2015 Design of the Year

NEWSPAPER PAGE ONE


NEWSPAPER PAGE/SPREAD


NEWSMAGAZINE/SPECIAL SECTION COVER


YEARBOOK/MAGAZINE PAGE/SPREAD


INFOGRAPHIC


ILLUSTRATION

Judge’s Comments

 

Newspaper Page One
Winning entry looks like a professional front page. It has a high item count but is well organized and on a grid. Wonderful balance of typography, color and an obvious style guide. A good Top 10 in this category, but overall a lot of publications not doing a great job with the previously mentioned points. Study these winners, especially the Top 3.

Newspaper Page/Spread
Somewhat underwhelmed by this category, which had a lot of over and/or poorly designed pages. But the top two stood out for vastly different reasons. The overall winner had special section properties that included a good and well-played cover illustration and nicely designed elements that helped tell a great feature story. The second-place finisher displayed poise under pressure with good graphics on a tight deadline.

Newsmagazine/Special Section Cover
Impressive field that could have run 15 deep. Top 5 all share similar characteristics: Minimalistic approach without being over simplified (it’s a fine line), elegant and sophisticated visuals, typography and color palette, and smartly executed concepts.

Yearbook/Magazine Page/Spread
Top two finishers are polar opposites yet both executed at a very high level. The winning entry used a beautiful photo illustration and smart typography to set the tone for a hard-hitting news story. The runner-up had some fun with Halloween candy for a by-the-number buffet. Study these two closely. Superb work.

Infographic
Winning entry had a balance of smart graphics and good design, with just the right amount of information. It was well organized, clever and clear. Two key takeaways for this category: 1) Graphics should be relentlessly edited and boiled down to key concepts. Readers shouldn’t have to work too hard to figure out what’s going on. And 2) Graphics should be designed. It’s not enough to have good data and/or visuals. You have to apply great typography, color and organization to bring it all together.

Illustration
Strong and impressive field with solid range of styles and solutions. Winning entry had a mix of fantastic elements to rise to the top spot: Great idea and execution, sophisticated whimsy, elegant presentation and eye-pleasing color palette. A superb Top 10.