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Highlighting the Best Subscription Brands at The SubSummit 2021 Cube Awards Presented by FedEx

  • Jackson Reynosa - SUBTA
  • Jul 16, 2021
  • 8 minute read

SubSummit’s annual Cube Awards honor the best direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands in the subscription industry. Year after year, nominees set the precedent for implementing strategic marketing campaigns, curating a great customer experience, and doing social good. 

This year, the Cube Awards ceremony is back to being held in person at SubSummit 2021 in Dallas, TX! On September 22, subscription lovers will gather to celebrate the best the industry has to offer!

Brands honored at this event spend their days changing the subscription industry, innovating and improving the status quo — inspiring us all.

Subscription brands were nominated by the SUBTA community. Once our judges review each submission, finalists will be announced at the end of August. Across 14 different categories, more companies will receive an award than ever before.

What are the Cube Awards?

In 2017, we hosted the first-ever Cube Awards at SubSummit. Over the years, the ceremony has grown to become an industry-important event for the biggest names in the subscription space. Many world-renowned brands have been featured in previous ceremonies, like Blue Apron, Kiwi Crate, Disney+, The New York Times, and many more!

Photos taken from the 2019 Cube Awards at SubSummit

Since its launch, the Cube Awards ceremony has risen to become the most-attended aspect of SubSummit. Emceed by SUBTA’s Production Manager, Chris Chambers, the event recaps the year’s successes and elevates those who are making an impact on the industry. A rigorous judging process from industry experts helps identify the best brands across many subscription categories.

This year, SubSummit ticketholders will get exclusive access to attending the 2021 Cube Awards Presented by FedEx.

Together, we can prepare for an evening of highlighting the industry’s best at this year’s ceremony.

Why the Cube Awards?

More consumers are signing up for subscription services than ever before. In 2020, brands saw an 84% increase in all subscribers. Gaining recognition at the Cube Awards is a great way to strengthen a company’s reputation. This is crucial to stay competitive in this growing industry. 

The subscription space is expanding, and each niche sector is thriving in its own, unique way. Consumers are constantly evaluating which brands are worth their spending dollars, and adding “Cube Awards Winner” on your resume will help get their attention and trust! 

[Bonus Read: SUBTA’s recent Subscription Industry Covid Report highlights growth, opportunities, and changing consumer spending habits and trends]

Cube Awards winners will gain extra press and recognition from our community of subscription innovators, leaders, and partners. This can allow a brand to further its e-commerce footprint and stand out from competitors. 

Eighty-two percent of B2B companies “admitted to being influenced by awards when buying products and services for their business,” according to a survey by Boost Awards and Shape-the-Future. The same study showed 76% of people agreeing that “awards are important for generating business or improving the value of a brand.” 

SUBTA recently caught up with three 2020 Cube Awards winners — John Roman of BattlBox, Erin Krex of Brick Loot, and Tonimarie Stanzoni of KitNipBox. Each winner explained what the award means to their brand, and gave advice on how companies can make an impactful presence in the subscription space. 

Erin Krex, President of Brick Loot

Krex and the Brick Loot team won ‘Best Kids Subscription’ at last year’s ceremony. 

“Owning a sub box is a unique job and those who understand what you go through day in and day out know it is not easy. Being recognized by industry experts meant we were doing it right,” Krex said.

Led by its 17-year-old CEO Parker Krex, Brick Loot is one of the largest Lego subscription boxes in the industry. Erin explained what this acknowledgment meant to the team. 

“Being the winner of a 2020 Cube Award was a huge honor. We use our award badge to help new customers feel better about the decision to sign up and ease [that] they picked the right box,” she said. 

John Roman, Chief Marketing Officer of BattlBox

BattlBox took home ‘Best Subscription Box’ last year — a highly competitive and sought-after award.

“Being recognized with a Cube Award means a lot. In the same way an actor wants to win an Oscar, a subscription company wants to win a Cube Award,” Roman explained.

“Winning a competitive category — in my opinion, all categories are competitive — is additional validation to the team that everything they worked on and executed in the past year was recognized by the community.”  

In order to win an award, you have to be able to set yourself and your company apart from the rest. “Come up with ‘out of the box’ concepts, ideas, and strategies.  More importantly, be able to execute them.  Ideas are cheap, execution is key,” Roman said.

Tonimarie Stanzoni, General Manager of KitNipBox

Stanzoni and the KitNipBox team won ‘Best Pet Subscription’ at the 2020 Cube Awards. She had great things to say about last year’s ceremony.  

“Winning a Cube Award is a great honor and a much-appreciated recognition of our team’s hard work. We were grateful to be selected, and work hard every year to meet the standard of excellence that our customers, employees, partners, and other stakeholders have come to expect,” said Stanzoni. “It is a fantastic feeling to see that effort recognized by a prestigious industry organization like SUBTA.”

Stanzoni offered additional advice for subscription companies looking to win a SUBTA award in the future.

“Put your customers first and set a high bar for everything you do. If you have an excellent product, amazing customer service, and exceed other success metrics for your business, the awards will follow,” she said.

Best Subscriptions Honored at Last Year’s Ceremony

The coronavirus pandemic could not stop the 2020 Cube Awards from happening. The ceremony was held virtually and featured 10 categories covering nearly every aspect of the DTC space. 

“Although things were different being virtual, I could still feel the community. With each winner announced, the live chat would BLOW UP with congratulations and cheering, it was amazing!” said Chambers, the Emcee of the night.  

Chambers emceed the first-ever SubSummit conference in 2016 and the inaugural Cube Awards ceremony in 2017. Since then, he has become an integral part of the event. 

The 2020 Cube Awards featured 150 total submissions, 50 nominations, and ten winners:

“The 2020 winners were amazing,” said Chambers. “They represented the entire spectrum of the subscription industry. From digital subscriptions to subscription boxes, the companies that were present have a huge impact on millions of people.” 

Many winners explained what the Cube Awards meant to them in their acceptance speeches. 

  • Leah Haile, Digital Product Management Lead at MeUndies, said: “I think this award is really representative of not only all of our hard work but also our shared vision for success and delivering a best-in-class membership program.
  • Jérôme S. Rousseau, COO of Fightcamp, added more on the impact of SUBTA’s award ceremony. “It’s great to see our efforts being recognized. The at-home fitness space is very competitive and to have SUBTA single us out as one of the top contenders in the race, is a big honor.”  
  • Roman of BattlBox reinforced the importance of winning a Cube Award.  “[Winning Best Subscription Box] just reaffirms that we’re doing the right thing and that we should continue on the path that we are.” 

What to Expect From This Year’s Ceremony

This year’s ceremony is back to being held in person, which means we’re rolling out the red carpet again! With more nominees, attendees, and categories than ever before, the 2021 event won’t be one to miss. 

Our energetic, supportive atmosphere of subscription innovators will contribute to a memorable night for all. 

The Cube Awards is always a special event to me. It is so much fun to see the community come together and celebrate each other’s accomplishments,” said Chambers. 

Subsummit ticket holders get exclusive access to attending this best-in-class award ceremony. Everyone will be given all-star treatment from the event staff with great food, drinks, and entertainment!

This year, your company can be featured in one of 14 categories. Businesses were faced with unprecedented challenges throughout 2020, and one of our new categories, ‘The Thrive Award,’ will reward the brand that found a way to flourish despite facing numerous coronavirus-related obstacles. 

“Last year, we saw a lot of companies buckle down, persevere and make huge pivots,” said Chambers, “We are proud to introduce The Thrive Award in this year’s ceremony as a way to honor these companies and shine a light on their hard work and grit.”

‘Best Membership Subscription’ will also make its debut, and both ‘Best Food Subscription’ and ‘Best Craft/Artisan Subscription’ are returning for the 2021 ceremony!

We Hope to See You There!

Cube Awards nominations are in, and we can’t wait to see you in Dallas! For more information on the event, visit our Cube Awards page


Want to attend the world’s largest DTC subscription conference in Dallas, TX this fall? Get your tickets to Subsummit 2021 to attend live speaker sessions, tour the industry’s largest Expo Hall, and watch the Pitch Competition and Cube Awards live!