Winners of the 2020 Design of the Times Awards competition will be unveiled live on Oct. 7 as part of a virtual celebration. Attendees will be the first to learn which finalists earned Platinum awards in each category and which one earned the top Best of the Times designation. They also will be able to vote for their own favorite campaign to determine the first-ever People's Choice winner. Register here for the virtual celebration.

A panel of judges from product manufacturers, retailers and agencies gathered virtually July 28-30 to determine the 26 finalists from scores of entries in this year's DOT program, which celebrates the most effective in-store activations of the previous year in recognition of the critical role P-O-P activity plays in successful shopper marketing initiatives. The ultimate winners were determined through a recent second round of judging.

Judges reviewed and scored entries across nine awards categories representing the most important objectives that in-store marketing programs can achieve. The entries represent executions at multiple retail channels including consumer electronics, convenience, drug, mass merchants, specialty, supermarket/grocery and warehouse club. 

A full list of the finalists is listed and attached below. (Path to Purchase Institute members can use the links to view details about each program):

Best Brand Building Program

• International Paper Retail Packaging and Display — Dr Pepper Sweet Rewards Beverage Center
• International Paper Retail Packaging and Display — 2018 Budweiser Prohibition Holiday Program

• WestRock — Gleem Pallet Display

Best Collaborative Program (Cross-Brand or Cross-Manufacturer)

• Eastwest Marketing Group/Pratt Industries — 2019 Nabisco Share Your Joy With Us Holiday Display
• Imageworks Display/Energizer Brands — Kroger Battery Center
• International Paper Retail Packaging and Display — Revlon Colorstay Full Pallet

Best Collaborative Program (Retailer-Manufacturer)

• Trans World Marketing — PING Fitting Cart
• WestRock — Coca-Cola Gingerbread Brand Wall

Best Merchandising Solution

• Menasha — Trident Vibes Launch Family
• Peachtree Packaging and Display — Black Box Coffin
• WestRock — Native Bathtub Endcap

Best New Product Introduction

• Design Phase Inc. — LG Meijer TV Wall
• Imageworks Display — Optimum Motion Sign
• International Paper Retail Packaging and Display — Walmart Hatchimals Pixies Drop-In Endcap

Best Sales-Driving Solution

• HMT Associates, Inc. — Baker's Deliciously Indulgent, Delightfully Simple Holiday Cooler
• International Paper Retail Packaging and Display — 2019 Hershey Halloween Archway
• Saatchi & Saatchi X/Spin Master — Walmart Monster Jam Launch Dump Bin
• Trans World Marketing — Dr. Scholl's Custom Fit Orthotics

Best Shopper Education Program

• Design Phase Inc. — LG ThinQ Interactive Floor and Counter Kiosks
• Trans World Marketing — Custom Golf Fitting Experience

Best Shopper Experience Program

• Design Phase Inc. — LG Best Buy NanoCell/Soundbar Endcap
• Great Northern Instore — Mattel-Fisher Price Rescue Hero Photo Op Walmart Pallet

• WestRock — Coke 4x4 Iconic Endcap

Best Shopping Solution

• Great Northern Instore — Kroger Back to Campus Pallet
• Great Northern Instore — Kellogg's 2x4 Grab-and-Go Display
• WestRock/Colgate-Palmolive — Colgate Target Optic White Advanced Endcap

Path to Purchase Institute members can also view a gallery of all the 2020 Design of the Times entrants here.

For more than 25 years, the Design of the Times has honored leading consumer product marketers, innovative agencies and creative P-O-P design firms for their exceptional in-store marketing executions.