Wares Awards 2011: The best of the best

After a tough year, the industry was certainly up for it at this year’s Wares Awards, our annual celebration of the industry’s highest achievers.

Following the success of last year’s Wares Awards, we were gratified to see even more people at this year’s event – indeed some 420+ industry personalities and guests gathered to celebrate the very best in their industry on the evening of Thursday 27 October.

A lot has happened in the course of the last year. The world has changed significantly – yet again – since the 2010 Awards, through a combination of Christchurch having been literally fractured for a second time, and the continuing local impact of the Global Financial Crisis. 

The Wares Awards were dreamed up way back when to celebrate achievement – that’s success, growth and progress, rather than just survival – and this year’s winners were those who could show tangible achievements, personally or in the context of a store or business. 

Our winners weren’t chosen because they are nice people. Like cream, they rose to the top through any combination of successful face to face interviews, impressive mystery shopper experiences and positive supplier and customer feedback, not to mention confidential business metrics.

So, for your hosts at Wares, after much deliberation, preparation and anticipation, it was gratifying – and, let’s be honest, fun – to mix and mingle with so many of our readers and commercial partners at the Langham Hotel in Auckland to celebrate these achievements.

Hosted by our high profile MCs, Simon Dallow and Robyn Malcolm, the assembled industry was entertained by their mix of easy banter and the odd West Aucklandism and then amazed and enchanted by the black and light show of international performance artists Vospertron. 

Simon Little, Director of Marketplace Media, publisher of Wares, greeted guests and underlined the reasons for our awards: 

“It’s vitally important to take the time to recognise and honour the achievements of the talented and passionate people who are here tonight. I am privileged to share this special occasion with all of you and proud to be associated with such an exciting and challenging industry.”

Before the Awards celebrations kicked in proper, we looked towards the future. BDT’s Ken Lilley, as Chairperson of the Wares Hall of Fame Committee, outlined some of our plans to formalise the Wares Hall of Fame process which has been running some years now to recognise and, unfortunately in some cases, remember outstanding industry personalities. 

Along with the help of the participating industry captains of industry, these initiatives will no doubt put the Wares Hall of Fame on to a more robust and repeatable footing and set it up for a long and memorable future.

BSH Home Appliances’ Darryl Robinson spoke on behalf of the Awards sponsors, thanking the industry for its ongoing support and looking to next year’s event. In this respect, we’d also like to give big ups to our key commercial sponsors:

•  Breville.
•  BSH Home Appliances.
•  Electrolux.
•  Fisher & Paykel.
•  Fujifilm.
•  Mitsubishi Electric.
•  Mondiale.
•  Panasonic.
•  Pudney & Lee.

Respect is also due for both the moral and financial support of Appliance Connexion, Betta Electrical, Harvey Norman and Smiths City, who not only funded the Supplier of the Year Awards but also provided feedback on their supplier preferences which informed the Supplier of the Year Awards categories.

Thanks also go out to Auckland University Business School for providing a choice of its excellent short courses for our Retailer and Young Retailers of the Year, to Geon Group for its expert help with collateral and signage, Morton Estate for the excellent lubrication and Bare.pr for their elegant support.

Pre-Dinner drinks were sponsored by Mondiale Freight Services while the After-Party in the elegant setting of Mantells on the Water was thanks to the support of the nice people at Fujifilm. 

Thanks also, finally, to the judges and their insightful contributions: Murray Baber; Graham Boggs; Michael Bowie; Bud Little; Simon Little; Andrew Parsons; and Trish McLean.

As usual, feedback is important. And, with next year’s awards just over the horizon, we’d love to hear your comments. So, although we are already well into the review process and asking everyone for their impressions and suggestions, do feel free to call or email any one of our staff or keep this in mind for the next time we’re in touch. 

Photos of the event can be accessed and are freely available for your use here.