Revamping The Bulletin
Creative / Content Creation / Design
Summary: Our design team gave The Bulletin magazine a complete makeover and fresh editorial approach sparking fantastic reader feedback and a string of award nominations.
Tell me more
The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) distributes a bi-monthly magazine to its members. After maintaining the same format for almost five years, BFFF decided that the magazine needed a complete redesign and a fresh editorial approach.
The challenge
Research conducted by BFFF highlighted that many members felt the magazine’s content had become too focussed on frozen food products. Members wanted to see more varied content such as interviews with industry leaders, more news and data about the wider food industry, key trends and advice on subjects such as health and safety and technical and legislative issues.
The Pelican approach
We proposed a new editorial strategy and recommended The Bulletin should bridge the gap between member publication and independent editorial magazine. In effect becoming a magazine that would sit comfortably next to well-known UK trade publications such as The Grocer and Food Manufacture on readers’ desks.
To deliver the vision for the magazine BFFF handed The Bulletin to the Pelican team. Together with the BFFF membership and Bulletin manager, we instigated a fresh, news-led editorial policy and undertook a complete redesign, to create a more modern and engaging publication.
To demonstrate the credibility of the refreshed magazine, the editorial team set out to interview an industry big-hitter and secured new Birds Eye (Igloo) UK MD, Wayne Hudson for the first edition. Subsequent interviews have included Tim Martin the founder of Wetherspoons and Edward Perry, the founder of Cook, a rapidly expanding chain of up-market frozen food shops.
Each issue now also includes features on subjects of interest to the readers, such as the growing trend for gluten-free food.
The result
Tighter deadlines and sharper news values have ensured the editorial content is fresher, more relevant and leads the magazine’s content. More prominent features combined with improved health and safety and legislative sections have made for a more engaging read. Sections covering Industry Services and New Member Profiles provide readers with useful information and ensure a good stream of advertising revenue.
Don’t just take our word for it…
The Bulletin has been recognised with a Silver CIPR Pride Award for Best Publication and several award nominations:
- European Association Awards: Best Association Magazine
- Association Excellence Awards: Best Association Magazine
“Just received my edition of the new look Bulletin – WOW! I shall now enjoy reading over my coffee. Well done to all @BFFF and take a bow Pelican.”
“I got in this morning to be greeted by a new look The Bulletin! It had a light clean feel about it, less wordy and a fresher style, much improved! Considering that the BFFF are quite ‘conservative’ to change this is quite a bold change, but a really great one. The lighter look gives it a more modern feel, and much easier to read and find the articles that I wanted to.”
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development.
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