Editors' Choice Award, Pet Product News International

Given to only 30 pet products per year by the editor’s of BowTie magazine who reviewed and tested all the hundreds of products that were submitted for consideration. Products were evaluated on originality, visual appearance and effectiveness.

The Aquavista 100, designed to look like a flat-screen LCD monitor, is a 2.4-gallon tabletop aquarium. BowTie’s tester, who has never even owned a goldfish, raved about its low-maintenance design. “It’s compact and easy to set up,” she says. “And you don't have to buy a bunch of intimidating components that can overwhelm an aquarium.”

Design Defined Honoree, International Housewares Association

The International Housewares Association has announced the honorees of its third annual Designed Defined product design initiative at the 2007 International Home & Housewares Show held at Chicago’s McCormick Place March 11-13. Twenty-five innovative products for cleaning and organizing the home were named as 2007 Design Defined Product Design Honorees.

The products were selected by Design Finders, teams of young designers, experienced practitioners and educators from the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Interdisciplinary Product Development Program. They scoured hundreds of exhibitors in the Clean, Contain & Outdoor Domain Expo in the North Building and the Home Décor category in the Dine & Design Expo in the South Building, searching for products that exemplified a commitment to design while achieving a solution to common household cleaning, storage and home décor issues.

“The purpose of the Design Defined program is to bring attention to those companies that have placed a premium on quality design,” said Phil Brandl, president of IHA, which sponsors the Show. “We are pleased to announce the results of this pioneering effort.”

Design Finders evaluated products according to five standard design criteria:

• Innovation: How is the design new and unique?
• Aesthetics: How does the appearance enhance the product?
• User: How does the design solution benefit the user?
• Environment: How is the product ecologically responsible?
• Impact: How did or might the product impact the market and the company’s business?
  
  

Best in Show Award, New Product Showcase, American Pet Products Association

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) are announced the new product showcase winners from Global Pet Expo held February 22-24, 2007 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Top Five New Product Award, PetGadgets.com

PetGadgets.com selected the Aquavista 500 as a Top Five New Product for 2006. PetGadgets.com offers innovative and high-tech pet products that make life more enjoyable for you and your pet.

Best in Show Award, American Pet Products Association

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) released the winners of one of the most prestigious awards within the industry, New Product Showcase Best In Show Winners.

Nearly 700 new pet products debuted in The New Products Showcase at Global Pet Expo, the world’s largest annual pet products trade show, in Orlando, Florida, in March 13-15, 2005.

Global Pet Expo awarded first and second prizes in 11 categories, as well as honorable mentions. The contest, which was judged by national and international industry buyers, is designed to recognize the year’s best creative efforts in new pet products and point-of-purchase displays.