10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT

PUBLIC RELATIONS PUBLICATIONS

By: Shannon McCloud

12/2/09

#1 GREEN ISN’T GOOD

My favorite color is the least arousing of all colors because it lies at the cent of the light spectrum.

Objective Impressions: quieting, refreshing, peaceful

Subjective Impressions: ghastliness, disease, terror, guilt

#2 SEGMENTATION

Increases the

awareness and

understanding of the

different characteristics

of people affects how

you present information

to them.

#3 HIDING THE STROKE LINE AROUND

OBJECTS

1. Begin with a new or existing document

2. Select a shape using the rectangle tool

3. Place the shape onto the page

4. Click on the Selection Tool

5. Click on the shape to highlight the edges

6. Click the color palette and a color to fill the shape with color

7. Select the object box and click stroke.Called the “apply effects to object

8. Select the effects box. Add an object effect to the selected target

9. In the effects box select feathered edge

10. Move the percentage or “choke” of the feathered edge from 0 to 100

#4 PARTS OF A LETTER

X-height is the height

of a lower case

letter, this is based off

of the height of the

letter x.

Ascenders are the

stroke above the x-

height, like the letter “d”

Descenders are the

stroke that extends

below the x-height, like

“p” or “y”

#5 EMOTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FONTS

Fonts arouse similar

emotions in different

publics

ex. Times New Roman

evokes the feeling of

tradition, efficiency, eleg

ance, seriousness

http://www.jameskurtz.com/2008/07/22/if-fonts-were-people/

#6 CHARACTERISTICS OF PAPER

The type of paper used in a publication can affect the perception that people have about the quality, credibility, and importance of the company and the message they are trying to present.

Appropriateness- you wouldn’t print a gala invitation on regular printer paper, but on cardstock.

#7 COLOR PROCESSING

Spot Color

Also called flat color or second color.

Used to add color to black-and- white publications.

Usually limited to one color.

Requires an additional press run per color

Process Color

Also called full color or four color because it is produced using four colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK).

For each color printed separate master plates must be created

It is 3x more expensive than just black and 2x more expensive than black and a spot color.

#8 LAYOUT MODELS OF NEWSLETTERS &

NEWSPAPERS

These models provide a pattern for placing items on a page.

6 Layout Models

1. Formal balance divides similar items symmetrically on both sides of a vertical axis.

2. Informal balance distributes visual weight.

3. Items of most importance are placed above the fold with Upper half prominence.

4. The most important items are placed in the upper left or right corners with Upper corner prominence.

5. Quadrant distribution places important items in each corner of the page.

6. Stories run as wide rectangles across the page with headlines over the full width of each story is Horizontal distribution.

#9 PHOTOGRAPHY POSES

Females are more likely than men to be portrayed in emotional or dominated positions.

Readers prefer males in waist-up, face-only and full-body poses, while they prefer females in bust-up, waist-up and knees-up poses.

Females interpret facial expressions from photographs better than males.

#10 SIMPLICITY OF PHOTOGRAPHS

Limit the number of items

in photographs

Center or position the

most important items to

the upper left

Keep your photographic

messages as concrete as

possible

My friend Justin took this photo during his stay in Korea teaching English.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30700327@N06/

SOURCES

Morton, L.P. (2006). Strategic publications: Designing for target publics. Greenwood, AR: Best Books Plus.

http://www.indyzoo.com/content.aspx?cid=496

http://gothamist.com/2007/09/30/wiiniors_citize.php

http://iws.ccccd.edu/acano/lectures/ARTC1305_type.htm

http://www.jameskurtz.com/2008/07/22/if-fonts-were-people/

http://www.perthcomputers.net/images/paper1.jpg

http://www.oyo.com/NewFiles/spot_color.gif

http://sixtwentyonecommunications.com/lightbox/media/newsletter.jpg

http://collegecandy.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/dominating.jpg?w=330&h=330