Choosing the right inscription for your trophy or award can be just as difficult as designing it. You want to communicate certain pieces of information but do so in a way that is different from everybody else without being so far outside the box that it seems out of place. A good way to decide on inscriptions is to start with the basics and then decide what extras you may wish to include as well as which items of information you can do without so here are the most common things included on awards and trophies:
1. Recipient’s name;
2. Presenter’s name;
3. Reason for the award;
4. Name of the award if applicable;
5. Location of award or achievement it recognizes;
6. Date of achievement or award; and
7. A descriptive phrase about award or recipient.
Quotations
Special quotes make excellent engravings for any item. With an almost infinite supply of sources of inspiration including poetry, literature, song lyrics, and biblical passages, it is possible to find a quote to express just about any sentiment or thought including academic achievement, corporate success, athletic achievements, and other momentous occasions.
Corporate awards may wish to include company tag lines or mottos while a sports team may include their favorite cheer or words from a particularly inspiring pre-game speech. Get creative with your choices and don’t be afraid to reference inside jokes or nicknames in order to make a highly personalized award which will remind them of their best memories from playing on that team or working for their employer.
Examples
Here are some examples of standard layouts for various types of awards that you can use as a jumping off point to make sure you include the information you desire.
- Achievement: Awards for specific achievement often feature the name of logo of the organization giving the award followed by the name of the award and the recipient’s name. Below the name is where one may include a quote or description of their hard work in earning the award followed by the date.
- Appreciation: Appreciation awards often do not have names but would otherwise be very similar to achievement awards.
- Leadership: Leadership awards follow a similar format but are likely to include a job title demonstrating the recipient’s position in the organization. For these types of awards the company giving the award is usually listed below the position of the recipient instead of taking pride of place at the beginning of the inscription.
- Retirement: Retirement awards would also include the company name or logo below the recipient’s name – and often in a smaller font – and may include both a start and end date instead of just the date of the award.
