Creative magazine design for lifestyle and business publication, InSolihull.

Solihull BID area is made up of over 400 businesses and organisations within 2 square miles of Solihull town centre all with a passion to make the town a better place to live, work and visit. Their quarterly lifestyle magazine is one of the primary communications in which they share forthcoming town events, showcase local businesses and engage with readers. In early 2018, we welcomed the opportunity to work with the team to progress the design of this publication.

With a print production quantity of 10,000 copies and distribution ranging from local Solihull businesses to London Marylebone station, the brief was to evolve the overall presentation, re-imagine some of the recurring columns and editorial pieces to increase readership and brand awareness. Our aim was to visually position the magazine as a high-end fashion, engaging lifestyle and professional business services publication.

Magazine Design
Published on a quarterly basis, the magazine is a key marketing asset to Solihull BID, its retailers, businesses and organisations. Our initial task was to consult with the team to understand the ambition and vision for future designs and meet business objectives. We reviewed, finessed and designed the overall layout, typography, colourways and graphical assets to lift the visual presentation and tone of the publication.

The Result
We achieved a successful balance designing creative yet clear and highly legible content whilst continuing to develop the appearance and editorial layouts. The new magazine designs have been well received by the Solihull BID team and wider Solihull business community, resulting in an increase in engagement, increased advertising demand and larger distribution. The style, presentation and design is continually evolving with each issue and as our working relationship grows with the client we hope to expand and increase the success already achieved.