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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Deborah A.Teschke
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
847-692-0110

2008-2009 GLOBAL GIA HONOREES ANNOUNCED AT
INTERNATIONAL HOME + HOUSEWARES SHOW

Editor’s Note: Store images for each gia winner’s merchandising visuals are available for immediate download from www.housewares.org/gia/logos.aspx

CHICAGO (March 23, 2009) – The International Home + Housewares Show and International Housewares Association (IHA), primary sponsors of the Global Innovator Award (gia) program, today announced the five 2008-2009 Global gia Honorees. The Global Honorees are:

  • AlmiDécor, Poland
  • Les Touilleurs, Canada
  • Bentalls, U.K.
  • Cranfields, New Zealand
  • top3 by design, Australia

A special global jury, consisting of three retailing/visual merchandising experts and eight editors and publishers of co-sponsoring housewares trade publications from around the world, selected the five Global gia Honorees from 20 winners previously chosen in their respective countries by the publication-sponsors. In addition, the Martin M. Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual Merchandising, which honors the best window display of the year, was bestowed on top3 by design of Australia. The award is sponsored by the International Housewares Association.

The gia program was created by IHA and the International Home + Housewares Show in 1999 to honor housewares retail innovation and merchandising excellence at the international retail level.

The competition is structured both on a national and global level to honor specialty and multiple-location housewares retailers for excellence in several business categories:

  • Successful operations
  • Depth of product offerings
  • Innovative business practices
  • Innovative in-store merchandising displays/techniques
  • In-store promotions
  • External marketing/promotions
  • Quality of customer service
  • Breadth and depth of employee training

Twenty co-sponsoring housewares trade publications with targeted distribution in over 30 countries on five continents participated in the 2008-2009 gia program. Juries appointed by each publication selected 20 national winners from 19 countries at the end of 2008. All winners automatically entered the global competition at the International Home + Housewares Show, where the global jury selected the final Global gia Honorees.

"In our ninth year of the gia program, we are pleased to continue honoring the world’s best retailers at the International Home + Housewares Show, and providing center-stage recognition for their accomplishments," said Phil Brandl, IHA president.

A special gia celebration was held at The Intercontinental Hotel on Sunday night, March 22. In addition, the unique and innovative merchandising visuals of each winner are featured at the International Home + Housewares Show in a special gia display located in the Grand Concourse Lobby and on large banners on the walkway connecting the Lakeside Center to the Grand Concourse.

For more information about gia, the co-sponsors, or participating in 2009, email international2010@housewares.org. Visit www.housewares.org/gia for additional information about the Global Innovator Award program.