Magazines News South Africa

Sumien Brink doubles up on Editor of the Year

At the 38th annual Magazine Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA) PICA Awards for magazine and publishing excellence last night, Wednesday, 7 November 2007, Sumien Brink of New Media walked off with Editor of the Year for both Custom Publishing and Consumer Publishing, the former for Woolworths Taste and the latter for Visi. Willemien von Solms of Agri Connect ‘s The Dairy Mail took Editor of the Year for Business-to-Business Publishing.
Sumien Brink doubles up on Editor of the Year

Visi magazine publisher Hannerie Visser says she is extremely proud of Brink's achievement. “It is a privilege to have someone with Sumien's knowledge, skill and dedication on the team. She is, without doubt, a most deserving winner of these prestigious awards.”

Brink, a BA Drama graduate (Costume and Set Design) who gained extensive experience as stylist at Fairlady and Sarie, fashion editor at Huisgenoot, fashion director of Cosmopolitan and editor of the bi-annual Cosmopolitan Fashion Directory, was the also editor of House & Leisure from its first issue until 2000.

Brink is credited with pushing the creative boundaries in magazine publishing and producing titles that break away from conventional newsstand design conventions. At the helm of Taste since its inception in 2004, the magazine under Brink's editorial guidance has more than doubled its circulation since its launch and surpassed its objective of being the leading food magazine in the country, and décor magazine Visi was recently awarded Gold Ozzie at this year's Folio Awards held in New York.

B®and magazine cites Tasteas the title that signalled a radical change in the customer publishing arena, it boasts a list of awards, including three consecutive ADvantage ADmag Awards for the Best Custom Publication.

Sumien Brink doubles up on Editor of the Year

Magazines of the Year

Customer Magazine of the Year went to Hip2B² from New Media; the Watling Trophy for the Business-to-Business Magazine of the Year went to B®and from Brand Africa Media, and the Rossi Trophy for Consumer Magazine of the Year went to Elle Decoration from Johncom Media Investments.

B®and editor Di Paice said: “Our magazine is breaking new ground in its approach to business-to-business publishing – and indeed to publishing in general in South Africa – and being a pioneer can be heartbreakingly hard work sometimes. This award is a wonderful act of recognition by our peers in the industry and an affirmation that innovation is noticed and rewarded.”

The team that puts B®and magazine together every second month comprises publisher and managing editor Herman Manson, art director Candice Turvey, associate editor Kim Penstone, sub-editor Cathy O'Shea and sales and marketing manager Simon Borchert, plus a small stable of specialist writers.

Sumien Brink doubles up on Editor of the Year
Sumien Brink doubles up on Editor of the Year

The full list of 2007 winners and highly commended are:

CUSTOMER PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

RETAIL AND CONSUMER GOODS

Winner: Clicks ClubCard – The Publishing Partnership
Highly commended: Woolworths Taste – New Media
Highly commended: Jet Club – The Publishing Partnership

LEISURE AND LIFESTYLE

Winner: Design Indaba – Interactive Africa
Highly commended: Plascon Colour – New Media

EDUCATION, HEALTH, CONSERVATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY

Winner: Hip 2B² – New Media

FINANCE AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Winner: Transport – New Media

B2B PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

LEISURE

Winner: The Property Magazine – Media Nova

ESSENTIAL SERVICES

Winner: Sea Rescue – The Publishing Partnership

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Winner: B®and – Brand Africa Media
Highly commended: HR Future – Osgard Media

INDUSTRY: MANUFACTURING, TRADE AND RETAIL, RESOURCE BASED INDUSTRIES

Winner: The Dairy Mail – Agri Connect

CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND RELATED INDUSTRY

Winner: Civil Engineering – SAICE
Highly commended: Leading Architecture and Design – Primedia Publishing
Highly commended: Concrete Trends – Cement & Concrete Institute

CONSUMER PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

GENERAL INTEREST

Winner: Finesse – Carpe Diem Media
Highly commended: Real – Thought24 Publishing
Highly commended: Saltwater Girl – Atoll Media

INTERNATIONAL GENERAL INTEREST

Winner: Marie Claire – Associated Magazines

Highly commended: Woman & Home – Caxton Magazines

SPECIAL INTEREST

Winner: Weg – Media24 Magazines
Highly commended: Africa Birds & Birding – Africa Geographic
Highly commended: Your Baby – Alchemy Publishing

INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL INTEREST

Winner: Entrepreneur: Smart Business Solutions
Highly commended: FitPregnancy – Touchline Media

DÉCOR, CRAFTS, FOOD AND GARDENING

Winner: Elle Decoration – Johncom Media Investments
Highly commended: Condé Nast House & Garden – Condé Nast Independent Magazines

COVER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Visi – Spring 2006 – New Media
Highly commended: DeKat – Herfs 2007 – African Sky Publishing
Highly commended: SA Rugby – April 2007 – Highbury Safika Media

OVERALL PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

ANNUALS, DIRECTORIES, PRODUCT GUIDES AND SPECIAL EDITIONS

Winner: Eat In 2007 – New Media
Highly commended: Plascon Colour – New Media

SUPPLEMENTS

Winner: Elle Winter 2007 Style Guide – Johncom Media Investments

BEST NEW LAUNCH – THE PHILLIP TYLER TROPHY

Winner: Entrepreneur – Smart Business Solutions

BEST ONLINE SOLUTION

Winner: www.fin24.co.za – Media24 Magazines
Highly commended: www.zigzag.co.za – Atoll Media

JOURNALISTIC EXCELLENCE

COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR

Winner: Dana Snyman for“Dana aan die woord” – Weg, Media24 Magazines
Highly commended: Marlene Wasserman for “Couples' clinic” – Longevity, Johncom Media Investments

TRADE AND INDUSTRY WRITER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Heléne le Roux for “Pumping iron” – Engineering News, Creamer Media
Highly commended: Irma Venter for “Deepest descent” – Mining Weekly, Creamer Media

SPORT/TRAVEL/LEISURE WRITER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Dana Snyman for “Deep Heat helde en vergete velde” – Weg, Media24 Magazines
Highly commended: Toast Coetzer for “Back to Zim” – Go!, Media24 Magazines

HEALTH AND WELLNESS WRITER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Megan Lindow for “I want dignity for our women. Period” – Marie Claire, Associated Magazines
Highly commended: Dylan Muhlenberg for “A cock and bull story” – GQ, Condé Nast Independent Magazines
Highly commended: Jana Joseph for “Small wonders” – Discovery Magazine, Touchline Media

BEST VISUAL PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR

Winner: Emma Wright; Elizabeth Janse van Rensburg; Jaco Janse van Rensburg for “Let them eat cake” – Wedding Album, Highbury Safika Media
Highly commended: Giselle Hön for “Edel geskenke” – Rooi Rose, Caxton Magazines
Highly commended: Maranda Engelbrecht for “Winter” – Woolworths Taste, New Media

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Astrid Skibbe for “A Passion for power” – Good Taste, Converge
Highly commended: Adriaan van Vuuren for “As die stiletto pas …” – DeKat, African Sky Publishing
Highly commended: Georgia Gardner for “Fables of reconstruction” – Obrigado, The Publishing Partnership

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Neil Kirby for “Teaterkampioen” – DeKat, African Sky Publishing
Highly commended: Richard Keppel-Smith “The devil wears nada” – Marie Claire, Associated Magazines

FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Erns Grundling for “Matjiesfontein se droomdraers” – Insig, New Media
Highly commended: Willemien Brümmer for “Die Dirkses van Paulshoek” – Insig, New Media

NEWS/REPORTAGE WRITER OF THE YEAR

Winner: No winner awarded
Highly commended: Stephan Hofstatter for “Qamata – how deep is the rot?” – Farmer's Weekly, Caxton
Magazines
Highly commended: Willemien Brümmer for “Bloed op die Speelgrond” – Insig, New Media

The 12 Media24 magazines affected by the ABC circulation scandal were withdrawn from competing.

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