The award was presented to the magazine, published by UTV Media, at a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Mayfair on June 20.
The simple, stripped-back Sport cover, which captures a haunted-looking ‘Gazza’, secured top spot in a closely fought online poll in which tens of thousands of public votes were cast.
Second place was taken by ShortList Media’s Stylist magazine for its striking image of Nigella Lawson covered in salted caramel, while third place went to IPC Media’s Wallpaper* for its cover featuring German electronica pioneers Kraftwerk.
Front Cover of the Year was one of 22 awards handed out by comedian and host Miles Jupp at the annual PPA event, which brings together the leading talent in the UK’s publishing sector to celebrate the very best in consumer and business media.
Awards winners were decided after two rigorous rounds of judging by an independent panel of 88 industry experts.
Barry McIlheney, CEO of the PPA, said: “Every year the PPA Awards set the bar as the showcase for excellence in UK publishing, and this year’s event has been no exception.
“Front Cover of the Year has been a fantastic addition to the awards, demonstrating just how powerfully a well-crafted magazine cover can resonate with readers.
“At the same time, the award-winning innovations on show in the digital categories underline that magazine brands, and the professional content they produce, have a very exciting future across a whole variety of platforms.”
Front Cover of the Year was one of two new categories for the 2012 PPA Awards, alongside the PPA Diversity Award, which was won by Essentials magazine for its ongoing commitment to promoting diversity through both editorial and imagery.
Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: “I am thrilled to present this very special award to Essentials magazine. By using real women on their covers instead of models and celebrities, they are an excellent example of a magazine promoting diversity of body image - a real issue that cannot be ignored.”
Winners 2012
Consumer Magazine of the Year
The Week, Dennis Publishing
Specialist Consumer Magazine of the Year
CBeebies Special Magazine, Immediate Media Co
International Consumer Magazine of the Year
T3, Future Publishing
The PPA Diversity Award – NEW AWARD
Winner: Essentials, IPC Media
Highly Commended: Psychologies, Hearst Magazines UK
Front Cover of the Year – NEW AWARD
Sport, The Gazza Cover, UTV Media
Digital Product of the Year (Consumer Media)
T3 Tablet Edition, Future Publishing
Digital/Data Product of the Year (Business Media)
TES.co.uk, TSL Education
Consumer Media Brand of the Year
Stylist, ShortList Media
Business Media Brand of the Year
Winner: Property Week, UBM Built Environment
Highly commended: Third Sector, Haymarket Business Media
Business Magazine of the Year
Times Educational Supplement, TSL Education
Customer Magazine of the Year
Winner: Live for IKEA Family, August Media
Highly commended: Business Strategy Review, Mosaic
Publisher/Manager of the Year (Consumer Media)
Winner: Kerin O’Connor, The Week, Dennis Publishing
Highly Commended: Glenda Marchant, Stylist, ShortList Media
Publisher/Manager of the Year (Business Media)
Winner: Tim Brooke-Webb, The Publican’s Morning Advertiser, William Reed Business Media
Highly commended: Shan Millie, Insurance Times, Newsquest Specialist Media
Publisher/Manager of the Year (Annual Turnover Under £10 Million)
Winner: Alex Martinez, Procurement Leaders, Sigaria
Editor of the Year (Consumer Media)
Lisa Smosarski, Stylist, ShortList Media
Editor of the Year (Business Media)
Winner: Emma Penny, Farmers Guardian, Briefing Media
Highly Commended: Jane King, Farmers Weekly, Reed Business Information
Highly Commended: Max Gosney, Works Management, Findlay Media
Writer of the Year (Consumer Media)
Will Self, Esquire, Hearst Magazines UK
Writer of the Year (Business Media)
Martin Hilditch, Inside Housing, Ocean Media Group
Columnist of the Year (Consumer Media)
Richard Morrison, BBC Music, Immediate Media
Highly Commended: Stuart Maconie, Country Walking, Bauer Media
Columnist of the Year (Business Media)
Dr Phil Peverley, Pulse, Briefing Media
Designer of the Year (Consumer Media)
Adrienne Pitts, Jamie Magazine, John Brown
Highly commended: Andrew Diprose, Wired, The Conde Nast Publications
Designer of the Year (Business Media)
Finnie Finn, I: Global Intelligence for the CIO, Redwood
