Content - Fall 2007 - (Page 21) When the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver took an entirely new approach to their custom publication last year, it was “show” as much as “tell” that made the new magazine a winner. ¶ In order to make its editorial transformation, the association realized it needed the specialized expertise of a custom publisher. It turned to Wiesner Custom Publishing, and one of the big factors in that decision was the publisher’s design sensibilities. ¶ “We really rely on Wiesner for editorial and creative,” notes HBA Vice President of Public Relations Jerilynn Martinez, and “when we went looking for whom to partner with, the other publications that they had done were visually appealing to us. We get so many positive comments from our members about the design of the magazine. It really adds to our editorial content.” ¶ And that content is dramatically different from its predecessor. The updated Home Builder “is a 180-degree turnaround from our old magazine,” says Martinez. Previously, Home Builder focused on association activities. The new editorial mission is journalistic and centered on real estate issues and hard news. ¶ The reimagined publication also is “much cleaner and makes far better use of white space, has stronger photography and a cohesiveness throughout the publication,” Martinez says. “We wanted this to look like something a member wants to read. It’s not only appealing, but it has a sense of authority about it.” ¶ Home Builder won a Pearl Award from the Custom Publishing Council for Most Improved Design in 2006. And it’s only one of many examples of the critical role design plays in custom publishing today—a role that increasingly resembles how art direction is used in major consumer magazines. ¶ “At one time, design was used differently in custom publishing than in consumer magazines,” explains Andrew Seibert, vice president and editorial director of Custom Solutions from SmartMoney, a joint venture of Dow Jones and Hearst Communications. “[Now] we incorporate Hearst’s best practices across our own titles. We’re fighting for what we call the ‘home newsstand.’ We need to fit into the look and feel of our corporate customers while also creating a distinct voice. But Esquire is also doing that. Cosmopolitan is doing that.” ¶ However, clients and their custom publishing partners cannot simply imitate consumer books. Unlike other corporate communications tools such as brochures, white papers or annual reports, a custom publication is “its own kind of discipline,” says Mike Winkleman, president of Leverage Media and chairman of the Custom Publishing Council. “Not just marketing and not just a magazine, but a combination of both. It looks and feels like a magazine but has to get across a marketing message and often adhere to brand standards. And design is paramount. The designer has to understand what the sponsor is trying to
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