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
Very Interesting . . . there are days when the ads frustrate me no end and days when they end up being the most interesting part of a magazine. I like the way you have been able to categorize some of the different trends. I’ve always been drawn in by the “color as focal point” and clever ads like the Crystal Light one.
Thanks for a fresh point of view and the nice selection of ads.
http://colourmehappyblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/richest-man-in-town.html
Hey, I mentioned you in my post yesterday!! Love this post, you found some fabulous images of great ads!!
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!