Magazines touted as the best in their class were honoured at the 2003 ADvantage AD Mag Awards. Media 24 achieved great success by scooping two of the three major awards.
Consumer magazines with ABC audited circulations were eligible to enter, and were judged by an independent panel. Media 24 was awarded Publisher of the Year, while Fairlady's Ann Donald took the hotly contested Editor of the Year title, for turning the magazine's dwindling readership figures to significant year-on-year increases.
Popular men's publication, FHM, won the coveted Magazine of the Year title. The win was attributed to a 28% net sales increase, branding, design and successful reader interaction initiatives.
Indomitable ADvantage Editor-in-Chief, John Farquhar, dishing out advice with the awards, warned magazine publishers that they had to start marketing their brands to stay ahead in the magazine market mêlée. "The market is segmenting and it will segment even more, so publishers need to promote their brands."
The winners are:
Best Environment Magazine: Africa Geographic
Best Women's Magazine: Fairlady
Best Sports Magazine: Zig Zag
Best Décor Magazine: Elle Décor
Best Female Special Interest Magazine: Your Pregnancy
Best Motoring Magazine: Car
Best Youth Magazine: Saltwater Girl
Best General Magazines: Huisgenoot & You
Best Men's Magazine: FHM
Best Lifestyle Magazine: Getaway
Best Custom Magazine: Good Taste
Best Annual: Eat Out
Best Supplement: Sunday Times Lifestyle
In some categories it was a close shave, so a Merit Award was given:
Youth Category: Wicked
Lifestyle Category: Country Life
Custom Category: Visi Colour
This year's AD Mag judges included: Karen Bailey, Cinevation Director; Gordon Patterson, Starcom MD; Kim Penstone, Marketing Web Editor; Gary Oberholzer, SAfm Producer and John Farquhar, Editor-in-Chief of ADvantage.
