Mockett Design Contest rewards product innovators: contestants have until Monday, Sept. 1 to enter the 18th annual competition.

Doug Mockett & Company Inc. is looking for a few good product ideas--the more the merrier.

In an unusual twist, the 17-year-old Mockett Design Contest, co-sponsored by Wood & Wood Products, only honors First Place winners. What's more, for the contestants who enter timely, marketable ideas, there is no limit to the number of First Places that might be awarded. In past contests, as many as four contestants have taken home First Place awards.

Doug Mockett, president of the Torrance, CA, furniture supply manufacturer bearing his name, is the first to admit that he would love to see that record broken. "We know there are a lot of great ideas out there in the furniture making design and architectural universe," Mockett says. "Don't be shy about sending your great ideas to us."

What's at Stake

Each contest winner receives $1,000, an engraved achievement award and industry-wide recognition. That's just for openers.

Things get quite a bit more interesting when a First Place design is put into actual production and enters the marketplace. The designer of the product stands to earn a royalty on its total sales. Approximately $115,000 in royalties was paid out to Mockett Design Contest winners last year.

Past Winners

Over the years Mockett & Company has made its name supplying architectural--grade hardware and components to the residential, business and commercial sectors. The company's extensive range of products includes grommets and other wire management accessories; power and data systems; work-surface supports; designer pulls and handles; and high-end metal table legs.

Many of the products included within these categories were developed after being discovered in the Mockett Design Contest.

"The judges are seeking truly creative solutions to everyday problems," Mockett says. "Some of our best designs are the most mundane, yet most practical in solving problems encountered by those designing or making furniture. The idea is to make life easier for furniture makers. In addition to office furniture and computer furniture, we are hopeful to get entries for kitchen, bath and closet components, which is a relatively new direction for us."

Mockett offers advice for contestants to bear in mind then they are preparing their entries for submission. "Submitting a good written description combined with a clear drawing is fine. Providing a model is even better." He adds that the contest's rules are lax for a reason. He does not want potential contestants to get so hung up on rules for preparing their submissions that they never get around to mailing them in. "We've had some past winners who provided very minimal written descriptions," Mockett says.

To emphasize the need for providing at least a brief note highlighting a product design's attributes, Mockett points to one of the more mysterious entries in the design contest's history. "Believe it or not, one year we got an elaborate drawing and model, but no written description. We had no idea what it was or was supposed to do, and still to this day, have no clue! Overall, be clear and lucid in explaining the specific goal of the design," he says.

Contest Rules

Entries for the 18th Annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest will be accepted until Sept. 1, 2003.

There are no entry forms or fees. Contestants are simply asked to submit a clear written explanation, a representative drawing and, if possible, an actual product sample. The judges' decisions are expected to be made in December.

All entries must arrive to Doug Mockett & Company via U.S. registered mail, return receipt mail or FedEx. Send entries to:

Doug Mockett & Co. Inc.

1915 Abalone Ave.

Torrance, CA 90501

Phone: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

For further information contact the Mockett Contest Administrator at [phone] or visit www.mockett.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Repeat winners mark 17th annual contest.

Their winning product designs may vary widely in form and function, but one thing Robert Fields and Marvin Cooke have in common is that each is a repeat winner of the Doug Mockett & Company Annual Design Contest.

Fields of Walnut Creek CA, took first place honors for his contemporary double ellipse--extruded aluminum furniture leg. One ellipse is larger than the other; the leg can be used with either the narrow or side ellipse facing out The chamber within the ellipse can also carry wires and, thus, function as a wire manager.

Cooke of St Louis, MO, meanwhile won for a hidden power/data center for use in a boardroom conference table. It rotates 180 degrees to expose the power and data modules. The top surface of the center can be covered with a veneer that matches the table to hide it from view when it is in the closed position.