47: December 2011 Archives

SPD 47: Andy Cowles's Favorite Magazine

Andy Cowles, Editorial Development Director, IPC Media, London
Favorite Magazine: Guitarist Deluxe

I love it when you see a new magazine cover or app that is so breathtakingly brilliant all you want to do it stick under the nose of the nearest person and say, 'Whoah! have you seen THIS?'

You'll do just that when you look at Guitarist Deluxe. The regular Guitarist magazine is a steady seller in print and as a PDF in Apple's newsstand. But the Guitarist Deluxe app, currently available there as a free preview issue, moves the goalposts so far they're on a different pitch. The blend of video, typography and captioning on the cover alone is well worth paying for.

OK, so guitar playing is well suited to soundtracks and videos, but the thing I'm inspired by is that Guitarist Deluxe is not a fashion brand as such. It has no pretensions, doesn't seek to prove how clever it is, just to tell it's story in the very best way possible for it's reader.

Good specialist titles have always had to serve both the in-depth requirements of their core reader, as well as making the subject matter accessible enough for a floating voter. I don't even play guitar right now, but when I do, I'll know exactly which brand to turn to.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Dirk Barnett's Favorite Magazine

Dirk Barnett, Creative Director, Newsweek
Favorite Magazine: ELLE Collections (UK)

I'm obsessed with British ELLE's ELLE Collections, it has such an eclectic mix of the vibrancy of a fashion mag with the tight design precision of a science manual. I can look at this mag over and over and still discover new beautiful design details. They push the basics of magazine design and stretch them to the limit with brilliant use of grid, runway photography, street photography, illustration, even different paper stock and dimension within the issue. But it's the "Catwalk Colour" spreads that always get me: the seasons color trends using intricate wallpaper grids of catwalk photos that bleed off the page...it's mesmerizing and addictive.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Andrew Diprose's Favorite Magazine

Andrew Diprose, Art Director,  WIRED UK
Favorite Magazine: Albion

A clever, independent magazine showcasing a well considered mix of photography paired with neat, restrained typography and 5,000-word features...??

...And it's about BMX!

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Patrick Mitchell's Favorite Magazine

Patrick Mitchell, Pluto Media
Favorite Magazine: Interview

I rarely see this magazine in the SPD competitions-and have never been sure if it's been for financial or moral reasons. Whatever the reason, it's sad to not see Interview in the pages of the SPD annuals among the other recognized work. Since the return of Fabien Baron it's been consistently extraordinary. I admire the magazine because it doesn't try too hard. There's no FOB look, nor BOB look, no feature-well look. There's just an Interview look-from cover to cover. They know who they are and ok with it. I think Andy would be proud.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Robert Newman's Favorite Magazine

Robert Newman, Creative Director, Reader's Digest
Favorite Magazine: Letter to Jane

I love everything about Letter to Jane: its simplicity and cleanliness, its aesthetic, the spareness of the photographs and design. What might seem cold and detached in print works perfectly as an app. It's brilliantly efficient and elegant, and the interface is smart and original. The fact that it's all done by one person, Tim Moore, makes it even more inspiring.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: David Curcurito's Favorite Magazine

David Curcurito, Creative Director, Esquire
Favorite Magazine: Russian Esquire

What kind of super douche am I for selecting something with Esquire's logo? Oh contraire mon frere, this happens to be Russian Esquire (not French) the most independent of our foreign editions. Now I don't speak Russian, I couldn't tell you what one article is about. For me the magazine is about art, design, absurdist visual humor, mind-bending photo portfolios. The type is clean and elegant and at times violent and bold. I look forward to getting this every month because it inspires me to be even more irresponsible as an art director. I suppose it's because I can't read it or understand the confines of Art Director Maxim Nikanorov's content and overall structure. For me its a beautiful art book that I marvel over while I daydream of working on a magazine that has zero boundaries or confines at all. Oh yeah, its also printed on some Russian enchanted forest paper that's like 1 million pound stock so it feels pretty special too.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Courtney Murphy's Favorite Magazine

Courtney Murphy, Creative Director, Good Housekeeping
Favorite Magazine: Donna Hay Magazine

The Australian bi-monthly, Donna Hay Magazine, is for everyone who loves to cook and anyone who wants to try. Its pages are like its content -- FAST. FRESH. SIMPLE.  BEAUTIFUL. Even after ten years, its seamless marriage of yummy photography and clean typography continues to inspire me both as a CD and as a foodie. It's the only magazine I refuse to share.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Luise Stauss's Favorite Magazine

Luise Stauss, Photo Editor, The New York Times Magazine
Favorite Magazine: Zeit Magazin

I trade The New York Times Magazine with the German Sunday supplement Die Zeit every week. Designed by Bureau Mirko Borsche, this magazine is a pleasure to read. It starts with a double cover; an opportunity for subtle story telling, question and answer, reveals and puns before you even get to the TOC. This magazine is elegantly designed, it showcases young and emerging European photographers as well as heavy hitters like Paolo Pellegrin, who has the center spread every week. I love the visual language of Zeit, it's quiet but confident and utterly contemporary.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Tuomas Jaaskelainen's Favorite Magazine

Tuomas Jaaskelainen, Design Director, Bonnier Publications Oy, Helsinki, Finland
Favorite Magazine: Trendi

I chose a magazine called Trendi from Helsinki, Finland, a fashion/lifestyle magazine for young women. Trendi is in a tight spot in the Finnish market, competing against local editions of Cosmo and Elle. So far they have been doing great.

What makes Trendi stand out is its unique design. It is very brave and uncompromising for a mainstream publication. The attention to detail is remarkable. The small design team is having a lot of fun with their pages. Trendi is a great reminder of the importance of creating a distinct visual language in order to make a magazine successful.

Trendi is published by Forma Publishing. Recent news says that their parent company is on the block. I hope that Trendi finds a good home. It deserves that.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Grace Lee + Robert Priest's Favorite Magazine

Grace Lee + Robert Pries, Priest + Grace
Favorite Magazine: Monocle

I believe Monocle is exactly what a magazine should be. They always have articles of things that I think I ought to know but didn't. It's like being in the presence of a really cool and intelligent friend and hoping some of that vibe would rub off on you.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Kristina DiMatteo's Favorite Magazine

Kristina DiMatteo, Art Director
Favorite Magazine: Apartamento

I've recently been loving Apartamento. The artful range of well curated content is housed between special inserts, papers and unique commissions. Makes for an intimate experience and is perfect for a book that reveals personal space. It also doesn't hurt that I'm a sucker for interiors.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: DJ Stout's Favorite Magazine

DJ Stout, Partner, Pentagram
Favorite Magazine: Bloomberg Businessweek

The best issue of a magazine I've seen this year, or maybe in the last five years, was the Bloomberg Businessweek special edition on Steve Jobs. I was asked to speak at a national magazine conference, the UCDA Conference, in Phoenix about university and alumni magazines shortly after Steve Jobs passed away. I ended up showing every single page of this issue during my presentation. I used it as an example of how print publications can still be vital and significant to the global conversation. This remarkable issue, created in a record-breaking 17 hours, uses painstakingly researched news and archival photography, intelligent info-graphics and time-lines, witty and pertinent writing and even a glossary to tell a rich and meaningful story about a man who changed the world.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here. … MORE

SPD 47: Scott Dadich's Favorite Magazine

Scott Dadich, Vice President, Digital Magazine Development, Conde Nast
Favorite Magazine: The Gentlewoman

As much as I adore Fantastic Man, The Gentlewoman hits me in a way few magazines do. It's as much about the anachronistically brilliant use of Futura--my favorite typeface of all time--as it is the falsely modest layout and grid. It's "The Wrong Theory" writ large, fearless and aggressive. This magazine is superlatively brave in an era where so many titles settle mindlessly into conformist notions of modern publishing design.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Jan Zimmeck's Favorite Magazine

Jan Zimmeck, Art Director, National Journal
Favorite Magazine: TIME Magazine

There are lots of magazine treasures, but I'd have to say I like TIME. They put my favorite picture of Steve Jobs on the cover. So great to see that come in the mail! They always nail it. It's been a very helpful resource over the years. The design, photos and art are strong. I like the cohesiveness and consistency in its presentation.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Majid Abbasi's Favorite Magazine

Majid Abbasi, Studio Abbasi Inc.
Favorite Magazine: Neshan

1. Neshan is the only magazine in Iran and the Middle East solely dedicated to Graphic Design. The magazine covers specialized, educational and research oriented content and aims at connecting designers in Iran, Asia and across the globe.
2. In seven years of its publication the magazine has gone through many improvements, finding its optimal present format as designed by Studio Saed Meshki in Tehran.
3. Neshan features an exclusive typeface designed by Damoon Khanjanzadeh for this publication. Bold combination of type and image allows Neshan to stand out among other art and culture publications in Iran.
4. Neshan features original texts by leading Iranian and international writers and contributes to the ongoing conversations in our industry.

I believe strong design paired with unique content makes the magazine a viable candidate.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Matt Willey's Favorite Magazine

Matt Willey, Studio8
Favorite Magazine: Eureka

Eureka is a monthly science magazine that comes with The Times newspaper (it is, in fact, the only reason I ever buy The Times). It's not my 'favourite magazine' (I don't know what that would be - probably something unlikely to win a design award) but it's brilliantly put together and it's brilliantly designed.

The Design is thoughtful and playful (and sometimes very beautiful) in the way it responds to its content. Intelligent and responsive in a way that somehow feels rare in mainstream newspaper publishing (in this country at least) these days. It makes the most of a fascinating subject matter and presents its ideas and information with what feels like an exciting and unrestricted confidence. I admire its ability to do fantastically dynamic graphically-led pages and be equally assured when doing something refined and simple. It manages that pitch-perfect balance exceptionally well. Everything seems so well considered - from the tiny details and page furniture through to the fantastic illustration and infographics (much of it done by the brilliant Nathalie Lees) and the use of photography. It's a stand-out example of how exciting and enjoyable a publication like this can be when in the right hands.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

SPD 47: Get Yourself on the Timeline of Magazine Greatness

Now in this 47th year of SPD, our annual awards competition pushes you to comb through your work from 2011 and submit your best for review by one of the greatest pools of editorial judges around, in the hopes that you'll be named among the greatest in the history of magazines.

Print Co-chairs Luke Hayman, Jeremy Leslie and Richard Turley want to see your work added to the great timeline of magazine history; send us your best everything from 2011, from the glossiest of the glossies to the ground-breaking alt-weeklies, from limited-run 'zines and local broadsheets, corporate missives and specialty niche publications for the Print division. Digital Chairs Scher Foord and Joe Zeff are looking for the best 2011 pixel-based contenders including websites and apps, online videos and interactive graphics and blog reporting.

More about the new categories and BIG chances to save money, as well as entry forms & instructions, after the jump...
… MORE