internationally world-leading association with a highly credible judging panel had recognised its potential and announced it as a winner. Internally it meant everything to be recognised in this way. Externally it put this start-up business on the map. Venues, suppliers and other organisers now knew Raccoon. Perhaps more importantly as the business grew, we were able to attract some brilliant talent who wanted to work for an award-winning business. 

What long-term impact, if any, did the award have on your wider event strategy or portfolio growth?

Being able to communicate to your exhibitors, ambassadors, speakers, partners and visitors that you are an award-winning event has no doubt helped us to grow. Our prospective stakeholders had more trust in us and we proudly displayed the award and certificate in our office and included it on our website, email footers, press releases and social media. 

Since that first award, we have gone on to win further AEO awards and the joy never goes away. Seeing our staff celebrate their achievements is such a special feeling and the nerves we feel as the awards are announced will never go away. It's not just about the winning either. Just writing the entries and reflecting on our past year can be a rewarding process and gives us a different, more reflective internal post-event report that we keep on file for future reference. It definitely helps us to sit back and reflect on the what worked, what didn't and the challenges that we overcame. Something that helps with defining the strategy and goals for future events. 

What advice would you give to organisers considering entering the AEO Excellence Awards?

What have you got to lose? Work hard on your entry, but not just because you want to win, because you want to reflect on what you did with a view to constant improvement. If you win or lose, it's about celebrating what you achieved as a team and having a good day out. Even being shortlisted is a great achievement and something to shout about. You're in an incredible industry with seriously tough competition, but you have to be in it to win it and standing up amongst your peers in a way that highlights success is a truly great thing. 

Why is an AEO Excellence Award 'the one to win'?

It's the most credible awards in the industry, organised by a globally-leading association. It's a tough one to win and that makes it all the more special.