Penguin launches design awards

Penguin has announced the winners of its first annual design awards, launched earlier this year to bridge the gap between British design students and the publishing industry.

Korean-born Ara Youn from the London College of Communication won first place for her sparse, graphic jacket design of Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, which used a double-layered cover and contrasting colours to express a ‘snap judgement’, the novel’s theme.

The robust panel of judges included Penguin’s two art directors, Jim Stoddart and John Hamilton, author Ali Smith and the Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic, who awarded the winning entry a £1000 cash prize and a six-week work placement at the Penguin design studio.

‘We were looking for someone who was exploring the whole design of the book, and Ara’s entry showed a strong sense of the entire thought process and innovative use of typography and finishes,’ says Joanna Prior, Penguin marketing and publicity director.


‘Setting up an award helps us reach the next generation of upcoming designers directly. I hope that over the next couple of years our design directors will be able to start building strong relationships with specific courses, teachers and students,’ adds Prior.

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