American Society of Magazine Editors

Best Cover Contest 2015 Winners & Finalists

Best Cover Awards

News and Politics Sports and AdventureFashion and Beauty | Business and TechnologyFamily and Home | Entertainment and Celebrity | Science and Nature | Lifestyle Brainiest Most Delicious | Cover of the Year

Readers' Choice Awards

News and Politics | Sports and Adventure | Fashion and Beauty | Business and Technology | Family and Home | Entertainment and Celebrity | Science and Nature | Lifestyle | Brainiest | Most Delicious Readers' Choice Awards Most Liked Cover

 

News and Politics
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Winner

The New Yorker, December 8, 2014, Broken Arch

By Bob Staake

"After news of the grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Bob Staake sent us his cover, “Broken Arch.” “I wanted to comment on the tragic rift that we’re witnessing,” Staake had said. “I lived in St. Louis for seventeen years before moving to Massachusetts, so watching the news right now breaks my heart. At first glance, one might see a representation of the Gateway Arch as split and divided, but my hope is that the events in Ferguson will provide a bridge and an opportunity for the city, and also for the country, to learn and come together.” 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

The Advocate, December 2014/January 2015, Person of the Year

Photograph by Junko Kimura
"How do you show Vladimir Putin—a deliberate and calculating persecutor of minorities in his own country—as Person of the Year, without having to explain your choice? We approached this several ways, before deciding on the provocative placement of the cover line. It was a statement, and one we felt justified as a reference to the way in which Putin’s transgressions had gone relatively unpunished. The image was not altered in any way (despite some fevered blogs claiming otherwise); we just had the colors match the old propaganda images of the wartime era."

 

Finalist

Wired, September 2014, Edward Snowden

"Edward Snowden didn't want to be photographed. He wanted his actions--leaking classified NSA files--to be the focus of any story, not his face. But. But. Being shot by Platon, who has photographed world leaders like Dick Cheney, George Bush (both of them), and Vladimir Putin, puts him on the same level as those subjects, elevating his message. So out of complicated motivations comes a tense and compelling photograph. As Snowden holds the flag, his face and his hands convey both respect and hurt--a flickering combination of protectiveness and vulnerability. Words would tip the reader toward a single interpretation. So. No design. No cover lines. Just an image, however you choose to look at it."

 

Sports and Adventure
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Winner

ESPN The Magazine, October 13, 2014, Derek Jeter

"With the New York Yankees closing in on a fall vacation, it meant that the final home game for Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter would come in late September, when ESPN The Magazine was set to celebrate all things Cleveland. The future Hall of Famer's retirement dominated the sports world; the chorus of send-offs from columnists, TV hosts and commercials served as an early-fall replacement for October playoff talk. But The Magazine chose a cover that reflects more quiet reverence than extended standing ovation. It depicts The Captain--the most iconic baseball player of his era--in his tradition of leading the Yankees onto the field before each home game. This time, though, Jeter is silhouetted out of the frame and into an all-white background. Jeter isn't only running onto the field--but into immortality."

 
 

Finalist

The New Yorker, September 8, 2014, Derek Jeter Bows Out

By Mark Ulriksen
“Derek Jeter presents a conundrum for a Red Sox fan like me,” Mark Ulriksen, about his cover “Derek Jeter Bows Out.” “I loathe the Yankees, but I appreciate and respect Jeter. No baseball fan can ever forget ‘the flip’ against the Oakland A’s in the playoffs. He’s a classic—humble, consistently spectacular, both at bat and in the field. When he arrived twenty years ago, he helped to make the Yankees the best team in baseball (again!) for too many seasons. Commemorating his career with a farewell cover is something that I’m sure even the Red Sox Nation can forgive me for.”

 

Finalist

OUT, August 2014, Michael Sam

Photography by Richard Phibbs
"Seldom does a cover come together at the perfect time, in such a way as to symbolize the whole story. Sam had come out—the first professional football player to do so—and the hysteria had prompted a backlash. The shoot happened first, and the interview subsequently, giving us a perfect snapshot of a man whose sexuality had come to define his every move in the eyes of the media. The cover image showed Sam in all his magnificence and vulnerability, and so we used just his draft pick number as a head, to sum up Sam’s historical significance."

 

 

Fashion and Beauty
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Winner

Harper's Bazaar, March 2014, Lady Gaga

"Eyes closed, surrounded by a cut-out Carolina Herrera neckpiece, Lady Gaga looks like she's ready to explode. Photographed by Terry Richardson, what compels about the cover is both the graphics and the rare stillness of a superstar. Here, cut-out means a knockout."

 

 

 

 

 

Finalist

ESPN The Magazine, July 21, 2014, Venus Williams

"Not matter how much an athlete takes care of his or her body, it's clear that a spot on the cover of The Body Issue is for only the most confident of subjects. Venus Williams, one-half of the tennis-playing Williams sisters, accepted a request from ESPN The Magazine after having declined in the past. The pose shows Williams sans clothes, of course, but with a majesty that could be cause for her to participate again. Though sister Serena sometimes overshadows Venus, a former world No. 1 player in her own right, Venus is center state for this cover in front of the lenses of Williams + Hirakawa, a husband-and-wife photography team. They capture Venus' beauty and strength in presenting an alluring portrait from a shoot that took place amid a Miami rock quarry. The mounds of fine sand serve as a perfect backdrop for the tennis star's powerful yet graceful physique and make her appear larger than life."

 

Finalist

New York, February 17–24, Spring Fashion

"In a stunning cover for New York’s “Spring Fashion” issue, Erik Madigan Heck created a wall-to-wall effect with the red and white floral pattern on Lupita Nyong’o’s Stella McCartney dress and a coordinated background. Nyong’o is no wallflower, seeming to pop right out of this inventive and stylish cover."

 

 

 

Business and Technology

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Winner

The Atlantic, November 2014, Why Kids Sext

Photographer: Katherine Wolkoff
"Hanna Rosin's "Why Kids Sext" takes a look at a school in Lousia County, Virginia. The town's high school faced an epidemic of kids taking and sharing nude pictures on tehir phones. Technically, this is a crime, but how can law-enforcement deal with it? You can't register every kid as a sex offender, and the kids don't think it's a big enough problem to stop. For the cover, we wanted something provocative, but tasteful--not too graphic. I reached out to the photographer Katherine Wolkoff, who does amazing portraits of people in silhouette. The idea was to have our (18-year-old) model portray a teenage girl as she takes a nude selfie. The combination of the shadows and the white background creates a surreal image that gives the feeling of something dark beneath the surface."

 

Finalist

Bloomberg Businessweek, April 7-13, 2014, The Man Who Saved Marvel

(Cover: © 2014 Marvel)
"Marvel artists kindly created an incredible one-of-a-kind Avengers comic-book style image with tons of tiny details to devour. The team at Bloomberg Businessweek added illustrative style type, silly commentary, and our logo to match. One of the most fun commissions we've done."
 

 

Finalist

New York, November 17-23, 2014, Speaking Emoji

"What better way to illustrate a story about the “rapid evolution of a wordless tongue” than with one of that new language’s own characters? In this bold and innovative cover, the Winking Face emoji is drawn as a speech bubble by Michael Pangilinan and shows the depth of meaning these symbols have come to hold."

 

 

 

Family and Home
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Winner

FamilyFun, August 2014, Road Trip

"For our August 2014 issue, FamilyFun commissioned photographer Sabrina Helas to shoot our cover story on family road trips. The minute we saw this image in the film, we knew we had our cover. Shot at The Corner Store in San Pedro, CA, the photo is filled with the kind of joyful, authentic details we love — the vintage blue bottle, the candy bracelet, the world's best burger, and a side-glancing smile of delight from 6-year-old Isaac. Intriguing and spontaneous-feeling, it sums up what our brand is all about: making happy memories with your kids."

 

 

 

Finalist

Real Simple, March 2014, 26 Best Beauty Products of All Time

 

 

 


 

Finalist

Real Simple, December 2014, Holiday Spectacular

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment and Celebrity
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Winner

The New York Times Magazine, September 14, 2014, The Culture Issue

Photographer: Victoria Diehl
Designer: Raul Aguilla
"For the cover of the magazine’s annual Culture issue, the artist Victoria Diehl rendered Lena Dunham in the style of an ancient Greek bust. This juxtaposition of the modern and the classical highlights the issue’s underlying theme: the waning of the patriarchy in art and culture, and the rise of other kinds of voices. Modern typography inspired by old-style calligraphic letterforms completes the design."

 

 

Finalist

Harper's Bazaar, September 2014, Emma Ferrer

"The discovery of discoveries: Emma Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn's 19 year-old granddaughter, in her first fashion session. One made even more special given the cover was photographed by Michael Avedon, the grandson of Richard Avedon. The cover was a global hit: drawing more than 6 million unique visitors to harpersbazaar.com and generating more than 500 million media impressions."

 

Finalist

Vanity Fair, November 2014, Jennifer Lawrence

"Just before her intimate photos were hacked--and splashed across the Web--Jennifer Lawrence posed topless for Patrick Demarchelier for the cover of Vanity Fair's November issue. As part of the accompanying cover story, she decided to break her silence about one of the biggest scandals in Hollywood this year. The Guardian called her salvo "the end of the 'shamed starlet.'" So strong was the outpouring of social-media support for Lawrence's stance that The New York Times reported on the fact "fans took to Twitter to applaud her." Demarchelier's striking photos of the Hunger Games actress also helped spark a thoughtful debate about a woman's right to reveal her body. Lawrence (and the V.F. cover) made her message loud and clear: "It's my body, and it should be my choice."
 

Finalist

Variety, October 14, 2014, Bill Murray

"This Bill Murray portrait by Martin Schoeller was a play off of Bill's current project, "St. Vincent." Makeshift veils, red gowns and getting Bill to pray really played well to his personality and the movie that was coming out later that month."
 
 
 
 
 

Science and Nature
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Winner

New York, June 9-15, 2014, Health

"Baby Emilie was 9 minutes old when Thierry Bouët photographed her for a series on babies in the first hour of their lives. New York used the photo—along with a fresh and fun type treatment—to great effect in its amusing, and affecting, “Health”-issue cover."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

5280, December 2014, Wild Places

Photographer: Ashton Ray Hansen
"The entire feature well of our December issue was dedicated to our precious environment. Colorado is blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world and faces both old and new challenges to keeping them pristine. This cover depicts the North Fork of the Gunnison River and breathtaking morning glow lighting the Rockies in the distance—a visual tribute to the vastness and variety of our natural wonders."

 

Finalist

Sierra, March/April 2014, The Artist as Activist

"When Nick Brandt began capturing images in Kenya's Amboseli National Park in 2001, he primarily paid homage to the stately animals that live there. But when he realized that the creatures he was photographing were being slaughtered by poachers, his imagery, once so flattering that it verged on idolatry, slid toward the macabre. Regal portraits of lions and rhinos and elephant families gave way to an eerie oeuvre of bleached skulls, taxidermy, and (as pictured here) calcified birds. He also created a nonprofit that employs hundreds of anti-poaching rangers, blurring the line between activism and art."

 

Lifestyle
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Winner

Men's Health, November 2014, The Ultimate Men's Health Guy

"Too often magazine covers simply repeat one another, and we're not just talking about the last ten years of O, here. So when we launched our Ultimate Men's Health Guy Search last spring, we hoped it would produce a November cover that would be unique, inspirational, and stop readers in their tracks. Meet Noah Galloway, the double-amputee Iraq vet who is our first ever UMHG. In this shot by Peter Yang, he simultaneously broadcasts troubling disability and vibrant health, and instantly commands respect and gratitude. Corporal Galloway, we salute you--and your Men's Health cover."

 

 

Finalist

Bloomberg Businessweek, April 21-27, 2014, Freeze Your Eggs, Free Your Career

"FREEZE YOUR EGGS, FREE YOUR CAREER - A NEW FERTILITY PROCEDURE GIVES WOMEN MORE CHOICES IN THE QUEST TO HAVE IT ALL

(Photograph by Ramona Rosales for Bloomberg Businessweek)
Description: A simple, yet striking depiction of an important milestone for women."
 
 

Finalist

Garden & Gun, February/March 2014, Classic Southern Drinks

"If you were to distill (get it?) everything about the South in 2014, the result would be this image. G&G readers revere the classics and the only thing more classically Southern than a mint julep is sterling silver, here made modern with a sleek, curvaceous cup. Photographer Johnny Autry and stylist Charlotte Autry (the duo behind our award-winning 2012 biscuit cover) hit on every element: hand-cranked crushed ice; just the right amount of sweetened bourbon seeping up for a first sip; abundant fresh mint; and, crucially, condensation. This image leaps off the graphic dark blue background right into reader's hands."

 

Finalist

Golf Digest, June 2014, Jimmy Fallon

"Golf Digest evolved more in 2014 than in any stretch of its 64-year history. Following a major survey that helped us understand the preferences and habits of the millennial golfer, we embarked on a thorough redesign, moving the magazine from strictly service to lifestyle and service. Our June cover succinctly captures this evolution. Not only does this issue represent the first of Golf Digest’s redesign, cover subject Jimmy Fallon, photographed by Peter Yang, perfectly speaks to Golf Digest’s new target audience and fastest-growing segment of readers—millennials. Fallon unveiled the June cover on the Tonight Show."
 

Finalist

Kinfolk, Spring 2014, The Home Issue

"The cover of Kinfolk Issue Eleven: The Home Issue was shot by Maia Flore, a Paris-based photographer we love working with because of her interesting conceptual ideas and dreamy style. The cover image was part of Maia’s photo essay inside titled “Becoming Your Home.” After a long, cold winter, the image seemed to express that feeling of cabin fever, climbing the walls, sinking into the furniture. At the same time, the image has a warm color and a childlike feeling of play. The Home Issue was one of our more straightforward themes, but the photography displayed on our simply designed cover marked a change in direction toward more artful content."

 

Brainiest
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Winner

Bloomberg Businessweek, August 4-10, 2014, Coke Finally Admits It Has a Fat Problem--And a Plan to Fix It

(Photo illustration by Justin Metz)
"The story goes inside Coca-Cola, where execs admit they have an image problem--namely the association with obesity. We took that literally for the cover by altering the classic Coke bottle to make it fat."

 

 

 

 


 

Finalist

The Chronicle Review, October 3, 2014, Why Your Writing Stinks

"Some part of our audience must have read this quip by Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker with chagrin: “The curse of knowledge is a major reason that good scholars write bad prose. It simply doesn’t occur to them that their readers don’t know what they know.” This is one of the candid observations in Pinker’s essay, Why Your Writing Stinks. The cover was a real struggle. We kicked around a number of ideas without success. We hit on this simple solution two hours before deadline. Fifteen minutes later, with the help of Multimedia Producer Julia Schmalz, we had our cover."
 

Finalist

Wired, December 2014, Beyond.

"Interstellar director Christopher Nolan guest-edited this special Wired issue about time, space, and multiple dimensions; we aimed to create a cover that evoked the content within as well as Nolan's incredible visual vernacular. Created by Hugo & Marie, the black density mirrors both a black hole and a tear between dimensions--the richness and endlessness of the shape pulls the reader into the pages that follow. Typographically we picked a beautifully classic style to respect our cover concept and showcase Christopher Nolan's partnership."


Most Delicious
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Winner

Bon Appétit, June 2014, Sour Cherry Pie

CREDIT: Photo by Gentl & Hyers; food styling by Susie Theodorou; prop styling by Angharad Bailey
Summer is the most exciting time of the year to work at a food magazine. Farmers markets are overflowing with promising produce, and every week brings a new fleeting, must-have ingredient to our kitchens. This June, we decided to throw the spotlight on super-seasonal sour cherries--available for only a few short weeks each year--and work them into a knockout pie with a buttery, almond-bolstered crust. Standing out against a dreamy, cherry-stained linen background, that pie is our culinary call to arms: Summer is here, now get cooking! 

 

 

Finalist

Los Angeles, November 2014, Food Lovers Guide

"For our November Food Lovers issue, we wanted to capture the powerful beauty of the ingredients that go into making great food in Los Angeles. We featured three covers, each highlighting one item: a pomegranate, a loaf of bread, and the mushroom shown here. All three were exquisitely shot by still-life photographer Craig Cutler, whose images are a masterful study oflight and texture, elevating simple food staples into art."
 

Finalist

New York, November 10-16, 2014, Eat Me

"To illustrate a special issue devoted entirely to food and drink and holiday indulgence, New York’s staff photographer Bobby Doherty created an enticing tableau of prosciutto that is ready to eat—and indeed the cheeky cover line invites just that."

 

 

 

Cover of the Year
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Winner

The New Yorker, December 8, 2014, Broken Arch

By Bob Staake, December 8, 2014
"After news of the grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Bob Staake sent us his cover, “Broken Arch.” “I wanted to comment on the tragic rift that we’re witnessing,” Staake had said. “I lived in St. Louis for seventeen years before moving to Massachusetts, so watching the news right now breaks my heart. At first glance, one might see a representation of the Gateway Arch as split and divided, but my hope is that the events in Ferguson will provide a bridge and an opportunity for the city, and also for the country, to learn and come together.” 

 

 

 

Best Cover Contest Readers' Choice Award 

Voting for the ASME Best Contest Readers’ Choice Award began on Facebook on Monday, January 19, 2015, and ended on Sunday, April 12, 2015. A new category was posted every Monday through March 23. The top 10 entries were posted for two weeks from March 30 to April 12. The most “liked” cover won the ASME Best Cover Contest Readers’ Choice Award. 
 

News and Politics

Winner

Vice, April 2014, Saving South Sudan

Cover by Tim Freccia
"Tim Freccia’s cover for the Saving South Sudan issue of VICE depicts two Nuer children in a field, backlit by sunset and light from the blazing grass around them. The entire issue was dedicated to the crisis in South Sudan and focused heavily on the uncertain future of the world’s newest nation. Although there were certainly more shocking or graphic images, we chose this quieter photograph for the cover because it elegantly pointed to both current peril and questions about what tomorrow will bring."
 
 
 

 

Finalist

The Hollywood Reporter, April 25-May 2, 2014, The New York Issue

"Donning I love New York socks on the cover of THR’s April 25, 2014 New York issue, HBO’s Last Week Tonight star John Oliver was photographed by Andrew Hetherington atop the CBS Broadcast Center with the New York City skyline as his backdrop. The comedian, who filled in as host on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and received immense praise for the substitute stint, is now recognized as a show’s anchor versus correspondent. “As a comedian, you’re kind of trained to avoid authority,” says Oliver. “So to suddenly be the authority is a very, very bizarre situation.”

Finalist

Mother Jones, July/August 2014, Koch vs. Koch

"Our July/August cover was a stark departure from the past: Ivylise Simones threw out the standard logo and layout to design a National Enquirer inspired cover worthy of Daniel Schulman’s story into the tabloid-ready lives of the Koch brothers. The result is eye-catching and amusing, full of bold colors, grainy photos, and block quotes, poking fun at the lavish, litigious world of Koch. It received widespread praise: Design guru Robert Newman called it: “fun, engaging, provocative and viral-ready,” noting: “It takes a strong partnership between the editors and the visual team to create this kind of high-level, sophisticated cover design.”

 

Sports and Adventure

Winner

Outside, August 2014, The End of Everest

"The cover subject is Mount Everest and was photographed by Grayson Schaffer from Everest Base Camp. The cover story follows the devastating events of Everest's deadliest day, when an avalanche took the lives of 16 Sherpas. The image, depicting Everest in a black-on-black monochrome, with a few headlamps trailing up the mountain under a sky full of stars, set the mood."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

Garden & Gun, December 2014/January 2015, Best of the Sporting South

"Shadow Oak Bo, our cover dog, works. He's a two-time national field trial champion, pursuing a third victory. And he didn't stop working for this shoot, which occurred during training sessions in Manitoba. Photographer Robb Aaron Gordon (who, thankfully, knew how to ride) climbed into the saddle and followed a subject far more intent on finding birds than posing. For two days, Gordon galloped over miles of Canadian prairie, snapping frames when Bo went on point--an adventure in and of itself and risky for a cover. But this regal portrait pays off with golden hues that highlight Bo's piercing eyes."

 

Finalist

Runner's World, October 2014, Nutrition Special

"Runner's World's October 2015 issue featured our first major redesign in six years--and a new cover approach to go with it. We redesigned the magazine to be, among other things, more visual, more fun, and more reflective of what's happening in the sport and in the running community, which has been growing at a hectic pace as more people of all types have taken up the sport. That means fresh typefaces, bolder tones, and a series of new sections to evoke a more contemporary, useful, and delightful experience for our readers.

 
The visual changes begin on the cover, with a new, updated logo--which we like to think of as having longer, slimmer legs. The majority of our cover lines are presented in the same sans-serif typeface (Titling Gothic) that our new logo is built upon, for a clean and streamlined look. But to add some splash and a little contrast, we styled the large numbers in a handsome stenciled serif (Danmark). Playing off the deep red wall in the cover photo, we chose a vibrant, orange-red neon ink to give our new logo an extra kick.
 
Equally important, our cover subject isn't an elite athlete or a model-runner. She's a regular runner who has a job and a kid and a passion for staying fit and healthy, as well as a distinctive sense of running style--a "Street Style," one of the new sections we unveil in the issue. The cover photo was shot as a profile in an urban environment, both departures for us. We chose it because it felt simultaneously authentic and forward-looking, two qualities deeply embedded in Runner's World's DNA."
 
Fashion and Beauty
 

Winner

Harper's Bazaar, March 2014, Lady Gaga

"Eyes closed, surrounded by a cut-out Carolina Herrera neckpiece, Lady Gaga looks like she's ready to explode. Photographed by Terry Richardson, what compels about the cover is both the graphics and the rare stillness of a superstar. Here, cut-out means a knockout."

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Finalist

The Fader, June/July 2014, Lana Del Rey

"For our annual summer issue, The FADER decided to spotlight one of our era's most controversial stars, Lana Del Rey. The news of Lana's participation in The FADER's 92nd issue happened very quickly, and even faster was the notice that she was prepared for her photo-shoot. Up against an incredibly shot time period, The FADER's Photo Director Geordie Wood decided to just shoot the enigmatic mega pop-star at his home in Brooklyn. This star with 150 million YouTube views forced Wood to spend his Saturday cleaning the apartment, scrub his bathtub, and make his bed. As Lana arrived she made her way into Woods' office, which doubles as his closet, and immediately began to try on his clothes. What materialized was an incredibly low key, timeless photo-shoot across Brooklyn with Lana, while dressed in Wood's wardrobe. Coverage from this cover image spanned everywhere, from The Guardian to Us Weekly, Entertainment Tonight to Rolling Stone."

 

Finalist

W, October 2014, Cara Delvingne

"Devoted to women who rule their fields with originality and determination, "The New Royals" portfolio in the October 2014 issue featured a cast of tough cookies, ranging from the actress Angelica Houston to the comedienne Joan Rivers, who passed away shortly after the shoot. To properly capture these powerhouses, W enlisted photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who have long celebrated strong women; the result was a series of elegant, soulful portraits, such as this cover of model-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne. Styled in mod fashion by W's Edward Enninful and seated in a girlish pose, the image is a nod to Richard Avedon's iconic portraiture from the '60s."

 

Business and Technology
 

Winner

Vice, December 2014, The Wall Street Issue

Cover by Michael Marcelle
"Our December Wall Street issue’s cover shows the head and torso of a man in the dark. What at first may appear to be a scene from an electronic music concert reveals itself to be a generic Wall Street type covered in stock numbers. Is he an evil robot or just an asshole? Either works for us."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

MIT Technology Review, November/December 2014, Inequality

"The cover for our November/December issue focuses on the magazine’s feature story about inequality: “The disparity between the rich and everyone else is largest in the United States and increasing in much of Europe. Why?” The image is meant to give a sense of that disparity through an everyday lens. The “r>g?” sign references an equation that states that return on capital (“r”) is greater than the general rate of growth (“g” )—which explains why the rich accumulate wealth faster than everyone else.
Illustrator: R. Kikuo Johnson
AD: Nick Vokey"

 

Finalist

Successful Farming, November 2014, The Robots Are Coming!

"With the continued improvements made in agriculture related robotics, American farmers will experience the biggest changes in farm operations since the advent of the motorized tractor and mechanical harvester. Successful Farming covered the latest ideas and prototypes being developed that will make farmers more productive, more efficient and help them save money.

 
The cover, illustrated by Tim O’Brien and art directed and designed by Creative Director Matt Strelecki, takes a playful look at the future by taking a look back at old sci-fi movie posters for inspiration. The subject, Prospero, is a prototype swarming robot currently under development."
 
 
Family and Home
 

Winner

FamilyFun, August 2014, Road Trip

"For our August 2014 issue, FamilyFun commissioned photographer Sabrina Helas to shoot our cover story on family road trips. The minute we saw this image in the film, we knew we had our cover. Shot at The Corner Store in San Pedro, CA, the photo is filled with the kind of joyful, authentic details we love — the vintage blue bottle, the candy bracelet, the world's best burger, and a side-glancing smile of delight from 6-year-old Isaac. Intriguing and spontaneous-feeling, it sums up what our brand is all about: making happy memories with your kids."

 
 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

NYC&G, New York Cottages and Gardens, December 2014/January 2015, European Style

"This cover of NYC&G (New York Cottages & Gardens), shot for a special issue on Europe, appeals to our design- and travel-obsessed readers not just for the way it captures the very essence of the European decorating style Americans know and love so well, but also because it pulls the eye in toward the open door, suggesting the wonderful stories that await inside the issue. Although originally intended to be a companion image to a larger photograph, it was clearly the cover choice the moment the shutter clicked."

 

Finalist

Parents, April 2014, Life in a Special-Needs World

"The April 2014 cover of PARENTS reflects the issue’s 24-page section, “Life in a Special-Needs World.” Our cover models, siblings Chloe and Daniel Molina, both have autism, and this is the first time that a child with autism has appeared on our cover. Despite the best efforts of photographer Chris O’Shea, 5-year-old Daniel wouldn’t look at the camera—but the image accurately reflects the social challenges of children with autism. Their mother wrote to us afterwards to tell us that the cover shoot was an incredible experience for their whole family."

 

Entertainment and Celebrity

Winner

Paper, Winter 2014, Kim Kardashian

"The cover of PAPER magazine’s Winter (December) 2014 issue features Kim Kardashian photographed by Jean-Paul Goude, a living legend best known for his indelible shots of Grace Jones. As our cover tagline promised, the provocative image really did “Break the Internet,” crashing our analytics and igniting a global conversation. Rants, raves, memes and parodies appeared everywhere from Twitter, where commenters included Kanye West, Chelsea Handler and Lorde, to Saturday Night Live. It proved that, with the right combination of subject, design team and concept, a magazine cover can still cut through the noise and dominate a cultural moment."

 
 
 

Finalist

The Edit, August 21, 2014, Maria Sharapova

"The choice of tennis star Maria Sharapova to coincide with the US Open demonstrates that achievement inspires The EDIT’s readers, as opposed to beauty alone. Bjorn Iooss – whose father is Walter Iooss, the longtime Sports Illustrated contributor – photographed Sharapova in natural light to reflect her natural talent, resulting in a tender photoshoot and a contrast to her controlled, powerful sporting persona. The cover image captures Sharapova in a rare moment of repose, seated in front of a bare wall and naked except for an oversized coat – a new way to view the driven star."

 

Finalist

W, March 2014, Miley Cyrus

"It might seem as if we've already seen everything there is of Miley Cyrus, but when she appeared naked between the sheets, with shoulder-length hair and bleached eyebrows in a revealing, intimate shoot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, we could be forgiven for barely recognizing the transformed Cyrus. It was the year she was the most Googled person in America and her drastic image redo--from teen idol to hyper-sexual Internet bait--made her the perfect leading lady for W's March 2014 social media issue."

 

Science and Nature

Winner

Audubon, September/October 2014, Birds & Climate Change

"Artist Charis Tsevis was an inspired choice to create the cover for Audubon's special issue on Birds and Climate Change, which was conceived around an Audubon report that identified 314 North American birds at particular risk in a warming world. Tsevis, working closely with Audubon creative director Kevin Fisher and using only fragments of paintings from John James Audubon's Birds of America, constructed this stunning mosaic of a Golden Eagle. Each tile is from one of the 314 birds in the Audubon report. All in all, says the artist, who's based in Greece, he spent 60 hours on the project."

 

 
 

Finalist

Popular Science, September 2014, Bill Nye

"Bill Nye showed up to our September cover shoot on time, camera-ready, and looking for a fight. Nye has been taking lumps from creationists and climate change deniers for years, so we decided to put the mild-mannered children’s celebrity into the unexpected position of a brawl—battling over the fate of science in America. The approach was in line with our values: popular, audacious, and visionary. And readers loved it; the gifs produced from the shoot quickly went viral. Nye is a classic Popular Science muse, and the cover is unquestionably one of our best of the year."

 

Finalist

Vice, August 2014, Coral

The Humongous Fungus Among Us Issue; August 2014
Cover by Coral Morphologic
"Coral Morphologic is a Miami-based organization that studies new growth of coral in the surrounding area, but it has also been successful in turning its research into an art form that spans the disciplines of photography, filmmaking, and installation. The name is derived from corallimorphs, a strange breed of “urban coral” that has evolved without skeletons in order to adapt to climate change. August’s VICE cover transforms these ecologically relevant critters into a psychedelic blacklight poster using neon pantone inks."

 

Lifestyle 
 

Winner

Boys' Life, September 2014, Go, Dog. Go!

"Photographer Patrick Schneider knew he was setting up his two sons for a long goodbye when the family agreed to help train Kajsa to be a guide dog. The Labrador retriever went everywhere, including Scout outings, with Quinn and Ethan for 18 months. Eventually the Schneiders had to say “so long” to the dog that had become a member of the family — not to mention a great canoe partner — but they know Kajsa is helping others. This fantastic photo helped draw young Boys’ Life readers into Kajsa’s tale to learn about how guide dogs are trained (and loved)."

 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

Coastal Living, July/August 2014, The Summer Issue

"Coastal Living readers are passionate about summertime and beautiful water views, and the July/August 2014 cover delivers both in abundance. The eye is immediately drawn to an oversized headline announcing "The Summer Issue," and the message is clear: after a long winter, the happiest, beachiest season of them all has arrived. This impactful type treatment is matched by an equally powerful image. Captured by photographer Ozerov Alexander, a gorgeous Caribbean-blue bay fills the page with such up-close vivid color that readers can practically feel the warm water lapping their toes in the sand--one of the true joys of summer."

 

Finalist

Vice, July 2014, The Photo Issue
 

Cover by Michael Bühler-Rose
"Our 2014 Photo issue was themed along an expanding of the term trompe l’oeil. It featured visual tricks, deceptions, and illusions of all kinds, creating a saturated showcase of smoke and mirrors. It mixed emerging artists and photojournalists with some of the most established practitioners in the field. Its cover depicts a standard gallery pedestal erupting into flames. The cover also features an eye-shaped removable tip-on with a peephole that reveals the true cover image below it. The double cover images relate to both an anti-establishment sentiment (focusing on new photography) and the concept of illusions in photography."
 
 
Brainiest
 

Winner

Variety, January 2014/December 2015, Breakfast Battle

"For this conceptual story, we decided to pass on photographing subjects from each show in favor of illustrating the idea of them epically clashing. The cup of coffee plays off the idea of morning rituals and the branded mugs on set. Craig Cutler was hired to show the colliding cups of coffee that really spoke to the competitiveness of these shows vying for audiences."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Finalist

MIT Technology Review, September/October 2014, What's Your Problem

Art direction and design: Eric Mongeon
"The September/October cover was designed by my predecessor, Eric Mongeon. It’s a humorous decision tree that guides the reader into our popular annual 35 Innovators under the age of 35 feature."
 

 

 

Finalist

Popular Science, May 2014, The Invention Awards

"Popular Science has a long history of outstanding cover art. For the magazine’s annual Invention Awards issue, we decided to honor that heritage by recreating an iconic Norman Rockwell cover from October 1920. With the help of craftsman and actor Nick Offerman, we replicated the scene of a puzzled inventor in his workshop, propping it exactly like the original—except for one modern twist: The object in Offerman’s hands glows. The image perfectly captures the intersection of Popular Science’s past and future, projecting a deep-rooted American passion for invention forward, through the lens of a celebrity today’s readers love."

 

Most Delicious
 

Winner

Garden & Gun, August/September 2014, Best Dishes in Dixie

"In the land of collards and fried chicken, breakfast might seem like a surprising choice for G&G's Southern Food issue. That's what we hoped for, and this cover, shot by photographer and stylist duo Johnny and Charlotte Autry, delivered, becoming our best seller (so far) in 2014. First, the eggs--their solar yolks beg to be pricked and their whites mirror the antique plate. Colorful tomatoes, both garden-fresh and as a relish, add the visual acidity of brightness. Starchy potatoes are perfectly browned. But the true star here is the luscious, mahogany slab of Virginia-made country ham. (Most-valuable supporting player: That vintage bone-handled fork.)"

 

Finalist

Saveur, December 2014, Let's Celebrate

"A classic New England dessert known as the Apple Pandowdy was the cover subject of Saveur's December issue. Presented in the cast-iron skillet in which it is prepared, as well as in an earthenware bowl with a dollop of ice cream, the dish conveys the warmth of the holidays and the traditional dishes featured in "Boston Uncommon," a story focusing on the classic foods of one of America's oldest cities. The photograph, taken by Romulo Yanes, evokes the rustic comfort foods we love to prepare during winter. And the theme, "Let's Celebrate," says Saveur is in the holiday spirit."

 

Finalist

Washingtonian, June 2014, The 25 Best Burgers
 

Creative Director: Michael Goesele
Photographer: Scott Suchman
Photo Director: Diane Rice
Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky
Typography: Lauren Hom
Location: Food Wine & Co.
"Each year, the art team is tasked with creating a cover for the Washingtonian’s Cheap Eats issue, that readers would want to reach in and grab hold of. This time, we took our inspiration from one of the package’s main components—a list of the area’s 25 best burgers. We set out to find a burger that was as beautiful as it was tasty—that wouldn’t look too fancy or too fast-food. We knew we’d found our winner when we feasted our eyes on this truffle-mayo topped patty with both brightly pickled and fried onions, meaty mushrooms, and a brioche bun."

 

Readers' Choice Awards Most Liked Cover
 

Winner

Paper, Winter 2014, Kim Kardashian

"The cover of PAPER magazine’s Winter (December) 2014 issue features Kim Kardashian photographed by Jean-Paul Goude, a living legend best known for his indelible shots of Grace Jones. As our cover tagline promised, the provocative image really did “Break the Internet,” crashing our analytics and igniting a global conversation. Rants, raves, memes and parodies appeared everywhere from Twitter, where commenters included Kanye West, Chelsea Handler and Lorde, to Saturday Night Live. It proved that, with the right combination of subject, design team and concept, a magazine cover can still cut through the noise and dominate a cultural moment."