Let’s talk:Internal magazinesAs the voice of the company, as well as the news channel, the internal magazine is an intrinsic part of any business. In the third of our ‘let’s talk’ series, we share our experiences on how business can craft their internal magazines to grow their brand and celebrate their staff.

Brightley-Hodges AssociatesMarketing & Creative Consultants

The Head Of Communications

“Our current magazine is one of a handful of tools we use to communicate with our employees. As a company that has over 7,500 employees around the world, we need a variety of media outlets to deliver news and information. Five years ago, at the time the joint venture between Sony and Ericsson was established, our first employee magazine served as a ‘link’ between top management at global HQ and employees based around the world. In those days a lot of effort was placed in integrating the respective divisions from each of our parent companies, and I believe everyone was looking for a common information point.

Over the years we have modified the role of the employee magazine to serve as a ‘supplementary’ tool to the intranet and

face-to-face meetings, which during our start up period were called ‘all employee meetings.’ Initially, our top management team would travel to key offices around the world and hold such meetings with employees, quite a time consuming task, but something deemed very important at the outset of the joint venture. While these types of meetings are still taking place at some of our offices, today the magazine provides in-depth stories about certain themes, company direction and strategy, and our intranet delivers day-to-day news from around the world.

An external agency can help with the production of an internal magazine, but the objectives of the magazine need to be clear. In our case we are a small communications team and need to cover a variety of topics, in many markets. It’s trying to find a balance between what we do centrally and what is needed locally, and then trying to see how the two can fit together.

We need to create an overall template and look and feel for the magazine that integrates our company brand strategy and can establish a certain pace for the readers. These are all areas I think external agencies can help us address. But for me what’s equally important is that employees take ownership of the magazine and make it their own.

The format of employee magazines is, on occasion, driven by current trends. For example, if I look at lifestyle magazines today, particularly women’s magazines, the size and format has been reduced. Our magazine’s frequency depends on editorial content and timelines of the articles. But like all magazines, the biggest challenge is whether employees read them, and whether they feel their magazine is informative and useful to their work.”

Aldo Liguori, Head of Global Corporate Communications & PR, Sony Ericsson

In recent years the focus of internal communications has fallen on intranets and new formats such as blogs. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the humble magazine and newsletter had been quietly retired, but experience has shown paper to be a perfect way to create an inclusive and engaging channel for communicating with staff.

The Publisher

“Magazines, what are they good for? Not news, nor interactivity – you can only send a letter – often out of date when published. No, the internal magazine’s role has shifted away from a newspaper format to a more supplemental role. Opinion, thought pieces, interviews, features; articles people want to spend time reading. As information spreads quicker and more interactive mediums become available, companies using their magazine as a newspaper are struggling, because it takes too long to collate information, and more importantly sign it off. Who’s going to want to read the news section of a bi-monthly magazine if it’s out of date before it’s even printed?

To produce a great magazine is a skill and this is where an external agency can help. The content must be generated by the business otherwise it loses focus and relevance. You get the same old ‘exercise at your desk’ articles ripped from one mag and stitched in another. Outside agencies can help managers make the messages they want to deliver readable: proper head-lines, not ‘synergy levels met for quarter three’. Nobody speaks like that and no one will want to read about it either. Finally use great photography, dump the images of grinning employees being gripped by the CEO’s hand and use the resources of an external agency to take great shots – no more red-eyed men standing in corridors.

A healthy magazine is one not only read, but also engaged with. The staff must feel they truly own their internal title and for that to work it’s crucial any different internal communication formats are integrated, for example, discussions about articles are held on the intranet via a bulletin board. News and comment should live here, while considered thought and in-depth analysis, appear in the magazine. If your magazine is going to be a success, then you must treat your readers with respect. We’ve been conditioned to recognise propaganda as children. So as soon as a magazine lectures or talks down to us, we switch off.”

Marc Wright, Publisher, simply-communicate.com

The Creative Director

“The beauty of an internal magazine is it’s an immediate form of communication, you don’t have to wrestle with technology to use it.. Design is important, a magazine is a physical experience and you should be able to feel the quality. Professional design and editorial will excite and seduce a reader, as well as provide an informative and engaging read. I think it’s a great opportunity to foster a sense of community and informed debate within a workforce. Photography can be a powerful force and the elements of inspiring editorial and layout design are critical in delivering the culture and personality of an organisation.

The design, layout and use of language sets it clearly apart from any other piece of corporate communication. An internal magazine is a snapshot of an organisation’s DNA – what’s going on, who are the movers and shakers, how is the business performing? But because we are sophisticated users of media we are unwilling to read a dry corporate document; a magazine appeals to our consumer sensibilities and should match the standards set by commercial titles. A great internal magazine is enticing and has an irresistible quality. It does more than deliver a company’s news to its work-force, it inspires a bit of pride as well.”

Anita Brightley-Hodges, Creative Director “still waters run deep”

Top: Cundall Connect, Cundall internal magazine

Left: SE+, Sony Ericsson internal magazine

Right: People, M&G internal magazine

The Project Manager

“One of the issues I find managing the production of a magazine is, for some contributors, their submission may not be high on the list of their priorities. This is especially so if the company is preparing to launch a commercial venture of some sort. An internal magazine is a big commitment for any business to make and there are many pitfalls. There are also, often unique, production issues to take into consid-eration. Aside from how the magazine is distributed, how long will it take to reach the furthest global office? Your choice of printers may be dictated by their proximity to your mailing agents.

But the biggest challenges facing an internal magazine are time and budget. It takes on average six weeks from the first editorial meeting to final delivery and each stage is dependent on assured management. This is how an external agency can add value. A third party is independent and a magazine under their management is unlikely to be swayed by individual departments. They also dedicate resource and take ownership of a title to ensure approval cycles and production schedules are kept.

An internal magazine requires certainty in its management, from the collation and approval of copy, to printing and distribution. I think it’s tempting to think that in this day and age of intranets that internal magazines have had their day, but it’s all a question of

integration. Intranets are good for delivering news, but not to the factory floor and not in a format that encourages contemplation.”

Tessa Mouqué, Project Manager, “still waters run deep”

The Writer

“From an editorial point of view, one of the challenges I face when it comes to staff publications is word count. Invariably, if someone is given a third of a page for their story, they will want more space. So, not surprisingly, when they’re asked to write a 250-word piece, they will often send in a 1,000. That’s why I always find it preferable to conduct an interview to gather the information. It saves me having to rewrite submitted copy to the correct length (and style).

Another challenge is managing the approvals process. If too many people become involved in approving stories, it can shoot your editorial schedule to pieces. So my advice is: keep approvals to a minimum and always have one person who has final sign-off over the whole publication.

I’m often asked what style of language a staff publication should be written in. The answer will depend on who the readership is, so you’ll need to vary it accordingly. Are you writing for middle-aged academics or young people in unskilled jobs? However, there is one language rule that does apply,

regardless of your audience: whatever you write should always be clear, concise and jargon free.

Finally, from an editorial perspective here are a few questions to ask if you’re planning an internal magazine from the onset. What is the objective of your publication? Who are your readers? You must write with them in mind. Also you must ensure your magazine appeals to everyone in the business and not just a select few. Stick to your production schedule like glue and have a few stories in reserve in case you have to make any last minute changes. Finally always proof read carefully, double-check names and figures and then check again.”

Carole Seawert, Writer and Editor of staff publications

How a business presents its news is as important as what news they decide to tell. As we become more discerning consumers of media, internal magazines must develop and adapt to entice and appeal. It’s an exciting opportunity for staff to take ownership of their media and celebrate the culture as well as the achievements of a business.

To find out more about our bespoke approach to internal magazines,call Anita Brightley-Hodges on 020 7209 5624 www.brightleyhodges.com

24/7, Sony internal magazine