We started the project with a beta issue, testing the response from Arm’s staff to having a printed magazine and trying to engage them in the process of creating the publication, ultimately giving them the choice of how it continued: on or offline. Thankfully, our approach worked and the vote was unanimously in favour of a printed magazine.

The editorial and design approach we adopted was heavily influenced by zine culture, utilising illustration and playful typography to bring the stories to life, purposefully steering clear of the traditional internal comms look. This gave the magazine an authentic style, closely aligned with Arm’s challenger spirit.

We also wanted to showcase the benefits of a printed, physical publication over a digital version, and employed various print techniques to highlight and introduce each issue’s theme. For example, on the ‘Energy’ issue we used thermographic ink to print a black lightning bolt, which disappears when rubbed or raised to a certain temperature to reveal the message below, and reappears when it cools back down.

Arm’s main goal for this project was to make sure that all of their staff felt informed about the wider business, and to connect all of their individual and group roles to the overall business journey. For this to happen they needed the readership of the magazine to be as high as possible.

By its seventh issue, 70% of Arm’s staff were reading the magazine, and it had proved to be such a success internally that the print run doubled. Individuals across Arm were clamouring to be involved, and we were approached by other teams at the company to work with them on various projects – including a new starters’ handbook.