The design problem was to illustrate a story revolving around student protests and rallies on a college campus. The photo opportunities—familiar scenes of protestors with placards, picket signs and bullhorns— were of limited interest to us.

We decided to go the conceptual route, hiring illustrator Christoph Niemann to think through the problem. The headline for the story, “Eggheads Unite.” inspired his solution. Niemann’s idea, a bunch of eggs with protest placards, lent itself to a witty, three-dimensional construction. He used a combination of paint and markers to draw on the eggshells and egg crate. The carton became a three-dimensional illustration, which was photographed in a clear, graphic style by Bela Borsodi. The final effect was bright, contemporary and a witty invitation to read the story.

Fresh concept with a funny, nerdy approach. Very creative style.