Now with Beer Garden for our smoking patrons.
Article from: The Advertiser
September 11, 2008 12:30am
THE Advertiser will take on an elegant, modern identity from Saturday, featuring a new-look masthead, right.
"We're celebrating our 150th anniversary this year and thought it made sense to take this step forward to the next 150 years," Advertiser editor Melvin Mansell said yesterday.
"The style of the existing masthead doesn't fit the appearance of today's paper, which has undergone enormous change in the past three years.
"Of course, this doesn't mean there is any change to the heritage of the paper or to our core values of delivering essential news and information to our readers.
"It will still be the trusted Advertiser people have grown up with but delivered in a more contemporary and attractive form."
The columns of body type will be made easier to read with the introduction of a modern typeface designed specifically for 21st century newspapers.
The new type is more slender and slightly taller than the old-style body type and will have greater leading – the space between the lines – to give a crisp, clean look.
Advertiser Newspapers managing director Michael Miller said: "We're looking at where our future is rather than our past.
"Consumers are now more design savvy, more worldly and better read.
"The new masthead and design ensures that The Advertiser remains relevant to our existing readers while appealing to a new generation."
Mr Mansell said the re-design of the masthead had been talked about by senior management for the past three years.
Independent research on sample groups of readers found unanimous agreement the old masthead did not match the rest of the paper. "We also are more than just a newspaper these days," Mr Mansell said.
"We wanted a masthead that would look good in newsprint but also online and in our increasing range of other publications, such as magazines and books."
The changes signal a strengthening of the diversity of what The Advertiser has to offer.
"We have a series of major initiatives that will benefit readers and advertisers and we will be revealing these over the next year or two," Mr Mansell said.
The choice of masthead and body typeface – Poynter OS Text Two – was made by Mr Mansell and The Advertiser's art director Bret Fisher. The changes were personally approved by News Corporation chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch.
As a man who began his business career in Adelaide, Mr Murdoch is keenly aware of the importance of preserving heritage.
At the same time, he has achieved global success through innovation.
New signage with the masthead will be distributed to newsagents and other Advertiser outlets throughout the state.
Mr Miller said: "The Advertiser is one of the top five most recognised brands in South Australia. But we don't have the profile that this deserves compared with other retail brands.
"This is an opportunity to increase our visual presence around SA. This is our investment to re-present ourselves to our readership."
