Triumphant design: We examine several common elements among award-winning projects—past and present—to see what it takes to bring home the prize in design competitions.
by Sheree Clark
July 2008
When John Sayles and I started Sayles Graphic Design in 1985, our firm had a decidedly narrow focus: Our clients, suppliers and reputation were all local. Gradually, we decided that if our influence was to grow, we had to turn our attention outward. John and I wanted the firm to have a wider presence geographically, and we sought to attract larger and more exalted clients. We decided one way to raise our profile was to seek recognition from juried awards shows. Our strategy was simple: Determine in advance how much we could afford to spend on entry fees for each competition, and then submit the projects we thought had the best chance of winning. We were fortunate to have quite a bit of success early on, and within two years of starting our business, we had work selected for the Communication Arts annual.
by Sheree Clark
July 2008
When John Sayles and I started Sayles Graphic Design in 1985, our firm had a decidedly narrow focus: Our clients, suppliers and reputation were all local. Gradually, we decided that if our influence was to grow, we had to turn our attention outward. John and I wanted the firm to have a wider presence geographically, and we sought to attract larger and more exalted clients. We decided one way to raise our profile was to seek recognition from juried awards shows. Our strategy was simple: Determine in advance how much we could afford to spend on entry fees for each competition, and then submit the projects we thought had the best chance of winning. We were fortunate to have quite a bit of success early on, and within two years of starting our business, we had work selected for the Communication Arts annual.
Both John and I have subsequently served on juries for a number of shows during the time we’ve been in the business. I have been privileged to judge STEP inside design, How, Graphic Design: USA and nearly two dozen American Advertising Federation shows. John has juried many of these same competitions (in different years), as well as Communication Arts and many AIGA chapter exhibitions. Even with experiencing this other side of the awards-show fence, for us, deciding what projects to submit for consideration still feels like a crapshoot. The fact is, we are still sometimes surprised at what gets into an exhibition and what the various judging panels do not acknowledge. Yet, in looking back over nearly two and a half decades, there seem to be some commonalities among the pieces and campaigns that have won the greatest number of honors and accolades.
Sayles Graphic Design
After two and a half decades of entering—and winning—juried competitions, John Sayles admits, “I still am amazed at what does and doesn’t get picked sometimes. Just when I think I have the formula figured out, it seems like all the rules change.” Nonetheless, Sayles has amassed his share of wins—he estimates he has received over 1000 awards since his first submission in 1986. Shown here are a few of his more decorated projects from over the years.
Villanova University “Rush Hour”
This two-color project for the fraternities at Villanova University in Pennsylvania was among Sayles’ first projects to receive national acclaim. “Rush Hour” appeared in the Communication Arts Design Annual in 1988. “It was done before we had computers at the studio; I had to hand-cut every one of those little checks out of Amberlith. I bet the judges picked it just to acknowledge the hand skills it took to execute,” says Sayles.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION
Truly new production techniques will often be rewarded in a design competition. For example, during the 1980s—when industrial paper was first being used for everyday design projects—it was not uncommon to see awards given to brochures fashioned from chipboard, corrugated cardboard and Kraft paper. An unusual technique or substrate has a certain shock value, and thus can catch a judge’s eyes among the thousands of entries in a large design show. Judges like to reward well-executed risk, and breakthrough production techniques certainly fall into this category.
Unique binding methods are another example of how production and design can join together to get work vaulted into the winners’ circle. Many types of nontraditional bindings with virtually unlimited variations exist. Most important, the production technique—in addition to being new and original—has to actually work. A dimensional binding process that looks great, but doesn’t hold a book or brochure closed properly, will not be taking home any prizes.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORK
Many of our most celebrated projects have been 3D in nature. Perhaps the judges recognized the added “degree of difficulty” of designing in 3D and rewarded the work accordingly. Simply put: More things can go wrong with 3D design—whether the project is a box, package, pop-up or other item. Once again, the quality of production will be taken into account: Packages that close properly, graphics that match up exactly, dies that were made with precision are all important considerations in a 3D submission.
Schaffer’s Bridal Shop
Such a simple concept: black and white for a wedding shop. This campaign was recognized by inclusion in a host of prestigious design shows in the 1990s. It even resulted in a subsequent commission when Sayles was invited by Saks Fifth Avenue to design a series of packages after Saks executives saw it in an annual.
TACTILE PIECES
In many awards shows, judges initially scan work rather quickly, in order to get an overall sense for the particular category they are judging; then they’ll go back and evaluate individual pieces. Any piece that actually gets picked up and handled has a better chance for inclusion in a show, simply because a connection or relationship is established when the work is touched. The tactile allure can come from the use of an unusual substrate, a tipped-on item or some other technique that begs to be examined more thoroughly.
UNUSUAL SCALE
Whether oversized or miniature, the scale of a piece can affect its impact on the viewer. In certain categories—brochures for example—a virtual sea of 8½ x 11-in. work can become tedious. A welldesigned, odd-sized piece stands a good chance of a favorable review because it provides a visual relief. This is not to suggest that we should be designing off-size brochures in order to garner more awards, but it does stand to reason the features that attract the attention of a design show judge may also be the same ones that catch the eyes of our clients and their customers. Sometimes it just makes sense to break with convention.
COMPLETE IDEAS
It should go without saying that copy and design are partners and should complement each other, but the fact is in many projects one overshadows the other. In a best-case scenario, the verbal and visual messages reinforce each other and do not compete for attention. While there usually is not time during the judging of a show to read large amounts of copy, there is time to determine whether the writer and the designer were on the same page.
CATEGORY-BUSTERS
Sometimes work that might not be recognized garners a spot in an exhibition, simply because it was entered into the right category. An entry may easily fit into three or more categories simultaneously—for example, a poster can also be a self-promotion as well as an invitation—so a little time spent thinking about where the project might have the best chance of recognition is certainly time well spent.
POIGNANT APPROPRIATENESS
We’ve all seen the logo that eloquently “says”—without words—what a company does, or the ohso- perfect choice of color and visuals to convey a certain message with precision. When you create one of those perfectly balanced medium/message projects, submit it to your competition of choice. If it’s that good, the judges will probably see it too!
Iowa Nebraska Power Farming Show
“The funny thing about this poster is that for all the awards it has received, the client hated it,” says Sayles. “It was developed to promote a farm-implement trade show in 1991, and after it was printed, the board said it looked too ‘Soviet.’ And the 1000 posters we produced were never distributed. Four years later it was one of eight Sayles Graphic Design projects picked for the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.”
Art in the Park
“I did a lot of work on industrial paper stocks in the late 1980s and into the ’90s, and this poster—which was screen-printed on a feed bag—was well received in awards shows in 1994 and ’95. Again, I think it’s because it was unexpected. It’s startling to see a promotion for an art show on a rustic medium. Taking things out of context is a way of getting noticed, in shows and in the marketplace,” advises Sayles.
SIDEBARS:
Design Books: A Different Selection Process
In addition to submitting work to juried exhibitions, many designers have found success having their work represented in trade reference books. Scores of design books are printed each year, and most do not charge a fee for submission. Typically these publications have a “jury of one”—the author—who decides which pieces will be included in the finished volume. The criteria for selection and inclusion are different for published works than for awards shows. Books are developed to generate sales; they must be attractive, compelling and should appear to be packed with worthwhile ideas and inspiration. Thus work submitted to an author is generally evaluated by measures other than those used by design show judges. An author will typically want to know:
Has it already been seen? Designers and others buy books in order to get new ideas. If an author—or the publisher—receives a project that has been featured in print too many times, it will likely not be included in a new title. Likewise, if a project is obviously old or dated it could be eliminated from consideration.
Will it look good? Many book authors accept—and some actually prefer—photographs of projects rather than samples of work for consideration. In such a case, a well-shot piece stands a far greater chance of inclusion in a book than one represented by an inferior photograph.
Will the designer cooperate with me? An author usually needs a few things beyond the image or sample, and this often requires some back and forth with the designer. A signed release form and credit information are typically necessary, and often an author will also need background information about the project. Designers who are not responsive to requests for missing information will not have their work included in books.
Is the firm or designer overplayed? In an effort to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, publishers will often insist that an author strike a balance with regard to the style, geographic representation and experience level of the firms and work involved in the book. Again, this is to help ensure sales.
Dynamic Graphics contacted other designers who have judged a variety of awards shows. We asked them to send us an example of their work that has received accolades—regardless of when it was produced—and to give us their thoughts about why these pieces were so well received by their peers. Christopher Simmons and Sean Adams had standout examples and insights to share:
Christopher Simmons, MINE: Paradox Logo
Christopher Simmons of MINE in San Francisco knows a thing or two about logo design. Simmons is the author of Logo Lab (How Design Books), a book featuring 18 case studies that demonstrate identity design from concept to completion. Simmons says, “By far, the project for which we have received the most recognition is the Paradox logo. It has received awards from AIGA, Graphis, STEP inside design, How and others. It has been featured in 10 or more books, the San Francisco Chronicle, a handful of magazines and countless blogs. When Bill Cahan saw it, he told me I should retire—he said that there was no way I could ever top it.
“I think the reason this particular project has captured so many people’s imaginations has little to do with its design. The chicken and egg is the simplest, most universal metaphor for a paradox. So it takes a really complex idea and makes it incredibly accessible. When you’re judging hundreds or thousands of pieces, first impressions count for a lot. The quicker you can understand something, the more likely you are to judge it favorably.
“Judging competitions sounds glamorous, but it’s actually pretty tiring and often fairly boring. If you can make a judge laugh or delight them with something clever or different it can be a welcome break in a long day or weekend.”
Simmons recollects, “I was judging a competition not too long ago with two other well-known designers. We each had colored Post-its that we used to flag the work we thought merited recognition. We all went around separately so we wouldn’t know what the other judges had flagged. At the end of the day I was talking to one of the other judges, and he was fiddling with a couple of little pieces of colored paper. ‘What’s that?’ I asked. ‘These are my leftover Post-its,’ he answered. He was down to about a half dozen from his initial stack. I had about 75 percent of mine left. We went and got the third judge who showed us about half a stack. Where I was stingy with my praise, the others were more liberal. You could say that I was more critical, but I think that they were just more open to looking for opportunities to celebrate work, whereas I treated it much more competitively. Both approaches are valid, but it goes to show that you never know how your work is going to be judged.”
Sean Adams, AdamsMorioka: UCLA Summer Sessions
Sean Adams of AdamsMorioka in Los Angeles sent us two projects that were designed several years apart but for the same client: UCLA. The projects have been included in a variety of exhibitions, including AIGA 365, STEP 100, The Mohawk Show, RGD (Canada) Awards and the New York Art Directors Club.
Adams reflects, “The posters/catalog covers for UCLA Extension are part of the Masters of Graphic Design Series. These projects have consistently been included in awards competitions. I can’t read the minds of the judges, so I’m not exactly sure why they have such strong appeal. If I had to guess, the imagery is clear and direct; the iconography is easy to understand. The typography is simple, and the colors are pure. But then again, who knows? Maybe they’re simply so bright that they can’t be ignored. Recently, we were called by a high-powered entertainment client who was creating a new company. He was talking to three noted firms. We walked into his office in the heart of Beverly Hills, and the UCLA Summer Sessions poster was right there, framed on his wall. He didn’t know we had designed it until we told him. We got the job,” says Adams.
“Competitions are not the final word in excellence. There are many factors in a competition: the jury, your overall reputation and the scope of other work submitted. I was once told that a juror walked through a competition specifi cally pulling out anything he knew we had done. When asked why by another judge, he said, ‘Because I hate them.’ Go figure.
“I do think there are a few universal truths. First, no bad typography. No wacky, trendy typefaces or badly drawn, bold serif fonts. Stay with the classics. Unless the piece is extreme in its adventurous experimentation with typography, keep the type simple. Second, complex and intricate ideas are difficult to judge quickly. Not fair, I know, but when faced with 3000 pieces to evaluate in two days, it’s a sad fact. And finally, if it takes more than 15 seconds to understand how to open something, it simply won’t get opened. So stay away from origami-styled complex folds and envelopes,” Adams offers.
After two and a half decades of entering—and winning—juried competitions, John Sayles admits, “I still am amazed at what does and doesn’t get picked sometimes. Just when I think I have the formula figured out, it seems like all the rules change.” Nonetheless, Sayles has amassed his share of wins—he estimates he has received over 1000 awards since his first submission in 1986. Shown here are a few of his more decorated projects from over the years.
Villanova University “Rush Hour”
This two-color project for the fraternities at Villanova University in Pennsylvania was among Sayles’ first projects to receive national acclaim. “Rush Hour” appeared in the Communication Arts Design Annual in 1988. “It was done before we had computers at the studio; I had to hand-cut every one of those little checks out of Amberlith. I bet the judges picked it just to acknowledge the hand skills it took to execute,” says Sayles.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION
Truly new production techniques will often be rewarded in a design competition. For example, during the 1980s—when industrial paper was first being used for everyday design projects—it was not uncommon to see awards given to brochures fashioned from chipboard, corrugated cardboard and Kraft paper. An unusual technique or substrate has a certain shock value, and thus can catch a judge’s eyes among the thousands of entries in a large design show. Judges like to reward well-executed risk, and breakthrough production techniques certainly fall into this category.
Unique binding methods are another example of how production and design can join together to get work vaulted into the winners’ circle. Many types of nontraditional bindings with virtually unlimited variations exist. Most important, the production technique—in addition to being new and original—has to actually work. A dimensional binding process that looks great, but doesn’t hold a book or brochure closed properly, will not be taking home any prizes.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORK
Many of our most celebrated projects have been 3D in nature. Perhaps the judges recognized the added “degree of difficulty” of designing in 3D and rewarded the work accordingly. Simply put: More things can go wrong with 3D design—whether the project is a box, package, pop-up or other item. Once again, the quality of production will be taken into account: Packages that close properly, graphics that match up exactly, dies that were made with precision are all important considerations in a 3D submission.
Schaffer’s Bridal Shop
Such a simple concept: black and white for a wedding shop. This campaign was recognized by inclusion in a host of prestigious design shows in the 1990s. It even resulted in a subsequent commission when Sayles was invited by Saks Fifth Avenue to design a series of packages after Saks executives saw it in an annual.
TACTILE PIECES
In many awards shows, judges initially scan work rather quickly, in order to get an overall sense for the particular category they are judging; then they’ll go back and evaluate individual pieces. Any piece that actually gets picked up and handled has a better chance for inclusion in a show, simply because a connection or relationship is established when the work is touched. The tactile allure can come from the use of an unusual substrate, a tipped-on item or some other technique that begs to be examined more thoroughly.
UNUSUAL SCALE
Whether oversized or miniature, the scale of a piece can affect its impact on the viewer. In certain categories—brochures for example—a virtual sea of 8½ x 11-in. work can become tedious. A welldesigned, odd-sized piece stands a good chance of a favorable review because it provides a visual relief. This is not to suggest that we should be designing off-size brochures in order to garner more awards, but it does stand to reason the features that attract the attention of a design show judge may also be the same ones that catch the eyes of our clients and their customers. Sometimes it just makes sense to break with convention.
COMPLETE IDEAS
It should go without saying that copy and design are partners and should complement each other, but the fact is in many projects one overshadows the other. In a best-case scenario, the verbal and visual messages reinforce each other and do not compete for attention. While there usually is not time during the judging of a show to read large amounts of copy, there is time to determine whether the writer and the designer were on the same page.
CATEGORY-BUSTERS
Sometimes work that might not be recognized garners a spot in an exhibition, simply because it was entered into the right category. An entry may easily fit into three or more categories simultaneously—for example, a poster can also be a self-promotion as well as an invitation—so a little time spent thinking about where the project might have the best chance of recognition is certainly time well spent.
POIGNANT APPROPRIATENESS
We’ve all seen the logo that eloquently “says”—without words—what a company does, or the ohso- perfect choice of color and visuals to convey a certain message with precision. When you create one of those perfectly balanced medium/message projects, submit it to your competition of choice. If it’s that good, the judges will probably see it too!
Iowa Nebraska Power Farming Show
“The funny thing about this poster is that for all the awards it has received, the client hated it,” says Sayles. “It was developed to promote a farm-implement trade show in 1991, and after it was printed, the board said it looked too ‘Soviet.’ And the 1000 posters we produced were never distributed. Four years later it was one of eight Sayles Graphic Design projects picked for the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.”
Art in the Park
“I did a lot of work on industrial paper stocks in the late 1980s and into the ’90s, and this poster—which was screen-printed on a feed bag—was well received in awards shows in 1994 and ’95. Again, I think it’s because it was unexpected. It’s startling to see a promotion for an art show on a rustic medium. Taking things out of context is a way of getting noticed, in shows and in the marketplace,” advises Sayles.
SIDEBARS:
Design Books: A Different Selection Process
In addition to submitting work to juried exhibitions, many designers have found success having their work represented in trade reference books. Scores of design books are printed each year, and most do not charge a fee for submission. Typically these publications have a “jury of one”—the author—who decides which pieces will be included in the finished volume. The criteria for selection and inclusion are different for published works than for awards shows. Books are developed to generate sales; they must be attractive, compelling and should appear to be packed with worthwhile ideas and inspiration. Thus work submitted to an author is generally evaluated by measures other than those used by design show judges. An author will typically want to know:
Has it already been seen? Designers and others buy books in order to get new ideas. If an author—or the publisher—receives a project that has been featured in print too many times, it will likely not be included in a new title. Likewise, if a project is obviously old or dated it could be eliminated from consideration.
Will it look good? Many book authors accept—and some actually prefer—photographs of projects rather than samples of work for consideration. In such a case, a well-shot piece stands a far greater chance of inclusion in a book than one represented by an inferior photograph.
Will the designer cooperate with me? An author usually needs a few things beyond the image or sample, and this often requires some back and forth with the designer. A signed release form and credit information are typically necessary, and often an author will also need background information about the project. Designers who are not responsive to requests for missing information will not have their work included in books.
Is the firm or designer overplayed? In an effort to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, publishers will often insist that an author strike a balance with regard to the style, geographic representation and experience level of the firms and work involved in the book. Again, this is to help ensure sales.
Dynamic Graphics contacted other designers who have judged a variety of awards shows. We asked them to send us an example of their work that has received accolades—regardless of when it was produced—and to give us their thoughts about why these pieces were so well received by their peers. Christopher Simmons and Sean Adams had standout examples and insights to share:
Christopher Simmons, MINE: Paradox Logo
Christopher Simmons of MINE in San Francisco knows a thing or two about logo design. Simmons is the author of Logo Lab (How Design Books), a book featuring 18 case studies that demonstrate identity design from concept to completion. Simmons says, “By far, the project for which we have received the most recognition is the Paradox logo. It has received awards from AIGA, Graphis, STEP inside design, How and others. It has been featured in 10 or more books, the San Francisco Chronicle, a handful of magazines and countless blogs. When Bill Cahan saw it, he told me I should retire—he said that there was no way I could ever top it.
“I think the reason this particular project has captured so many people’s imaginations has little to do with its design. The chicken and egg is the simplest, most universal metaphor for a paradox. So it takes a really complex idea and makes it incredibly accessible. When you’re judging hundreds or thousands of pieces, first impressions count for a lot. The quicker you can understand something, the more likely you are to judge it favorably.
“Judging competitions sounds glamorous, but it’s actually pretty tiring and often fairly boring. If you can make a judge laugh or delight them with something clever or different it can be a welcome break in a long day or weekend.”
Simmons recollects, “I was judging a competition not too long ago with two other well-known designers. We each had colored Post-its that we used to flag the work we thought merited recognition. We all went around separately so we wouldn’t know what the other judges had flagged. At the end of the day I was talking to one of the other judges, and he was fiddling with a couple of little pieces of colored paper. ‘What’s that?’ I asked. ‘These are my leftover Post-its,’ he answered. He was down to about a half dozen from his initial stack. I had about 75 percent of mine left. We went and got the third judge who showed us about half a stack. Where I was stingy with my praise, the others were more liberal. You could say that I was more critical, but I think that they were just more open to looking for opportunities to celebrate work, whereas I treated it much more competitively. Both approaches are valid, but it goes to show that you never know how your work is going to be judged.”
Sean Adams, AdamsMorioka: UCLA Summer Sessions
Sean Adams of AdamsMorioka in Los Angeles sent us two projects that were designed several years apart but for the same client: UCLA. The projects have been included in a variety of exhibitions, including AIGA 365, STEP 100, The Mohawk Show, RGD (Canada) Awards and the New York Art Directors Club.
Adams reflects, “The posters/catalog covers for UCLA Extension are part of the Masters of Graphic Design Series. These projects have consistently been included in awards competitions. I can’t read the minds of the judges, so I’m not exactly sure why they have such strong appeal. If I had to guess, the imagery is clear and direct; the iconography is easy to understand. The typography is simple, and the colors are pure. But then again, who knows? Maybe they’re simply so bright that they can’t be ignored. Recently, we were called by a high-powered entertainment client who was creating a new company. He was talking to three noted firms. We walked into his office in the heart of Beverly Hills, and the UCLA Summer Sessions poster was right there, framed on his wall. He didn’t know we had designed it until we told him. We got the job,” says Adams.
“Competitions are not the final word in excellence. There are many factors in a competition: the jury, your overall reputation and the scope of other work submitted. I was once told that a juror walked through a competition specifi cally pulling out anything he knew we had done. When asked why by another judge, he said, ‘Because I hate them.’ Go figure.
“I do think there are a few universal truths. First, no bad typography. No wacky, trendy typefaces or badly drawn, bold serif fonts. Stay with the classics. Unless the piece is extreme in its adventurous experimentation with typography, keep the type simple. Second, complex and intricate ideas are difficult to judge quickly. Not fair, I know, but when faced with 3000 pieces to evaluate in two days, it’s a sad fact. And finally, if it takes more than 15 seconds to understand how to open something, it simply won’t get opened. So stay away from origami-styled complex folds and envelopes,” Adams offers.
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