2025 Print Excellence Competition
Making a Splash
2025 Print Excellence Competition Call for Entries Has Closed
Winners will be recognized at the imPRESS Celebration of Print on August 14.
Important Dates
- Early Bird Deadline - March 14, 2025
- Call for Entries Close - April 25, 2025
- Samples due to PIAG Office - May 1, 2025
- Judging - Expected May 2025
- Winners' Notification - Expected June 2025
- imPRESS Celebration of Print - Expected August 2025
Questions? Please contact Jennie Thomas (jennie "at" piag.org or 770-433-3050)
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The 2025 Print Excellence Competition
The Print Excellence Competition (PEC) awards the best combinations of technology and craftsmanship within Georgia’s printing and graphic communications community. The PEC is open to all print manufacturing, finishing, and design firms in Georgia. A minimum of 75% of each entry must have been produced within Georgia between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 by the participating company.
Winning a PEC award can be a powerful promotional tool, demonstrating your capabilities to current and potential customers while recognizing your employees' skill and talent. Winners will benefit from a mix of marketing opportunities, including recognition at the imPRESS awards gala, inclusion in the PEC Awards Annual, announcement of winners across various media channels, and one complimentary set of printed award certificates for display at your facility.
PIAG is proud to participate in the third annual Americas Print Awards, a national competition hosted by Americas Printing Association Network (APAN), a group of state and regional print associations. PIAG will submit top PEC winning entries to this national competition, at no additional cost to the participant. Additional information on Americas Print Awards can be found at www.americasprintawards.com.
Interested in participating, but not sure where to start? Check out our PEC 101 Guide.
The online submission form has closed.
All print manufacturing, finishing, and design facilities in Georgia may enter the Print Excellence Competition. Entries are limited to Georgia-produced work only that was produced between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. A minimum of 75% of every entry must have been produced within Georgia by the participating company.
Finishing companies are eligible to enter pieces in category O.
Design companies are eligible to enter pieces in category SB.
All other categories are printing categories.
Entries must be classified by category codes listed in the Call for Entries and submitted via the online submission form by April 25, 2025.
Companies may enter as many pieces as they wish in any eligible category.
Along with the online submission form, you will need to mail or deliver a sample of each entry to PIAG. Additional samples for each entry are not required but can be included if desired.
PIAG reserves the right to re-categorize any entry if it is determined that the entry may be judged more fairly by being placed in a different category.
Entries may be returned to you after imPRESS, if requested. Participants will be responsible for return shipping and handling costs.
The online submission form has closed.
Download the full 2025 Call for Entries for all categories, corresponding category descriptions, and supplemental materials required.
Certificates will be awarded for “Best of Category” winners and for “Awards of Excellence” signifying those entries that deserved recognition for their work. The following High Honor awards will be recognized at imPRESS 2025.
Best of Show: The entry that is judged as the most outstanding in the competition.
Best of Division: One for each Division for an entry that exceeds all others in overall quality.
Top Gold: Among all entries, awards may be given for select categories, subject to the judges' discretion. Examples include: Best Brochure, Most Imaginative, Best Use of Color, Most Creative Use of Paper, Best Finishing, Best Booklet, Best Calendar, Best Campaign, Best Catalog, Best Design, and/or Best Annual Report.
Entries are judged on: Registration, Visual Impact, Illustration & Halftone Detail, Finishing, Richness & Tonal Qualities of Color, Degree of Difficulty, Paper & Ink Selection, and Ink Consistency
Entries are judged by impartial, out-of-state printing specialists.
Judging: Expected May 2025
Winners’ Notification: Summer 2025*
*Best of Show, Best of Division, and Top Gold award recipients will not be revealed until imPRESS.
Entries are divided by company size:
- Division 1 (1 – 9 employees)*
- Division 2 (10 – 25 employees)*
- Division 3 (26 – 50 employees)*
- Division 4 (51 or more employees)*
- Division 5 (Schools)
*Divisions 1-4 are defined as the total number of employees located in Georgia.
PIAG Member Rates
- First Entry = Free
- Early Bird Entries (by March 14) = $35/entry
- Regular Entries (by April 25) = $45/entry
- Multiple Categories = $25/additional category
Nonmember Rates
- Entries = $95/entry
- Multiple Categories = $45/additional category
A single piece may be entered into multiple categories. First entry for the piece will be at full price with a discounted price for each additional category entered (see Fee Schedule above). A separate sample should be provided for each category entered. Please include each category as a separate line item on the online entry form.
Payment for entries can be made online when submitting entries. If you wish to pay by check, please indicate it on the form and include your check payable to PIAG with your entry delivery. Payment must be received prior to judging.
After completing the online submission form, you will need to mail or deliver a sample of each entry to PIAG. Additional samples for each entry are not required but can be included if desired.
We ask that you place a sticky note or temporary label on each entry with its respective entry number. Please do not apply a permanent label directly to the entry.
Please deliver all entered pieces to:
PIAG
Attn: Print Excellence Competition
5020 Highlands Parkway
Smyrna, GA 30082