Northbound, the on-board magazine of NorthLink Ferries produced by Shaw Marketing and Design, has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence at the 2003 Scottish Corporate Communication Awards.

The glossy magazine, produced by Shaw Marketing and Design, was launched at the start of this year’s summer season. It was recognised in the Best External Magazine category at the awards ceremony in Glasgow, which is sponsored by Communicators in Business.

And the magazine took a second award when one of the articles – an account of a family holiday in Orkney and Shetland – took the prize for the best piece of feature writing in the Corporate Communications competition. 

Northbound, which is available to passengers at no cost, has proved a real hit and has attracted many favourable comments from passengers since it was launched in May this year. Eighty thousand copies of the 52-page magazine were printed and placed aboard NorthLink’s three cruise-standard ferries MVs Hrossey, Hjaltland and Hamnavoe. The magazine contains something to interest all passengers, whether they be children, business travellers, islanders or holiday makers.

The first issue of Northbound is packed with news and quality features covering a range of topics such as island life, events, food and drink, crafts, history and tourist attractions as well as profiles of NorthLink staff and general information of use to NorthLink passengers. Shaw Marketing and Design, with offices in Edinburgh and Lerwick, Shetland, is already working with NorthLink on production of the second issue of Northbound, due in 2004.

Elaine Tulloch, marketing manager for NorthLink, said: ”Northbound is a great way for us to communicate with our passengers and further develop NorthLink’s brand identity. We were delighted with the service provided by Shaw when we were compiling the magazine earlier this year and would like to congratulate the company on this richly deserved award.”  

Isabel Johnson of Shaw Marketing and Design added: “We are absolutely delighted that the magazine has taken two awards in what is Scotland’s leading competition for excellence in corporate communications. NorthLink works particularly hard to communicate with its customers and the magazine was a great opportunity to convey not only the many attractions of the Northern Isles but also the quality of NorthLink’s service.”