- The total number of product submissions received exceeded initial target of 50 for the first year
- About 60% or 27 of the submitting organisations are homegrown SMEs
- Public sector organisations such as Gardens By the Bay, Nparks, HDB and NEA as well as MNC brand leaders such as Philips, Electrolux and Samsung submitted more than 30 product entries
SINGAPORE, 5 March 2014 – Local SMEs, global brand giants as well as public sector organisations have given the thumbs up for the SG Mark Awards. A total of 46 organisations submitted 80 product entries for the inaugural Singapore Good Design Mark (SG Mark) Awards when submissions closed on Feb 18, 2014.
The entries exceeded the initial target of 50 entries expected for the Award’s first year of launch and covered a broad mix of products and solutions.
These range from lifestyle and IT products, special effects paints, home appliances / fittings, healthcare and medical apparatus to waste management solutions, space / interior and architecture designs as well as major infrastructure projects. Submissions even include novel products such as trading cards and smartphone games, biometric locks and devices to ensure a safe and smooth travel experience!
A bevy of outstanding international brand names, established Singapore giants as well as budding homegrown companies and public sector organsations made the submissions, underscoring the universal appeal and recognition of the Award.
The public sector organisations that submitted entries include the iconic Gardens by the Bay, Public Utilities Board (PUB), Housing Development Board (HDB) and the National Environment Agency (NEA).
Well-known Singapore conglonerates such as ST Electronics, Keppel Land and City Developments Limited, as well as established international brand names such as Samsung, Philips, Electrolux, Muji and Nippon Paint have also submitted entries.
About 60% or 27 of the submitting organisations are local SMEs who contributed about 45% of the total product submissions. Homegrown companies include tech startups such as Daylight Studios – a Singapore-based game studio that developed Conquest Age, the award-winning, free-to-play action role-playing mobile game.
Daylight Studio’s application was made via its marketing and distribution partner – IAHGames, another homegrown company which is Southeast Asia’s leading games publisher.
Other homegrown SMEs include Ya Kun, Presidium Instruments, Novatechnik, D’Perception Ritz and Clearbridge VitalSigns (a National University of Singapore (NUS) spin-off company), Otto Solutions (OTTO), Ong & Ong Pte Ltd and ABD International Consultancy Pte Ltd.
Among the foreign companies taking part are Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam and We Ae Perspective (PEZY Group), which submitted a cervical cancer self screening device.
In addition to the 71 product entries from companies and government agencies, the Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) also received another nine entries from students of Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore.
The SG Mark, which is modelled after Japan’s prestigious Good Design Mark
(G Mark) Award, was launched last year by DBCS and awarded annually by the Chamber to outstanding designs of companies and individuals from Singapore and overseas.
Said Mr Tai Lee Siang, President of the DBCS, “The astounding response received for the inaugural SG Mark Awards indicates a growing recognition of the value that design brings to businesses across industries worldwide.
“We are confident that more and more companies will come forward to participate in the SG Mark Awards to promote recognition of their designed-in-Singapore products and services.
“To accelerate the growth of Singapore’s design capabilities and continually raise the bar of quality designs to drive improved productivity and innovation standards, DBCS will enhance its efforts to promote even wider participation from individuals and companies in our activities such as the SG Mark Awards – to promote design as a significant strategy for business competitiveness and growth here.”
All entries submitted for the SG Mark Award will be assessed by a selected panel of industry experts based on criteria such as Empathy, Value, Inspiration, Ethics and Responsibility, Sustainability and Progress. A key member of the panel of judges is Mr Kazuo Tanaka, Executive Director of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP) – which founded the universally-accepted and recognised G-Mark.
Winners of the SG Mark Awards will be selected after two rounds of screenings and particularly outstanding entries will be conferred the Platinum and Gold SG Mark accolade.
The pioneer batch of the SG Mark Award-winning products will be unveiled at the DesignS Gala Dinner and Awards Night on March 13, 2014.
Their products will be displayed at the Design Advisory (Level 1), National Design Centre from March 11 – 16, 2014, from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm daily. Admission to the SG Mark Exhibition is free.
For more information about DBCS and the SG Mark, please visit DBCS’ and SG Mark’s website at http://www.dbcsingapore.org and http://sgmark.org.
About Design Singapore Business Chamber (DBCS)
With its roots dating back to 1985, Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) is
Singapore’s premiere multidisciplinary design business chamber with a dynamic
community of over 160 business leaders, practitioners and academia from diverse
backgrounds.
A member of DesignS, a coordinated network of nine design-centric institutes and associations in Singapore officially launched on June 2010 by then Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, DBCS champions design applications in business and has a strong belief that a pluralistic design approach is the key to gaining a competitive edge in today’s global market.
In 2013, it launched the Singapore Good Design Mark (SG Mark) to encourage
and champion holistic design practices for global competitiveness. The symbol of
design excellence is awarded annually, to acknowledge the outstanding designs of
companies and individuals from Singapore and overseas.
The Chamber is also the organiser of the annual Singapore Design Awards (SDA) – a distinct platform where creative excellence in the industry is celebrated. The premiere Awards event recognises outstanding companies and exemplary designers that is behind the winning designs of Singapore and the region.
To create new business opportunities and raise the standard of professional practices, DBCS has participated and co-partnered with local and international organisations for several exhibitions and conferences, such as the ICSID 2009, Singapore Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010, Singapore Gifts & Stationery Show 2012 and SingaPlural 2013.
About Singapore Good Design Mark (SG Mark)
Modelled after Japan’s prestigious Good Design Mark (G Mark), the Singapore Good Design Mark (SG Mark) is a comprehensive design system created to promote global quality standards for business competitiveness and growth.
Awarded by DBCS to outstanding designs of companies and individuals from Singapore and overseas, the symbol of design excellence aims to encourage and champion holistic design practices for global competitiveness.
A brand extension to organisations with new or locally-designed products and services awarded with the SG Mark, the credible design standard also serves as a unique promotional launch pad for organisations to showcase their design excellence and their accomplishment as a design and innovation leader.
Awarded annually, entries submitted for the SG Mark will be assessed on a list of criteria and go through a comprehensive evaluation system by a judging panel comprising of reputed designers, representatives from relevant government agencies and organisations with successful design track records.
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Ms Iris Teong – it@stratagemconsultants.com