FAQ

The aim of the competition is to exchange creative ideas.

In many countries there are competitions on the topics of corporate media, corporate design, book and magazine design, which are held as separate competitions. The ICMA provides an overview of all these areas of contemporary graphic design. The ICMA is primarily intended to promote the exchange of creative ideas on an international level.

Further aims of the competition:

To reveal trends: The results of the competition give every creative person the opportunity to classify his or her object in an international comparison and to quickly optimize his or her own product.

External impact: Winners report intensively on the awards they have won on their websites and in print media. They underline their claim to quality and at the same time advertise their own business.

Think tank: The publications about the winners in the ICMA yearbook and on www.icma-award.com promote their own creativity.

Difference to other competitions:

The ICMA Award – International Creative Media Award – is a worldwide competition for custom media, books, corporate design and magazines. It is characterized by large and small companies taking part. Participants include major content media agencies such as Territory (a Gruner + Jahr affiliate), Axel Springer Corporate Solutions, muehlhausmoers corporate solutions, but also international participants in the book category such as Thames & Hudson, the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Getty Research Institute Los Angeles, the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Awards in the Magazines category went to Esse magazine in Montreal, to Singpore Press Holding, and also to WirtschaftsWoche. All in all, the ICMA Award is very well established internationally.

In contrast to other competitions, there are no nominations at ICMA. There are the ranks 1, 2 and 3 – gold, silver and bronze. Outstanding individual achievements are honored with Awards of Excellence. It is often photo reports, illustrations or print finishing that are rewarded in this way.

Why participate in design competitions?
Through design competitions you can sharpen your profile and attract attention. This is done by reporting on your own successes in social media, on your website and in publications and by involving your customers by letting them share in your success. We have put together a few statements on the topic of participation in design competitions:

Professor Uebele in the magazine “Page”:
„For some years now we have agreed that there is no cheaper advertising than expensive participation in design competitions. How much more would we have to spend to get attention without this simple method! And what could be better than recognition from colleagues?“

Jürgen Siebert, “Page”, 7 December 2019:
“Design competitions provide something that the design industry itself has not yet succeeded in doing, despite the interest groups: orientation for clients of design services. Which design agency is right for me? This is the question we face in our private lives when it comes to services … from locksmiths to hairdressers. We often follow recommendations from friends. Or there are test reports that help us to make a decision. While all of us who work in the creative industry are familiar with the landscape of the design industry – we know the large and small agencies, the expensive, the cheap, the specialised, the all-rounders and the hidden champions – outsiders lack any orientation on this terrain. So they rely on recommendations and evaluations. The golden medals, nails and pens of the awards work like the mark ‘very good‘ of Stiftung Warentest.“

The complete story is HERE.

Christian Baun, Logodesign.dk:
“Awards help by highlighting the profession and quality of the work. This is probably more relevant now than when I started participating in awards back in 2012. I have, however, noticed an interesting side effect. Back in 2012, I quickly started winning awards and it have helped set me apart and I have gained costumers as a result. Several customers came to me and said: ‘I can not assess which logo designer is the most talented, but I can see that you have just won an award – therefore I choose you‘“.

The complete story is HERE.

“Page” 10, 2020
Katja Garff, co-founder of the agency makers & breakers:
“A competitive basic climate is good, because competitions stimulate business and encourage top performances.“ In addition, she says they are just as essential for the reputation management of agencies as for the career planning of creative people.

“Page” 10, 2020
Mandie van de Merwe, Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi Sydney:
“Awards prove the power of creative ideas and are also a praise for courageous companies that commission exceptional work. In doing so, they promote goodwill towards creative solutions in general.“

“Page” 10, 2020
Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, creative director at Jung von Matt SAGA:
“Many global marketing managers have defined awards as a measure of creative performance as a key performance indicator“.

Competition period:
Entries may be submitted between September 1 and September 30 of the following year. Example: 1 September 2019 to 30 September 2020.

Start of the submission phase:
1 September

Closing date:
1 October

Deadline for late enries:
Until 20 October. An additional fee of 20% will be charged for late submissions.

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

Until 15 December:
All participants will receive an individual email notification of their results.

31 January:
The certificates will be sent by email.

There are awards in gold, silver and bronze. There are also Awards of Excellence, which are presented for outstanding individual achievements. There are no cash prizes.

The certificate
The certificate in DIN A 3 format shows the publication that won, the category and below are the names of each jury member.

There are two different award trophies: Certificates and Plexiglas trophies
The certificates have a format of DIN A 3 and will be sent as pdf and are included in the participation fee. This gives the award winners the opportunity to organise the framing themselves.

Order copies of the certificates
It is also possible to have the certificates printed by us. We send them well packaged and in a simple presentation folder. The prints cost 1.50 euros per piece. The transport costs vary greatly depending on the region. We will give interested customers a cost calculation in advance.

Certificate on aluminium with frame
The certificate is printed on aluminium and has a shadow gap frame. Format 31 x 43.2 cm. It is produced individually and costs 120 Euro.

Certificate on brush-finished aluminium
The certificate is printed on brush-finished aluminium. Format DIN A 3 landscape – height 29.7, width 42 cm. It is produced individually and costs about 120 Euro. The certificate shines depending on the intensity of light. It fits into a modern ambience and stands out strongly from other award trophies.

Plexiglas trophy
The plexiglass trophy has a size of 20 x 15 x 2.5 cm. It is produced individually and costs 120 Euro. This trophy is very popular with the award winners.

The award ceremony in London
In recent years, the award ceremony with dinner has been celebrated in London. The date is usually in February or March. The winners are informed about everything in time.

Due to the Corona crisis, award ceremonies are currently not planned. Award winners will be informed when an event is planned.

The ICMA for Custom Media has the following categories:

Main categories

Special Category: Corona crisis

Print:
1.1 Customer magazines B2B Print
1.2 Customer magazines B2C Print
1.3 Employee Media Print
1.4. Annual Reports Print
1.5. Image Brochures Print
1.6. Print Catalogues
1.7. Corporate Books

Online:

1.8. Customer Magazines B2B Online
1.9. Customer Magazines B2C Online
1.10. Employee Media Online
1.11. Annual Reports Online
1.12. Image-Websites

Other:

1.13. Social Media Projects
1.14. Corporate Film/Video
1.15. Animated Films
1.16. Corporate Podcasts

subcategories

1.12. Concept
1.13. Front Pages
1.14. Cover- and Coverstory
1.15. Typography – Layout
1.16. Photography
1.17. Photo reportage
1.18. Visualization
1.19. Visual Storytelling
1.20. Alternative Storytelling
1.21. Infographics
1.22. Illustration
1.23. Print finishing

This is required for submission:
Print categories: Pdfs of all pages, printed copies will be requested if the jury feels this is necessary.

Online Categories: A screenshot of the homepage, a link to the homepage and a project description.

The ICMA for Books has the following categories:

Main categories
2.1. Scientific books
2.2. Educational textbooks, schoolbooks
2.3. Children’s and young people books
2.4. Guides and non-fiction, cookbooks
2.5. Art books
2.6. Photo books
2.7. Book series*
2.8. Corporate Books
2.9. Innovative book ideas
2.10. General literature
2.11. Non-Books
2.12. Calendar

Subcategories
2.13. Book cover
2.14. Book typography, layout
2.15. Photography
2.16. Book illustration
2.17. Book design (Binding, endpapers, choice of paper book block)
2.18. Print finishing

To participate in one of the main categories, you must submit one book. If you would like to participate in subcategories, please specify the category.
*) For book series, three books from the series must be submitted.

The ICMA for logos and graphic design has these categories:

3.1. Logos New
3.2. Logo Redesign
3.3. Animated Logos
3.4. Sound Logos
3.5. Identities
3.6. Packaging
3.7. Poster

For the logo categories, only the logos and one or two applications are submitted for evaluation. The Corporate Design category deals with the entire concept of a corporate design. Up to 20 applications can be submitted, e.g. business cards, letterheads, websites, flyers, brochures, etc.

In this category only online submissions will be made, not printed examples. Submissions will be sent via the upload center.

The ICMA for Magazines has the following categories:

Special category: Corona crisis

Main categories:
4.1 Magazines Print
4.2 Trade journals Print
4.3 Magazines Online
4.4 Trade journals Online
4.5 Social media projects

Subcategories:
4.6 Concept
4.7. front pages
4.8. cover- and coverstory
4.9. Typography – Layout
4.10. Photography
4.11. Photo reportage
4.12. Visual Storytelling
4.13. Visualization
4.14. Alternative Storytelling
4.15. Infographics
4.16. Illustration
4.17. Print finishing

In category 4.1 Magazines Print there are these subcategories:
4.1.1 Art, architecture, design, music
4.1.2 Car and traffic
4.1.3 Film and TV
4.1.4. Travel and photography
4.1.5 Computer and technology
4.1.6 Parents and education
4.1.7 Women and fashion
4.1.8 Children and youth
4.1.9. food and drink
4.1.10. Garden and hobby
4.1.11. Men and sport
4.1.12. Lifestyle and fun
4.1.13. Region, city and nature
4.1.14. Advisor
4.1.15. Non-profit, associations, institutions
4.1.16. Politics and science
4.1.17. Economy and finance

It is possible that there may not be enough submissions in all categories. Then the jury will do another splitting.

What should be submitted?

Print categories:
In order to participate, you must send in pdf files of this magazine. If possible, the pdf files should be laid out as double pages – assembly area. Entries from outside Europe: Send only one pdf of an issue of the complete magazine via the upload center. Printed copies will be requested if the jury feels this is necessary.

Online categories:
Take a screenshot of the homepage, give the link to the project and, if necessary, describe the details of this online journal.

Normally, the jury meets for a two-day meeting to evaluate each work. The criteria listed here are applied. Only during the Corona Crisis there are virtual meetings where each work is scored. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Evaluation criteria for the ICMA Award

There are different evaluation criteria in the four areas of the ICMA Award. Custom media, books, logos, magazines must of course be evaluated with different criteria. In general, the jury members contribute their entire expertise on the respective topic.

It is best to look at the award-winning works from previous years. Then you can immediately decide whether your publication has a chance of winning the ICMA Award.

Normally, there is a meeting of all jury members where all entries are reviewed. During the Corona crisis, a switch was made to virtual meetings in which the jury members rated the entries with points. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

1. Evaluation Criteria Custom Media Print

Overall impression
– Does the publication fit the intended target group in terms of content and design?
– Are the topics chosen in such a way that they can achieve the communication goal?
– Is the publication more innovative, more creative than comparable publications?
– Are familiar design methods developed further or is more emphasis placed on continuity?

Front page
– Does the name of the publication and the design of the magazine logo fit the publisher and the target group?
– Is there a clear cover image with a corresponding headline?
– Is the cover motif continued inside in a cover story?
– If further topics are touched upon: Are the headlines well formulated?

Rhythm in the magazine
-Does the same page layout run through the entire object or is there a rhythm of short and long stories, of large and small pictures?Content
– Are the headlines worded in such a way that the necessary information about the subject of the article can be correctly extracted?
– Are headlines and pictures within an article arranged in such a way that the statements complement each other and do not contradict each other?
– Are other text forms used in addition to news texts, e.g. interview, reportage, opinion?

Photography
– Are the photos technically professional or amateurish?
– Do the people and scenes depicted appear authentic?
– Do the photos reflect the working world of the respective company or do the photos appear artificial and not very authentic?
– Are stock photos predominantly used or are specially produced photos mostly used?
– In the case of staff media: Do mainly management staff appear in the photos or are normal employees also portrayed?

Dealing with photos
– Apart from news pictures, are there also photo reports, photographic series, sequences?
– Are there hard cuts in the pictures?
– Are there extreme portrait and landscape formats that give the project dynamics and tension?
– Is tension created by the contrast between large and small images? Image texts
– Are there professionally produced image texts or are image texts often missing?
– Are picture texts collected or does each picture have its own picture text?
– Are the picture texts correctly assigned to each picture?

Navigation through the publication
– Are readers guided through the magazine/newspaper?
– Is there a table of contents with meaningful headings and possibly images?
– Is the magazine divided into different sections?
– Are sections highlighted by larger page titles, larger pictures?
– Are there page numbers?
– Are there pages with short articles and pages with long articles?
– Are there picture sections that break up the uniformity of the page sequence?
– Is there still a conclusion at the end of the product or does the magazine become weaker and weaker, more boring towards the end?

Navigation through articles

Multi-page articles
– Is there a lead image?
– Is the article easily recognisable as a cover story?
– Do the headline and lead picture complement each other to form an information unit or do the photo and headline contradict each other?
– Is the headline apparatus logically structured or can only fragments of information be gleaned from the headline, subheadline and lead?
– Does the page layout and the photos make it clear that the story continues over several pages?
– Is the text of the article uninterrupted or does it seem to break off somewhere?
– Is it unclear where the basic text continues?
– Is the text interrupted by illustrations or additions?

Smaller articles
– If there are several small articles on one page: Is the image allocation clear?
– Are there meaningful headings or are they often meaningless?
– Are there innovative design elements, i.e. elements that have not been seen before?

Typography

Typography Headlines
– Is the overall typography chosen in such a way that it creates an unmistakable, recognisable appearance?
– Does the chosen headline type fit the theme of the publication? The topic of fashion requires a different headline type than the topics of travel, sports or motor vehicles.
– Is the choice of headline type comprehensible to professional viewers?

Typography Bodycopy
– Is the basic typeface – bodycopy – easy to read?
– Has the bodycopy the right size, i.e. not too large and not too small?
– Is the column width professionally correct?
– Are the word spaces correct or too large or too small?
– Are the word separations of the bodycopy set correctly?
– Are initial letters too small, too large or used in a particularly innovative way?
– Is there bodycopy on a coloured background that impairs readability?

Structure in the text
– Are there subheadings to provide structure?
– Are they short and meaningless or do they contain information?
– Are subheadings single-line or multi-line?
– Are there quotations in the text?
– Are there supplementary boxes with facts?
– Are the supplementary boxes placed in such a way that they do not interrupt the flow of reading?

Media-convergent design
If there are submissions in print and online from the same company:
– Is the typography identical in both print and online or are completely different fonts used?
– Are photos used in print and online with the same look and feel or are these playout channels very different?
– Is the overall appearance of a publication identical in print and online, i.e. media-convergent?
– If films or videos are used: Is the typography in the opening and closing credits consistent with the typography in other areas?

2. Evaluation Criteria Custom Media Online

Overall impression
In order to assess the overall impression, basic questions must be answered:
– Does the website appear inviting and clear at first glance?
– Is the navigation clear and intuitively understandable?
– Is the company or institution adequately represented on the web?
– Does the online presence match the company’s other publications or is the website designed completely differently?
– Is the website functional on screen and on the smartphone?home page
– Is the theme of the website immediately clear?
– Are several topics presented in a clear hierarchy?
– Is the navigation clearly visible?
– Are icons for navigation understandable?
– Can the font size of the basic font be freely changed?

Content
– Are headings worded in such a way that one can correctly extract the necessary information about the topic of the respective article?
– Are headlines and pictures within an article arranged in such a way that the statements complement each other and do not contradict each other?
– Are other text forms used in addition to news texts, e.g. interview, reportage, opinion?

Photography
– Do the people and scenes appear authentic?
– Do the photos reflect the working environment of the respective company or do the photos appear artificial and not very authentic?
– Are stock photos predominantly used or are specially produced photos mostly used?
– In the case of employee media: Do mainly management staff appear or are normal employees also portrayed?

Films, videos
– Are film sequences used professionally?
– Is the spirit of the company conveyed correctly in films?

Image texts
– Are there professionally produced image texts or are image texts often missing?
– Are the image texts correctly assigned to each image?
– Do pictures interrupt the flow of reading?

Navigation through the publication
– Are sections or fixed categories shown in a navigation bar?
– Do the sections appear systematic and complete?
– Can the user easily find articles and return to the home page?
– Does one have the impression of having a complete overview of the publication or does one think: I didn’t find all the topics?

Navigation through articles

Cover stories and larger articles
– Is there a start image?
– Is an article recognisable as a cover story?
– Do the headline and lead picture complement each other to form an information unit or do the photo and headline contradict each other?
– Is the headline apparatus logically structured or can only fragments of information be gleaned from the headline, subheadline and lead?
– Is it clear at the beginning of a story how long it is? For example, is there information about the reading time at the beginning of the article?

Smaller articles
– Does the website alternate between long and short articles?
– Are there meaningful headlines or are they often meaningless?
– Are there innovative design elements in short articles as well, perhaps colours or icons that have not been seen before?

Typography

Typography in general
– Are fonts squeezed together or pulled apart?
– Do letters bump into each other or are the letter spacing set correctly?
– Does the website as a whole have enough white space? Typography Headings
-Is the overall typography chosen to create a distinctive, recognisable look?
– Does the chosen headline type fit the theme of the publication?
– Is the choice of headline type comprehensible to professional viewers?

Typography Body Copy
– Is the body copy easy to read?
– Can the user adjust the font size?
– Is the line spacing well chosen?
– Are the spaces between words correct or too large or too small?
– Is justification used?
– If justified, are the spaces between words too large or too small?
– Are there correct word separations in justified type?
– Are initial letters too small, too large or used in a particularly innovative way?
– Is there base text on a coloured background that impairs readability?

3. Evaluation Criteria Annual Reports Print and Online

In addition to the criteria already listed for custom media, there are also these for annual reports:

Overall impression
– Does the Annual Report fit the overall image of the company?
– Are fonts and colours used in the Annual Report that are representative of the company’s image?
– Is the design effort adequate for the size of the company? Image section print
– Does the choice of topics support or improve the company’s image?
– Do employees have their say?
– Does the overall layout – typography, images, page layout – convey a positive and adequate image of the company?
-Is there a particularly innovative image section?

Image section online
– Are there animated infographics?
– Are there moving images?

Report section print and online
– Is the text well structured?
– Is the column width too wide or too narrow?
– Is the basic font too large or too small?
– Are the tables designed in a legible way?
– Are infographics professionally laid out correctly?
– Are there any technical errors in infographics?
– Can the Annual Report also be used on a smartphone?

4. Evaluation Criteria for Image Websites and Image Brochures

Image websites and image brochures should, of course, present the company in a particularly positive light. The jury will particularly assess the following:
– Is the special feature of a company adequately conveyed?
– Has special creativity been put into the choice of topics?
– Does the design show special creativity or innovation?

5. Evaluation Criteria for Print Catalogues and Magalogues

– A catalogue is a listing of products that can be ordered. In addition to pictures, there are also texts and detailed information about the product.
– A magalogue is a catalogue that is enriched with editorial content. It is a mixture of magazine and catalogue.
– In this category, as in all other custom media categories, you can rate the overall impression, typography, layout, photography, concept and innovation.

6. Evaluation Criteria Social Media

In this category, social media projects are submitted that can be made for different purposes: More likes and shares in the respective social media channel, higher awareness of a company or event, better communication with consumers, image improvement, etc.
The jury discusses, among other things:
– Is the idea innovative?
– Is the illustration appropriate to the topic?
– Are the headlines well formulated?
– Is there a good combination of picture and headline?
– How is the communication with the social media users?
– Is the social media channel actively managed by the editorial team?

7. Evaluation Criteria Subcategories

Concept – Innovation
– Is the concept innovative?
– Is the concept implemented as planned?

Front pages
– Is the front page designed in a way that makes you want to hang it on the wall as a poster?
– Is there a lead picture with a headline?
– Is the combination of headline and picture correct?
– Are references to further topics clearly structured and easy to read?

Cover and cover story
– Is the impression of the front page taken up in the cover story inside?
– Is the cover story clearly identified by its design and length?
– Does the cover story have outstanding photos?
– Is the layout consistent and recognisable over several pages?

Typography – Layout
– Are the fonts used appropriate for the industry and company?
– Do the fonts used provide recognition of the company?
– Are the headline sizes well matched?
– Is the basic font the right size and overall easy to read?
– Is the number of fonts used justified or is type used functionally rather than as decoration?
– Is the column width correct or too narrow or too wide?
– Is the page layout used consistently on all pages?
– Is a grid system used or does the layout appear disorganised?
– Is the ratio of printed area to white space good?
– Can a rhythm be discerned from large and small images?
– Are focal points visible in the page flow or is the layout uniform?

Photography
– Is the subject perfectly photographed?
– Are the pictures technically perfect?
– Is the cropping correct or are there unnecessary empty spaces at the edges of the picture?
– Are the image sizes chosen correctly or are there images that are too large or too small?

Photo reportage
– Is the topic of the article presented mainly by pictures and less by text?
– Are the pictures in a logical order?
– Are the pictures telling a story or just giving a visual impression?

Visualisation
– Is the topic of the article represented by an illustration?
– Do headline and illustration form an information unit?
– Is the visual representation of the topic innovative?

Visual Storytelling
– Visual storytelling means that a topic is presented with one or more visual elements. This makes it clearer and easier for the reader to understand.
– Does the picture and headline make it clear what the topic is about?
– Is there a larger image in the centre to present the topic visually?
– Are the individual images and texts arranged in a logical order?

Alternative storytelling
– Alternative storytelling means that the topic is not simply presented in a closed text but more structured in smaller units of information.
– Does the picture and headline make it clear what the topic is about?
– Is there a larger image in the centre to present the topic visually?
– Are the individual elements arranged in a logical order?
– Is there a bulleted list, a list to signal the completeness of the story?
– Are there headings in the breakdown?
– Is there a timeline?

Infographic
– An infographic shows numbers or processes in visual form. This makes it easier for readers to understand the facts.
– Is the infographic large enough to accommodate the content?
– Does the infographic form a self-contained unit of information that can be understood without an accompanying article?
– Is there a headline?
– Is the caption the right size?
– Are the colours used in a functional way?
– Is the infographic as a whole easy to grasp?
– Does it seem overloaded with too many elements?
– Do the infographics in a publication have a distinctive style?

Illustration
– Do the illustrations have a distinctive style?
– Does the look and feel of the illustration fit the topic?
– Does the look and feel of the illustration match the company?
– Are illustrations used functionally or are they just decoration?
– Do the lettering and illustration form a unit, do they complement each other?

Normally, the jury meets for a two-day meeting to evaluate each work. The criteria listed here are applied. Only during the Corona Crisis there are virtual meetings where each work is scored. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Evaluation criteria for the ICMA Award

There are different evaluation criteria in the four areas of the ICMA Award. Custom media, books, logos, magazines must of course be evaluated with different criteria. In general, the jury members contribute their entire expertise on the respective topic.

It is best to look at the award-winning works from previous years. Then you can immediately decide whether your publication has a chance of winning the ICMA Award.

Normally, there is a meeting of all jury members where all entries are reviewed. During the Corona crisis, a switch was made to virtual meetings in which the jury members rated the entries with points. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

1. Evaluation Criteria Books

Overall impression
There are books that are completely inconspicuous, that are simply meant to be read. But there can also be top performances: 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 audience?
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 sub-categories:
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.

Book series
Book series can be continued for many years. Usually the format, paper and typography are determined 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

Normally, the jury meets for a two-day meeting to evaluate each work. The criteria listed here are applied. Only during the Corona Crisis there are virtual meetings where each work is scored. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Evaluation criteria for the ICMA Award

There are different evaluation criteria in the four areas of the ICMA Award. Custom media, books, logos, magazines must of course be evaluated with different criteria. In general, the jury members contribute their entire expertise on the respective topic.

It is best to look at the award-winning works from previous years. Then you can immediately decide whether your publication has a chance of winning the ICMA Award.

Normally, there is a meeting of all jury members where all entries are reviewed. During the Corona crisis, a switch was made to virtual meetings in which the jury members rated the entries with points. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Section 4: Magazines

1. Evaluation Criteria Magazines and Trade Journals Print

Overall impression
– There are magazines on countless topics, such as art, cars, film, travel, photography, parents, men, women, children, etc. etc. Does the publication fit the topic in terms of content and design?
– Is the design material, i.e. fonts, colours, photos, illustrations, adapted to the respective topic?
– Is the publication more innovative, more creative than comparable publications?
– Are familiar design methods developed further or is more emphasis placed on continuity?

Front page
– Does the name of the publication and the design of the magazine logo fit the topic and the target group?
– Is there a clear cover image with a corresponding headline?
– Is the cover motif continued inside in a cover story?
– If further topics are touched upon: Are the headlines well formulated?
– Does the cover seem clear or cluttered?
– What is the first impression: high-quality, classy or tabloid-like?

Rhythm in the magazine
– Does the same page layout run through the entire issue or is there a rhythm of short and long stories, of large and small pictures?

Content
– Are the headlines worded in such a way that the necessary information about the subject of the article can be correctly extracted?
– Are headlines and pictures within an article arranged in such a way that the statements complement each other and do not contradict each other?
– Are other text forms used in addition to news texts, e.g. interview, reportage, opinion?

Photography
– Are the photos technically professional or non-professional?
– Do the people and scenes depicted appear authentic?
– Are stock photos predominantly used or are specially produced photos mostly used?
– Is there a consistent photographic style throughout the magazine?

Handling of photos
– Apart from news pictures, are there also photo reportages, photographic series, sequences?
– Are there hard cuts?
– Are there extreme portrait and landscape formats that give a story dynamics and tension?
– Is tension created by the contrast between large and small pictures?

Captions
– Are there professionally made captions or are captions often missing?
– Are captions collected or does each picture have its own caption?
– Are the captions correctly assigned to each picture?

Navigation through the magazine
– Are the readers guided through the magazine?
– Is there a table of contents with meaningful headings and possibly also pictures?
– Is the magazine divided into different sections?
– Are sections highlighted by larger page titles, larger images?
– Are there page numbers?
– Are there pages with short articles and pages with long articles?
– Are there picture sections that break up the uniformity of the page sequence?
– Is there a conclusion at the end of the product or does the magazine become weaker and more boring towards the end?

Navigation through articles

Multi-page articles
– Is there a lead image?
– Is one article easily recognisable as a cover story?
– Do the headline and lead picture complement each other to form a unit of information or do the photo and headline contradict each other?
– Is the headline apparatus logically structured or can only fragments of information be gleaned from the headline, subheadline and lead?
– Does the page layout and the photos make it clear that the story continues over several pages?
– Is the text flow of the article uninterrupted or does the text seem to break off somewhere?
– Is it unclear how the basic text – bodycopy – runs over one or more pages?
– Is the course of the text interrupted by illustrations or supplements?

Smaller articles
– If there are several small articles on one page: Is the picture allocation clear?
– Are there meaningful headings or are they often meaningless?
– Are there innovative design elements, i.e. elements that have not been seen before?

Typography

Typography Headlines
– Is the overall typography chosen in such a way that it creates an unmistakable, recognisable appearance?
– Does the chosen headline type fit the theme of the publication? The topic of fashion requires a different headline type than the topics of travel, sports or motor vehicles.
– Is the choice of headline type comprehensible to professional viewers?

Typography Bodycopy
– Is the basic typeface – bodycopy – easy to read?
– Has the bodycopy the right size, i.e. not too large and not too small?
– Is the column width professionally correct?
– Are the word spaces correct or too large or too small?
– Are the word separations of the bodycopy set correctly?
– Are initial letters too small, too large or used in a particularly innovative way?
– Is there bodycopy on a coloured background that impairs readability?

Structure in the text
– Are there subheadings to provide structure?
– Are they short and meaningless or do they contain information?
– Are subheadings single-line or multi-line?
– Are there quotations in the text?
– Are there supplementary boxes with facts?
– Are the supplementary boxes placed in such a way that they do not interrupt the flow of reading?

Media-convergent design
If there are submissions in print and online from the same magazine:
– Is the typography identical in both print and online or are completely different fonts used?
– Are photos used in print and online with the same look and feel or are these playout channels very different?
– Is the overall appearance of a publication identical in print and online, i.e. media-convergent?
– If films or videos are used: Is the typography in the opening and closing credits consistent with the typography in other areas?

2. Evaluation Criteria Magazines and Trade Journals Online

Overall impression
In order to assess the overall impression, basic questions need to be answered:
– Does the website appear inviting and clear at first glance?
– Is the navigation clear and intuitively understandable?
– Does the online presence match the printed magazine and other publications or is the website designed completely differently?
– Is the website functional on screen and on a smartphone?

Homepage
– Is the theme of the magazine website immediately clear?
– Are several topics presented in a clear hierarchy?
– Is the navigation clearly visible?
– Are icons for navigation understandable?
– Can the font size of the basic font – bodycopy – be freely changed?

Content
– Are headings worded in such a way that one can correctly extract the necessary information about the topic of the respective article?
– Are headlines and images within an article arranged in such a way that the statements complement each other and do not contradict each other?
– Are other text forms used in addition to news texts, e.g. interview, reportage, opinion?

Photography
– Are the photos technically professional or non-professional?
– Do the people and scenes depicted appear authentic?
– Are mainly stock photos used or are mostly specially produced photos used?

Films, videos
– Are film sequences used professionally?
– Is the spirit of the company conveyed correctly in films?

Captions
– Are there professionally produced captions or are they often missing?
– Are the captions correctly assigned to each image?
– Do pictures interrupt the reading flow?

Navigation through the online magazine
– Are sections or fixed categories shown in a navigation bar?
– Do the sections appear systematic and complete?
– Can the user easily find articles and return to the home page?
– Does one have the impression of having a complete overview of the magazine or does one think: I didn’t find all the topics?

Navigation through articles

Lead and larger articles
– Is there a start image?
– Is an article recognisable as a cover story?
– Do the headline and lead picture complement each other to form a unit of information or do the photo and headline contradict each other?
– Is the headline apparatus logically structured or can only fragments of information be gleaned from the headline, subheadline and lead?
– Is it clear at the beginning of a story how long it is? For example, is there information about the reading time at the beginning of the article?

Smaller articles
– Does the website alternate between long and short articles?
– Are there meaningful headlines or are they often meaningless?
– Are there innovative design elements in short articles as well, perhaps colours or icons that have not been seen before?

Typography

Typography in general
– Are fonts squeezed together or pulled apart?
– Do letters bump into each other or is the spacing between letters set correctly?
– Does the website have enough white space overall?

Typography headings
– Is the overall typography chosen to create a distinctive, recognisable look?
– Does the chosen headline type fit the theme of the publication?
– Is the choice of headline type comprehensible to professional viewers?

Typography bodycopy
– Is the basic font – bodycopy – easy to read?
– Can the user adjust the font size?
– Is the line spacing well chosen?
– Are the spaces between words correct or too large or too small?
– Is justification used?
– If justified, are the spaces between words too large or too small?
– Are there correct word separations in justified type?
– Are initial letters too small, too large or used in a particularly innovative way?
– Is there bodycopy on a coloured background that impairs readability?

3. Evaluation Criteria Social Media

In this category, social media projects are submitted that can be made for different purposes: More likes and shares in the respective social media channel, increased reach of a magazine or an event, better communication with readers, image improvement, etc. The jury discusses, among other things:
– Is the idea innovative?
– Is the illustration or picture appropriate to the topic?
– Are the headlines well written?
– Is there a good combination of image and headline?
– How is the communication with the social media users?
– Is the social media channel actively managed by the editorial team?
– Are troublemakers, trolls, hate comments actively dealt with or removed?

4. Evaluation Criteria Subcategories

Concept – Innovation
– Is the concept innovative?
– Is the concept implemented as planned?

Front pages
– Is the front page designed in a way that makes you want to hang it on the wall as a poster?
– Is there a lead picture with a headline?
– Is the combination of headline and picture correct?
– Are references to further topics clearly structured and easy to read?

Cover and cover story
– Is the impression of the front page taken up in the cover story inside?
– Is the cover story clearly identified by its design and length?
– Does the cover story have outstanding photos?
– Is the layout consistent and recognisable over several pages?

Typography – Layout
– Are the fonts used appropriate for the industry and company?
– Do the fonts used provide recognition of the company?
– Are the headline sizes well matched?
– Is the basic font the right size and overall easy to read?
– Is the number of fonts used justified or is type used functionally rather than as decoration?
– Is the column width correct or too narrow or too wide?
– Is the page layout used consistently on all pages?
– Is a grid system used or does the layout appear disorganised?
– Is the ratio of printed area to white space good?
– Can a rhythm be discerned from large and small images?
– Are focal points visible in the page flow or is the layout uniform?

Photography
– Is the subject perfectly photographed?
– Are the pictures technically perfect?
– Is the cropping correct or are there unnecessary empty spaces at the edges of the picture?
– Are the image sizes chosen correctly or are there images that are too large or too small?

Photo reportage
– Is the topic of the article presented mainly by pictures and less by text?
– Are the pictures in a logical order?
– Are the pictures telling a story or just giving a visual impression?

Visualisation
– Is the topic of the article represented by a picture?
– Do headline and picture form an information unit?
– Is the visual representation of the topic innovative?

Visual Storytelling
– Visual storytelling means that a topic is presented with one or more visual elements. This makes it clearer and easier for the reader to understand.
– Does the picture and headline make it clear what the topic is about?
– Is there a larger image in the centre to present the topic visually?
– Are the individual images and texts arranged in a logical order?

Alternative storytelling
– Alternative storytelling means that the topic is not simply presented in a closed text but more structured in smaller units of information.
– Does the picture and headline make it clear what the topic is about?
– Is there a larger image in the centre to present the topic visually?
– Are the individual elements arranged in a logical order?
– Is there a bulleted list, a list to signal the completeness of the story?
– Are there headings in the breakdown?
– Is there a timeline?

Infographic
– An infographic shows numbers or processes in visual form. This makes it easier for readers to understand the facts.
– Is the infographic large enough to accommodate the content?
– Does the infographic form a self-contained unit of information that can be understood without an accompanying article?
– Is there a headline?
– Is the caption the right size?
– Are the colours used in a functional way?
– Is the infographic as a whole easy to grasp?
– Does it seem overloaded with too many elements?
– Do the infographics in a publication have a distinctive style?

Illustration
– Do the illustrations have a distinctive style?
– Does the look and feel of the illustration fit the topic?
– Does the look and feel of the illustration match the company?
– Are illustrations used functionally or are they just decoration?
– Do the lettering and illustration form a unit, do they complement each other?

395 publications from 18 countries participated in the 9th ICMA. The following awards were presented:

25 Gold Awards

34 Silver Awards

25 Bronze Awards

and Awards of Excellence.

The table shows the development since the foundation of ICMA.

The participants come from these countries:
Traditionally, the ICMA is very well anchored in the German-speaking world. Many submissions to this independent competition come from Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Within Europe, companies, agencies and designers from Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, Romania, Spain, Poland, Ukraine and Greece took part.
Entries from outside Europe came from Singapore, India, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Russia.

The jury of the ICMA

Since the ICMA is a global organization, the jury is made up of international members. The ten jury members of the 9th ICMA came from eight countries: Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Brazil, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

The jury (from left to right):
Reinhard Sorger, Creative Director Publishing, Publicis Pixelpark, Erlangen
Meike Quentin, CEO, Das Amt, Kiel
Prof. Eberhard Wolf, Art Director, Luxemburger Wort, Luxembourg
Jessica Leino, Art Director, A-lehdet Oy, Helsinki
Rodrigo Faustino, Commgroup Branding, Saõ Paulo
Claudia Eustergerling, Claudia Eustergerling Design, Luxembourg
Pim Nap, Creative Director, Studio Piraat, The Hague
Michael Adams, Editorial Design, Switzerland
Katharina Reitan, Media Training, Vienna
Christian Baun, logodesign.dk, Copenhagen

Members of the jury are excluded from the evaluation of their own work.

The members of the jury are experts in their field and in most cases they have been honoured at previous ICMA Awards and then included in the jury.

Participation fees 10th ICMA:

Custom Media: 190 Euro per publication. (In Germany plus value added tax.)

Books: 90 Euro per book, book series 90 Euro all together with three books.

Corporate Design: 90 Euro per logo, 190 Euro per corporate design.

Magazines: 190 Euro per magazine.

Late submissions: For submissions between October 2 and 20, a fee increased by 20 percent will be charged.

Status: 22 Juni 2021

Contact person:

Norbert Küpper, International Editorial-Design & Research Forum, Email nkuepper@icma-award.com

Christian Baun, Logodesign.dk, Email christian@logodesign.dk

Rodrigo Faustino, Commgroup, Brazil, Email rodrigo@commgroup.com.br

How is the award communicated?
Every participant will receive an email with the exact details of his or her result. Award logos are also supplied with the award winners. Winners can then announce their success directly. This is done on their websites, in newsletters and in the social media sector. We have compiled a small selection here.

1. Category Custom Media

2. Category Books

3. Category Graphic Design

4. Category Magazines

Normally, the jury meets for a two-day meeting to evaluate each work. The criteria listed here are applied. Only during the Corona Crisis there are virtual meetings where each work is scored. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Evaluation criteria for the ICMA Award

There are different evaluation criteria in the four areas of the ICMA Award. Custom media, books, logos, magazines must of course be evaluated with different criteria. In general, the jury members contribute their entire expertise on the respective topic.

It is best to look at the award-winning works from previous years. Then you can immediately decide whether your publication has a chance of winning the ICMA Award.

Normally, there is a meeting of all jury members where all entries are reviewed. During the Corona crisis, a switch was made to virtual meetings in which the jury members rated the entries with points. The more points a work scores, the higher its ranking in the respective category.

Evaluation Criteria Graphic Design

Category Logo New
Jury member Christian Baun from logodesign.dk, writes: “A great logo consists of three core elements:
1) It must have a unique idea that is relevant and original.
2) It must clearly communicate the identity of the company or organisation.
3) It must be perfectly designed/manufactured.
When these three elements are combined as simply and flexibly as possible, you can create a great logo. It almost becomes an art form.”

The jury asks itself the following questions:
– Is the identity, the spirit of the company represented in the logo?
– Is the identity of the company clearly communicated?
– Is the logo distinctive, independent?
– Can it be used in any form – even scaled down?

Category Logo Redesign
– Is the new logo better than the old version?
– Is the identity of the company or organisation better represented than before?
– Has the number of elements been reduced?
– Is the new logo more recognisable, more usable?

Animated logos
– Does the animation look professional?
– Does the animation fit the company?
– If the animation has sound, does the sound match the animation?
– Does the animation seem innovative, creative?

Sound Logos
In this category, a logo does not necessarily have to be presented in the traditional sense. The sound itself is the logo, it is a sign of brand recognition on television, radio and social media.
– Is the sound distinctive?
– Does the sound fit the company?
– Is the sound sufficiently different from other sounds or melodies that are constantly heard?
– Does the sound fit the environment, the broadcast area?

Identities
The identity shows the whole range of the logo in use. This shows how many possible applications there are and whether the logo can be used everywhere.
– Does the identity work in all media used?
– Is the logo used logically and consistently?
– Is the functionality of the logo given?
– Does the identity fit the company, the organisation?

Packaging
On packaging, the logo is used in the third dimension. Packaging, bottles, cans – the areas of application and materials are huge. The jury pays special attention to this:
– Does the logo work on different surfaces?
– Is it recognisable, legible and functional everywhere?
– Does the logo on the packaging support the special character and exclusivity of the company?
– Is the use of the logo consistent, logically comprehensible?

Poster
Posters are a new category at the ICMA Awards. Basically, posters should contain as few elements as possible. Nevertheless, they should contain clear information. The term “placative or eye-catching” means reduced, woodcut-like, pointed.
– Does the poster clearly convey a message, information?
– Is there a clear image or text at the centre of the poster?
– Is other information arranged in a clear hierarchy?
– Are superfluous elements used?
– Is standard information – for example sponsor information – placed in an appropriate design?