Acceptance Speech Etiquette – Kanye vs. Taylor Swift Debauchery

How to Avoid Making a Jerk of Yourself at an Awards Ceremony

It was a night Kayne West will likely never forget.  The night he put his foot in his mouth and choked on it.  Actually, it was more like his whole leg, arm and every extremity.  He stole the thunder away from poor, sweet Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards recently, and no one can forget the shame he brought on to himself as being the most crass celebrity of all time.

Although he did apologize, it just brings to light how footloose these award ceremonies have become in recent years.  We’ve seen parts of Janet Jackson we never expected and trip ups by even the most famous of emcees and award recipients.

Maybe it just goes to show – do people have any idea what to say in their acceptance speeches?  Perhaps not.  Here are things NOT to do:

TOP 5 DON’TS FOR AN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH –

1. Ramble on and on

Do you really need to tell your whole life story, or that of your friends and family who the audience has never seen, heard of or care about?  Keep your speech relevant to the event.

2. Avoid Politics and Religion

A huge no-no is voicing your opinion – whether it is for, or against – a particular candidate, politician, belief, religious view or anything controversial that may be susceptible to criticizing later on.

3. Make the Thank-yous to long

While thanking the little people might be nice, you don’t need to mention every single name.  No, really.

4. Be Unprepared

It can be awkward to stand up there and receive an award, especially for someone who is shy or who has never spoken in front of the public.  While it may seem kind of silly to bring a drawn-out speech planned ahead, there are simple ways to become prepared without needing to do this.  Practicing in front of a mirror is a tried and true way to be prepared without the acceptance speech seeming contrived.

5. Tell a dumb story, or two

Along with this, don’t tell bad or distasteful jokes that may offend a certain race, sex or individual.  Don’t tell long stories that will put people to sleep.  It’s best to think of witty one-liners to add a dash of humor to your acceptance speech.  If you do tell a story, keep it short and significant to the occasion or event for which you are celebrating.

Take it from Kayne West, who already knows what NOT to say at an awards ceremony.  Trophies2go.com has everything you need to plan your next recognition award event!  We specialize in award plaques, crystal trophies, acrylic awards and yes, even Oscar replica awards!

Logistics for a Smooth Awards Ceremony

Preventing Chaos at an Awards Banquet

Award ceremonies are a time of recognition and consideration. Whether formal or amusing, award celebrations are great events designed to acknowledge achievement, from a ‘Top Performer’ award at your corporate convention to the ‘Sales Shark Joke Bobblehead’ at the end of the year Christmas party.  At Trophies2Go we know that planning, preparing, presenting and celebrating awards ceremonies can be hard work but it does pay off!

First and foremost, an awards ceremony committee should be appointed as early as possible to discuss plan and implement strategies and ideas for a successful function.  Imagine the chaos if the ultimate awards ceremony  “The Oscars” were to be held with last minute planning… you might end up with Sean Penn punching Owen Wilson in the face over a front row seat.  Try to match committee member’s personalities with specific functions they may oversee, as having the right people on the right tasks will make all the difference.

Awards Presentation Etiquette

Work on the guest list and seating arrangements as soon as possible to give recipients plenty of notice so they will be in attendance for the big occasion.  Be sure to seat the big winners down towards the front so they don’t have to take up too much time walking from the top floor balcony.  Decorations should be related to the overall theme of the affair and gift bags, however small, really make a difference.  That way, nobody goes home empty-handed.  If you are feeding guests, keep it light and hire professional caterers who really know what they’re doing.  People will love a memorable buffet or fancy dinner.  Alcohol should be kept to a minimum at most occasions, unless I am invited, with the exception of a champagne toast at the end of the gathering for the whole organization.

Research the various categories of awards and choose the style and sizes appropriate for each group.  Trophies2go.com is the leading source for Corporate Awards, Recognition Awards, Employee Awards, Achievement Trophies, Sales Awards, Retirement Gifts, Eco Awards, Sports Awards and a wide variety of other recognition items.  We specialize in the production and sale of amazing trophies and awards; from gorgeous crystal awards and glass art awards to solid wood commemorative plaques, marble awards, 24 karat gold trophies, acrylic awards, novelty awards and so much more.  Trophies2Go has the biggest awards selection at the best prices available on the market today.  We make it so easy to find the most stunning awards available and this helps you to create an awards ceremony everyone will be raving about.

Now that you’ve chosen some amazing awards it’s time to get this ceremony going. Consider the appropriate host or opening speaker as this will set the mood for the evening.  Remember, light comedy helps release any butterflies in the stomach.  After an introduction and a word of appreciation for the whole team, it’s time to call out those names and give out some trophies.  If you can squeeze in some entertainment between award categories – it’s recommended, try to get U2 or The Rolling Stones, the crowd will love ‘em!  Keep it short and sweet and send everybody off with a sincere thank you and your awards ceremony will be a sure hit.

www.trophies2go.com       1-877-926-4700 Your Source for Awards!