NEO Boomer Brings Home 12 National Awards 

First Place: Cover Illustration

Yes, we’re tooting our own horn. And we have YOU to thank.

On October 4 in San Diego, Northeast Ohio Boomer & Beyond magazine was the big winner at the North American Mature Publishers Association’s NAMPA 2021 Publishing Excellence Awards ceremony. Outpacing the pool of national competitors serving the boomer and senior readership markets across the country and in Canada, NEO Boomer magazine earned 12 total awards in its circulation category (25,001-50,000 readers).

NEO Boomer took top honors in the all-around editorial and design categories of General Excellence and Overall Design. The magazine also placed first in five additional categories, second in four categories, and third in one category.

“I am so proud of the team and their outstanding work. To be recognized on a national stage is beyond our expectations,” says Publisher Brad Mitchell of Mitchell Media, who launched this magazine just six years ago with Editor Marie Elium, Designer Laura Chadwick, and Assistant Editor Estelle Rodis-Brown. A talented cast of contributing freelance writers, columnists, bloggers, photographers and designers bring a diverse set of expert perspectives from throughout the region to NEO Boomer’s magazine, website and Facebook page.

The panel of judges for the NAMPA Awards are representatives from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. 

General Excellence Award goes to the magazine demonstrating editorial balance, planning and a high caliber of journalism throughout, with evidence of high standards in writing and editing plus a grasp of issues with the local senior community.

• First Place: Northeast Ohio Boomer
• Judges’ comments:  “The balance of elegant profiles, resourceful ideas (valentines with grandparents, winter hiking) and updated classics (get better sleep, find the best medical care) clearly enhances the content of this publication. Design is inventive, as well as polished, with visuals that pop and graphic elements that help readers navigate a story. The publication makes good use of its resources to appeal to all readers.”

Overall Design Award recognizes superior design. Organization of the publication is well-defined, with intelligent use of space throughout. Design establishes and sustains a visual identity throughout and is technically superior in its production.

•  First Place: Northeast Ohio Boomer
• Judges’ comments:  “Strong covers — particularly the winter illustration and the chef — invite readers inside, where the design is thoughtful and functional. Inside pages use art heads, white space and text to enhance the pages. The hiking package melds type and photo without interfering with the readership of the photo. Larger type in a wider set helps move readers from heads to text.”

Additional first-place awards include:

• (Editorial) Briefs/Shorts – Worth Noting (Marie Elium)
• (Editorial) Profile – Mike & Sharon Hargrove feature (Marie Elium)
• (Editorial) How-To Feature – Downsizing/Managing Memorabilia (Estelle Rodis-Brown)
• (Design) Front Cover Illustration – Jan/Feb ’21 Winter Hiking cover (Laura Chadwick /Artist Virginia Phillips)
• (Design) Table of Contents (Laura Chadwick)

Second-place awards include:

• (Editorial) Opinion – Editor’s Note (Marie Elium)
• (Editorial) Feature Writing – 2020 Impact Award Winners (Marie Elium)
• (Editorial) Special Section – NEO Grandparent (Marie Elium, Estelle Rodis-Brown)
• (Editorial) Column Review – Tech Talk (Columnist Tak Sato)

Third-place award:

• (Design) Front Cover Photo – Mike & Sharon Hargrove (Photographer Kim Stahnke)

These national awards help to crystallize NEO Boomer’s place on local, regional and national stages, validating its approach to promoting Better Living After 50. 

Moving forward on this momentum, Mitchell says that his team’s goal will be to continue providing informational, entertaining and inspirational content to NEO Boomer’s growing base of readers. This expansion goes beyond the distribution of the free glossy print magazine, made available at more than 700 community outlets and by subscription with free home deliveries via the Insider Club. 

In the years ahead, NEO Boomer will be expanding its digital offerings to keep pace with the changing needs of readers. More in-person events are also in the works to connect readers with business and resources to help them age successfully.

Mitchell says, “With every issue we produce, we challenge ourselves to stay relevant and engaging to our core readers. We also want to thank our loyal advertisers who have found NEO Boomer to be a fruitful place to engage with customers.”