BLING It!

The joy of crossing the finish line brings excitement and happiness to many participants, but what they are really looking for is something to commemorate that finish. Bring on the BLING. Medal reveals are often utilized by event organizers to create additional buzz surrounding an upcoming event. The medal is a way for a participant to show off their accomplishment to family, friends and on social media. Get a glimpse of the history, some fun medal facts, and how EnMotive takes pride in helping each event create the most memorable medal yet.

A Little Fun History:

The first Olympic medals in 1896 were designed by French sculptor Jules-Clément Chaplain and depicted Zeus holding Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, on the obverse and the Acropolis on the reverse. They were made by the Paris Mint, which also made the medals for the 1900 Olympic Games, hosted by Paris.

The London’s Marathon’s first “medal,” in 1981, was coin-like–literally a token of appreciation. And in the United States, as early as the 19th century, a handful of forward-thinking marathons gave medals to finishers. At the inaugural Boston Marathon in 1897, the race gave a medal to all finishers. All 10 of them.

Five Fun Facts:

1. No Olympian has received a solid gold medal since the 1912 Games.
2. Gold medals are generally heavier than silver or bronze medals. For example, the Tokyo medals weigh 556g, 550g, and 450g, respectively.
3. The gold medal won by sprinter Jesse Owens sold at auction for $1.5m in 2013. This medal was particularly valuable because it was won by an African American at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
4. Olympians are often seen biting their medals. This harkens back to the ancient practice of biting into gold to test its purity and authenticity.
5. It wasn’t until 1960 that medals were designed to be worn around the neck. Prior to that, they were pinned to the winner’s chest.

The Medal:

In an article in Runner’s World they ask the question, why would a race director give runners a medal so big it can’t be worn (not for more than a few moments, anyway)? For the same reason he’d offer a medal with a rotating disco ball, or a medal that incorporates a bottle stopper and fold-out corkscrew, or a medal festooned with rhinestones–to stand out. There are more events today than ever. Offering a unique finisher’s medal is one reasonably easy way to help a race distinguish itself in a crowded field. Marketers call this “product differentiation.” Plus, thanks to smartphones and social media, having a photo-worthy medal equals free online advertising.

Race directors who offer dull medals or–gasp!–no medals at all do so at their peril. In an age where some runners choose a race based, at least in part, on the medal offered at the finish line, it’s inevitable that some will actively avoid races whose medals are shoddy or drab. Or both.

EnMotive And Medals

To EnMotive, the medal is more than fun! Our team works closely with the event directors, designers, vendors and manufactures to make certain that the medal is one of the top reasons a participant wants to be part of the event. From the ribbon to the design of the actual medal, no detail is overlooked. Our partnerships allows us to imagine, design, and create a medal that is within your budget to bring you the best BLING for your buck.

Experience, industry partnerships and millions of happy finishers are the reasons that contacting EnMotive for your medals is the right choice.