Leadership magazine has won accolades at the 2011 Tabbie Awards by scoring a silver medal for design and editorial excellence for its December 2010 issue.
The Tabbie awards, run by the Trade Association of Business Publications International, were held in Cleveland in the US late last month. Two other Cape Media publications, Blue Chip and The Project Manager, were also acknowledged with Project Manager receiving a silver for cover design, and Blue Chip judged fifth best magazine.
A delighted Robbie Stammers, editor of Leadership, said it was fantastic that the editorial team and design team had received such a “great pat on the back”.
“There is no better way to measure ourselves than up against the best in our categories from other countries. So walking away with a Silver award against over 400 other magazines from all over the globe certainly puts an extra stride in our step!” Stammers said.
“In a highly competitive magazine market it always helps to let advertisers and readers that we have been recognised for excellence on an international level. That we can compete on the calibre of editorial and design globally is a great feather in our cap,” he added.
“We will include the award in our list of awards near the front of Leadership but other than that will not be shouting it from the rooftops, it is more an internal accolade than one we feel we need to really push out there. each edition must still speak for itself.”
Sadly, increasing ad rates isn’t an option. “Whilst the recognition is wonderful, ad rates should and still will be based on the calibre of our prestigious database, the readership figures and our ABC audits,” said Stammers.
Leadership has performed consistently well at the Tabbies. “In 2009, we came sixth and last year we won Gold – first place in the world -and now we came second with the Silver this time around so I would be lying if I was not a little disappointed.
“However, I will look at it rather as not losing to one magazine but beating 398 others! It’s still a great accomplishment for all of us at Leadership…plus it gets me revved up for the Gold next time around!”
What was in the December 2010 magazine that had judge’s raving? “There was nothing very different in our December magazine to any other during the year really, we felt it is best served our purposes as it is our bumper edition of the year as we combine December and January into one. It just so happened to be one of our favourites,” Stammer explained.
He said Leadership’s aim is to “give insights, intelligence and interviews with those leaders who are defining South Africa and the world around us”.
“It offers leaders a space to express their views, fears and hopes and in doing so inspire others. So our four editorial pillars are insights, intelligence, interviews and inspiration,” he said.
Talking design, and Stammers hands over to art director, Brent Meder.
“The key points behind Leadership’s creative direction are creating a professional look and feel by the creative combinations of typography and pictures (photographs, illustrations), creating a clean, balanced and well composed layout of the pages which also takes into consideration that the unprinted area is an important part of the design,” Meder said.
And he added: “As much consideration and design goes into the effective use of typography as well as the choice of the right photographs or illustrations, which are carefully composed, colour corrected and enhanced to provide the most effective visual impact. The flow and pace of the magazine are also important editorial and design considerations and the magazine aims to provide an entertaining read that, hopefully, leaves the reader wanting more.”
