Let’s be honest, everyone loves to win a trophy. It’s like a physical confirmation of success, and something that persists long after applause has faded. So what happens when, year after year, the designs of trophies remain largely the same? How does the recipient feel seeing duplicate awards in their cabinet? Does it make it any better when some trophies are different, but only slightly?

Clubs and awardees in Brisbane, Logan, and Browns Plains have spoken, and their voices have been heard.

The curse of art fatigue

To be fair, new trophy designs are introduced each year into the market. Some of these can be refreshing to clubs and awardees, whilst other new trophies feel like more of the same. Products differ only slightly from one trophy engraving shop to another, as trophies tend to come from wholesalers, who themselves get their stock from the same source. New trophies introduced into the market are few in number, and a greater portion of these are for specific sports. By and large, the influx of new trophies is certainly not enough to generate the perception of growth and evolution.

It is the clubs who are most effected by stagnating trophy designs, for they are exposed to bulk orders of trophies that never seem to change much from one year to the next. In a creative sense, seeing the same or similar designs causes a human impulse to reject the integrity of those designs. A trophy style could be quite good, but if that style is repeated in excess, it loses its aesthetic appeal and becomes burdensome to the eye. This is called Art Fatigue, and it has plagued the awards industry for some time now.

Greener grass beyond the fence

Humans forever desire change and momentum. There is always that insatiable hunger for new movies, videogames, music, etc. It is the curiosity of the unknown that compels us to experience that which is new. So if the awards industry has become stale and repetitive, what can be done to enchant our wonder of trophies once again?

The obvious answer to this question is to go about designing new and never-before-seen trophies. But this is not a simple thing that the public can expect trophy makers to accomplish. Custom trophies involve a whole new world of alternate skills, from graphic design all the way to workshop tooling. This is a road some trophy shops simply cannot travel, and for some that can, they choose not to due to the increased time requirement of custom trophies.

Beyond Trophies dares to go further.

Here at Beyond Trophies, why do we make custom trophies and awards for customers? The truthful answer is… is that we can, and that we believe in what it means to inspire customers to enjoy trophies again. This alone is worth the effort. There is no greater high than bringing excitement to customers that have since become bored of the trophy industry.

The legacy of introducing custom trophies into Brisbane’s award market began with Marsden Trophies, which was a business that had since evolved into Beyond Trophies. Custom awards were not just something Beyond Trophies deigned to carry over, but it was the fundamental purpose of this new brand. We wanted to be different, but different in a way that satisfies the greatest needs of our customers.

Creative freedom

The essence of custom awards is the flexibility of design. Clubs and Sporting Organizations can decide upon everything from shape, size, colour, and material components. Custom trophies offer unrivalled flexibility for customers to get exactly what they want. This also means that trophies can be built around club logos or personally submitted artwork. The possibilities are endless.

Acrylic is the most common material for custom awards. It offers thicknesses of between 1.5mm to 12mm, clear or coloured. There are even specialized acrylics like mirror, glitter, and an assortment of other finishes. Acrylic can be cut to nearly any shape, and it can be bonded together in layers or right angles. It is also easy and precise to engrave, and if needed, can be filled with paint to bring strong contrasts to any design.

Wood is another material that is great for custom designs. It can be tinted, cut, and filled with paint, and is generally cheaper than acrylic. But most customers, quite simply, prefer the burned impression laser engraving leaves on wood, and the level of detail that can be achieved.

The road ahead

Beyond Trophies has a vision to expand into many new frontiers of custom award. This will involve discovering the usability of new materials, as well as refining our designs to give customers the best selection possible. Craft trophies are also in the works, and we have begun this with our Fantasy Trees collection. Many more craft trophies will come as time goes by, sourced from talented affiliates all over Brisbane, Logan, and Browns Plains. And one day, we plan to 3D print our own trophies and medallions. Exciting times are truly ahead for the awards industry.