Vanity award explained

A vanity award[1] is an award in which the recipient purchases the award to give the false appearance of a legitimate honor and achievement.[2] [3] In some countries, those conferring awards may seek "sponsorship fees," "dinner fees," charity donations, and other financial "contributions" to avoid the perception that the award has not been "bought." Some organizations also provide marketing and advertising services in exchange for these fees, in addition to receiving the award. Similarly, some organizations may grant awards to prominent personalities "for free" to enhance the award's perceived legitimacy, regardless of whether the individuals personally accept the award.[4] [5] To further enhance the image of validity and prestige, they notably incorporate superlatives such as "World," "Asia," "Best," "Excellence," "Top," "Global", "Star", and similar terms in the name of their award-giving body.

Compared to legitimate award-giving bodies, where nominated candidates are screened by a panel of reputable and relevant adjudicators, the awardees in these cases are often selected either personally by the body's leaders, through surveys or similar research methodologies that are insufficient and questionable, or based on the amount of their financial contributions.

While many of these awards operate legally in their respective countries and do not violate specific laws, many in business circles and experts deem these schemes to be scams.[6] [7] [8] [8]

Vanity business awards

The number of vanity awards for businesses is considerable, since 2008 the Better Business Bureau has been issuing warnings about schemes found across the United States and Canada.[9] "Phony vanity awards prey on small businesses who are trying to make their companies stand out in their industry."[10]

For instance, The Best of Business Award by the Small Business Commerce Association is available for $57 to $157 depending if the applicant would like a plaque or a trophy. The Better Business Bureau reports the same scheme under multiple variants of a common name[11] in multiple cities, targeting businesses in hundreds of categories, so "Peoria Award Program",[12] "Memphis Award Program",[13] and "Lafayette Awards Program" are the same operation. The solicitation, which claims to be an award from "Kelly McCartney, Award Committee", is a message in which only the year, town and line of business change:

I am pleased to announce that (Company) has been selected as a winner of the Best of (Town) Awards in the (line of business) category by the (Town) Award Program committee.

Our selection of your company is a reflection of the hard work of not only yourself, but of many people that have supported your business and contributed to the subsequent success of your organization. Congratulations on joining such an elite group of small businesses.

In recognition of your achievement, we offer a variety of ways for you to help promote your business. You automatically receive the complimentary digital award image from this email and a copy of the press release publicizing the selection of (Company) which is posted on our website. The (Town) Award Program hereby grants (Company) a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display this press release and the digital award image in any media formats and through any media channels.

Additionally, as a winner of the Best of (Town) Awards selection, you may select a customized award which has been designed for display at your place of business by following the simple steps on the Best of (Town) Awards order form.

The telephone number is linked to multiple consumer complaints about undesired solicitations;[14] the associated website (which offers the mark an opportunity to purchase a plaque, a crystal award or both at a cost ranging from $80 to $200) is alleged to contain malware.[15] [16]

Nonetheless, businesses continue to issue press releases boasting of having received these awards[17] despite their questionable provenance and meaninglessly broad selection of large numbers of cities and categories.

List of vanity business awards by country

The following are various awarding schemes, as reported by various businesses on the internet:

Australia

Philippines

Singapore

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States and Canada

List of vanity business awards (from the OCCRP reports)

There are studies on vanity business awards showing that a significant wealth has been acquired by the companies organizing lucrative ceremonies and giving out well-decorated trophies not based on merit, but rather to whoever pays the cost.[35] [36] The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and other news organizations have reported the following as trophy-for-sale organizations:[37]

Vanity book awards

The vanity award phenomenon among book awards was noted in a Salon article by Laura Miller in 2009.[43] Vanity book awards are characterized by dozens (or more) of categories to ensure that most applicants are winners or finalists. Other characteristics include high entry fees, or fees for other services such as trophies, prominent display on the award websites or promises of marketing.[43] Self-published authors seeking promotions and recognitions are common customers of vanity award services.[43] Pitches for Who's Who-type publications (see vanity press), biographies or nominations for awards or special memberships can have a catch to them in which the honoree is required to pay for recognition.

List of vanity book awards

The following have been called vanity awards.

Other awards target self-published authors with high entry fees, with for-profit business models and numerous categories and promises of marketing include the Readers Favorite Awards,[45] and the IndieReader Discovery Awards.[46]

Anthology schemes

The anthology scheme is when a writing contest is announced with the winners to be published in an anthology and a cash prize is awarded.[47] There may be no entry fee, but in some cases there is little selectivity, and successful entries may be offered publication, with a request for money.[47] Furthermore, the anthology is often not sold to the public but only in limited runs to the contributors themselves.[47] The International Library of Poetry, known online as Poetry.com, is an example of this kinds of scheme.[47] Another version of the scheme is called "pay to play" in which the writer must pay to be included in the anthology.[47]

Fee for review

A "fee for review" is when money, merchandise or a service is exchanged in return for a review.[48] Since an exchange is involved, the neutrality and accuracy of the review could be in question.[49] Reviews could be written by marketers/retailers about their own work, by customers with some incentive such as a friend or family or receiving free merchandise or money,[50] [51] or the reviewer was simply hired as a third-party service specializing in providing reviews for a fee.[49] An example of a hired service is Foreword Reviews' Clarion Reviews, which was launched in 2001[52] and claims to be "the industry's first and most trusted fee-for-review service for indie and self-publishers."[53] Other fee-for review programs include Kirkus Reviews Indie Review program[54] and City Book Review, publisher of the San Francisco Book Review, Manhattan Book Review, Seattle Book Review and Kids' BookBuzz.[55]

In popular culture

TV Shows

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Why Most Business 'Awards' Are a Scam, Preying on Pride. Array Web Development LLC. 22 November 2016. en-gb.
  2. Web site: Vanity Awards Value Money over Honor . . 2009 . August 25, 2013 . https://archive.today/20130825163705/http://greatermd.bbb.org/vanity-awards-value-money-over-honor/ . August 25, 2013 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. Web site: 2024-01-20 . Achievement for Clout: Vanity Awards and the Commoditization of Merit . 2025-01-16 . The Cardinal Print . en.
  4. Web site: Leon . Richard De . 2024-09-22 . Angelica Yulo may 2nd award: 'Most Exceptional Woman of the Year!' . 2025-01-16 . Balita.
  5. Web site: Dionora . Gelo . 2023-11-07 . Luminare Awards: The shady side of honoring 'excellence' exposed . 2025-01-16 . The POST . en.
  6. Web site: 2024-07-31 . BBB Warns of Vanity Award Scams . 2025-01-16 . WSIU . en.
  7. Web site: Scams SMBs Should Look Out For . 2025-01-16 . business.com . en.
  8. Web site: Li-A-Young . Marciano . 2023-03-10 . Congratulations! You've received a (vanity) Award . 2025-01-16 . Medium . en.
  9. Web site: Melissa Canone . June 3, 2013 . BBB of Acadiana alerts local businesses to Lafayette Awards Program scheme . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714182932/http://www.katc.com/news/bbb-of-acadiana-alerts-local-businesses-to-lafayette-awards-program-scheme/ . July 14, 2014 . August 27, 2013 . KATC . BBBs across the nation have issued warnings about these kinds of vanity award schemes since 2008..
  10. Web site: June 16, 2016 . Award Scam a Big Loser . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212220/https://www.bbb.org/northwest/news-events/news-releases/2016/06/award-scam-a-big-loser/ . 2018-03-27 . Better Business Bureau.
  11. Web site: Michael N Marcus . February 5, 2010 . It doesn't get much better than this: Vanity publisher Outskirts Press brags about its vanity award from a scam organization . August 25, 2013 . Book Making.
  12. Web site: No consumer complaints for Peoria Award Program - Central Illinois BBB . bbb.org.
  13. Web site: Memphis Award Program . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923214436/http://www.bbb.org/memphis/business-reviews/vanity-publishers/memphis-award-program-in-memphis-tn-44042801 . 2015-09-23 . Better Business Bureau.
  14. Web site: 888-731-3985 . 800notes.com.
  15. Web site: November 5, 2012 . Small Businesses Beware of the Latest Email Scam . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150602231326/http://www.thirtyseven4.com/medina_award.html . 2015-06-02 . thirtyseven4.com.
  16. Web site: Scam Alert: Best of Business Awards for Local Businesses - Perihelion Web Design . 22 November 2016 . www.perihelionwebdesign.com.
  17. Web site: 2012-12-19 . Promise Hospital Receives 2012 Best of Baton Rouge Award . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150906174048/http://www.promisehealthcare.com/?page_id=451 . 2015-09-06 . 2017-09-27 . promisehealthcare.com.
  18. News: 2017-10-24 . Want a global industry award? It's yours — for a fee . 2025-01-15 . ABC News . en-AU.
  19. Web site: 2023-11-17 . 'Vanity' awards are demeaning, honestly . 2025-01-15 . OpinYon News . en.
  20. Web site: II . Paterno Esmaquel . 2023-11-03 . Red-tagger SMNI to get award… for 'ethical journalism'? . 2025-01-15 . RAPPLER . en-US.
  21. Web site: Beware of Scam Award in Singapore . 2025-01-15 . en.
  22. Web site: ariffinsha . 2015-07-28 . It was a scam, says businessman of "sham" awards . 2025-01-15 . The Online Citizen . en-GB.
  23. Web site: 2015-07-27 . Singapore Excellence Award and Singapore Enrich Group in the news . 2025-01-15 . The Road Less Travelled . en.
  24. Web site: Chalkie . June 3, 2014 . What's the worth of a prize with a price tag? . live . https://archive.today/20170804123955/http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/10115577/Whats-the-worth-of-a-prize-with-a-price-tag . 2017-08-04 . 2017-03-31 . Stuff.co.nz.
  25. Web site: March 5, 2012 . Factoring awards – what a sham . live . https://archive.today/20170804124014/http://factoringblog.co.uk/factoring-awards-what-a-sham/ . 2017-08-04 . 2017-03-31 . actoringblog.co.uk.
  26. https://web.archive.org/web/20170130200728/http://www.ai-globalmedia.com/our-brands/ AI Global Media brands page (old url)
  27. https://www.aiglobalmedialtd.com/brands/ AI Global Media brands page (new url)
  28. http://houseextensiondesigns.co.uk/build-magazine-awards-scam/ Are Build Magazine Awards legit or scam?
  29. http://houseextensiondesigns.co.uk/build-news-awards/ Build News awards – we received 3 for absolutely nothing
  30. Web site: 22 August 2018 . ASA Ruling on AI Global Media Ltd t/a Build . November 5, 2018 . Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom).
  31. Web site: Paul O' Connor . November 9, 2016 . Are the TMT media awards a way to scam media companies? . live . https://archive.today/20170804124027/https://undercurrentsvideo.blogspot.nl/2016/11/are-tmt-media-awards-way-to-scam-media.html . 2017-08-04 . 2017-03-31 . UnderCurrents.
  32. http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/here-we-go-again-wealth-and-finance-awards-2016 Here we go again - Wealth and Finance Awards 2016
  33. http://fightback.ninja/wealth-and-finance-awards-are-they-real/ Wealth and Finance Awards – Are They Real?
  34. Web site: BBB Ratings . ABC.
  35. Web site: Observer . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122223550/http://www.observer.org.sz/news/74845-salesian-high-targeted-for-awards-scam.html . 2016-11-22 . 22 November 2016 . www.observer.org.sz.
  36. Web site: Shazreen . Noreen . 2024-01-09 . How "Paid Awards" Work in Singapore & Why Companies Are Still Falling for It . 2025-01-15 . Goody Feed . en-US.
  37. Web site: What Price Honor? . 22 November 2016 . www.occrp.org.
  38. News: Yeung . Kenneth . 13 July 2015 . What Price Glory? . 28 July 2017 . Indonesia Expat.
  39. News: Sin Chow . Tan . 27 July 2017 . Penang local councils 'fell for vanity awards scam' . 28 July 2017 . Star Media Group Berhad.
  40. News: Hu . Tracy . 26 July 2017 . Chinese wind energy firm in Oxford fake awards scam, report says . 28 July 2017 . South China Morning Post.
  41. Web site: Charundi Panagoda . September 16, 2012 . Debt-ridden, loss-making SEC pays for dubious award . August 16, 2017 . . In verifying the authenticity of the company, BID, we inform that after out investigation, the data matches except for the phone number ensuring that BID is a fraudulent company..
  42. Web site: SEC buys fake award . August 16, 2017 . . The Spanish Consulate in Mumbai said BID was a fraudulent company and the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Barcelona Agustin Llanas called BID a spam company that sells awards..
  43. Web site: Vanity book awards . . Laura Miller . November 17, 2009 . August 25, 2013.
  44. Web site: Strauss . Victoria . February 23, 2010 . Another Vanity Award: The 2010 Creative Spirit Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529062710/https://writerbeware.blog/2010/02/23/another-vanity-award-the-2010-creative-spirit-awards/ . May 29, 2022 . May 29, 2022 . Writer Beware.
  45. Web site: Annual Book Award Contest - Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest . Readersfavorite.com . 2016-01-08.
  46. Web site: Award Alert: The IndieReader Discovery Awards . Writer Beware . Victoria Strauss . August 12, 2011 . August 25, 2013.
  47. Web site: Vanity Anthologies . . January 22, 2013 . August 25, 2013.
  48. Web site: Fee-For-Review Versus Vanity Reviews . authorgrahambrown.com.
  49. Web site: The Best Book Reviews Money Can Buy . . David Streitfeld . August 25, 2012 . September 1, 2013.
  50. Web site: In a Race to Out-Rave, 5-Star Web Reviews Go for $5 . . David Streitfeld . August 19, 2011 . September 1, 2013.
  51. Web site: For $2 a Star, an Online Retailer Gets 5-Star Product Reviews . . David Streitfeld . January 26, 2012 . September 1, 2013.
  52. Web site: New Book Review Service Designed To Remedy Publishing Industry Shortage . September 5, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010608045220/http://www.forewordreviews.com/Press.asp . June 8, 2001 .
  53. Web site: Get Your Book Reviewed — Foreword Services . Foreword Reviews . 12 November 2018 . en.
  54. Web site: The Indie Author's Guide to Paid Reviews. PublishersWeekly.com.
  55. Web site: City Book Review Sponsored Review Submission. March 17, 2017. CityBookReview.com.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Vanity award".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.