Pressgang

G4S tabloid wins 'best of the best' gold award

IoIC Awards 2011: “A triumph for real journalism and a triumph for tabloids” was the verdict of editorial director Steve Turner after picking up the gold award that proved G4S newspaper The Link is the Best Employee Publication in the country.

The bi-monthly title had already won the Best Internal Newspaper category at the annual Institute of Internal Communication awards - in addition to the six Awards of Excellence Pressgang had collected earlier in the evening.

An independent panel of judges then considered The Link alongside the winners of all the other printed publication categories - and awarded the top prize to the 20-page tabloid.

It was, awards presenter and BBC newsman Jeremy Vine said, a “great night for Pressgang”.

The trophy was collected by editorial boss Steve alongside Pressgang's Link editor Alan Ratcliffe and designer Ben Turner.

The Link notched up a score of 88 per cent from the IoIC judges who said it “succeeds in every department”.

Alan's writing was said to be “of a very high standard in terms of tabloid journalism” while Ben was described as “a designer clearly in command of his craft”.

The complete package “impresses throughout its 20 pages and can't fail to attract its readers” said the experts.

Steve said: “It seems a no-brainer that if your front-line employees are among the 26 million people in the UK who read a newspaper every day then the best way to get your messages across is through a channel that mirrors the publications they choose each morning.

“Not all comms teams get it, but G4S does and is reaping the rewards of increased employee engagement as a result.

“As well as some fine trophy glassware for the boardroom, of course.”

Awards hat tricks? Make ours a double

April 2011: Two of Pressgang's top tabloids have each won three gongs at this year's Institute of Internal Communication awards.

The Link, for G4S, and The Energy, for Centrica Energy, both scored Awards of Excellence and now go head-to-head for the title of Best Internal Newspaper.

They will also be slogging it out for the accolade of best news story.

In addition The Link picked up Best Feature prize while The Energy bagged success in the Newspaper Design category.

Judges said The Link is “interesting from cover to cover” with a “high standard of tabloid writing” matched by “terrific imagery” and design that “brings the publication to life”.

The Energy was summed up as: “From writing to imagery and design, this is an extremely professional, high quality publication that clearly demonstrates an editorial team totally in command of its craft.”

Both papers were singled out for the way they tackled big stories with “great tabloid writing”.

The Energy's report on how offshore rig crews rescued a woman pilot whose light aircraft crashed into the sea was written with “no jargon - just straightforward reporting”.

The Link carried a deadline day story about a G4S employee freed from an Afghan jail and returning to the UK after being wrongly convicted. It was a “brilliant story given great treatment” said the judges.

Design of the The Energy was described as “in your face, using attention-grabbing red-top style”.

“A great way to tackle a tricky subject” was how judges described The Link's feature on the company's new 'purpose statement'. It was “engaging and inspirational with no corporate speak”.

Pressgang editorial director Steve Turner said: “We won a sackful of awards for these papers last year and have done even better this time around. That's because these are not LIKE real tabloids - they ARE real tabloids: credible, engaging and fun.”

Emma's fundraiser to beat cancer

April 2011: Pressgang editor Emma Seymour raised more than £1,500 for Cancer Research UK when she arranged a sponsored walk.

The Beat it! event saw friends and families come together on Mother's Day to walk between five and 10km around Finsbury Park in North London.

Emma, editor of Pressgang's The Energy newspaper, said: “It took a lot of hard work to organise the event but when I realised how much we'd raised it made it all worthwhile.

“It was a beautiful sunny day and everyone really got into the spirit of what it was all about. We even had a seven-year-old boy complete the 10km with his mum.”

Participants could also stock up on Mother's Day treats at a variety of stalls at the event, before Fitness First gym instructors kicked off the walk with a warm up.

“I got involved with the charity after seeing the effect cancer can have on a family,” added Emma. “And I'm so grateful to all the support I've had, including Pressgang, who sponsored the event.”

All the money raised will be ring-fenced for breast cancer research.

European glory

October 2010: After wowing the judges at the UK corporate comms awards, Pressgang newspaper The Energy has gone on to clinch Euro glory.

Earlier this year the monthly tabloid produced for Centrica Energy scooped five awards from the national Institute of Internal Communications - including the top prize for design.

Now the red top is the UK's only representative among the judges' choice of the best three staff newspapers in Europe. And one of its front page pictures went even better, being considered the best in its class.

The Energy came third in the FEIA (the federation of European businesses communicators) Grand Prix newspaper category, behind the staff papers for the Swiss National Railway and French bank BNP Paribas - one of the largest global banks with more than 200,000 employees.

In the image category photographer Steve Williams' shot of a Centrica Energy employee jumping into an icy cold lake to raise money for charity was judged the best in a staff publication.

The awards cement Pressgang's reputation as THE leading agency for staff newspapers, following previous successes for its G4S, British Airways, Bupa and Coors Brewers tabloids.

Pressgang hits a big six at the 2010 CiB Awards

April 2010: Pressgang publications have scooped six accolades in Europe's biggest corporate comms awards.

Star of the show in the Communicators in Business 2010 awards is The Energy, the new monthly tabloid launched by Pressgang for Centrica Energy.

It has won FOUR awards, more than any other corporate newspaper, while another of our tabloids - The Link for G4S - took the title for redesign after Pressgang was awarded the contract last year.

In the magazine section Frontier, produced by Pressgang for the UK Border Agency, was another Award of Excellence winner.

The Energy is “bold, brash, in your face, honest and effective” say the CiB judges who gave it a perfect 40 out of 40 score for design.

The new-look Link displayed “a world of difference” from its pre-Pressgang predecessor, said the judges, who dubbed it “a truly professional product from a designer who knows how to set a page alight”.

And Frontier was described as “a shining beacon among internal magazines” which “gives voice to the integrity of a service in which staff have to have pride and confidence”.

Gotcha! Pressgang lands tabloid contract

January 2010: Spreading the corporate word to a workforce that includes power station and offshore gas rig workers is no job for a glossy company magazine or online e-zine.

A straight-talking red top tabloid was the obvious route for Centrica Energy and they have chosen Pressgang to help them produce it.

The launch of The Energy made a big noise throughout the company with promotional teams giving away the first issue at key sites, posters, intranet streamers and branded distribution bins.

And there has been plenty to say in the early issues: a £2.3bn nuclear energy deal, plans for massive new wind farms and a lone pilot plucked from the sea after her plane crashed near an offshore platform.

A feature of the new paper has been a determination to tell it like it is: concern over the future of jobs, a worker sacked after an offshore accident and delays to a new power station.

With big bold pictures, back page sport and those quirky items - such as the worker who has named his twins after the two gas wells - The Energy has hit the ground running.

Real tabloid material? You bet. The Sun has already been chasing for follow-ups.

Pressgang editorial director Steve Turner said: “A lot of companies talk about being honest in their internal comms but few mean it in the same way that Centrica Energy does. As a result they have a staff newspaper that's not only readable and interesting but credible as well.”

A force for understanding

December 2009: The merger of large organisations is never without its challenges, not only for employees but for customers and stakeholders too.

Take those challenges and add in the enormous responsibility and complexity of securing the UK's borders and it's easy to see how the creation of the UK Border Agency requires a clear picture to be drawn for all those connected with it.

So the Border Force arm of UK Border Agency approached Pressgang, with whom it has worked on many projects in the past, to provide a brochure to state: this is who we are and this is what we do.

The result was A Force to be Reckoned With - a 32-page cut-down A4 brochure on quality silk stock.

The picture-led publication is designed to be easily read and understood by busy executives, but detailed enough for stakeholders to gain a grasp of the issues affecting the organisation.

A review of stakeholder engagement and perception has revealed that the Border Force arm of UK Border Agency has the highest levels of satisfaction compared to internal peers. And managers have identified A Force to be Reckoned With as a key factor in that achievement.

First class posters

November 2009: The best people to tell you how effective training opportunities have been are the trainees themselves.

The UK Border Agency's learning and development team has plenty of satisfied customers, so it approached Pressgang to help tell those success stories. The result was a series of 12 posters each telling the story of a UKBA employee who had undergone training thanks to the L&D team.

The A2 posters were in the hands of communications advisor Jo Gibson less than two days after the initial briefing, in time to adorn the walls of a high-level meeting of Agency chiefs.

Jo said: “The posters went down really well. There was plenty of positive feedback and we are already considering printing some more.

“They were simple but really powerful and the way Pressgang handled the project was extremely professional and helpful.”

Read about it all

October 2009: A security officer who saved a teenage girl from a gang of 30, a guard who disarmed a pistol-wielding man in Kabul, Gurkha security officers defending a power station against environmental protesters . . .

It's tabloid heaven for Pressgang journalists after winning the contract to produce the employee newspaper for G4S - the UK's largest security solutions company.

The 20-page paper covers the company's 35,000+ employees who are involved in a wide range of services from running hospital kitchens to crowd control at Wimbledon and mine clearance in Mozambique.

Writer Alan Ratcliffe delivers around 80 stories in each issue for a paper packed with punchy pieces.

Pressgang editorial director Steve Turner said: “G4S is a fascinating company that has lots of great stories to tell. We have redesigned and restructured the paper so that those stories get the prominence they deserve.

“It's a really compelling read.”

Jenny Brookman, Internal Communications Manager, G4S Secure Solutions (UK & Ireland), said: “We are really impressed with Pressgang's approach to getting to the heart of our stories and making them relevant to our readers. Feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.”

NICE work – and we got it!

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has asked Pressgang to create e-zine templates to reflect its new branding.

The templates will be used for the institute’s regular online staff publication.

Designer Ben Turner said: “Creating templates is always tricky as you want to give the client something that will engage staff but that realistically they can work with.

“I’ve given several options and also created a bespoke training guide on InDesign, which gives a breakdown on how to use the templates.

“Working closely with the client has meant we have achieved a product that we can all be proud of.

“I spent the day at the NICE head office holding a workshop on how to use the templates and it was great to see the comms team learning how to import text and pictures and create their own publication.”

Stylish and useful

Communicating with communicators is the aim of Pressgang e-zine comms.gov

And its “professional, stylish and useful” approach has landed it a 2009 Award of Excellence from the CiB.

The monthly publication, produced for the Government Communications Network, is a “best practice model that other PDF newsletters would do well to follow” said the award judges.

Another Pressgang e-zine also rated highly with the judges.

Frontier Bulletin, produced for the UK Border Agency, was praised for its “dramatic cover shot” and “strong, clear branding and skilful use of colour”.

A good investment

May 2009: “This is the sort of article everyone involved with internal communication should be proud to be associated with.”
That was the CiB judge’s verdict on a Pressgang-written feature for the UK Border Agency’s Frontier magazine.

Dubbing the piece ‘a truly excellent feature’ it was, according to the Award of Excellence 2009 citation, “an excellent investment in the staff of the agency”.

The feature, given a score 5 out of 5, described the work of the Border Agency’s case owners who decide on the eligibility to stay in the UK of those seeking asylum.

It combined “credibility with clarity” said the CiB, and writer Steve Turner, Pressgang’s editorial director, added: “Telling clients’ stories through their people is fundamental to effective communication.”

Pressgang's design skills secure government contract

March 2009: When the Office of the Public Guardian decided it was time to update their in house newsletter they called upon the design services of Pressgang.

Inspired by the e-zine Pressgang produces for GCN they asked for something more radical.

The results are a contemporary fortnightly interactive publication, which has proved a hit with both managers and staff alike.

Big step, short journey

October 2008: A fresh era for Pressgang is under way . . . following a short walk across Tottenham Court Road.

Our new office at No. 85 – opposite the previous Shropshire House address – brings a range of hi-tech facilities designed to improve our services to clients.

The latest video conferencing and VoIP facilities will make remote meetings much easier, while networked meeting rooms with plasma screens will make for even more effective sessions here at Pressgang.

And an open air terrace adds a new dimension to our celebrated hospitality (weather permitting).

If you’d like to drop by and try the real coffee from our new bottomless pot just give us a call on 020 7268 3010.

The write messages

October 2008: Pressgang is expanding its services to the education sector.

We already provide editing and proof reading for the Training and Development Agency for Schools and are a preferred supplier for the Department for Children Schools and Families.

We are now growing our writing services with two new commissions.

The first is a booklet for teenagers outlining the achievements the department has made in services for young people.

The second is a brochure primarily aimed at senior education officials in China, detailing the partnerships in place between Beijing and the UK’s Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills to strengthen ties between the two nations.

Pressgang editorial director Steve Turner says: “Our experience in writing for a wide variety of publications makes us ideally placed to take these complex issues and turn them into clear, simple and engaging messages.”

African adventure

February 2008: Farah Dadfarma is about to take part in a life changing experience – as a teacher in Botswana.

Farah joined Pressgang on a work experience placement two years ago and made such a big impression that she was invited back to work in her school holidays.

However, this year will see her undertaking her biggest holiday challenge to date – with Pressgang’s support..

Swapping office admin for teaching, she will be helping African children learn to read and write.

Farah and 25 other sixth form students will be working in the village community project as part of the Fulcrum Challenge.

But before she could even think about packing her rucksack Farah needed to raise £1,550 for the scheme.

Margot Nowinska, commercial director, said: “Farah is a very talented young lady, and when she said she was taking part in the challenge I knew Pressgang would want to help.”

Pressgang pledged £400 to help her on her way, and staff raised a further £125 in sponsorship.

“We would like to wish Farah well and hope she will be coming back to Pressgang very soon,” said Margot.

Meeting BA's green challenge

July 2007: ‘We care about our world and the communities we serve’ was the message in a special edition of British Airways News.

The edition was designed by Pressgang to a tight deadline and gave a comprehensive overview of the airline’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.

The 20-page publication looked in-depth at topics including cutting carbon emissions, reducing noise and air pollution, waste management and the ‘green’ credentials of BA’s new home at terminal 5 at London Heathrow.

The eye-catching design was complemented by a unique green masthead to ensure the paper stood out to staff as a special edition.

Nicola Swan, editor BA News said: “Our brief for the special edition came very late in the day. It was a fantastic combined team effort to meet such a tall order and once again Pressgang rose to our challenge and demands and delivered outstandingly.”

BA News is the country’s only weekly staff newspaper entrusted to an external agency.

Last year, Pressgang also designed a special edition to mark the launch of BA’s new Club World cabin, published alongside the normal newspaper.

Top of the class

July 2007: Pressgang waved goodbye to its latest work placement prodigy Aatish Shah . . . and received top marks from his school for providing an experience that was “second to none”.

Deputy Head, Mike Haldenby from Park High School, Harrow, commended Pressgang for taking part in the scheme for the fifth year running. He said: “Park High School has developed an invaluable relationship with Pressgang.

“Each year, a carefully chosen student spends two weeks on work experience. Pressgang provide an experience second to none.

“We are extremely grateful to Pressgang who seem to have a real grasp of what young people want and need in terms of how a real publishing company works.”

Each year Pressgang selects one student to take part in a two-week work experience scheme.

Aatish from Park High is keen to pursue a career in graphic design. In his two-week placement he researched, wrote and designed his very own six-page publication on Art and Design.

Steve Turner, editorial director said: “We welcome students who are keen to learn.

“Aatish should have a bright future – he absorbed what we had to show him and acted on it.

“As a company we have staff from a variety of career backgrounds and it’s great to see them giving up their time to inspire and help shape the career aspirations of young people.”

Arif Liya, creative artworker said: “ I joined Pressgang six months ago, moving from a graphic design job in Leicester.

“After a few months my confidence started to grow, my mentor – art director Jim Parks – is one of the country’s top newspaper and magazine designers and it has been fantastic to learn from somebody with that kind of industry standard.

“Pressgang makes learning fun and easy, and it was nice to be able to pass on my new knowledge to Aatish.”

BA hat trick in awards haul

June 2007: British Airways News – the country’s only weekly staff newspaper entrusted to an external agency – scooped a hat-trick of gongs at the national CiB Awards, the biggest event in Europe for corporate publications.

The 20-page publication was judged to be one of the top five staff newspapers in the UK with CiB judges saying: “BA News is an excellent, easy read; it’s style reflects the publication’s quality approach and strikes the right balance by nor being full of management speak.”

A special edition of the paper, produced in between the regular publications and celebrating the launch of BA’s Club World cabins, was also an Award of Excellence winner.

And a stunning poster-style front page picture took the top award as the best news image in any UK staff publication.

– Two other Pressgang titles were recognised at the awards event, held at the Hilton in Newcastle.

Focus, staff magazine of the Home Office’s immigration directorate, and BUPAnews, sent to 350,000 customers of the health and care company, both scooped Awards of Excellence, placing them among the very best in the country.

Every picture tells a story

June 2007: Brilliant pictures are the hallmark of professional publications. And for the second time in three years a Pressgang newspaper has been judged to contain the best news image in a UK staff publication.

Judges at the national CiB Awards voted the image – used on the front page of British Airways News – as the best in its category.

The success of the picture owed a lot to teamwork both before and after the moment photographer Warren Potter took the shot.

The story revolved around the completion of a mammoth maintenance project by BA engineers. And it was the engineers who conceived the idea of getting 300 colleagues to form the initials of the project – EWS – in front of a Boeing 747.

It was decided at the news planning meeting a few days before publication that this could make a front page image for the weekly staff newspaper.

And it was Pressgang art director James Parks who turned it into a stunning cover by bleeding the image to the edges of the page, with just the masthead, headline and teaser line.

Image technician Steve Warrener added the finishing touches – erasing an unsightly pool of oil on the tarmac and removing a distracting BA maintenance vehicle from the background of the shot.

The result? A “dramatic picture well executed and very well used” said the judges.

Design team In Court

June 2007: Britain’s courts have ushered in a new era in staff publications.

Her Majesty’s Courts Service has chosen Pressgang to design and print its staff magazine In Court.

The redesigned monthly launches in June to keep staff at magistrates, crown and county courts across the country up to date with developments in the world of justice.

The first issue covered the launch of the country’s new Ministry of Justice, the latest on a pay offer to staff and the first in a series of staff profiles.

The revamped publication reflects Pressgang’s belief, shared by HMCS comms teams, that staff publications should aim to reflect the views of staff on all major workplace issues.

WestEnders choose Pressgang

May 2007: Westminster City Council has chosen Pressgang to design, edit and print its residents’ magazine.

Westminster Reporter goes to 125,000 homes and businesses with news of council services in the country’s most high profile local authority.

Pressgang is also responsible for selling the advertising that will partly fund the publication – the first time ads have appeared in the 24-page magazine.

As part of the contract Pressgang also produces the authority’s monthly staff newspaper WestWords.

Project manager Ellen Kiely, who joined Pressgang in April, is in charge of the account and will be based partly at City Hall in London’s Victoria Street.

She said: “When they hear the word ‘Westminster’ everybody of course thinks about the Houses of Parliament, the West End and some of Britain’s most expensive homes.

“But there is another, very different side to the borough and my challenge is to ensure Reporter engages these audiences and conveys the council’s key messages.”