5 Great Benefits of Giving Out Custom Medals at Your Event

09 Jun.,2025

 

5 Great Benefits of Giving Out Custom Medals at Your Event

As an event director, nothing compares to the satisfaction you feel when participants cross the finish line, reach a goal, or make the podium. Custom medals and awards that acknowledge their accomplishment make your event memorable and will be cherished forever.

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For example, completing a 5K could be the pinnacle of their 2-year weight loss journey. Perhaps they ran to raise money for a charity or in memory of a loved one. No matter the meaning and inspiration behind each runner, a custom event medal can elevate their experience beyond measure. 

Finisher medals are a prized possession and physical reminder of achievement. Custom ribbons for medals can also be effective marketing tools that promote your event and help increase brand awareness. 

Unique custom medals may be one of the most memorable and defining aspects of your event. Check out these five great benefits of giving out custom medals.

1. Makes Your Event Stand Out

The medals you hand out are one of the best marketing tools at your disposal. Creating a beautiful, custom-designed award that looks sharp and wows your participants helps them establish a connection with your event. It prompts them to come back to earn more unique medals. 

For instance, two hockey tournaments give out awards: one gives out a simple stock medal, and the other gives out a one-of-a-kind custom medal; which tournament will they rave about and choose? Most people will factor the quality of the awards into their decision on which event to register for, so make sure your medals are the ones that stand out.

"I had a youth roller hockey participant show me his medal for having won a State Championship for ice hockey (in theory, a much larger accolade), and it was not even close to what we award [from Maxwell Medals & Awards] at multiple qualifying events in our series. That sort of quality goes a long way with participant's desire to participate and treat your events with the respect they deserve."

- Nick Boyarsky, President - Inline Hockey Association of Arizona (IHAAZ Hockey)

2. Increases Name Recognition

Participants take pride in their achievements and the medals they receive, which they often want to showcase. Most events have social communities that share information, both in person and online.

These communities engage in conversations with one another and will talk about the quality of the medals and awards. The more impressive your custom medal is, the more likely they will brag about it, bringing free recognition to your event. 

Unique custom medals help generate buzz, boost positive name recognition, and attract participants.

“Medals are expected now as athletes are making their event choices. In some cases, it can mean the difference between someone signing up for your race or not… We know that our fans/followers anxiously await the medal reveal. Therefore, we strategically release (and promote) the medals during the registration/recruitment period. These social posts receive higher social engagement compared to other types of content.”

-Natalie Casey, Vice President, Communications - Track Shack Events

3. Boosts the Professional Image of Your Event

You don’t have to organize the New York City Marathon to give participants an NYC Marathon experience. One of the best ways to give a high quality event experience is with beautifully designed custom medals and awards.

Whether you're organizing an event that's still in its early years or has been around for decades, a quality custom award can go a long way. Creating custom awards makes your event fun and unique while adding a sense of professionalism that elevates the status of your event.

“At our National Tournament, the stage set up is glorious - several long tables filled with stacks of bronze, silver, and gold medals with red, white, and blue custom ribbons; flying eagles for Spirit Awards; glass plaques to recognize coaches; and, of course, the gleaming trophies to signify team success. The quality of the Maxwell Medals products, along with their fantastic customer service, adds value to what we do at Science Olympiad.”

- Jenny Kopach, CEO, SVP Marketing Communications - Science Olympiad, Inc.

4. Create A Cherished Keepsake

If your custom medal is captivating, some participants will seek it out and collect it like coins, stamps, or baseball cards. Die cast medals are the most popular type of custom medals. They can be made with simple or complex designs and incorporate advanced features like 3D sculpting, cityscapes, portraits, multiple levels, cut-outs, moving parts, and amazing color options.

With unique medals, the award ceremony and your event as a whole become an especially memorable time. Your participants will love adding such an amazing custom medal to their collection that they’ll display and cherish for years to come.

“For more than 32 years, the Firefighter Challenge has been presenting our firefighter athletes with unique medal designs as a means of providing them with a very special keepsake piece. Using the medal, we can integrate, when requested, landmarks in the hosting community of our event. Using the lanyard, we can provide our main event sponsors with recognition.”

- Russell A. Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, First Responder Institute

5. Attracts Media Attention

Throughout your event—before, during, and after—expect organic buzz on social media as attendees, participants, and the local community share their experiences.

For more information, please visit Brightstar.

Hosting an awards ceremony, where these unique medals take center stage, can also increase the likelihood of gaining media recognition and exposure from local or regional news outlets.

Simply stated: stunning medals get noticed! Positive feedback on custom awards equals positive feedback and promotion of your event.

“Our medals are coveted by runners. One of the most asked questions, as we open registration (a year out), is, "What do the medals look like?" On race day, we are asked about our upcoming medals... There are two running magazines in our area that have stated, “The Peace Officer Memorial Run has the best finisher medals in the San Joaquin Valley." ”

- Ed Edngail, CFO - Police Officer Memorial Run

Maximize These Benefits With Maxwell Medals & Awards

With over 45 years of experience, the experts at Maxwell Medals & Awards know how to design and create custom medals that support these benefits. We specialize in designing and manufacturing unique, high-quality awards that impress recipients and make your event stand out. 

Ready to make your event unforgettable with amazing custom medals? Contact us to get started.

Commemorate Service with Custom Military Ribbons - USAMM


Military ribbons are eye-catching symbols of dedication, exceptional performance, and valor. They have been a longstanding tradition in the armed forces for hundreds of years and they tell the story of what a service member has done during his or her military service.

These days, military men and women, as well as veterans or the families of veterans, have the ability to create a ribbon rack online, something that was unimaginable years ago. Whether you're commemorating your own honorable service or recognizing someone else's service, ordering custom military ribbons is a great way to honor the sacrifices made by those who serve our country.

Introduction to Military Ribbons

Military ribbons represent different military achievements and are given out as a way to recognize the hard work and dedication of our service members. There are various individual decorations for conduct, achievement, commendation, and meritorious service, but there are also service awards that reflect service during a specific campaign or during a specific period of time.

The services also award ribbons for completion of training, participation in overseas assignments and for other distinct and unique instances and accomplishments. When you see someone with a rack full of colorful ribbons on their chest, each one tells a different story. A ribbon rack is in many ways like a

résumé worn on a service member’s chest.

But did you know that custom military ribbons can also be created to honor specific individuals or events? These personalized ribbons can show appreciation for someone's service or commemorate a special occasion like promotion, retirement, or a new or special assignment. For veterans, it can help commemorate service in a war, or just recognize military service in general. All in all, military ribbons are a way to honor and recognize the incredible sacrifices made by our troops.

History of Military Ribbons

Did you know that military ribbons have a history that dates back to World War I? Soldiers used to earn these things and wear them on their uniforms to show off their achievements during their time on the battlefield. But others credit Napoleon for creating the concept of ribbons worn on the military uniform to decorate it and to show military achievement.

Military ribbons weren't always standardized. Sometimes different units or branches of the military had their own custom military ribbons. It wasn't until the mid-twentieth century that the U.S. military came up with a uniform system for awarding and displaying ribbons. Nowadays, if you take a good look at any uniform in the U.S. military, you'll see these colorful little pieces of cloth adorning the chest of any service member. In fact, most military services award a ribbon simply for completing an entry level training course like officer candidate school or basic training.

Different Types of Military Ribbons

Have you ever wondered what all those ribbons on a soldier's uniform represent? There are a ton of different types of military ribbons out there, each indicating something unique and important. For example, there's the Silver Star ribbon for those who have shown extraordinary valor in combat, the National Defense Service Medal ribbon for those who served during a time of conflict, and the Good Conduct Medal ribbon for those who have displayed exceptional behavior and dedication.

Some ribbons represent medals, as mentioned above, and others represent completion of training or other accomplishments. The ribbons, as they are earned, are placed on a ribbon rack and worn on the uniform in order of precedence. For example, using the above medals to illustrate, the Silver Star would be the top ribbon on the rack, followed by the Good Conduct Medal and then lastly, the National Defense Medal. Personal decorations have a higher value than service medals and ribbons.

Importance of Custom Military Ribbons

Back in the day, service members could buy ribbons or get them from supply or the first sergeant. Then they would have to buy the ribbon rack and assemble it, sometimes leading to frayed ribbons or devices that aren’t perfectly centered or mounted. Not to mention, sometimes the ribbons were placed in wrong order, making the wearer a target for correction.

Enter USAMM’s EZ Rack Builder. Custom military ribbons crank up the professionalism and help service members and veterans look their best. Custom military ribbons showcase a veteran’s military service, but also show that the wearer truly cares about his or her military bearing and appearance.

Custom military ribbons aren't just standard ribbons you can pick up at any military supply store. Instead, they're customized specifically for the person receiving them, capturing their unique accomplishments and standing as a testament to their service. They are assembled by professionals who are dedicated to creating a professional product that is second to none. If you have a promotion board coming up, a military ball, a new assignment or you are just ready to invest in your professional appearance, custom military ribbons is the way to go.

Benefits of Ordering Custom Military Ribbons Online

Thanks to the convenience of online ordering, getting custom military ribbons has never been easier. With just a few clicks, you can choose from a wide range of ribbons and customization options to create a truly unique ribbon rack.

But convenience isn't the only benefit of ordering custom military ribbons online. Ordering online takes just minutes compared to driving around and then assembling the custom ribbon rack yourself. And custom ribbon racks are a lot more affordable than you think. It is an investment into your appearance.

Conclusion on the value of custom military ribbons

Custom military ribbons are more than just a piece of fabric. They are a symbols of honor and dedication that are given to those who serve our nation. These ribbons not only serve as a commemoration of a job well done, but they also help to build camaraderie within the military community. Custom military ribbons are a testament to the hard work, sacrifice, and bravery that our military represents.

For more Custom Award Ribbon Manufacturerinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.