About the competition

The Corporate Publication Competition is now in its 20th year. The aim of the competition is to reward excellence in internal and external corporate communication media. The thorough feedback by our expert judges also makes the competition an excellent training opportunity. In the region of 150 entries are received every year.

Entries open: 1 July 2021
Entries close: 16 August 2021

Due to the exceptional circumstances brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020,
certain changes have been made to the competition. In short, they are:

  • Full or partial entries are accepted, making it more affordable to enter.
  • The competition has become paperless – all entries are transferred digitally.
  • The awards function will again be virtual.

Refer to the entry form and the section How to enter to lead you through the entry process.

What people say

Knowledge, growth, benchmarking and networking. These words come to mind when I think about the NWU’s journey since we started to participate in the South African Publication Forum competition in 2009.

The feedback that we have received from the judges through the years has opened our eyes to our shortcomings, but also to our potential. Although it was quite overwhelming initially to see the exceptional work other organisations are doing, participation soon broadened our horizons and the high-quality work of the winners in the different categories became shining beacons on our own road to excellence.

Although we have not yet “arrived”, we have produced a number of award-winning publications. We have indeed come a long way from the humble publication that we entered so many years ago. We are still here… and we are still learning.
Nelia EngelbrechtNorth West University

Competition categories

The following publication types can be entered into the SAPF Annual Competition.

Magazine

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Corporate magazines

Corporate magazines are aimed at either an internal or external audience and appear at least twice a year, preferably more frequently. They usually have more than 20 pages and a separate front cover.

Newspaper

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Corporate Newspapers

Corporate newspapers are aimed at either an internal or external audience and appear more frequently than magazines. Their format is usually an A3 or a hybrid. Newspapers do not have a separate cover and contain corporate news.

Newsletter

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Corporate newsletters

Corporate newsletters are aimed at either an internal or external audience and appear frequently. Their page numbers vary (but are usually less than 20) and their format range from an A5 or a hybrid to an A4. Newsletters often do not have a separate cover.

One-off
Publication

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One-off Publications

A one-off publication appears only once a year or is produced for a special occasion that will not be repeated. They come in a variety of formats. Sample: 50 Year History or CEO Farewell, etc.

Annual Report

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Annual Reports

The annual report category also includes sustainability reports and integrated reports. They contain the financials of an organisation and can be produced in a variety of formats, either printed or digital.

Audio-visual

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Audio-visual

The audio-visual category includes videos, video newsletters, webinars or podcasts.

Electronic
Newsletter

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Electronic Newsletters

Electronic newsletters are produced and distributed digitally. They contain news and appear frequently (mostly monthly).

Digital
Publication

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Digital Publications

Digital publications are produced and distributed digitally. They are often in a 3D page turning magazine format and contain longer articles than an electronic newsletter. They usually include multimedia elements and are designed specifically for interactivity and user engagement.

Website

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Corporate Websites

Corporate websites are produced specifically for organisations and are aimed at giving companies or institutions a web presence.

Innovation

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Publication Innovation

This category refers to any innovation that falls outside the traditional categories. It may include apps, games, or anything that brings innovation to the field of corporate communication.

Editor of the year

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Editor of the year

Editors employed by organisations or associations may enter, as well as editors of publications who work in agencies. The winner would be that editor who has made the best use of the resources at his/her disposal in order to communicate the company’s objectives to internal or external target audiences. The quality of their publication(s) is considered, both in terms of frequency and scope. Their workload, responsibilities and involvement in other communications tasks also play a role.

Best cover

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Best publication cover

This category can now be entered and falls under a partial entry. Refer to the entry form. It is awarded to the most creative and pleasing cover, as determined by the design judges.

Best headlines

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Best Headlines

This category cannot be entered. It is awarded to the most creative and innovative headline, as determined by the writing judges.

Best publication
with a smaller budget

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Best publication with a smaller budget

This category cannot be entered. It is judged by a panel who considers budgets, frequency and quality.

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