2024 In-House Design Awards

Eligibility

• Anyone working in Canada or internationally as part of an internal creative team whether within a company, government, non-profit, charity, institution or other type of organization where graphic design is not the main service offered by the organization.
• In-house designers/teams may submit work done in partnership with external design studios where the bulk of the work was done in-house and/or supporting elements were completed by the external studio.

What to submit

Internal creative teams are invited to submit examples of work into any of the following areas:

• branding (incl. logo, letterhead, brand standards, identity program)

• interactive (incl. websites, apps, user interface)

• promotion (incl. social media, advertising, posters, invitations, direct mail)

• print & digital publications (incl. newsletters, reports, brochures, books, e-books, e-newsletters)
• packaging

• environmental (incl. signs, wayfinding, tradeshow booths, vehicle wraps, exhibits)

• film & video (incl. presentations, motion graphics)

• misc (incl. infographics, apparel, labels)
• cross-media campaign/program

Any work launched after January 1, 2019 and before February 16, 2024 may be entered.

Submission specifications

• Entrants may submit up to 6 files per entry (10 MB per file).
• Image file formats should be .jpg or .pdf no smaller than 3” for the shortest dimension at 300 dpi.
• Website/related interactive entries should include screen captures based on above specs and/or the URL where the site/work is live.
• Video entry formats are: .mov or .mp4. Include screen captures or still images based on above specs.

Additional requirements

Entrants must describe:

• What were the primary objectives of the project and how these were met through the design? (200 or less)
• Describe any challenges (ie. lack of resources, limited budget, accessibility requirements) and how your team was able to solve them. (250 words or less)
• Describe how this project was a success. Outline any measurable results that were achieved for your organization. (250 words or less)

Why enter

• Demonstrate to your employer the value of the work you do
• Compete against other in-house designers who face the same challenges and constraints
• Be judged by in-house design managers who understand what it takes to work in-house and do great work
• Demonstrate that great design (and ultimately design effectiveness) is often the result of deep brand knowledge and continuous client collaboration, both vital strengths of in-house designers
• Help the RGD to celebrate the amazing work being done in-house (which will in turn help us understand your challenges better and program events and content relevant to your experiences.)

What winners receive

• Be featured in an exhibit presented at DesignThinkers in Vancouver (May 28–29) and Toronto (November 8–9);
• Have the opportunity to purchase a physical award and attend a ceremony held in conjunction with DesignThinkers 2024 in Vancouver;
• Be profiled on the RGD website and across RGD communication channels; 
• Receive a certificate;
• Receive 25% off registration to DesignThinkers 2024 in Vancouver and Toronto; and
• Be entered to win prizes, including $500 in training from Accessibility Canada and a free RGD Team Membership ($1,425 CAD value).

Who may enter?

• Anyone working in Canada or internationally as part of an internal creative team whether within a company, government, non-profit, charity, institution or other type of organization where graphic design is not the main service offered by the organization.
• In-house designers/teams may submit work done in partnership with external design studios where the bulk of the work was done in-house and/or supporting elements were completed by the external studio.

Fees

Early Bird Fees (to January 26, 2024)

• Student RGD* & Provisional RGD Members: 1–2 entries: $50 each; 3 or more entries: $40
• Certified RGD & Affiliate Members: 1–2 entries: $80 each; 3 or more entries: $65 each
• Non-members: 1–2 entries: $95 each; 3 or more entries: $80
  
  *Students can submit work done in-house as part of an internship or as an employee before or during school

Regular Fees (January 27–February 23, 2024)

• Student RGD* & Provisional RGD Members: 1–2 entries: $70 each; 3 or more entries: $50
• Certified RGD & Affiliate Members: 1–2 entries: $95 each; 3 or more entries: $80 each
• Non-members: 1–2 entries: $120 each; 3 or more entries: $105

Enter for free

• Team Members of RGD can enter three entries free; additional entries: $50 each
• Certified RGDs who complete their RGD Certification in 2024 (prior to the entry deadline) can enter any eligible projects from their portfolio presentation free.

The RGD is Canada's largest non-profit, professional Association dedicated to advocating for the value of design in communication. This means that the fees from your entry are put back into supporting the RGD's programming and initiatives such as our Accessibility Guidelines, Mentorship Programs and Trailblazer Awards.

Sponsors

Arcadis, AFIX, Domtar, Mitchell Sandham, Moveable, Porchlight Press, Accessibility Canada

FAQs

Can I submit a collage of images of my newsletter/catalogue etc., or can I submit the whole file?
Entrants may submit the file in its entirety as long as it does not exceed our 10 MB per file limit. If the file exceeds the 10 MB limit, entrants can upload a ZIP file, upload via Dropbox or link to a downloadable file.

If my team is submitting screen grabs of an interactive project, does each photo count as one of the six entries? 
If submitted as jpegs, each photo would count as one of the six file submissions. If this poses an issue, you can create a PDF document of screen grabs and submit up to six of these.

Can I submit entries for my design team, or do we need to submit everything individually?
Design teams are encouraged to submit their work! If a team has one or more RGD Members, the project(s) were worked on by the RGD Member(s) and they're listed in the credits, the project can be submitted under the RGD fee. If not, the project(s) fall under the Non-Member category.

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Questions?

Email inhouse@rgd.ca

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2024 Sponsors

AFIX | Arcadis | Domtar | Moveable | Porchlight Press  | Accessibility Canada