Organised by The Association of Business Publications International (TABPI), the Tabbie Awards give B2B editors, art directors and publishers the opportunity to have their best work judged by peers from around the world. 

In 2020, two Australian B2B publishers took out Gold Awards – The Magazine Publishing Company and The Police Association of South Australia. 

For the competition’s 18th year, TABPI President Paul J. Heney explained that the program is acknowledging the phenomenal work that publications did in 2020 with an all-new category.

“There is so much great journalism happening in the B2B world, from Dublin to Sydney and San Francisco to Cape Town. Publication staffs are examining how the pandemic is affecting individual industry niches, and they are reporting on the changes it has brought about — and what that means to their readers. That’s why we’re unveiling a new special category for 2021 that will recognize excellence in how B2B publications have covered COVID-19.”

Heney said that being honored in an editorial/design competition, such as the Tabbie Awards, can be parlayed into an effective marketing tool for publications. 

“Winning helps showcase to the world the focus on quality content,” he said. “I’ve seen publications successfully leverage their wins in competitions like the Tabbies. They promote the accolades to both readers and advertisers, showing they are a reputable publishing brand.”

Tabbie Awards nomination criteria

The Tabbies’ competition is open to English-language B2B publications that are published at least three times a year, as well as online B2B publications.

Publications are not required to maintain membership in an organization to be considered for the Tabbie Awards.

Publications are not required to have international readership to qualify.

Award categories 

The Tabbies Awards encompass 16 categories. Categories in the editorial division include: 

• Best Single Issue, 
• Editorial Department, 
• Editor’s Column, 
• Feature Article, 
• Focus/Profile Article, 
• How-To Article, 
• Special Section, and 
• Technical Article. 

Categories in the design division include: 

• Best Feature Design, 
• Best Front Cover, Digital Imagery, 
• Best Front Cover, Illustration, 
• Best Front Cover, Photograph, and 
• Best Opening Page or Spread. 

The online division recognizes the most interactive, informative B2B websites and e-newsletters, and this year’s new special category is for COVID-19 Coverage.

The deadline for entries is 26 March 2021. A late fee applies after that date. Winners will be announced in August 2021.

Tabbie Award submissions can be made at: https://tabpi.submittable.com/submit 

The post 2021 Tabbie Awards nominations open for B2B publications appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Founded by childhood friends Nicky Shortridge and Vivien Jones, Kookie is a 56-page quarterly print magazine aimed at respecting pre-teen girls with all kinds of interests, backgrounds and abilities.

Shortridge says that the publication “busts the mould for pre-teen magazines”. A direction that has earned the team publishing industry acclaim.

Since its launch in December 2017, Kookie has won two publishing awards: most recently a 2019 Mumbrella Publish Award (Consumer publication of the year – small), as well as a British Society of Magazine Editors Award in 2018 (Launch of the year).

Driven by a clear purpose and a key difference

Between them, Shortridge and Jones have over 30 years’ experience across editing, writing, publishing and design. Shortridge is based in Australia and Jones in the UK.

“When Viv framed Kookie as a kind of feminist magazine for tweens, it was a lightbulb moment for us. We don’t talk feminism inside the magazine, but this way of thinking about its purpose and content brought complete clarity to the project when we started working on it,” says Shortridge. 

Kookie is about giving pre-teen girls a bigger, brighter view of the world and their place in it.

“We’re publishing a magazine that stands apart with smart, gender-neutral content that encourages curious, confident girls.”

Shortridge says “With no advertising, fashion or make-up, Kookie (as in smart cookie) aims to meet the needs of an under-served audience: girls aged 7 to 12+ who want – and deserve – a magazine that provides a rounded and optimistic sense of who they are and what they could become.

“Where existing magazines mostly follow a familiar format – think pop, think pretty, think plastic cover gifts – our magazine avoids narrow stereotypes, reflecting and respecting girls with all kinds of interests, backgrounds and abilities,” she says.

Carefully considered editorial and design elements

The magazine’s content is carefully curated to inspire its pre-teen readers, as is the format and delivery of each article. Every edition includes articles that build a girl’s confidence, fill her with ideas and connect her with a wider community.

Pre-teen readers are also brought into the process of creating each edition. “It’s a magazine for girls and by girls. Our readers are our interviewers, writers and artists, alongside an international team of talented and creative female contributors,” says Shortridge. 

“Because kids need to ‘see it to be it’, we showcase a host of remarkable women: robotics engineer Marita Cheng, children’s author Kirli Saunders, and Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell have all been interviewed by our readers.

The magazine also includes original fiction and comics, plus features on everything from activism and adventure to science and sleepovers. Regulars include rad girl profiles, embarrassing moments, heroes of history, environmental topics, craft, books, puzzles, problems, pets and more.

“Our passion is to create a publication that’s inclusive of all kinds of kids. This influences the way we create and source editorial. Text is also carefully composed to avoid gendered or ableist language, and formatted to balance visual appeal with accessibility – that is, presented to reach eager and developing readers alike.”

Nicky Shortridge, Co-Founder, Kookie

Covers feature actual Kookie readers and a unique look: strong black-and-white portraits complemented by vibrant illustration, commissioned to convey the content inside. Throughout the magazine, imagery shows girls as active participants not passive subjects.

Kookie magazine = an ad-free magazine

Many magazine publishers wouldn’t consider launching a magazine without advertising revenue, but Shortridge explains that having an ad-free magazine is central to what Kookie stands for.

“We want to foster fresh thinking, not a new generation of avid consumers, and made a conscious decision to not solicit advertising, treating this business challenge as an advantage.”

To reduce the initial risk, Kookie was launched via a crowdfunding campaign to establish a subscriber base ahead of issue 1. The campaign was successful, securing over 300 backers.

“Today, customers (mainly parents, plus schools) love the ad-free experience we offer and are prepared to pay a slightly higher cover price for it,” says Shortridge.

Print driving engagement and community

Shortridge says that there are so many advantages to print over digital for the pre-teen age group.

“Our experience (supported by industry research) confirms that traditional print media remains popular among pre-teens, who love interacting with magazines in a tangible way – receiving them in the post, colouring in pictures, pulling out posters, filling in quizzes, reading stories on the page – actively immersing themselves in content.

She says that magazines offer a sense of ownership and escapism – they can be read anywhere, at any time – and without a charger in sight.

“Parents love to see their kids engaged deeply in our content,” Shortridge says, which is important given the parents often hold the final purchasing decision.

“We want Kookie to spark conversations and build community too, and a physical magazine is something a child can share with a friend, a parent, a sibling.” 

Nicky Shortridge, Co-Founder, Kookie

A growing subscriber base and a mighty vision

Two years into publication, Kookie’s circulation is still growing but is already broad and diverse, with subscribers in every state and territory, and in metropolitan, regional and remote locations—including a school 190 kilometres south of Broome.

“For a publication that’s passionate about building community, balance and belonging, this rich take-up – achieved within a year of launch – is a standout achievement,” Shortridge says. 

Shortridge and Jones want Kookie to be a keepsake publication that’s re-read, collected, cherished and shared by its readership.

“We’re a micro independent publishing company with a mighty vision, shaking things up and determined to do better for a new generation of girls.”

For more information on Kookie magazine, visit its website.

The post How Kookie magazine is re-inventing the print magazine to inspire young readers appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

It’s something that has been on my mind for a long time.

Having worked across a number of roles in the B2B publishing space, I was always on the look-out for ways that I could improve my performance and contribute to the company’s bottom line – whether that was trawling the web for information, connecting with others in the industry, or participating in professional development courses.

And while there is a lot of information out there – it isn’t in the one spot, and it is very rarely targeted specifically to small publishers. 

So I thought I’d create a space dedicated to Australia’s niche publishing community. 

The aim of the Niche Publishing Network is to celebrate niche publishers, provide the information needed to deliver the best possible service to subscribers and clients, and provide a platform where publishers and their teams can connect. 

I’ll be sourcing practical and thought-provoking content to help editorial, sales, design, marketing, operations, audience and business development teams. This will be in the form of news articles, practical guides, interviews, and opinion pieces sourced from across the industry.

As the Niche Publishing Network’s journey unfolds, I’ll also be experimenting with different marketing and digital publishing techniques – and I plan on sharing the results with you. 

But to do this, I need your help. I’d like you to be willing to share your successes and challenges – privately via email or publicly via an opinion piece/s – so that the Niche Publishing Network can provide the most relevant and useful content. 

Let’s ignite conversations. Let’s share our knowledge and passion for the industry. Let’s learn from one another and troubleshoot together.  

So, tell me: what do you want from a news and information provider dedicated to Australian niche publishers? 

Provide your feedback in the comments below, or send me an email at lyndsie@nichepublishers.com.au 

I can’t wait to hear your feedback. 

Lyndsie Clark, 

Editor and Founder 

Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to stay in touch. 

The post What is the Niche Publishing Network? appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Celebrating its 23rd year, the awards feature over 30 categories that “acknowledge the huge spread of expertise in the industry”. 

2019 award categories include: 

• Magazine Cover of the Year – Business 
• Magazine Cover of the Year – Consumer/Custom
• Designer of the Year
• Special Edition of the Year
• Launch/Relaunch of the Year – Small/Large
• Young Writer of the Year (30 or Under)
• Journalist of the Year – Small/Large
• Editor of the Year – Business
• Editor of the Year – Consumer/Custom
• Salesperson/Team of the Year
• Website of the Year – Business
• Website of the Year – Consumer/Custom
• Association or Member Organisation Publication of the Year
• Business Publication of the Year
• Custom Publication of the Year
• Consumer Publication of the Year – Small/Large
• Publishing Company of the Year – Small/Large

2018 winners include Mahlab Media (Publishing Company of the Year – Small), Medium Rare Content Agency (Business Publication of the Year), the Law Society of NSW (Association of Member Organisation Publication of the Year), and Elite Agent (Editor of the Year – Business).  

Entries for the 2019 awards are accepted until midnight on Friday 5 June 2019, at a cost of $450 + GST. 

The awards will be presented at a Gala Dinner at Dolton House, Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney on 19 September 2019. It is a condition of entry that all finalists have a representative present at the dinner to collect their award, should they win. 

For more information on how to enter, visit the Mumbrella Publish Awards website. 

The post Get in quick to nominate for Mumbrella’s Publish Awards appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.