Merlot Clients Are Winning Recognition Beyond Trade Show Season
Trade shows are a reliable spotlight, but they’re not the only one. Merlot’s team is always looking for ways clients can earn coverage and win recognition year-round: through media relationships, award programs, and the kind of ongoing visibility that keeps a brand relevant long after the show floor lights go dark. Two recent wins make the case: a national media feature for Empava and a top industry award for NaturVet.
Empava – Better Homes & Gardens Feature
Better Homes & Gardens is one of the most widely trusted home and lifestyle authorities in the country, reaching millions of homeowners who look to the publication to decide what belongs in their next renovation. The September 2026 issue’s “The Home of the Future” feature rounds up the products defining tomorrow’s homes, and Empava’s Cryo Prism Tub made the cut. The tub brings a cold-plunge recovery routine home, chilling water to a consistent 37°F for an indoor or outdoor wellness ritual that used to require a training facility.
The full feature is live at bhg.com, where Empava appears alongside established names like KitchenAid, Samsung, and Kohler. Sharing a page with that caliber of brand tells homeowners, dealers, and retailers that Empava belongs in the same conversation as the category’s biggest players: a meaningful shift for a brand built on being the smart alternative.
NaturVet – Pet Innovation Awards Winner
The Pet Innovation Awards is an independent recognition platform that spotlights the most innovative companies and products across the pet care industry’s most competitive categories, with past honorees including Hill’s Pet Nutrition, The Farmers Dog, and Zesty Paws. NaturVet’s Gut Health + Allergy Dual Action Supplement was named a winner in the Dog Vitamin/Supplement Product of the Year category. The vet-formulated soft chew pairs Quercetin and Astragalus Root to support healthy histamine levels and normal respiratory function with ProbioSEB CSC3® probiotics for a balanced gut microbiome, tackling seasonal allergies and digestive health in a single daily chew.
Learn more about the program at petinnovationawards.com. In a supplement aisle where pet parents lean hard on third-party validation before they buy, a national award win gives NaturVet a credibility signal that’s hard to manufacture any other way.
Coverage like this doesn’t happen by accident, and it doesn’t wait for a trade show calendar. If your brand has a story or a product worth putting in front of the right editor or award panel, let’s talk about where your next win could come from.