Better Awards
Better Awards recognise passionate individuals, unseen pioneers, that solve problems through curiosity, craftsmanship and a proactive spirit.
Business Vote
A vote by a pioneering and conscious individual in the position to shape the habits of today’s world.
Cultural Vote
A vote by a renegade and challenging individual who has shown to make a positive mark on today’s culture.
Student Vote
A vote by a future leader, a forward thinking individual from within one of the world’s most inspiring Universities.
Community Vote
An endless stream of votes by our passionate, proactive Better Awards community.
Creative Vote
A vote by an ingenious and resourceful individual who is challenging existing systems and customs.
Our Mission
Better Awards mission is to curate and award ideas that make us want to be better and spread them universally.
Who are we
We are a team of socially savvy global souls with different backgrounds but with one unified motivation, ‘Giving people access to inspired ideas allows them to make better choices when liking & sharing information.’
How it works
Each month, our Better community and 4 esteemed judges are given 5 days to vote for 1 of 10 inspirational ideas. The criteria for the voting is simple, which idea makes you want to be better, and why? On day 5 the final votes are counted, the rationales are read and the awards are given. On day 6 the eagerly awaited final results are sent out to the wider community to admire, like and share with the world.
What we believe
IF everyone on the planet shared a Better Idea, daily, the world would be a far better place.
Being better isn’t inevitable, it takes commitment and action.
The world isn’t supposed to be perfect, but it can always be better.
Don’t judge how we arrived at today, but effect how we travel to tomorrow.
Anyone, trying to do better should be given to opportunity to be better.
Everyone should realise the power of their ‘like, share and follow’ fingers.
Why the ice lolly?
We believe this universal icon is the perfect symbol for our Better Awards, it’s an innocent tasty reward with the simple aim of making you feel better.
OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKS
"What an interesting and interactive social media initiative. We can learn from you."
"I love it, the concept is totally amazing, being one of the judges in March will be incredible!"
"I love what Better Awards is doing with the awards! Can't wait to vote for next months."
"I'm honoured to play an active part in the Better Awards."
"Delighted to get involved and be a judge."
"Great concept and something I'm happy to be involved in."
"Love the Better Awards intent & execution. Very smart. Very inspired.
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"Cool Concept, happy to join in!"
July Judges
We are proud to reveal our latest round of prolific business, cultural, creative and student judges.
Ashley Herod TaitDirector of Business Development S-Media
- Business Vote
About
Ashely is a savvy professional with 15+ years of sales, marketing and communication experience. Highly skilled in coaching and motivating teams to reach their goals. She’s a confident multi-tasker who enjoys creative problem-solving and thrives in fast-paced,. high-pressure environments. As a former member of the Canadian Ski Tea,, Freestyle Skiing, ambition, drive and a competitive spirit are all part of the package. She’s a great asset to S-Media, North America’s only full integrated, multi-media platform company dedicated to snow sports.
Ruud BaanPhotographer
- Creative Vote
About
Ruud Baan’s work is an integration of portrait, fashion and sport photography. He knows how to make commercial photography artful. His techniques of capturing the moment and movement in each of his images showcase his mastery of creativity, color and energy. Companies like Puma, O’Neill, Heineken love to collaborate with Ruud!
Aaron GuoUniversity of Pennsylvania
- Student Vote
About
Some students impress us by their intelligence and some by their great passion for others, but Aarun Guo impresses us on both fronts. He co-founded Project AIMESS a non-profit that provides local elementary school students with opportunities to explore the fields of STEM. He’s also the international director with the Color My World Project, a non-profit that takes donated crayons from restaurants and brings them to homeless shelters, day cares, orphanages, and other institutions.
Meet All Judges
Bibian MentelParalympic Snowboarder / founder Mentelity Foundation
- Sports Vote
About
Bibian Mentel is world’s number 1 Paralympic snowboarder! She lost her lower limp due to bone cancer 13 years ago but that didn’t stop Bibian from getting on her snowboard and do what she does and loves best. It has taught her much about life and determination, and now she’s passing this knowledge on the next generation through the Mentelity Foundation. She’s helping children and young adults with physical disabilities to practice board sports and change the perception of their own disabilities.
Awards Choice
Sol de Janeiro – Tattoo Artists Against Skin Cancer
As a cancer survivor I know how important it is to catch cancer in a really early stage. I always tell people that cancer is like a sniper…..you don’t feel or notice the fact that you are sick By the time you do have the negative effects of cancer, it often is already too late to be cured. So when I heard about the Tattoo Artists against skin cancer I thought that was such a good solution. People that tattoo on so many people their skins every day and thus are able to check all their customers. Preventing them of getting such a terrible disease! Taking care of others, by doing that what you do every day anyway! I can only imagine how rewarding it must feel if you can help a customer preventing to get cancer or notify him at an early stage already.
Narda van ‘T VeerOwner Unit C.M.A.
- Art Vote
About
Narda has a great eye for distinguished beauty, whether it’s polished, raw or not your average kind of beauty. With over 25 years of experience as the owner of Unit C.M.A, Narda has represented young promising talents and established artists in photography, illustration, animation, art direction and film.
Maurice Ajanaku Founder of AJANAKU / Global CM at Ketel One
- Guest Vote
About
Maurice is a guy with many hats. From strategy development to creative art direction and editorial development, he does it all! Curious by nature and not afraid to take risks his works are original and unconventional. He has a very strong international understanding as he’s traveled all over the work to meet new people and explore different cultures and environments. Through his own platform AJANAKU, Maurice talks about the latest creative trends in fashion, design, art, music, and more. And has worked closely with lifestyle brands like Puma, Converse, Jameson and Absolut just to name a few. We’re happy to have Maurice on board!
Awards Choice
Haas & Hahn – Favela Painting
The world sees many faces, with most of them invisible to us. The closer poverty is to your front door, the less you feel obliged to do something. This is where I see the two gentlemen from Favela Painting playing an important role in Rio de Janeiro, bring the favela’s further than your doorstep and into the hearts of people around the world. Favela painting did not only aim to make the favela’s prettier for those in and around it, but to give the youth of the favela’s a sense of pride and accomplishment, giving them a project to focus on and help steer them away from the negatives in the favela’s. Secondly, the project also taught the local youth’s skills that will remain with them for years and can help them in their development in becoming independent, self-dependable professionals. If this is just a part of the next phase in their project, then the youths of the favelas deserve the support from Favela Painting and the Better Awards.
James GoodeManaging Director at Google Creative Labs
- Business Vote
About
James is a modern-day creative business leader who knows how to put teams together that deliver. Google Creative Labs is the modern best-case scenario of a brand development think tank. James and his team elevate story telling by creating ads not for people, but with people and adding an emotional nudge.
Erwin van der ZandeFounder / chief editor Bright Magazine
- Cultural Vote
About
With 20 years of experience, Erwin is a curator in heart and soul. He was way ahead his time when he started as an editor at Wave (Benelux equivalent of Wired) He was one of the few people that had insights in the early days of the internet. We’re happy to have this award-winning editor on board for this month’s Better Awards.
Andrew WatsonCD at MiniVegas
- Creative Vote
About
Andrew is an award winning creative who has worked for top brands. Last year he joined MiniVegas to pursue a more hands-on role in the shaping and making of integrated projects. At MiniVegas, his expertise is put to good use across a wide variety of cutting-edge digital and interactive projects. We’re happy to have his creative eye on this month’s awards!
Awards Choice
Japanese Fans Clean Up
There are some great ideas and initiatives here, but the one that immediately struck me is the one apparently least thought-out and premeditated and the most honest and heartfelt: Japanese Fan’s Clean Up. At a time when corporations are falling over themselves to grab the limelight during the world’s biggest sporting event and it seems like almost every brand is trying to fill their pockets, what the Japanese supporters have started is at once surprising, charming and inspiring. A relatively small act, accompanied by absolutely no pomp or circumstance, with no ‘end game’ or commercial KPI’s, carried out simply by a desire to show respect for the hosts. That this act caught the attention of the world’s press with no deliberate, associated PR is a testament to just how powerful and resonant such a deed can be in today’s culture.So, hats off to the Japanese supporters, we can only hope that fans of more nationalities will follow suit and exhibit similar levels of respect and courtesy.
Shree BoseHarvard, Cancer Researcher
- Student Vote
About
The smart and beautiful Shree Bose is already leaving her mark on the world. She started cancer research at age 15 and has already found groundbreaking developments for ovarian cancer. She won the Grand Prize for the first ever Google Global Science Fair, competing against 10,000 students from across the world, and spoke on TEDxWomen. This is just the beginning. Find out more about Shree here http://shreebose.com/
Awards Choice
Aarambh – Cardboard Helpdesk
The environment in which we learn can have an incredible impact on the attitudes we hold towards education. In parts of the developing world, these environments can often change the course of a child’s life – whether through inspiring a desire to continue learning or discouraging students. These associations are powerful, and in poor regions, creating such environments are often not feasible to create. In the poorest classrooms of India, the non-profit organization, Aarambh is fostering an environment of excitement and passion. Through their innovative design for a book bag which doubles as a desk for school, Aarambh uses recycled cardboard to create the tools for a space that can inspire students to learn. In rural parts of India, this sort of low-cost, eco-friendly innovation can have a tremendous impact on generations of students and children interested in education, and this sort of potential is why my award goes to Aarambh.
Craig DavisFounder & CEO, Clean Green Fast GmbH
- Business Vote
About
Craig Davis is a rebel with a cause! He uses his over 25 years of experience in creative, innovation brand development and market execution to make a positive impact on today’s world. Developing clean electric mobility into sexy, affordable mainstream product experience powered by nature is one of his life goals. eV Race System, fuses the world’s best engineers and innovators into a unique team that design, build and test the most exciting race cars. Disruptive, clean, high-performance technology is changing the world… Craig is right on top of it.
Awards Choice
Boyan Slat: The Ocean Cleaner One of my favorite pinball games as a kid was Eight Ball Deluxe, with its famous “ Quit Talking and Start Chalking.” That is just what I was thinking when I saw this month’s nominees. Actions charged with positive energy. I am glad to see such great ideas and people, inspiring and motivating: doing what needs to be done to see all great ideas become reality. It is hard indeed to say which initiative is Better because they are all great and the cumulative action behind making them into reality is the positive energy that makes this platform so interesting. My choice would be for the idea that I see as one of the most daunting and involving critical issues on the planet – and its potential solution provided in a most positive, involving and actionable way. Ocean Cleaner shows that it is important to no be discouraged by the size of any challenge but instead to break it down into manageable steps that can in fact be acted upon now. The challenge and potential solutions are presented in a positive, motivating way. Action takes precedence over succumbing to despair and risks are minimized, opportunity maximized with the creative solutions proposed by Ocean Cleaner. This certainly does get the idea rolling and the financial investments required for execution will follow in suit. A noble and important initiative that I look forward to see happen.
Dominic WilcoxInventor & Artist
- Cultural Vote
About
Dominic is a master in adding new, alternative perspectives on everyday objects and things we take for granted. He does it with ultra dry wit, placing a spotlight on the banal. Nike, Esquire Magazine and Selfridges are among the few that are big fans and worked with him. We’re honored to have Dominic on board for the April Better Awards.
Awards Choice
Boyan Slat: The Ocean Cleaner It is almost impossible to choose a winner from so many wonderful examples of creative people attempting to make other people’s lives better. However, I have chosen Ocean Cleaner as my winner because of it’s huge ambition to do something remarkable no matter how impossible it may first appear. It’s one thing to have a big idea but the founder Boyan Slat has also inspired and motivated a large network of talented people to support his vision. We need more creative people to think the impossible and have the positivity and drive to make it a reality.
Every great invention has a simple but ingenious idea at its core. In this case it is the use of the ocean’s currents and winds to catch the plastic from a stationary position rather than the expense of boats moving around the ocean to catch the plastic. I don’t know if the Ocean Cleaner idea will work or not, I hope it does, but it has already succeeded in placing a spotlight on a major problem and focused many people’s minds on finding a solution. Something great will come of this I’m sure.
Every great invention has a simple but ingenious idea at its core. In this case it is the use of the ocean’s currents and winds to catch the plastic from a stationary position rather than the expense of boats moving around the ocean to catch the plastic. I don’t know if the Ocean Cleaner idea will work or not, I hope it does, but it has already succeeded in placing a spotlight on a major problem and focused many people’s minds on finding a solution. Something great will come of this I’m sure.
Simon ManchippFounder & Co-owner, SomeOne
- Creative Vote
About
Simon is an award winning branding, design and advertising enthusiast with over 20 years of experience. Inventing and re-inventing brands, challenging clients, offering creative and exciting solutions that shape their future. He loves creating big ideas and shaping them beautifully. It’s what Simon does best.
Awards Choice
Matt Dimmer: The Extra Mile
For me it’s the Extra Mile. By a mile.
AirMiles are amazing things but rarely used by those who have them.
I know of corporate travellers with hundred of thousands of pounds worth of miles — and they can’t get rid of them — they use them — but always have a surplus.
This idea is a great way of putting the invisible credits those people acquire to great use.
It requires zero effort to transfer this hidden and unused wealth to someone who would dearly love the opportunity of saying one last goodbye to a loved one.
Franzi SauerweinStudent, Fashion Management Institute
- Student Vote
About
Franzi is a fashionista with a mission. After having worked at several fashion stores and gaining more insights about production and consumption, an urge was born to do something constructive in the fashion scene. Having been raised by parents who were environmental activists, Franzi has been shaped to use her creativity and great sense of style for conscious good.
Awards Choice
Boyan Slat: The Ocean Cleaner
My vote goes to the Ocean cleaner. I knew this project before and I love how visionary and smart it is. Boyan really knows how to think big and even manages to make it interesting from business perspective. I highly respect that he put so much thought and energy where most of us don’t even start thinking because it seems to be an impossible mission.
To create change in the mindset of people it isn’t about pointing out the the limits and mistakes but to open the eyes for solutions. In that sense all of the nominees truly have my respect for their projects and engagement. However, the ocean cleaner leaves this extra feeling of amazement behind that I want to give my vote.
Sam CohenOwner / MD Conscious Hotel
- Business Vote
About
Owner and MD of Conscious Hotel is responsible for this month’s Better Awards business vote. Sam has many years of experience in the hotel and tourism industry and runs his luxury hotels on environmentally-sound principles. He lives in Amsterdam with his family and they strive to live Consciously at home as well. He likes to run and is very fond of Dutch football. Whenever possible he prefers to commute to work with his electric scooter rather than the car.
Awards Choice
Kelvin Doe: 15-year Old Engineer His story is an inspiration to all entrepreneurs. He is young, lives in Sierra Leone and has access to very limited resources. Yet he has shown ambition and creativity beyond his years. His ideas and products not only benefit himself but he is also determined to help his community. When you watch the video it quickly becomes obvious that Kelvin is unique. He may be 16 and live in not-optimal conditions yet his commitment and perseverance in wanting to succeed is first-class. Starting a business is never easy but despite his challenging circumstances Kelvin has not given up. He is focused (he is not called DJ Focus for nothing) and determined. He is an inspiration to all entrepreneurs and his story really wants you to do better.
Li HongboArtist
- Cultural Vote
About
With us this month, is an internationally recognized artist out of China who creates sculptural marvels using stacks, and stacks of regular paper. This paper master does stretch your imagination with his unusual take on traditional sculpting. Or as Crane.tv put it; this is a former book editor whose fascination with one material has gone to artistic extremes. After discovering his work in the beginning of this year, we’re proud to now have Li onboard for this month’s cultural vote..
Awards Choice
HandUp: Directly Fund A Homeless Person Everyone should live with dignity, whether rich or poor, male or female, young or old. This is the right and honour that everyone should not be deprived of. For some reasons however, when losing the ability to survive, one is driven towards the spiritual and material double binds. The dilemma can easily make life wither. If the design could be perfected and serve more people in a broader way, so that they could come out of the spiritual and material deprivation, and rekindle the fire of life, I think it would make a great effort. So I support this nominee.
Marina HoriatesResearch Oncology, Yale University
- Student Vote
About
This month’s student judge survived childhood leukemia and has been fascinated with branch of medicine that deals with cancer ever since. As a student in the field of oncology, Marina has done research on radiation treatment for breast cancer (partial breast irradiation). Before heading to Cambridge for a study program this summer, she will be working at a hospital in Dallas, Texas, on a project looking at new vaccine-type treatments for breast cancer. Marina is also the co-chair for the Yale Relay for Life Team Development and Recruitment Committee, an American Cancer Society grassroots advocacy program, and she also volunteers in the pediatric oncology wing at the Yale-New Haven Hospital
Awards Choice
Young In Prison: Creative Program to Reintegrate Juveniles This organization has taken up the difficult task of helping juveniles become constructive, positive citizens in their societies. By having role models teach these children life skills through arts and sports, Young in Prison fights for not only a safer a.o. South Africa but also a better life for these children facing the difficulty of reintegration upon release from prison. Young in Prison views these children in a light that their resistant communities might not be able to see: they are youth who have been born into a life in which crime often functions as a means of survival. I believe that we can all learn from the progressive perspective of this inspirational organization.
Bas LansdorpCo founder & CEO, Mars One
- Inventors Vote
About
Better Award’s very first Inventor vote will come from Bas Lansdorp. He is a born entrepreneur with a passion for inventing visionary technological business projects within space exploration, Cleantech, Airborne Wind Energy. He is co-founder and CEO of Mars One, the Dutch foundation that aims to land and settle the very first humans on Mars in 2025.
Awards Choice
Kelvin Doe: 15-year Old Engineer I was inspired by the story of a young boy who makes something out of nothing. He loves inventing, making it even harder not to give him my ‘inventor’s vote’. In my opinion, too many people complain about small things in life. Now here is a young man whose situation gives him every right to complain. But he does not complain, he uses his creativity, perseverance and skills to solve the problems he sees.
Dawn LogginsLinguistics, Harvard University
- Student Vote
About
While growing up, Dawn faced many obstacles. After living for years in a family burdened with drug abuse, crime, and hardship, Dawn was abandoned at the age of 17 and left homeless before her senior year of High School. She focused on her education as a way to escape the cycle of poverty. She worked as a custodian and received assistance from caring individuals in order to graduate with an acceptance to Harvard University. Dawn is establishing a nonprofit organization to help other students of low socioeconomic backgrounds. She currently works as a motivational speaker.
Awards Choice
“I chose the Plastic Bank not only because it is working to solve an important ecological problem, but also because Plastic Bank has a positive impact on the economical development of the regions in which it operates. This is achieved through recycling plastic in exchange for credits which can be used for education and microloans. This empowers and uplifts communities both immediately and long-term. This project has a widespread impact, not only because the growing waste accumulating in oceans and landfills is a global issue, but because this directly improves the lives of the individuals involved in a concrete manner. This project also helps to make our oceans and beaches safer for fish, wildlife, and people. I strongly believe that the world needs more bold, innovative ideas such as the Plastic Bank that utilize changing technology in order to solve the problems of the future in the present.”
Vince GunnManaging Director, Crocs Europe B.V.
- Business Vote
About
Say hi to Vince. Vince currently oversees Crocs’ European business. Vince has extensive retail and board level experience gained in ‘blue chip’ and entrepreneurial companies both internationally and in the UK. Under his leadership at Crocs Europe the company has had a record year, exceeding $200m in revenue, and an increase of 28% to the previous year.
Awards Choice
“I found this task incredibly difficult. I was truly inspired by all ten nominations. Attempting to rationalize which one to choose from a practical perspective proved futile. In the end I trusted my first instinct and how it struck me in the heart and soul. On a human level, the power of Ali Mohammadian’s act of solidarity and empathy recognizing his student’s pain and isolation was tremendously impactful. He took action and profoundly moved others to quickly respond and transformed the child’s world and also the rest of the school and beyond. Today, more than ever, we need leaders to take a stand with injustices, galvanise followers and change people’s lives for the better. This story affects us because we are all connected – fantastic!”
Richard SpaldingCo-Founder & CEO, 7th Chamber
- Cultural Vote
About
We are very pleased to have Richard’s vote, he has a very strong understanding and experience of how culture works today. He has mastered Engagement (Viral) marketing, a media form which creates high impact but also very high-level authentic engagement with people. ‘People today need to be treated, not as demographics, but as who they are, what they do, what they like.
Awards Choice
“From the professor living in a dumpster for a month to the bottle which turns tap water into hygiene spray, I was blown away by all of the inspiring submissions to this months Better Awards. The one that really stayed with me was “Buy a Cow”. Much of today’s problems drive back to an essential human need, food. The food we choose to eat will affect the way our body functions and the world we live in. Food waste is a massive environmental issue, for rich and poor countries. When meat is thrown away excess toxins are released, which affects our bodies ability to carry out essential functions. We need to educate people about this problem through a hands-on approach, learning about the food they choose to eat. Selling directly to the consumers gets rid of the middleman, where waste occurs. This is better for humans, for animals, for the environment.”
Danielle CrookVP Marketing, Category & Brand EMEA, Starbucks
- General Vote
About
Danielle Crook, vice president marketing, category and brand integration EMEA, leads Starbucks brand presence, health and relevancy across the region. She focuses on boldly telling the Starbucks story by uniting many aspects of Starbucks voice – marketing and communications, product, store design, public affairs and branding – to bring the Starbucks Experience to more customers in new and relevant ways across EMEA.
Awards Choice
“Cancer. Horrible disease. Terrifying treatment for adults. Imagine an innocent child having a tube of burning liquid put into their veins. Tying together the insight of how many of the superheroes got their special strength (they all had to go through a painful transformation, right?) and the chemo bag covers is genius. Simply genius. This should be done in hospitals around the world. Now”.
Deborah CarterDirector Sales and Strategic Partnerships, PICNIC
- General Vote
About
Deborah Carter is an entrepreneur and the Director of Sales and Strategic Partnerships at PICNIC – Europe’s leading platform for cross-sector innovation and creativity. She is currently busy setting up PICNIC Mexico and helping a diverse range of organisations discover insights and learning, find partners in innovation and launch new products or services.
Awards Choice
“They’re all powerful examples of people and products making the world a better place. At two points during the review process, I cried. Out of sadness when I saw the photos that Jennifer Merendino’s brave, grief-stricken husband took to track her lost battle with cancer. Out of happiness when I saw Mama Wangari see again after being tested with Peek Vision’s smart-phone based system.My tears of joy won. Seeing is one of the most amazing senses we have. Why should people be denied this experience when their sight problems can be fixed? Low tech/high impact tool that can help restore sight to the most disadvantaged, ignored people on earth. Amazing!”
Jeremy BrookGlobal Lead of Digital Strategy and Media, Heineken
- General Vote
About
Jeremy leads the development of HEINEKEN’s media innovation and digital strategy. He is responsible for the development of new and future ways of working, capabilities and creating new opportunities to drive the digital and media innovation agenda across paid, owned and earned, with state of the art media principles, processes and best practices across HEINEKEN’s global brands and local brands; and cascades these to markets with the support of global agency partners.
Awards Choice
“I found it incredibly tough to pick a winner this month. All of these are wonderful ideas and show the power that creativity and innovation can still give us. But this idea won me over for one simple reason: imagination. The information age risks us losing touch with its magical qualities, and Dinovember is both a movement in the making and a brilliant trigger for people to reflect on their own childhood imaginations.”
Andrew (Andy McKeon)Global Customer Marketing Lead, Facebook
- General Vote
About
Andy McKeon can be found at the heart of the action. Having worked for Steve Jobs at Apple, Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, Dan Wieden at Wieden + Kennedy and Jeff and Rich at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, he’s helped bring some of the most influential products and campaigns into the world. This December he’s helping MAKE pick a final 2013 MAKE Better Awards winner.
Awards Choice
“A week ago I was standing under a hotel shower in Betonville Arkansas debating whether I should open the soap. “Andrew… it’s such a waste to open a new bar of soap and only use it once or twice… but Andrew you’ve just taken three plane rides and you have to attend a meeting, a meeting with people with, presumably, working noses.” I caved and went with the soap, and was delighted to learn about the Global Soap Project later on.”
July Nominees
April special guest curator
A WEEK OF BETTER BY PUKKA HERBS
This month’s special guest curator is Tim Westwell, co-founder and MD of Pukka Herbs.
“We love plants and we love people and Pukka Herbs is here to inspire healthier, happier living through the incredible power of herbs. We are passionate about improving the lives of everyone who comes into contact with us and covering the earth in organic herbs”
Tim travels the world to get the best organic and fair products to their consumers. This week Tim will share his week of Better organic- and natural related ideas.
To empower yourself with organic herb supplements, enjoy incredible tasting teas and get inspired to live a healthy lifestyle, visit www.pukkaherbs.com
The winning idea will be announced at the end of the week. So stay tuned and review all ideas to share with the world.
