YNOT – The “O” Awards, AVN’s annual recognition for pleasure products and adult novelties, will accept pre-nominations for 2012 honors through July 31.

The “O” Awards honor outstanding achievement in the pleasure products industry, including design, innovation and marketing. To be considered for an award, products must have debuted between June 1, 2011, and July 15, 2012.

AVN expects to announce a slate of final nominees Aug. 6.

A total of 16 awards will be bestowed in 2012, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is chosen by AVN staffers and reviewers before the event. Five of the categories will be open to voting by registered attendees of the AVN Novelty Expo, during which the “O” Awards winners will be announced.

“We are already excited about the pre-nominations we have seen so far, but we know there are some more amazing products that will be released in the next few weeks that will eligible for consideration,” said Sherri L. Shaulis, senior editor of pleasure products for AVN magazine. “This is shaping up to be a great year for the pleasure products industry, and the ‘O’ Awards will certainly reflect that.”

The following categories are open for 2012 nominations:

• Outstanding Product for Women
• Outstanding Product for Men
• Outstanding Luxury Product
• Outstanding Dietary Supplement
• Outstanding Enhancement Product
• Outstanding Innovation
• Outstanding Lubricant
• Outstanding Body or Skin Care Line
• Outstanding Non-Powered Product
• Outstanding Powered Product
• Outstanding Lingerie Collection
• Outstanding Accessory Product or Line
• Outstanding Marketing Campaign
• Outstanding Packaging
• Outstanding Debut Product

To pre-nominate a product or line of products, email the product’s name and manufacturer, the category for which the pre-nomination is made, and the pre-nominator’s name and email address to OPrenom@AVN.com. Contact information will be used only if the awards staff needs to clarify something about the pre-nomination, Shaulis said.

The Fourth Annual “O” Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Sept. 11, during the AVN Novelty Expo. ANE, which has co-located with the International Lingerie Show, will take place Sept. 10-12 at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

For more information, visit NoveltyExpo.com.