Big Ideas Celebrates Multi-Award Success At NZ Sign Display Awards 2025
Big Ideas, known for its bold, design-led approach and exceptional production values, walked away from this year's awards with a haul of accolades — including Gold, Silver and Bronze in key national categories. The awards recognise excellence in visual communication and design across Aotearoa, honouring both standout individual projects and the teams who bring them to life.
Company Director Ross Hall says the recognition reflects not just Big Ideas' technical capability, but the strength of its culture.
'We're proud of the calibre of work we consistently deliver, but more than that, I'm proud of the people behind it. These awards are a celebration of our team's relentless pursuit of quality, innovation, and craft,' says Ross Hall.
A Double Win for Emerging Talent
One of the most notable highlights of the night was the recognition of apprentice Beau Little, who earned not just the Gold Award in Work by an Apprentice, but also the Keith Langstone Highflyer Award, given to an emerging signage professional showing outstanding commitment, drive and potential.
Little's award-winning work on the Royal New Zealand Navy plinths involved a mix of design precision, hands-on fabrication, and a strong understanding of the project's cultural and historic importance.
'Beau's win represents everything we value at Big Ideas – passion, care, and a genuine desire to keep learning,' says Ross Hall.
'He's a great example of where the future of our industry is heading.'
You can explore Beau's award-winning project in full here.
Gold for Excellence in Public Sector Storytelling
The Royal New Zealand Navy Plinths project also earned a Gold Award in a general category, recognising the project's strategic design, precision fabrication and high-impact visual storytelling.
Designed to honour Navy personnel and educate the public, the installation brought together signage innovation with cultural sensitivity and robust craftsmanship. From concept development through to final installation, the Big Ideas team worked closely with defence stakeholders to ensure every element met the highest standards of visual and historical integrity.
This project exemplifies how creative signage can move beyond wayfinding and branding, becoming a platform for community connection and education. View more on the project here.
Silver and Bronze Showcase Breadth of Capability
While the Gold wins made headlines, the team's silver and bronze awards speak to the depth of expertise and diversity of skills across the studio.
Projects awarded Silver included high-end corporate installations, innovative retail signage, and creative environmental design. In each case, judges commended the seamless blend of form and function — signage that not only looked impressive but delivered results.
The Bronze Awards included internal branding activations and community-focused signage work, where Big Ideas demonstrated its ability to tailor solutions for a wide range of environments and audiences.
A full breakdown of award-winning projects can be found on the Big Ideas News page.
Building a Culture of Craft and Innovation
Big Ideas has long been known for pushing boundaries in signage design. But for Ross Hall, the team's success comes down to one thing: people.
'Our strength lies in our people — in their creative curiosity, their care for quality, and their drive to constantly challenge what's possible in signage.
These awards aren't the goal — they're a byproduct of the way we work every day.'
The team includes a mix of seasoned industry veterans and emerging talent, creating an environment where knowledge is shared and new ideas are constantly explored. That blend of experience and fresh thinking allows Big Ideas to deliver both large-scale corporate work and deeply personal community projects with equal impact.
From custom displays to experiential fitouts and high-profile branding, Big Ideas has developed a reputation for producing work that's bold, brave, and beautifully built.
You can explore more of the studio's recent projects here.
Shaping the Future of Signage in Aotearoa
As signage evolves to meet new challenges — from digital integration to sustainability — Big Ideas is investing in innovation across its processes and materials.
This includes ongoing development of environmentally conscious production methods, upskilling programmes for staff, and greater collaboration between design and fabrication teams to deliver smarter outcomes.
'We're not here to just follow trends,' says Ross Hall. 'We want to lead in every sense — creatively, technically, and culturally. These awards tell us we're on the right path, but we're only just getting started.'
With multiple national accolades now added to the firm's name, Big Ideas is setting the pace for what signage can and should be: memorable, meaningful, and masterfully made.
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