I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been guilty of uttering the words- ‘ it’s all advertisements!’ as I’ve flipped through issues of my favorite magazines. I’m sure it’s something that my fellow magazine junkies can relate to… you fish the new issue out of your mailbox, settle into your most comfy reading spot and prepare to be dazzled by all that is pretty and new- only to end up flipping through endless page after page of paid ad space all while just trying to get to the meat of the editorial section.
I was in fact at one time very annoyed by all of these ads. Then a funny thing happened… a few of my cherished, glossy eye candies went belly up due to – lack of advertisement funds. And suddenly I found myself singing a new tune.
Now as I flip through my monthly little treats I thank and respect each and every advertisers. Ultimately- for us magazine lovers- they are our new best friends. And now that I have a new perspective- I’ve been paying more and more attention to their ads. They truly are great examples of the many uses of color ( after all my new chums are quite a creative group of folks!)… so I begin my journey today looking at a few trends I couldn’t help but notice as of late …
Color as an appetizer- relate the color of the ad to the product itself and leave the readers craving a taste:
Color as focal point- choose a black background, add a punch of brilliant color and chances are you’ll catch a readers eye:
Color as inspiration- I love, love Ann Sacks who was the forerunner of this concept… relate the color of the product to something completely different and get your audience to see color and design in an all new light.
Next up-ads that use Color as psychology, Color as trendseeker and more




















The pretty adds make it all the more fun to look through the magazines! One of my favorite design magazines went under recently, and I too, now appreciate the adds even more!
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