The winners of the PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020 were:
BEST INITIATIVE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
The Big Issue
“Our judges praised The Big Issue, calling their entry ‘exemplary, inspirational and awe-inspiring’. Judges were fascinated by the way The Big Issue reinvented the business model and transformed the way they interact with their audience. Huge congratulations to everyone at The Big Issue!”
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Mandy Rhodes, Holyrood, Holyrood Communications
“The judges unanimously agreed that Mandy's columns are not only brilliantly written, they are thoughtful and considered - they brim with the rage, despair and hope that we all feel. Casting an experienced eye on the world, Mandy is not afraid to call out the weaknesses, the corruptness and the unbelievable place in which the world finds itself with an honesty and bravery that is to be commended. Congratulations to Mandy Rhodes, Holyrood Communications for winning Columnist of the Year!”
COMMUNITY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Dumfries & Galloway Life, Newsquest Cumbria
“All judges thoroughly enjoyed reading this magazine. They expressed that the content is put together in a well-thought-out way and the imagery is seductive. Produced by this dedicated but small team, you get a real sense of what it is to live in this area, of some of the great stories about the people who live there and it is all presented in a way that makes you want to read.”
CONSUMER MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
The Big Issue
“Our judges were so impressed with The Big Issue calling it ‘a shining example of publishing and editing, full of energy, passion and drive, having completely switched business model during the pandemic and ending up with a better magazine, never letting the quality drop whilst revolutionising their business.’ Congratulations to The Big Issue.”
COVER OF THE YEAR
Environmental Health News, March 2020, The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), Think Publishing
“This cover, voted for by the public, has a nice balance of colour and typography and powerfully intrigues the reader and grabs your attention. It has shock value, which is what makes a cover effective, making us look at it over and over again.”
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Matt McArthur, Life, White Light Media
“The judges were blown away by the attention to detail throughout the publication and by Matt’s ability to work with both digital and paper to get the most from the product. An extremely talented designer and deserving of this award. Congratulations to Matt, the 2020 Designer of the Year!”
EDITOR OF THE YEAR
Mandy Rhodes, Holyrood, Holyrood Communications
“The judges were incredibly impressed with how Mandy has approached and dealt with the magazine’s response to the pandemic. This is an editor who writes and edits with a knowledge and authority that propels good magazine journalism right into the heart of the current issues in politics in Scotland. Judges commended Mandy for her ability to seek out and nurture new talent within the industry and empower them to have their own voice. A very worthy winner of Editor of the Year.”
LAUNCH OF THE YEAR
Delicate Rébellion
“Such an impressive launch only let down by the current times, everything they did in their approach was excellent. A modern way to approach a new launch. Very well designed, smart typography, great art. The judges consider this internally appealing magazine ‘one to watch’.”
MEDIA BRAND OF THE YEAR
My Weekly, DC Thomson Media
“Our judges said the winner really got under-the-skin of their readers needs to build an impressive array of commercially successful and well executed brand extensions. All while outperforming its direct competitors in truly challenging conditions. Congratulations to My Weekly!”
MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
The National Trust for Scotland Magazine, Think Publishing
“The judges said, driven by a team and editor whose passion and determination shone through on every page and in every word. The winning media brand pivoted quickly and effectively when lockdown shut down all their events and properties overnight. Engaging their audience with a fund-raising campaign that delivered a much needed £3million boost to depleted charity funds, alongside a quite staggering 95% renewal rate in membership subscriptions. Congratulations to the team at The National Trust for Scotland Magazine.”
PODCAST OF THE YEAR
The Dirt, DC Thomson Media
“The judges found the podcast inspiring and suitable for our times, with the hosts choosing authenticity over authority leading to easy listening and providing companionship to their audience! Congratulations to The Dirt Podcast!”
SALES TEAM OF THE YEAR
IMechE Sales Team, Think Publishing
“The judges recognised that the IMechE sales team showed expert knowledge of their market by actively listening to their customer needs and reacting innovatively to what they heard both pre and during the pandemic. This resulted in a staggering 40% growth in new business in this year of all years! A huge achievement and congratulations to the whole team at The Institute of Mechanical Engineering!”
SPECIAL INTEREST MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
The RPS Journal, Think Publishing
“Our judges unanimously felt that this magazine has been built from passion and love, and you can feel the love on every page. It speaks directly to its readers through its gorgeous, beautiful imagery. Congratulations to The RPS Journal on this achievement.”
SPECIALIST MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
PosAbility Magazine, 2A Publishing
“Excellent read, serving its readership really well with a useful mix of information, support and inspirational stories too. Great imagery which really reflects the UK as it is now. What really made this magazine stand out to our judges is the diversity coverage across all assets and the small team behind the magazine have clearly put a lot of thought into this overall, which is an incredibly important focus for our industry and beyond.”
SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR
P.S., DC Thomson Media
“A fantastic example of a well-designed, researched and expertly written supplement which really understands the readership it is aimed at. Our judges were impressed by the numbers given the pandemic! Well done to everyone involved.”
WRITER OF THE YEAR
Gemma Fraser, Holyrood, Holyrood Communications
“The judges were impressed by Gemma’s compelling writing when addressing very difficult but vital political and social issues, they praised her incredible journalistic versatility by covering a range of themes and managing to secure difficult interviews; notably her interview with Joseph Malik which served as a wake-up call to those who think racism ‘doesn’t happen here’. The judges all agreed that Gemma has a great skill in finding people with untold stories that speak to our time. Congratulations to this year’s Writer of the Year, Gemma Fraser.”
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Iana Murry
“The judges were impressed with Iana’s great voice and ability to tell colourful, vibrant stories and commended her smart, conversational style in her nicely crafted pieces. Congratulations to Iana for winning Young Journalist of the Year!”
