ICMA Books – Aims
The ICMA for Books is about honouring books from all over the world. We focus on internationality. If you look at the results, you can see the creative diversity of the award winners from all over the world. This idea sets us apart from national competitions and allows us to go our own unique way.

The categories

The ICMA-Award has four sections: 1. custom media, 2. books, 3. graphic design, 4. magazines.
Here is the 2nd section, books.

Works created between 1 January 2022 and 20 October 2023 are eligible. The ICMA Books has these categories:

Main categories

2.0. Books on sustainability
2.01. Scientific books
2.02. Educational textbooks, schoolbooks
2.03. Children’s books and books for young people
2.03.1. Guidebooks, non-fiction-books for children and young people
2.04. Graphic novels
2.05. Guidebooks, non-fiction books,
2.05.1. Cookbooks
2.06. Art books · books about or by artists
2.06.1. Art books · art, architecture, design
2.07. Photo books
2.07.1. Photo books · photo reports
2.07.2. Photo books · travel
2.08. Book series
2.09. Corporate books
2.10. Innovative book ideas
2.11. General literature
2.12. Non-books
2.13. Calendar

Sub categories

2.14. Book covers
2.15. Book typography, layout
2.16. Book illustration
2.17. Book design (cover, endpapers, paper for the book block)
2.18. Print finishing

Schedule:

Competition period:
Work created between 1 January 2023 and 31 October 2024 can be submitted. If a book is presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair, we would still like to consider it in the current competition. So please send it!

Start submission period:
1 September

Closing date:
11 October

Submission deadline:
Until 31 October

30 November:
The list of winners will be placed on the website around 30 November: www.icma-award.com

By 15 December:
All participants will receive an individual email notification of their result.
Participants will be able to publish their results from this date.

31 January:
The winning entries will be published on the website.
The certificates will be sent by email.
Award trophies can be ordered for a separate fee and will be produced individually.

What should be submitted?

Submission period: Books must have been published between 1 January 2023 and the closing date, 31 October 2024. Book series: 1 January 2018 to 31 October 2024. If a book is presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair, we would still like to consider it in the current competition. So please send it!

Main categories

2.0. Books on sustainability
2.01. Scientific books
2.02. Educational textbooks, schoolbooks
2.03. Children’s books and books for young people
2.04. Graphic novels
2.05. Guidebooks, non-fiction books,
2.05.1. Cookbooks
2.06. Art books · books about or by artists
2.06.1. Art books · art, architecture, design
2.07. Photo books
2.07.1. Photo books · photo reports
2.07.2. Photo books · travel
2.08. Book series
2.09. Corporate books
2.10. Innovative book ideas
2.11. General literature

Submissions from Europe: You should send a printed copy of the book. In addition, one should submit pdfs of the title page and representative double pages from the interior via the Upload-Center.

International submissions: To facilitate international participation, we do not require printed books to be sent. It is sufficient to send pdfs of the title page and essential pages of the book. Please attach the pdfs as double pages. You can send the pdf files via the Upload-Center. The pdf files will only be used if the book is awarded a prize.

Book series: It is sufficient if you send three different copies of a book series, published between 1 January 2018 and 20 October 2023.

2.12. Non-Books

Non-books: In this category, it is sufficient to submit the entry form and photos.
Definition of non-books: Non-books are items that can be sold in bookshops in the vicinity of books.

2.13. Calendar

Calendar: Only pdfs of the calendar are needed. It is also possible to send photos where print finishes can be easily seen. If needed, we will request a printed calendar. The jury will eventually subdivide this category into photography, illustration, print finishing, innovative calendar idea, etc. You can make a category suggestion when submitting.

Sub categories

2.14. Book covers
2.15. Book typography, layout
2.16. Book illustration
2.17. Book design (cover, endpapers, paper for the book block)
2.18. Print finishing

Submissions in sub-categories

Submissions from Europe: You should send a printed copy of the book. Please also upload the pages that are to be judged as a pdf in the Upload Centre. For print finishes, it is useful to take and send photos.

International submissions: It is sufficient to send pdfs of the title page and essential pages of the book. Please attach the pdfs as double pages. You can submit the pdfs via the Upload Centre. The pdf files will only be used if the book is awarded a prize.

Send the book to this address: 
ICMA-Award
Gutenbergstr. 4
40670 Meerbusch
Germany

Participation form

The entry form for each participating work must be enclosed and completed in any case. It can be filled in on screen.

Registration and file upload in the Upload Centre

Registration: Enter your company details and the details of a contact person for the competition.

Each book needs a completed registration form.

The cover of each book submitted is required. It is also best to upload all the pages of the book, if possible laid out as double pages. You can put a watermark on each page. If not all pages can be uploaded, then please upload representative double pages, for example of chapter starts and inside pages of a chapter.

This is how you make double pages: In the production of the pdf, this means “mounting area” or “printed sheets”. It is sufficient if the pdfs are suitable for an image at a height of approx. 10 cm. The pdfs are only used if the publication is awarded.

Upload Centre: Uploading up to 700 MB in one step is possible. Please put the submissions all together in one folder and zip them. Then upload the zipped files. For files over 700 MB, simply send another zipped file.

Updates are possible: You can no longer access files that you have uploaded. If you want to submit something later, simply upload it in the Upload Centre. If you want to completely revise the submission, simply upload everything again and note that the old files should be deleted.

Participation fees:

Custom Media: 220 euros per publication. (Custom Media B2B, B2C and Employee Media: The fee includes two different editions).

Books: 100 euros per book.

Graphic Design: 100 euros per logo, 220 euros per identity.

Magazines: 220 euros per magazine. (Two different issues are included in the fee).

Late Submissions: A fee increased by 20 per cent will be charged for submissions between 12 and 31 October.

Payment:

Transfer the amount then within 14 days. The bank details and a Paypal account will be stated in the invoice.

Last update: 26 July 2024

Request an invoice

There are two ways to request an invoice:
In the Upload Centre, enter the number of submissions and the categories, or
Request an invoice by e-mail. Please also indicate the number of submissions and the categories. E-mail: mail@icma-award.com

In order to be able to write an invoice, we also need your exact company address.

After you have requested an invoice, you will normally receive an invoice by email within 24 hours.

Certificates and trophies

 

Certificate as Pdf. A certificate will be issued for each award-winning work. The work is shown on the certificate. The name of the client and the agency or designer will also be mentioned. The certificate will be sent as a pdf and can be printed out by the award winner and used in social media and on the web. This service is included in the entry fee.

Printouts of the certificates. It is also possible to print out the certificate and send it in a folder by post. The shipping costs vary depending on the country. Interested parties will receive a cost estimate in advance.

Award trophy. It is made of plexiglass and has a portrait format of 20 x 15 x 2.5 cm. It has a weight of approx. 900 grams. The text is made individually and is agreed with each customer in advance.

Award trophy. The award trophies are very popular with the winners. Some have one made for the agency and one for the client. It also happens that every staff member on a project gets a trophy as a souvenir. The award trophies are designed identically for all categories, i.e. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Awards of Excellence. The texts are always individual and are agreed with the award winners. Before the trophy goes into production, it is approved by the customer.

Certificates on brushed aluminium. It is possible to print the certificate on brushed aluminium. The plate is approx. 3 mm thick and has a rail on the back so that you can hang it up easily. Format DIN A 3 landscape (height 29.7 cm, width 42 cm). The certificate shines depending on the incidence of light. It fits into a modern ambience and stands out from other award trophies. In detail you can see that the certificate is burnt into the aluminium. The aluminium is horizontally brushed.

Certificates on aluminium with frame. It is possible to print the certificate on aluminium. The plate is approx. 3 mm thick and has a rail on the back so that you can hang it up easily. The background of the certificate is white. Format including frame: Height 31 cm, width 43,2 cm. The certificate has a shadow gap frame made of aluminium, which is 25 mm high.

Award ceremony

Award ceremony: The awards in the book category are traditionally presented in London. The event takes place at a dinner on the eve of the London Book Fair. The dinner is organised by the Motovun Group of International Publishers. In 2022 it was held at the Oxford and Cambridge Club. In 2023, it was the Royal Society. Photos will be taken of the presentation, which can be used by the award winners on social media, for example.

The dinner in London is a meeting place for managers, writers and book publishers from all over the world: India, Singapore, Hungary, Greece, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany and the UK, to name a few.

Evaluation criteria for the ICMA Award for books

Overall impression

There are books that are completely inconspicuous, that are simply meant to be read. However, top performances can also be achieved: perfect cover design, excellent typography, harmonious choice of paper and binding, pleasant format that is appropriate to the content. When all factors interact ideally, the result is an outstandingly designed book.
Such a book must be carefully conceived, because all elements must be coordinated with each other. But it does not have to be more expensive to produce. The material does not necessarily have to be more expensive.
The ICMA Award for Books is looking for outstanding and coherent book design in all categories.
Coherent book design is when content and form have been merged into an overall result.

Scientific books, textbooks, schoolbooks

– Does the book title reflect the content concretely enough?
– Is the cover designed in such an exciting or interesting way that scientists or pupils want to open the book and leaf through it?
– Is the book handy, does it have an appropriate format?
– Is the choice of paper appropriate?
– Can text and illustrations be perceived well on the chosen paper?
– Is the typography restrained, unobtrusive and with many special formats for subheadings, tables, lists and footnotes?
– Are the column widths and font sizes well matched?

Children’s and youth books

Children’s books are for children from about one to 12 years of age, youth books up to about 16 years. It is a large area full of creative ideas. Books in this category are intended to introduce children and young people to reading and to absorbing information with books. The jury pays attention to this:

– Cover:
Is it designed appropriately for the age of the target group?
Is the content conveyed well visually?

– Book format:
Is the format appropriate for the content?
Is it too big or too small?

– Typography:
Is the typography and font size appropriate for the target group?
Is the basic font appropriate for the age group?
Has the choice of fonts been adapted to the needs of first-time readers?

– Colours:
Are the colours appropriate to the theme of the book and the age group of the readers?

– Illustrations:
Are they well chosen for the intended age group?
Is there a consistent style of illustration throughout the book?
Is the style of the illustrations appropriate to the theme?

– Decoration:
Is the cover chosen appropriately for the age of the readers? Do the paper, endpapers and cover match?

Guidebooks, non-fiction

Guidebooks and non-fiction books often have lists and fact boxes. They may also have numerous illustrations that must be arranged in a certain order. They are a challenging field in terms of typography and layout. These are the questions the jury asks:

– Cover:
Is it chosen to match the content?

– Book format:
Does the content dictate the size of the book?
Is the book format appropriate to the content?

– Typography:
Is it detailed enough for listings, fact boxes, picture text and footnotes?
Are the highlights in the text appropriate or excessive?

– Layout:
Is the layout well matched to the content?
Are all elements arranged in the basic grid?

– Colours:
Is colour used as a guidance system or just decorative?

– Equipment:
Do the materials used match the theme of the work?
Are paper, endpapers and binding coordinated?

Art books

Art books can be divided into two subcategories:
1. works by artists,
2. books about art.
Art books are intended to present the works of artists. It is usually a combination of illustrations and texts. This is what the jury looks for:

– Cover:
Is it chosen to match the content?

– Book format:
Does the content dictate the size of the book?
Are the artworks reproduced in an appropriate size?

– Typography:
Does the typography fit the art style, the era?

– Layout:
Are texts and images clearly assigned?
Is the layout well matched to the content?

– Equipment:
Do the materials used match the artworks depicted?
Are the paper, endpapers and binding coordinated?

Photo books

The same rules apply here as for art books, because photographs are also classified as art.
are also classified as art.

Book series

Book series can be continued for many years. Usually the format, paper and typography are fixed once and then used for the entire series. But there are also variables: The book cover can vary, book covers can be a different colour each year. The jury discusses:
– Is the design of the book series so timeless that it will still work in a few years?
– Does the outer form match the content of the book series?

Corporate Books

– Is the corporate identity and spirit of the company visible in the design?
– Is the design appropriate to the company being portrayed?
– Is the design modern, creative, innovative?
– Is a special idea, a special concept visible to present the company in the best possible way?

Innovative book ideas

Innovative book ideas are a wide field. Therefore, only a few rules can be set. What is important is that innovative ideas must also work in terms of craftsmanship and be implemented excellently.
– Is the innovative book idea made visible through the design?
– Has the innovation been implemented correctly in terms of craftsmanship?

General literature

This category includes novels, for example, but also volumes of poetry. In this category, the interplay of cover, binding, endpapers, paper, typography and layout is judged. Book production has reached such a high level worldwide that it is difficult to make books even better.

Non-Books

Non-books are printed matter or objects that are also offered in bookshops alongside books. They also fit in with the buyers of books in the broadest sense.
– Does the non-book have an innovative and high-quality design?
– Does the non-book fit the theme of reading?

Calendar

This category naturally brings to mind the classic wall calendars. But they can also be smaller-format calendars with one page for each week or day. In any case, this category of the ICMA is open to creative calendar ideas.
– Is the format appropriate to the theme?
– Is the calendar convenient for the end user to use?
– Is the calendar complete and understandable?
– Is the format, typography and choice of paper appropriate to the theme of the calendar?

Subcategories

Books submitted in one of the main categories may also be submitted in one of the sub-categories by the participants or by the jury. The criteria already listed apply here. There are these subcategories:
– Book cover
– Book typography, layout
– Book illustration
– Book layout
– print finishing

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.

We show here excellent works from previous ICMA Awards. You can use these as a guide when planning your own submissions. The jury reserves the right to place work in a different category. The aim is to find the best category for each work. If you are unsure, you can simply contact us: info@icma-award.com

The works shown here have been prepared and arranged for the website. You may not submit them as they are here, but as a pdf with all pages.