1. ELIGIBILITY :

1. For information on eligibility for each category, please refer to the Awards Category page.
2. All entries should have been executed between 1st January 2025 and 31st January 2027.
3. Only projects executed in India are eligible for entry.
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4. Only original design concepts can be entered.
5. Design adaptations of existing original design concepts, whether Indian or international, will not be eligible.
6. International design concepts adapted/localised in India for international brands entering India will not be eligible unless they have been newly developed for the Indian market.
7. All entries submitted by non-brand owners (designers, consultants, service providers or manufacturers) must be mandatorily accompanied by an NOC from the design owner (Brand/Retailer). [CLICK HERE] for the NOC Format.
8. All entries from brand owners in categories C-19 to C-25 require the mention of the Service Provider/Manufacturer they have partnered with for the design and development. The partner will be acknowledged in the award communication and will receive a digital certificate by email.
9. Entries cannot be entered or repeated, either partly or fully, in more than one category from C-01 to C-14.
10. No entry can be repeated across categories C-15, C-16 and C-17. However, an entry submitted in C-15, C-16 or C-17 can be repeated, if eligible, in C-18.
11. The complete store must be entered for eligibility in categories C-01 to C-13. A portion of a store will not be eligible for entry in any of the categories C-01 to C-13.
12. > In category C-14, a portion of a Mall/Shopping Centre may be entered if it is a large destination zone such as a Retail Zone, Entertainment Zone, Cinema Zone or Food Zone. No other small portions will be eligible for entry.
13. If the organisers have adequate proof of plagiarism (copying from an original executed concept), the organisers reserve the right to disqualify the entry before or after the awards.

2. AWARDS:

1. There will be three awards for each category: one Gold, one Merit One and one Merit Two.
2. If the jury decides that no entry is eligible for one of the above awards, that award will be omitted from the respective category.

3. JUDGING PROCESS:

1. The entries will be judged online by a panel comprising accomplished professionals from the domains of creative design, marketing and experience management, from India and overseas.
2. There will be two rounds of online judging based on the points scored by each entry. The jury's decision based on the scoring method will be final.
3. Entries found not to be original will be disqualified, and no refund of the entry fee will be provided.

4. ENTRY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. Select the correct category from the given list of 25 categories.
2. Entries entered in the wrong category may be moved to the appropriate category, and the entrant will be informed accordingly by the organisers.
3. For a sample entry submission form for the VM&RD Awards 2027, [CLICK HERE].
4. All entry forms should be fully completed before submission. Incomplete entries will not be processed for judging.
5. Please use a separate entry form for each individual project being entered.
6. Entries without payment will not be processed.
7. The deadline for submission of entries is 28th February 2027.

5. PROJECT SPECIFICATION:

A. Images – Mandatory

1. Maximum 15 photos, including the store layout.
2. Do not mention or display the contesting company's name or logo on the photos attached, as this may result in disqualification.
3. Upload images in JPEG/PNG format.
4. Recommended size: 800 × 600 pixels.
5. Resolution: 150–300 dpi.
6. Maximum total file size: 15 MB.

B. Video – Optional but Preferable

1. Maximum duration: 2 minutes.
2. Video file format: MP4.
3. Maximum file size: 20 MB.
4. Do not mention or display the contesting company's name or logo in the video attached, as this may result in disqualification.

C. Project Description

1. Maximum 500 words.
2. Do not mention the contesting company's name or logo anywhere in the content, as this may result in disqualification.

D. Project Highlights

1. Maximum 200 words.
2. Preferably presented in bullet points.
3. Do not mention the contesting company's name or logo anywhere in the content, as this may result in disqualification.

E. Contact Information

1. Complete contact information of the Brand/Retailer and Design Agency must be provided.

F. NOC

1. NOC from the Design Owner/Brand/Retailer, wherever applicable.

6. ENTRY FEES :

1. The entry fee is ₹7,000 + 18% GST per entry.
2. Only online payment or bank transfer will be accepted.
3. After payment, it is mandatory to send proof of payment to [email protected], along with the entrant's details and category. For multiple entries, all categories should be clearly mentioned in the subject line.