The Good Design Awards are chosen annually by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with The European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies. Entries for design and innovation, sustainability, creativity, branding, ecologically responsible design, human factors, materials, technology, graphic arts, packaging, and universal design are submitted annually by various industrial design and graphic design firms working for the Fortune 500 companies. All products and graphics must be designed, in production or manufactured for at least 2 years before the contest title year. One of the main factors for the awards selection is based on whether or not a product can enrich society and people's lives through its design. For example, over 500 of these awards have been given in 2009 by a New York jury of design experts, representing the work of thousands of designers and industries that create design and manufacturing in 35 countries.
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These trademarked awards were created in Chicago in 1950 by three architects: Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames and Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.. The black dot-shaped logo was designed the same year by the late Chicago graphic designer, Mort Goldsholl. The Good Design Awards aim to give international recognition for some designers and manufacturers when they devise innovative products, through invention and originality, beyond what is considered ordinary product and consumer design. These awards are not to be confused with The Good Design Award operated by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization. With the Red dot design award and the IF product design award, it is perhaps one of the most important international product design awards. This ensures winners good press coverage in the industry. [note 1], [note 2], [note 3]
The annual Good Design Awards are organized by journalist Christian K. Narkiewicz-Laine, Museum President and CEO of The Chicago Athenaeum. "Good Design is the singular, international design awards program the entire design and corporate world waits for each year" states Mr. Narkiewicz-Laine. "Hundreds of leading winning manufacturers and Fortune 500 companies print the Good Design logo for awarded their products on their packaging, marketing information, advertising, websites, corporate information, posters, billboards, and branding." [1]
Some observers have criticized these kind of design awards for being only aimed at boosting manufacturers' marketing. For example, Barbara Usherwood writes: "the design of the physical form is only one element within this environment, the parts of which must all work effectively to achieve the value of good or bad product design. Selected aspects of the product's environment should not merit good design awards if the environment as a whole is deficient in specific aspects." [2]
In 2009, the Green Good Design Awards began providing for a more environment-oriented type of selection of products, organizations and people. For instance, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Architect Stefan Behnisch were awarded.[3] This new award system will follow onto 2010 and beyond. [note 4]
3M Company, Alessi, Apple Computer, Inc., Tata Motors - for Tata Nano, Aston Martin, Armstrong World Industries, AT&T, Bang & Olufsen, BMW, Bodum, Canal+, Continental Airlines, Bombardier Inc., Dassault Aviation, Dell Inc., Electrolux, Dyson, Fiat, Fisher & Paykel, General Electric Company, Grundig, Handpresso, Herman Miller, Hewlett Packard Company, Hitachi, Intel Corp., Japan Airlines, JCDecaux, Knoll, Logitech, Melitta, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft Corporation, Miele, Moen, Motorola Inc., NASA, Nestlé, New Holland Ag, Qantas Airways, Porsche, Robert Bosch, Rockwell Collins, Inc., Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Siemens, Steelcase, Sub-Zero Refrigerator, United Technologies, Vodafone, Volkswagen, Whirlpool Corporation