TYPOGRAPHY IN NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING.

Shannon News, 11 May 1928, Page 3

TYPOGRAPHY IN NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING.

MELBOURNE PUBLICATIONS ENACT NEW STANDARDS.

DEMAND SOB LIGHTEB DISPLAY!

The strong efforts most metropolitan newspapers are now making to reduce the density of the black masses appearing in their advertising columns are indicated in the Type Book, of The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd., Melbourne.

This concern controls the largest publishing house in the Southern Hemisphere, issuing 117,000,000 copies of newspapers and periodicals annually, consuming 27,000 tons of paper in the same period, and employing 1200 peo* . pie. The new Type Book will cause considerable discussion in all publicity circles, as it marks the introduction of typographical regulations having a farreaching effect' upon advertising matter appearing in the. journals whose contents it deals with. The book has already been circulated among Australian and oversea advertisers and agents, while other interested parties can obtain copies itpon making application to the manager of the company. Unlike most.similar publications, the book makes a pew departure, in that it combines the features of a type book with those of a* manual of typographic , cal standards.

There are many suggestions as to how advertisers can co-operato with newspapers to secure the best printing results possible. “The Trend of Typography in Newspaper Advertising” is dealt with in the book. Strong recommendations are made for the, use of types aiid illustrations of simple and vigorous design, emphasis being laid upon the fact that people no longer tolerate being compelled to read anything composed of brutally large and black letters. “Apart.from heavy masses of black making advertisements unsightly- : and causing them to seldom print well,” the book declares, “there is the more important aspect that such display is confusing to the eye of the reader. It disturbs concentration and unjustly affects other adjacent announcements which may not be so bold ,or equally compelling. The publicity ''world,” the article concludes, “is finding that the value of masses of black has been greatly over-estimated, and that the real answer to 1 dominant display is the liberal use of white space and of lighter but more attractive types.” It is stated that the company has, no desire to be . either arbitrary or dictatorial in reserving to itself the right to censor, revise or reject advertisements; to lighten type, borders and illustrations; to limit space of .advertise* ments or to omit some announcements without notice. The only desire, emphasises the book, is to effectively;, control typographical appearances, 1 wliieh influentially affect the power of advertising, as unfair advantages frequently arise when pronounced areas of. black overwhelmingly dominate those of lesser strength in the same pages.