Chartered Institution of Wastes Management

Creating a new content brand to showcase a chartered institution as a modern, forward-thinking organisation

Sector

  • Membership

Expertise

  • Digital development
  • Editorial
  • Design
  • Content strategy
  • Commercial

Deliverables

  • Print magazine
  • Media sales
  • Website

Awards

  • Best Association Magazine – 2019 Association Excellence Awards

The client

Founded in 1898, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is the leading professional body in the UK for resource and waste professionals, and represents more than 5,500 individuals in the UK and overseas. CIWM is incorporated by Royal Charter and is a charity.

The challenge

Only a few years ago, waste and resources were not on the public’s agenda. Waste was largely collected and buried in landfill. Today, things are different. Attitudes, beliefs, skills, knowledge and technology are driving a revolution in how we avoid waste. Never before has the profile of resources and waste been so high. CIWM’s content strategy needed to reflect these changes, and to meet members’ needs and aspirations in this fast-changing world.

The solution

A new content brand was needed to present CIWM as a modern, forward-thinking organisation that – in line with a refreshed organisational strategy – placed members at the heart of its work and increased its influence in the wastes and resources sector. CIWM and CPL gathered input from key stakeholders in the organisation and across the industry, plus insights from an in-depth membership consultation, to create and launch the new content brand, Circular, in print and digital.

Thorough planning and a strategic approach were at its heart. Ideas were workshopped at scoping meetings between CPL’s creative and commercial teams and cross-departmental stakeholders from CIWM. The workshops helped to define objectives, map member demographics, and match them against professional business needs and competencies. This work led to the creation of rounded audience personas. Manifestos were then created for the magazine and online content hub.

Finally, CPL and CIWM worked together to create a suitable brand look and feel, as well as relevant content streams that formed the basis of initial content roadmapping for the year ahead. Circular magazine launched in February 2019, and Circular-online followed in May 2019.

The results

5,400 copies mailed ‘naked’

with only two instances of reported damage

82%

increase in session duration in first four months after website launch

42%

increase in pages per session in first four months after website launch

Circular is a great example of a plan coming together. Working closely with our team at CIWM, the CPL team 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. We are absolutely delighted with the result so far.

Paul Sloggett
Head of Member Engagement, CIWM

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