The MUSE Creative and Design Awards have released their lists of winners for their first competitive season of 2023. Hosted by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competitions had received over 6,300 entries from across the globe, proving themselves to be leading award programs that honor creative and design professionals.
For its 2023’s first competitive season, CQL landed both the Website – E-Commerce Platinum award for their work on Brighton and the Best Agency Awards – eCommerce Agency of the Year Gold award in the competition. “We’re honored to win eCommerce Agency of the Year and be recognized for our work with Brighton Collectibles. It’s really rewarding to see our team member’s dedication to craft and great client partnerships recognized in the industry,” states Kevin Messing, CQL’s VP of UX and Design.
The MUSE Awards is composed of a series of competitions which are organized to honor excellence from various fields. IAA ensures that these competitions are accessible and fair, in order to guarantee recognition only goes to those who truly deserve the accolade.
“The industries have gone through significant changes through the years, yet to have these entrants showcase their ability to adapt and overcome, it is certainly surprising and encouraging to our team in IAA,” Thomas Brandt, spokesperson of IAA elaborated. He continued, “it is humbling to see the level of craft displayed in the submitted works. Our most sincere commendations go out to those behind said works and for setting such a high standard for excellence for all to follow.”
Having a jury composed of industry professionals, IAA was successful in upholding impartiality and enforcing industry-relevant assessment criteria. The jury’s role was solely to identify companies or individuals whose works showcased excellence and pushed their respective industries forward, which they had successfully accomplished.
Grand Jury Panel
Out of the numerous applicants from 15 countries, the competition settled on 51 jurors. These highly-respected professionals are held in high esteem in their respective industries and are affiliated with renowned organizations in the creative and design industries. For example, President, North America at Clarity PR – Jon Meakin, Founder/CCO of Cutwater – Chuck McBride, VP, Brand & Creative Services of PubMatic, Inc. – Imelda Suriato, Associate Creative Director at McCann NY – Alexandre Kazuo Kubo, Group Creative Director at Ogilvy NY – Mohamed DiaaEldin Osman, Principal Architect and Landscape Architect at Studio Arth LLC – Rituparna Simlai, Senior Architect at Tiago do Vale Architects – Tiago do Vale, Director of DesignAware – Takbir Fatima, Founder, hcreates interior design – Hannah Churchill, Founder and Creative Director of IN.X Design – Wu Wei, to name a few.
Other than employing industry-relevant standards in judging entries, impartiality was also enforced with the blind judging method. This meant that entries were evaluated by multiple judges without being compared with other submissions, meaning that each winning work had decisively won with their own merits.
Participation of International Brands
Being part of the international scene, the MUSE Creative and Design Awards received entries that included names of globally prominent organizations. Some submissions were made directly by said companies, while others were submitted by entrants who had produced work for them. Direct submissions saw familiar names such as Coach, Gravity Global, Getty Images, Leroy & Rose, NBCUniversal, Player One Trailers, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, U.S. Secret Service, Crunchyroll, Digital Kitchen, Aedas, InterContinental Kaohsiung, LWK+PARTNERS, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., Kadeli Atelier / Delagnese Kft., Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd., and NEWSUBSTANCE; whereas indirect submissions included Adidas, Embraer, GAMUDA Land, Aston Martin X Alfardan Luxury Motors, LAND ROVER, The Luxury Collection – Marriott International, Yangzhou Culture Investment Management Co., Ltd., GUANGZHOU NATURAL MUSEUM, The Parker, Stevns Klint Foundation, Johnnie Walker, and City of Frankfurt.
“While the winners continue to reshape and redefine the industries with their continued display of excellence, we should not shy away from the challenge and instead share the vision in solidarity with them,” Thomas said. “IAA remains proud to be able to honor talented individuals while spotlighting their excellence. As they continue to mark the path forward, we should also unleash our boundless possibilities and join in this marvelous endeavor.”
Website: MUSE Creative Awards / MUSE Design Awards
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About CQL
CQL is a digital commerce agency with a 28 year history of creating commerce experiences and solutions for inspiring brands and people who love them. CQL’s unparalleled technical expertise and experience design coupled with industry leading eCommerce platforms, has helped retailers and manufacturers drive record on-line revenue, build new channels, and envision world-changing ideas. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our clients include PetSmart, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Wolverine Worldwide, Paula’s Choice, Coldwater Creek, Brighton, Bauer, Stride Rite, Escalade Sports, Footwear Unlimited, Haworth, and more. For more information, call 616-365-1000, visit CQLCorp.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.