Important Dates

Entries received after July 1, 2018 will not be considered.

DATE OF PRODUCTIONEntries must have been produced June 2017 – June 2018

What are you waiting for?

Submit your entries at

PRINTROCKS.ORG

Entry Submission Opens

MAY 1Entry Deadline

JULY 1

PO BOX 23575, PORTLAND, OR 97281

2018 COMPETITION OPENS MAY 1

PRINTROCKS.ORG

Top 10 Reasons to Enter1 Position yourself amongst the fiercest PrintROCKS!

winners in the marketplace.

2 Get the industry recognition you deserve.

3 Our PrintROCKS! Awards Party is wild!

4 Your company is full of Print ROCKSTARS!

5 A great morale booster! Recognize team members from press operators to the front desk and beyond.

6 All award winners are automatically entered in the 2019 International Premier Print Awards for FREE!

7 PPI will equip you with a PR kit, market your awards online and include your company in industry publications.

8 Winning will arm your sales force with bragging rights.

9 Acknowledge your customers’ fabulous work.

10 You'll have tons of adoring fans (lions, tigers, clients & prospects, OH MY!)

Awards of AchievementBEST OF SHOW

Awarded to the most outstanding entry from this year’s competition. Selected from the BEST OF DIVISION winning entries. The winner will receive a customized trophy.

PEOPLE’S CHOICEAwarded to the entry that receives the most votes at the PrintROCKS! Party. All entered pieces are eligible to win. The winner will receive a trophy.

BEST OF DIVISION winnersAwarded to the best piece in each of the following divisions - Less than 20 Employees, 21-50 Employees. 51-100 Employees, 101-250 Employees and More than 250 Employees. Selected from the BEST OF CATEGORY winning entries. Winners will receive a customized trophy.

MAD PROPS & WHAT THE FABULOUS! Awarded to entries that are runners-up for BEST OF DIVISION which the judges deem worthy of special recognition. MAD PROPS winners will receive a customized 3D printed crown and WHAT THE FABULOUS! winners will receive an award in keeping with the party theme.

BEST OF CATEGORY winnersAwarded to the best piece in each category. Winning entries must be flawless. It is possible that the judges will not award a BEST OF CATEGORY in every category, however more than one BEST OF CATEGORY may be awarded if they find multiple entries worthy. Winners receive customized certificates.

SECOND, THIRD & HONORABLE MENTIONRunners-up to BEST OF CATEGORY will receive customized certificates.

Let Your Print Roar!Time to gather your BEST for the PPI 2018 PrintROCKS! Awards Competition!

Showcase your print prowess to clients and our graphic communications pride

as you revel in the recognition your quality work deserves.

Who Can Enter?Join the expedition for undiscovered print. Any individual or company involved

in the design, production or manufacturing of printed materials – no matter the

method, the size or the substrate – within Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana,

Oregon, Utah and Washington can enter.

Judging of EntriesJudging will be done by a panel of print and design professionals the last week

of July. All winners will be notified first week of August.

PrintRocks! CategoriesMany of the categories have special considerations and/or subcategories.

See inside for details.

A Presentation Folders/Portfolios & Binders

B Brochures, Broadsides, Booklets & Flyers

C Catalogs

D Books, Book Jackets & Diaries

E Magazines & Magazine Inserts

F Organizational Communication Pieces/Newsletters

G Wide/Grand Format

GD Graphic Design*

H Business & Annual Reports

I Point-of-Purchase Materials

J Posters, Art Prints & Other Art Reproductions

K Cards

L Invitations & Programs

M Calendars

N Digital & Print Driven Marketing Projects

O Bindery & Finishing Techniques*

P Alternative Printing Methods

Q Directories & Source Books

R Stationery & Office Materials

S Specialty Printing

SA They Said “It Couldn’t Be Done”

T Packaging/Labels

U Print/Graphic Arts Self-Promotion

V Web Press Printing

W Marketing/Promotional Materials

X Environmentally Sound Materials

Y Special Innovation Awards

Z Students, Schools & Education

ZA Pro Bono

* wild new categories for the 2018 PrintROCKS! Competition

Entry Submi�ion & PaymentAll entries MUST be submitted online through the PrintROCKS.org website.

Mark individual entries with the number assigned at check out. Payment can either be made online at the time of entry or by check payable to PPI Association for the full amount due. Payment by check MUST be included with entry shipment and placed in a separate CLEARLY MARKED envelope.

SHIP ENTRIES TO

PrintROCKS! c/o PPI, 6825 SW Sandburg St, Portland, OR 97223

Submission Specs Three (3) copies of each entry are REQUIRED.Please reference the entry # assigned online with each submission.

1ST Amazing copy for the PrintROCKS! Party

2ND Pristine copy for PPI judging

3RD Perfect copy for the 2019 PPA/Benny Award judging

All entries in the competition become the property of PPI and are not returnable unless special arrangements are made when entering.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please enter company and entry information exactly as you want it to appear on winning certificates, publicity, promotions and the PPA/Benny Awards submissions.

Title InformationProvide an “entry-specific” title. For example: “XYZ Corporation 2018 Annual Report”

Choosing Entry CategoriesOur 2018 category list has been updated! It is important that you choose the appropriate category for your entry to ensure accurate judging. Entries MUST be accompanied by a completed official online entry form.

Single Piece in Multiple CategoriesIf you are entering one piece in more than one category, you must complete a separate entry form and pay a separate entry fee for each category. Please send one additional physical copy of the piece for each extra category you are entering.

Subcategories by Production MethodExcept for multimedia campaigns, all entries will be subcategorized and judged based on production method used (offset, digital, flexography, ink jet, etc).

Packing Your EntriesPlease properly pack your entries for shipment to avoid damage that might negatively impact the piece during judging. We prefer entries to be placed in clear plastic sleeves or other appropriate packaging. Large paper pieces may be rolled and submitted in mailing tubes. If the entry is too large to ship, you may provide a photo or reduced representation with a brief description of the project.

DO NOT FOLD, MOUNT or SHRINK WRAP

Do not put any other identifying labels on the plastic sleeve or on copies of entries.Do not use glue, cellophane tape or any adhesives on entries.

Unleash your print into the WILD!Entry Pricing

All top entries will automatically be entered into PRINTING INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA’S 2019 PREMIER PRINT AWARDS (AKA The Benny’s) at no additional cost. This collectively saves over $15,000 for our entering firms. go to Printing.org/PPA for details.

Awards & Party InfoTHE PRINTROCKS! AWARDS PRESENTATION & PARTY will be on SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 at the exotic Melody Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. PPI has reserved a block of rooms with special pricing at the Hotel Marriott City Center. Visit PrintROCKS.org for details.

Thank You!2018 PRINTROCKS! SPONSORS

Additional Sponsorship Opportunities Available – Contact PPI Today!

QUESTIONS? Contact us toll free at 877.762.7742 or 503.221.3944 | Email awards@PPIAssociation.org | Visit PrintROCKS.org

Students, Schools& Educational Institutions

Non-Member Print Industry Participants

ENTRIES PRICE

1-2 $95 each

ENTER 2, NEXT 1 FREE! 4-10 $95 each

11-25 $90 each

26+ $85 each

PPI Member or Non-Member Designer/Agency Participants

ENTRIES PRICE

1-3 $50

ENTER 1, NEXT 2 FREE! 4-10 $50 each

11-25 $45 each

26+ $40 each

FREE

Printed on a Konica Minolta KM-1 sheet-fed UV Inkjet PressPaper supplied by Mohawk is Via 80# Cover Bright White Smooth

GD Graphic Design*Category open to graphic designers who create printed media.

GD-1 Label Design

GD-2 Packaging Design

GD-3 Point-of-Sale/Display

GD-4 Poster Design

GD-4 Corporate Identity/ Branding Identity package must contain at least three different media types including collateral, business cards, letterhead, signage, web, etc.

GD-5 Integrated Campaign Campaign must include a minimum of three different media types including retail display, signage, packaging, labels, web, brochure, social media etc.

H Business & Annual Reports

I Point-of-Purchase Materials

Includes any in-store promotional materials such as take-ones, counter cards, shelf displays, etc.

J Posters, Art Prints& Art Reproductions

To be eligible for judging entries must be the actual poster or print. Do not send photographs or slides. Please ship entries flat if possible.

K CardsHoliday cards, greeting cards, postcards and blank notes.

L Invitations & Programs

M Calendars

Calendars designed to be posters may also be eligible for entry into category J - Posters.

N Digital & Print Driven Marketing Projects

Targeted campaign showcasing effectiveness of print. Entry can use multiple mediums and data points to reach the intended audience.

To be eligible for judging entries must include a paragraph describing methodology, techniques implemented, goals and how results were measured. Entries can include use of 1:1 marketing techniques, direct response, augmented reality, QR codes, social media, etc.

O Bindery & Finishing Techniques*

O-1 Binding, Case O-2 Binding, Comb, Spiral,

Wire-O or Coil O-3 Binding, Perfect O-4 Binding, Tape O-5 Binding, Turn Edge O-6 Coating and

Film Lamination O-7 Foil Stamping O-8 Embossing/Debossing O-9 Diecuts, Pop-ups,

Unique Folds & Involvement Devices

O-O Other Special Finishing TechniquesIncludes specialty inks, coatings and fragrances. To be eligible for judging entries must include a paragraph or brief description of the project and the processes used to produce the entry.

P Alternative Printing Methods

P-1 Hi-Fidelity Printing Printed using more than 4 colors in halftone areas to enhance images and graphics.

P-2 Stochastic Printing

Q Directories & Source Books

Publications listing names, addresses, etc. of individuals or companies.

R Stationery &Office Materials

Individual pieces of your entry should be placed in separate envelopes.

Including but not exclusive to: letterhead, business card and envelope packages.

S Specialty Printing

S-1 3D Printing S-2 Screen Printing

Entries that do not fit in category G. May include t-shirts, fabrics or other small format mediums.

S-3 Miscellaneous SpecialtiesFor entries that do not fit the criteria for any other category. Examples: menus, matchbooks, record covers, maps, playing cards, decals, metal decorating, printing on textiles or fabrics, holograms, CD-ROMs and silk-screened items. To be eligible for judging entries must include a paragraph describing materials and processes employed.

SA They Said “It Couldn’t Be Done”This category is for the company that overcame obstacles and exceeded expectations when tackling a client challenge. To be eligible for judging, entries must include a copy of the finished piece(s) and a paragraph telling the story of how your team ROCKED this for the customer.

T Packaging/Labels T-1 Cartons and Containers

Includes single cartons and containers or an integrated series. Integrated series should be entered as a single unit with one entry fee.

T-2 Package Engineering Category includes unique or challenging package designs. To be eligible for judging entries must include a brief description of the project and the processes used to produce the entry.

T-3 Labels and WrapsCut and stack, sheet fed

T-4 Labels and Wraps Rolled products/ pressure-sensitiveBoth T-3 and T-4 include single labels and wraps or an integrated series. It is strongly recommended that the entry be submitted adhered to the actual product. Integrated series should be entered as a single unit with one entry fee.

T-5 Flexographic Printing Includes narrow-web labels and wraps, rolled products, pressure-sensitive, wide-web process and wide-web line.

U Print/Graphic Arts Self-PromotionEntries may include more than one item if the material was mailed as a single unit or was part of a campaign. If the entry includes more than one item, please submit the entry in an envelope.

U-1 Printers with less than20 employees

U-2 Printers with 21–50 employees

U-3 Printers with 51–100 employees

U-4 Printers with 101–250 employees

U-5 Printers with more than 250 employees

U-6 Prepress companies, printing and advertising

V Web Press Printing V-1 Web Press Printing

1,2 or 3 colors; coated or uncoated paper

V-2 Web Press Printing 4 or more colors; coated paper

V-3 Web Press Printing 4 or more colors; uncoated paper

W Marketing/ Promotional MaterialsTo be eligible for judging entries in categories W-1 through W-5 must include more than one piece. Entrant should have printed substantially all parts of the finished package. Individual pieces of your entry should be placed into an envelope.

W-1 Promotional Campaigns, Business-to-Business

W-2 Promotional Campaigns, Consumer

W-3 Direct Mail Campaigns, Business-to-Business

W-4 Direct Mail Campaigns, Consumer

W-5 Media KitsA single package of promotional or informational materials packed into a folder or carrier for distribution.

W-6 Single Promotional Self-Mailer

W-7 Cross-Media Promotion

X Environmentally Sound MaterialsTo be eligible for judging entries must include a paragraph describing the materials and processes employed and use at least two of the following:

• Recycled papers

• Soy or vegetable-based inks

• Direct-to-plate

• Aqueous coating, energy-curable inks and coatings

• Other environmentally sound product, process, certification, etc.

Y Special Innovation AwardsTo be eligible for judging entries must be submitted with a statement – at least 50 words and no more than 500 words – as to why the piece is innovative: (i.e. new, expanded or unique uses of technology; an innovative mix of existing techniques).Your entry and the accompanying description should be placed into an envelope.

Z Students, Schools & EducationOpen to any student or student group in high school vocational school or college involved in a print/multi-media related project. For example, yearbooks and school newspapers. Submissions will be judged on creativity, concept information and final piece(s) submitted. Please include a short summary about the piece(s). In-plant university press operations not run by students are ineligible for this category.

Z-1 High School Students Z-2 Post-Secondary Students

ZA Pro BonoJudged on printing and benefit/impact of the project on the community or organization. To be eligible for judging entries must have been printed at no cost to the organization and include a paragraph describing the organization and why your company chose to print this piece at no cost.

* new categories

A Presentation Folders/ Portfolios & BindersEntries submitted with inserts will be judged as a unit.

B Brochures, Booklets & Flyers

C Catalogs

D Books, Book Jackets & Diaries

E Magazines & Magazine InsertMagazine Series: To be eligible for judging entries must consist of at least three different issues of the same magazine title during a one-year period. Work will be judged on consistency of printing and design in the series.

F Internal Communication Pieces & Newsletters Publications produced exclusively for the internal communication needs of a single company or organization.

G Wide/Grand FormatFor entries in one or more colors with at least one dimension measuring more than 60 inches. Includes POP Signs, Banners, Billboards, and Display Graphics. If piece is too large to ship you may provide photo or reduced representation with a brief project description.

G-1 Roll-fed & Flatbed Press

G-2 Industrial PrintingThis includes using print technologies within the process of manufacturing, referring to a procedure whereby ink or another substance if printed onto a product for a functional purpose. Examples include metal decorating, car wraps, printing on textiles, fabrics or vinyl.

G-3 Single Installation

2018 PRINTROCKS! AWARDS CATEGORIES & CODES FOR ONLINE ENTRY