The former France captain, now manager of Real Madrid, stars on the cover of FourFourTwo magazine which won gold after securing the most votes from the public in the annual PPA online poll.
NME took the silver award for its historic first-ever cover as a free title, featuring Rihanna. The bronze award went to Stylist magazine for the cover of its Comfort Food issue, based on a bespoke piece of knitting created by artist Jessica Dance.
The Front Cover of the Year was just one of 25 PPA awards handed out by TV and radio presenter and Glamour columnist Fearne Cotton at Grosvenor House on June 30.
Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman was named Editor of the Year (Consumer Media), capping a triumphant centenary year for the Condé Nast title. Consumer Magazine of the Year went to Women’s Health; Consumer Media Brand of the Year was awarded to Auto Express; and Cyclist magazine took home both the Specialist Consumer Magazine of the Year award and the award for International Consumer Media Brand of the Year.
The Business Media categories were dominated by the recently-created Ascential PLC, the business formerly known as the Top Right Group, which won in four categories, including Business Media Brand of the Year for Retail Week, and Editor of the Year (Business Media) for Jenni Middleton of Nursing Times.
The PPA Chairman’s Award, designed to recognise continuous if overlooked excellence, was presented to What’s On TV, the Time Inc. UK weekly title that continues to sell more than a million copies a week a quarter of a century on from its launch.
Barry McIlheney, CEO of the PPA, said: “The PPA Awards is, quite simply, the most important night in our industry’s calendar. It is the culmination of a process that brings together the industry’s most senior figures to reward and highlight the people and publishing brands operating at the absolute pinnacle of UK Business and Magazine Media. Congratulations go to all our truly worthy winners, who managed to stand out from some incredibly talented shortlists.”
In the most poignant moment of the night, Barry McIlheney posthumously inducted former emap CEO and PPA Chairman Kevin Hand into the PPA Hall of Fame. Kevin, who died in April after a short illness, was the unanimous choice of the PPA Executive Board, and his award was accepted on stage by his widow Fiona in the presence of his four daughters.
Barry McIlheney said: “Over the course of a truly remarkable 40-year career, Kevin made an outstanding contribution to magazine media in the UK. He was a committed ambassador to this industry, demonstrated not least during his time as Chairman of the PPA, and his legacy is evident in the generation of executives who worked with Kevin and who are now in some of our sector’s most senior leadership roles. He is much missed by all who knew him and who were lucky enough to serve under him."
WINNERS OF THE PPA AWARDS 2016:
FRONT COVER OF THE YEAR
GOLD: FourFourTwo (Zidane), Haymarket Media Group
SILVER: NME (Rihanna), Time Inc. UK
BRONZE: Stylist (Comfort Food), Shortlist Media
PPA HALL OF FAME
Kevin Hand
PPA CHAIRMAN'S AWARD
What's On TV, Time Inc. UK
CONSUMER MEDIA BRAND OF THE YEAR
Auto Express, Dennis Publishing
BUSINESS MEDIA BRAND OF THE YEAR
Retail Week, Plexus, Ascential PLC
INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER MEDIA BRAND
Cyclist, Dennis Publishing
CONSUMER MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Women's Health, Hearst-Rodale
BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Pulse, Cogora
SPECIALIST CONSUMER MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Cyclist, Dennis Publishing
CUSTOMER MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Slimming World, Slimming World
EDITOR OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
Alexandra Shulman, Vogue, The Condé Nast Publications
EDITOR OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Jenni Middleton, Nursing Times, Plexus, Ascential PLC
EVENT OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
The Photography Show, Future
EVENT OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Speaking Up: What's the Impact of the Modern Workplace on our Mental Health?, Haymarket Media Group
DIGITAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
Car Magazine, Bauer Media
DIGITAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Glenigan, Plexus, Ascential PLC
PUBLISHING INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR (ANNUAL TURNOVER UNDER £10M)
Jonathan Bolton, Bromleigh House
TEAM LEADER OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER & BUSINESS MEDIA)
Mariam Ahmed, Shortlist Media
THE PPA GREAT LEAP FORWARD
Ann Shuttleworth and Kathryn Godfrey, Nursing Times, Plexus, Ascential PLC
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
Melinda Stevens, Condé Nast Traveller, The Condé Nast Publications
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Dr Margaret McCarthy, British Medical Journal, BMJ Publishing Group
WRITER OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
Lotte Jeffs, ELLE, Hearst Magazines UK
WRITER OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Kate Magee, Campaign, Haymarket Media Group
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER MEDIA)
Natasha Tomalin, Stylist, Shortlist Media
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS MEDIA)
Christie Ferdinando, Modus, Sunday
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Radio Times TV Champion, Immediate Media Co
