The 10 Most Famous Awards Around
Great achievements are accompanied by great results. Sometimes they’re honored with rewards too. Prizes are given to the top achievers in fields ranging from sports to politics to science to writing. Though they take different forms, all of these prizes are meant to highlight and celebrate those individuals who’ve ascended to the top of their game.
Whatever the money and prestige attached to them, these prizes are often accompanied by striking custom awards. Here at Cristaux, we love making awards to celebrate achievements. We love celebrating great design too. Here are 10 awards from outside the world of sports that are famous not just for their physical design but also for their influential power.
Browse Cristaux’s suite of custom awards and find inspiration for your next awards event.
1. The Nobel Prize
This prestigious trophy is named for Alfred Nobel, who created dynamite. The first Nobel Prize was presented in 1901, and the number of fields in which it is presented has increased to six since. Prizes are awarded in chemistry, physics, literature, medicine, economics and peace. In addition to receiving a diploma and a gold medal, winners in each category also receive a monetary prize.
Custom medals and medallions are a classic type of recognition. Other famous examples include the Olympic medals, military honors, and the James Beard Awards.
2. The Booker Prize
Now known as The Man Booker Prize for Fiction, this is Britain’s most prestigious literary award. It’s handed out every year to one author whose outstanding novel was published during the previous 12 months. Being shortlisted to receive a Man Booker Prize is considered an honor in its own right as well.
Winners receive a crystal plaque and monetary prize. Plaques are timeless recognition pieces because they can be easily customized and reinvented. These awards can be made from wood, metal, and other materials.
3. The Academy Awards
Perhaps the most well-known award in American cinema, the Oscars are handed out every year to actors, directors, producers, and film professionals who worked on the previous year’s best films. The Academy Awards ceremony was inaugurated in 1929, and the event’s broadcast now draws more than a billion viewers worldwide.
Award shows are made complete with one-of-a-kind award statues. Recipients and honorees may change, but the physical award is the center of every awards event. Recognition is made real for victors when given a trophy to hold and admire. The Cristaux International team has proudly made the Podcast Academy’s Ambies and the Shorty Awards, other popular hand-held awards.
4. The BAFTA Awards
These awards, handed out by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), are the U.K. equivalent of the Emmys. The annual awards honor achievements in both film and television. Many popular actors have won both BAFTA Awards and Academy Awards.
5. The Palme d’Or
Among film festivals, Cannes is the giant. The Palme d’Or is its most prestigious prize, and it’s the most widely coveted on the festival circuit too. The award was created in 1955 and is given to the film’s director. Among the dozens of notable films that have received the award are Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, Pulp Fiction, and The Pianist.
6. The Pulitzer Prize
America’s premier prize in journalism, literature and musical composition, Pulitzer Prizes are awarded yearly in 21 categories. In addition to receiving a certificate and medal, winners also receive a $10,000 prize. These prizes have been awarded since 1917. In recent years, categories have been expanded to include online journalism.
7. The Golden Globes
Honoring achievements in film, the Golden Globes are considered the party-girl sister of the more reserved Academy Awards. Actors, directors, and other film professionals gather to recognize each other. Dinner and drinks are standard at these awards.
8. The BRIT Awards
Launched in 1977, the BRIT Awards honor achievements in popular music. They’re similar to the Grammys, and many of the artists who win awards are top sellers on both sides of the pond.
9. The Grammys
Awarded in a variety of classical, jazz, country, and popular music categories, the Grammy Awards were launched in 1959. Stevie Wonder is among the most notable winners with a total of 22 Grammys as of 2015.
10. The MTV Video Music Awards
It’s hard for members of Gen X to believe, but the MTV VMAs have been handed out since 1984. They honor the very best in music videos in a variety of categories. Madonna has won the most VMAs to date with a total of 69 nominations and 19 wins.
Looking to upgrade your award design or recognition program today? Connect with the Cristaux team to learn how to take your vision to the next level.