It impressed The Association Excellence Awards 2019 judging panel – comprising national association chief executives and directors – in the circulation up to 10,000 members category.
CPL worked with CIWM to develop a strategic content plan that reflected the Institution’s vision “to make the best and safest use of resources to protect and enrich life on our planet” – and to capitalise on the ‘Blue Planet effect’, which has meant that people are more aware of the waste they generate.
Circular needed to demonstrate the CIWM’s core ethos through every aspect, including its content, format, paper stock and packaging. This resulted in the magazine going ‘naked’, with no extra packaging, printed on 100% recycled paper, with the address on the cover.
The award judges, who recognise and reward the hard-won achievements of trade bodies, said: "Circular is a very effective publication covering informative and highly relevant content for a sector that is challenged by major environmental concerns. Innovative and highly relevant approaches such as the 'Going Naked' initiative are to be applauded."
CIWM’s Head of Member Engagement, Paul Sloggett, said: “Circular is a great example of a plan coming together. Our member magazine has been transformed to precisely deliver what people in the modern resource and waste management sector want, and to reflect the brand values of CIWM.
“Working closely with our team at CIWM, the CPL team members have shown their outstanding talent, expertise and attention to detail in areas such as content and design. In addition, they have also been agile and intelligent consultants in helping us resolve a packaging conundrum that, for the sake of our brand and reputation, we needed to get right.”
Editor Liza Salazar said: “Circular was only launched in February, so winning the best association magazine award is a huge achievement, and is a testament to the creative vision and energy of the writers, designers, sub-editors and content creators that collaborate with our partners at CIWM, to make every issue even better than the last.”
CIWM Circular results
- 5,400 copies mailed ‘naked’ with only two instances of reported damage
- 82% increase in session duration in the first four months after the website launch
- 42% increase in pages per session in the first four months after the website launch
Circular has also been nominated as Best Use of Print in the Content Marketing Association International Content Marketing Awards.