Bangkok--30 Mar--เจโนไซส์
The Office of Innovation and Value Creation, Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce launches the "Design Excellence Award 2010" or "Demark," which is awards given for Thai products with outstanding designs. The campaign has been continued for 11th time up to now, and Thai designers and entrepreneurs are invited to submit their products with distinctive designs that fit the concept of "Look Back Think Beyond." The awards are divided into six categories: furniture, lifestyle, creativity, fashion and apparel, industry, packaging, and graphic design. Those interested can apply online on www.demarkaward.net from now until April 30, 2018.
M.L. Kathathong Thongyai, Director Thailand Office of Innovation and Value Creation of the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Ministry of Commerce said, "The DEmark award is to certify products for their outstanding designs, both in the visual and the function of products, and also helps create awareness of the products designed by Thai people to be more recognized domestically and internationally. To accomplish the mission of the Department of International Trade Promotion to improve the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs in the world market, the DEmark Award is an important mechanism that creates additional values to the works in Thailand's design industry. The award also provides a platform for designers to showcase their ideas."
The DEmark program has stepped into its 11th year. The program continues to receive support from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP) which lend their experts from the Good Design (G-mark) Award, an internationally recognized design award, as judges for the DEmark awards. This is not to mention assistance in other areas which make the DEmark Awards, standardized and internationally accepted," said M.L. Kathathong.
The concept of this year is to "Look Back Think Beyond," which is derived from the study of the works of Thai designers. Throughout 11 years, the DEmark project discovers that the works of most designers are influenced by the Thai culture. This year, the project invites designers to look back at the root of the original concept and the methods practiced in each branch of designing, and integrate them with modern design concepts. The purpose is to create novel ideas, then build upon them, and add the Thai identity to the products marketed in the global market. It is the pride of the Department of International Trade Promotion to help the works of the designers become recognized. Many new, promising designers are discovered by the program every year. One of the highlights of this year contest is a strong emphasis on the importance of industrial handicrafts so as to provide more opportunities for designers of cultural products and traditional crafts to win.
After 11 years of supporting Thai designers to enter the world stage through the DEmark project, the department has seen an interesting shift in the art direction when Thai designers started bringing together the uniqueness of the local culture, the identities of materials, and ideas
into new designs that also answer user need and benefit the society. Recently, most designers focus on using natural materials that are safe for users thanks to the movement of reducing the use of pollutant products that influences the decision making process of customers around the world."
M.L. Kathathong Thongyai further said "Thanks to the cooperation from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP), Thai designers who win the DEmark Awards are eligible to participate in the Good Design Awards Contest (G-mark) in Japan, a prestigious award in the international design industry."
Since the project was started in 2008 up until 2017, the Department of International Trade Promotion has awarded the DEmarks to more than 688 designers covering a wide range of products and business. 410 of them have won the G-mark awards. This year, the competition is open for 6 product categories:
(1) Furniture (Industrial Process/ Industrial Craft)
(2) Lifestyle (Gift & Decorative Items/ Household Items)
(3) Innovative fashion and apparel (Creative & Innovative Fashion/ Apparel/ Jewelry/ textile/ etc.)
(4) Industry (Home Appliances/ Equipment and Facilities for Office/ etc.)
(5) Packaging (Packaging Design)
(6) Graphic design (Font/ Graphic on Surface/ Digital Media/ Identity Design)
At the press conference, four nationally-acclaimed designers who are famous for their creative works and designs that make their business thrive joined the discussion topic "Look Back Think Beyond." The guests are
(1) Mr. Katsuo Mizuguchi, G-mark judge from Japan and art director/president of Hotchkiss Inc.
(2) Mr. Saruta Kiatparkpoom, scrap metal designer, and owner of PIN brand
(3) Ms. Srinya Limthongtip, graphic designer,and owner of Srinlim brand
(4) Ms. Vanas Choktaweesak and Ms. Nichapak Torsutkanok, two designers presenting contemporary textile products from Ease Embroidery brand.
DEmark winners will receive many benefits from the Department of International Trade Promotion such as
A privilege to use the DEmark logo or the cooperation logo between DEmark and G-mark to promote their products, free of charge.
50% discount on participating fees in overseas tradeshows that DPTI participates (up to 3 times in a year)
Promotion of their products through advertising in various media that reach both domestic and international customers. The winners can display their products at local and international exhibitions such as Good Design Exhibition 2018 (G-mark) in Japan and other major cities like Milan, Taiwan, and Maison
The DEmark Award 2018 is open to both corporate and independent designers. Both types of applicants can submit more than one product, but no more than five, and will be required to submit applications and documentations for all the products. Apply online today at www.demarkaward.net until April 30, 2018