Q&A with 44 Communications

2023 was a spectacular year for 44 Communications, winners of two IoIC Awards. Here, they share their insights into the unwavering significance of print and the power of planning.

‘Print is a resilient and successful method of connecting colleagues’

Winner: Skills > Best Writing
Winner: Channels > Best News Channel

Congratulations on winning the IoIC Award. How did you feel to win?
It’s always great to get a win, but two wins at this year’s IoIC Awards felt fantastic. We, along with our clients, were super chuffed to be recognised at such an esteemed industry event. There’s nothing like the feeling of hearing your name as a winner and realising that all the hard work was worth it.

What do you think makes your projects so special?
Both our wins this year happened to be for print publications: On Track for Siemens Mobility and The Point for EDF. 44 Communications produces, edits, prints and distributes these to thousands of colleagues. It’s interesting that in this emerging digital age, print remains resilient and continues to be recognised as a successful method of connecting colleagues and communicating key messages.

What do you put your success down to?
At 44 Communications we love a print publication and have our production process down to a fine art. From content planning and storywriting to copy clearance and design development, our team does an amazing job to make sure we meet deadlines and print timescales. We also work hard on building brilliant relationships with our clients. One of our core values is friendship and that’s key to any success we have.

What was key to working collaboratively and successfully with your clients?
44 Communications is very much a trusted adviser. For both On Track and The Point, we work closely with the in-house IC teams to guide and plan for each issue. With weekly meetings and regular status updates, we support our clients every step of the way. We take into account any feedback and use these learnings to make continued improvements. Close communication and honest input have helped strengthen these relationships.

What advice would you give to anyone considering entering the IoIC Awards?
Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today! Plan, plan, plan. It’s likely a last-minute submission won’t be a compelling one. Don’t just think the process, but also the value the project brings to colleagues. This, backed up with testimonials and evidenced with facts and stats, will add impact. If you’re close to the project and passionate about the work, this will shine through.

What do you think of when you think of IoIC?
It’s fundamental to the IC profession. As the only professional body of its kind in the UK, it’s vital in adding credibility to what we do as individual IC professionals and as an IC agency. To be recognised by it is hugely rewarding – and the event itself is a great networking opportunity – and the awards event is a fantastic night out!

As an IC team, what would you like to achieve next?
We’re focused on maintaining and building relationships with clients, new and old, and delivering excellent work. There’s also a fun mix of new and traditional with new print publications already lined up for 2024 and looking to advise and guide on AI.

You can find out more about 44 Communications' award winning channels in the Knowledge Hub.