Description:

The Why:
The Institute of Directors is the professional body for directors and at the heart of the governance community in Aotearoa, New Zealand. It is recognised as a straight-talker that works hard to create a strong, fair and sustainable future, powered by best-practice governance.

Boardroom is a quarterly magazine that goes out to the IoD’s 10,700 plus members. It is a component of the institute’s professional development points system, which also includes training programmes, talks and seminars, and its annual conference.

The Idea:
For the Boardroom redesign, we aimed to move away from the textured, busy look of the previous design and create a flexible, classic design that would stay ‘current’ and elevate the stories being told within.

We looked at local and international magazines targeting a similar audience to Boardroom. We were drawn to publications that dance the line between contemporary and classic design, blending timeless editorial design with bold innovative typography and daring image choice with spacious layouts.

The Design:
To achieve this contemporary/classic aim, typeface use is kept to a minimum, primarily using Klim Signifier, Untitled Serif. We use a shifting three-column system, with two main content columns with a narrower third column, defined with a signal rule for supporting material, including quotes, details, facts and figures. We build variation into this simple, open layout structure, moving content across columns to create a visual, interesting journey through each issue.

Each edition of Boardroom is themed by one of the top 5 issues facing directors for that year, and includes interviews, opinion pieces, member profiles and industry partner articles. Articles are illustrated using a mix of supplied and stock photography, combined with typographic wordplays and infographics. Photos and typography are kept separate to avoid legibility issues and keep a consistent visual language.

What Elevates the Work:
At a time when local media and print publications are disappearing, Boardroom magazine is still a popular medium of engagement with members, giving directors a platform to share their views and governance experiences and expertise. It also helps raise profiles, connect people and gives a voice to our established and up-and-coming leaders.