PRINTNEWSPAPER
News room
Internal communications and brand content are undergoing a profound shift. Faced with information overload and the fleeting nature of digital content, companies are looking for something that lasts. While gamification and internal podcasts energize engagement, the printed corporate newspaper is emerging as a cornerstone of brand culture. Here is how to create a format that leaves a lasting impression, from the internal paper to a reinvented restaurant menu.
Communications teams know it well: the challenge is no longer to distribute information, but to win attention. Digital tools (Slack, Teams, intranets) are ideal for speed and continuous flow. New trends such as gamification (to drive playful engagement) and internal podcasts (to give the message a human voice) have modernized how teams connect.
But these channels share a major weakness: they are ephemeral. One post pushes out the next. That is where the printed corporate newspaper becomes relevant again. It does not replace digital, it complements it by adding tangibility. Holding a newspaper in your hands creates a pause, deeper reading, and a moment of disconnection. Paper becomes the medium for meaning and recognition, while digital remains the medium for action.
Creating a corporate newspaper is now as agile as publishing a newsletter, thanks to online layout tools and print on demand. Here are the keys to a successful launch.
Forget the dusty internal bulletin. Your newspaper should look and feel like a real newsstand publication.
Format is a strategic choice. Tabloid, more compact and easy to handle, is ideal for comfortable reading at the office or on the go. It signals a modern, dynamic image. Broadsheet, more traditional, conveys immediate authority and offers a vast canvas for large photos or complex infographics.
For a newspaper to be kept, not discarded, it has to look great. Using true newsprint (supple, lightly textured) and rotary style printing delivers an authentic sensory experience that standard glossy stock cannot match. That distinctive feel is what creates emotional attachment.
The newspaper format is not limited to internal communication. It is also a powerful tool for product marketing, as shown by the strong rise of newspaper style menus in the restaurant industry.
Picture a restaurant owner who, instead of a standard laminated menu, places a real 4 or 8 page newspaper on the table.
Front page: a strong photo of the signature dish, plus the chef’s editorial on seasonality.
Inside pages (the menu): dishes and wines laid out with breathing room, like newspaper columns.
Editorial content (the storytelling): profiles of local producers who supply the restaurant, the story behind a recipe, and anecdotes about the place itself.
Why does it work? The customer does not just pick a dish, they step into the brand world. While waiting, they read genuinely engaging content. Often, they even ask to take the newspaper home as a keepsake. The menu becomes a collectible object and a tangible word of mouth engine. What works for a restaurant also works for any brand looking to present products differently (a fashion lookbook, a design catalog, and more).
Launching a printed newspaper requires a strong environmental commitment. Today, it is a prerequisite for buy in from both employees and customers. Modern printing has undergone a quiet revolution:
In short, creating a corporate or brand newspaper means choosing attention over distraction. It creates a space where brand identity can unfold, be felt, and be kept.