Fascinated by stories

Guido Von Deschwanden loves stories. "Tell me a story," he often asked his father as a young boy. And he, a gifted storyteller, would write something off the cuff. It was his passion for storytelling that later led Von Deschwanden to corporate communication and his current job as Infel's CD. That's because Von Deschwanden's approach to corporate media is not only one of design, but also one of content. How can values and the essence of a company be brought to life in a corporate publication? What stories help a reader identify more strongly with a brand? To answer these questions, Von Deschwanden not only has to think his way into the value system of his clients, but also take the readers' perspective. He is interested in what content and stories captivate and fascinate. Under no circumstances should one think: "They would be better off investing the money elsewhere instead of printing an expensive magazine or programming an elaborate app... " Readers should learn exciting things and things worth knowing - and not just in areas that concern the company. "We hold journalism in high regard," CD emphasizes. "If a reader is convinced that the magazine, website or app brings them a benefit, this has a positive effect on the relationship they have with the company. In this way, a well-crafted magazine can increase sympathy for the client, contribute to customer loyalty and also strengthen loyalty to the brand."

Customers and readers in view

Von Deschwanden is certain: A pretty story and a nice layout do not make a good product. A corporate magazine, for example, must take over part of the company's communication task. To fulfill this task, Von Deschwanden thinks his way into his customer's mind when designing a magazine. What are the structures like? What values characterize the company? And what communication goals are to be achieved? From these considerations, he derives the content and design requirements for the publishing mix. Over the years, practice was no longer enough for Guido Von Deschwanden as his sole source of inspiration. During his MAS of Communication Management studies, which he completed in 2011 at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, he delved into fundamental communication areas such as brand management, corporate and strategic communication. He learned a lot about how clients view corporate publishing from his fellow students, the majority of whom were from the corporate side. He believes these insights have given him a better understanding of what clients want from CP products. Von Deschwanden also expects the editorial designers he works with at Infel to think deeply about the company. A designer should not be content with the aesthetics alone, but should also take an in-depth look at the medium. Just reading the articles is not enough. For example, you have to think about whether the content really makes sense. Von Deschwanden has nothing to gain from random columns or texts that make it into the magazine, onto a website or an app on the principle: "I have a mountaineer we could portray. That would certainly make for nice pictures." The question must always be asked: What does the reader get out of it - and does the climber really fit in with the company?

Design instead of technology

Despite his fascination with stories: Von Deschwanden did not come to communication in a direct way. His penchant for drawing prompted him to opt for an apprenticeship as a mechanical draftsman at the age of 16. A misconception, as it soon turned out. He was far less interested in how machines worked than how they looked: "When I saw a toaster, I was more interested in how it looked than how it worked," says Von Deschwanden. And his enthusiasm for good stories came up short in the engineering office anyway. That's why he had to move on to where content is created and stories are written. "I'm a news junkie," he says of himself. Having to do without newspapers on vacation is still torture for him today, he says. Von Deschwanden first became active as a journalist in his early twenties. When the youth political movement was also gaining strength in his home canton of Obwalden, he gave the young people a voice with a magazine that appeared three times a year. He enjoyed helping to determine the editorial topics, designing the layout and writing articles. Nevertheless, he would not describe himself as a politically active member of the movement. At that time, he was less fascinated by politics than by his work as a newspaper publisher.

The note designer

In 1998, he started as Art Director at the then Wirz subsidiary Frontpage and was responsible for clients such as Clariant, Swiss Re and Messe Basel. Three years later, he decided to switch to the publishing side. He wanted to experience what it's like to work for a magazine where it's not primarily a client who decides, but the readers who are the final authority. He worked as AD at the business magazine Bilanz for around six years, during which time he was responsible for the re-design and the development of additional magazines such as Bilanz Homes. Von Deschwanden then worked for two years at the design agency Manuela Pfrunder on the design of the new Swiss banknotes. The feel of the notes fascinated him. He fine-tuned small details, colors and security aspects, and worked with documents that were x times larger than the original. In design development, he moved in the micrometer range on the screen. You have to be interested in technology and enjoy working on the same detail over and over again," says Von Deschwanden, describing the requirements of his job at the time. His passion was less so.

Corporate publishing rethought

Regularly launching new projects and moving forward is important to Von Deschwanden. He can live this out in his current role at Infel. From time to time, the CD likes to develop novel, unconventional approaches. For CSS Versicherung, for example, he created a magazine that breaks with almost all conventions: neither a section structure nor page numbers serve as orientation. Instead, the reader is guided through the magazine with questions that are posed at the beginning of each article and answered in the course of reading. And it was precisely this magazine that won gold at this year's Best of Corporate Publishing in Berlin. As a designer, he is also increasingly concerned with how the content is to be disseminated and expanded upon on different channels. How is the content best perceived on tablets or other devices? How should the design change depending on whether a user holds their pad landscape or portrait? And is an offer suitable for mobile use at all? Von Deschwanden develops the concepts together with the in-house digital department, which - just like the editors, photographers and designers - are involved in the development from the very beginning and contribute their respective perspectives. Even at meetings with customers, a representative from each of the three areas is often present. It is an enormous customer need to be advised holistically, the CD emphasizes. At Infel, the online department itself never works separately from editorial, design and photography. Von Deschwanden has basically arrived at his profession. Occasionally, he draws inspiration from his time as a sheet music designer: For example, when it comes to special printing processes, when a silver print that lies finely over another color takes on a different color depending on the light. However, he is glad that he can now always turn to new projects, new stories at Infel. "Banknotes are practically made to last forever. A magazine - to exaggerate - for the wastepaper basket." An issue is created, it is read and discussed. But then another new magazine comes along, a new customer with new stories. After all, you can never get enough stories. Isabel Imper