Read Aftenposten’s article (in Norwegian)
With new content, the new paper and new format Aftenposten served its subscribers with a revitalized Friday magazine last October.
Last week Editor Lillian Vambheim and the rest of the staff in A-magasinet received the Label for Good Design in the “Visual Communication” category.
In the Jury’s opinion, A-magasinet holds high international standard:
“This is a very good design job that has raised A-magasinet way above the competition. The new magazine is the work of craftsmanship on every page, and the aim to appeal to everyone regardless of age, nationality and gender shines clearly through. The language is simpler, and distinct sectioning and graphical elements separate the content in an understandable manner.”
Better readability
A-magasinet’s use of typographic hierarchy and graphics also helps to improve readability.
“The beautiful and colorful images stand out as a great contrast to the otherwise serene expression. The result is pure, reliable and elegant, which works well on most surfaces.”
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“It is regarded as both modern and classic, which should appeal both to a wide range of readers and advertisers,” the jury’s statement said.
A-magasinet’s Editor, Lillian Vambheim, look at the award as a great inspiration to create an even better magazine.
“This tells us that we have succeeded in our remake of A-magasinet by reinforcing its position and visual identity. And it tells us that the market liked the changes that have made us become Norway’s most read magazine. Our goal was to give A-magasinet new solutions and a more distinct personality, and this proves that we have reached the goal,” she says.
World class
The jury calls the magazine “world class”. How does this affect you and your staff’s confidence?
“That’s a wonderful reference to get. We were proud of our product before, but now we are maybe even a bit more proud to work for A-magasinet. The aim has been to position the magazine as the smart option – and to bring the world to Norway. Recognition of this kind is important for our self -esteem. Every day we attempt to set high goals – now we can make them even hairier.
Norway’s most read magazine
Readership figures from 2013 showed that A-magasinet passed VG Helg as the most widely read magazine in Norway.
“I hope the redesign is part of the reason why we now have 723,000 readers every Friday. It was scary to carry out the changes, since we wanted to preserve our core readers while we at the same time wanted to lower the age of our target group (+38 years) to attract new readers. The feedback has been overwhelming. The new sections such as culture, food, wine and nature/outdoor have proven popular, says Vambheim.
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A-magasinet is also nominated for three awards at the “Mediedagene” event in Bergen in May, of which the most important one is “Newspaper Magazine of the Year”. This is because of A-magasinet’s combination of content and design.
“Our design solution is considerably more low-key than in the two major tabloid competitors. By curbing the general expression in the magazine we have provided room for several additional elements of journalistic content that help make the magazine more comprehensive and smart. Our goal is that the solution will appear more stylish and elegant than its tabloid competitors,” Vambheim explains.