http://mediadialogue.tumblr.com/

Hi friends, view my posts on advertising, PR and social media here:

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:47:39 +0800

Hi friends, view my posts on advertising, PR and social media here:

REFLECTION - Read on as I recall how this blog began. From...

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:33:00 +0800

REFLECTION - Read on as I recall how this blog began. From wobbling baby steps to keeping the momentum of writing daily, this has been an unforgettable journey.

Different blogging platforms have their advantages and limitations. Being familiar with Blogger, Wordpress and Tumblr gave me the upper hand in choosing a ‘home’ for this Media Dialogue blog. What I like about Tumblr is the active community. Already, this blog has followers (hello!) and I hope the content here has inspired them to explore print and online publication design.

I spent a lot of time searching for a good Tumblr theme. This website is beautifully designed and all it needed was some CSS tweaking. It is minimalistic, which is perfect for bringing out the colourful images on the homepage. Looking back, I wish I had an advanced knowledge of CSS codes so that I could make the website even better.

In terms of content, this blog covers quite a range of publication issues (print and online), news and critiques. I enjoyed looking at magazine layouts the most. Website designs are evolving so quickly, with new technologies being explored every day. I’m glad that there is now an alternative to Flash. Previously, Flash websites had long loading times and were not able to be viewed on mobile web browsers.

As both print and online content are being viewed on mobile phones, new design capabilities are available for designers to play around with. The question is - in accommodating the small screens, what are the content and design elements that have to change too?

Design rules are quite tricky. The great designers are those who know what works best in what kind of situation.

Copyright and image manipulation issues have been a challenge over this decade. Perhaps technology is to be blame. It has made it easy to search for something on the internet and copy a paragraph or tweak a photo. There is a way to avoid such problems (you don’t want to step on the toes of the law). WikiCommons is just one of the many websites with content that is free for re-use. It is courtesy to cite the source when you re-use the images.

Overall, I would say this is a good experience. Will I keep writing? Yes, I think I will. :)

MUST READ - Landscape or portrait? The fluid widths of...

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 02:02:00 +0800

MUST READ - Landscape or portrait? The fluid widths of smartphones and tablets give publishers two layout headaches to deal with as reading styles change.

Smashing Magazine explains what a fluid width is:

‘In a fluid website layout, also referred to as a liquid layout, the majority of the components inside have percentage widths, and thus adjust to the user’s screen resolution.’

Unlike traditional newspapers, mobile publications have fluid widths which allow the reader to toggle between landscape and portrait view. The trick is to keep the content readable in both reading options. For example, the site shown on the left has customised layouts to suit different reading patterns. Generally, the outlook stays the same but the grid has been tweaked slightly.

Still skeptical about jumping into mobile publishing? Media companies should not desert any news platform. Nic Jones, Managing Director of News Interactive was quoted in an article published in The Australian saying, ‘You have to care about each one equally… We are a content manufacturer. We’re not a newspaper company, not a TV company, we are a media company’ (MacLean 2005).

Image source: Graphicdesignblender.com

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Reference

MacLean, S 2005, ‘Print learns to love the web’, The Australian, 24 April 2011, pp. 15, 19.

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Related video post: Paid news apps - how successful are they?
Related post: Designing for mobile phones and tablets

VIDEO - Here is a video by Pixblish, a company that specialises...

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 23:22:00 +0800

VIDEO - Here is a video by Pixblish, a company that specialises in mobile publishing. How much would you spend on a mobile publication?

Pointers to note from the video:

Responds to the touch
Not complex or costly
As an add-on to current publications
No boring webpage layouts
Consistency between online and print
Like, share or comment
Opens new revenue streams
Know your audience better

I’ll like to expand on paid mobile publications. With the help of AppStores, smartphone users are able to download news applications. This is a lucrative area for publishers. However, Sinclair (2005) questions ‘at what price point will people sign up?’

In Singapore, the main news applications are iTODAY and STOnline. Both are free. The archive stories found on the web version of the Straits Times (ST) are accessible via subscription only.

148appsbiz reports that the average price for an iPhone application is US$2.26. While this may seem like a small amount to pay for news, Henry Blodger argues that paid news applications are not well-received. In his article, published in the Business Insider, he explains that ‘few people appear eager to pony up huge bucks to get a fancy, expensive iPad app to read their newspaper on when they can read it for less on the open web.’

When designing for mobile publications, we should keep in mind that the mobile version should add value to the print or online version. Ask yourself: what could improve the readability or content of the article? Perhaps adding an illustration where readers can zoom in to read a step by step rundown of an event could enhance their reading experience.

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References

Blodger, H 2010, As expected, no one wants those expensive newspaper iPad apps, Business Insider, viewed 4 April 2011, <http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-as-expected-no-one-wants-those-expensive-newspaper-ipad-apps-2010-4#ixzz1OQMIqEtL>.

Sinclair, L 2005, ‘Soapies the new mobile ring-ins’, The Australian, 3 March, p. 17.

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When you need a break from designing or writing, have a look at...

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 22:51:00 +0800

When you need a break from designing or writing, have a look at some of these design-related comics which would surely make you laugh. My favourite is The Brads, by Brad Colbow. It tells of two web designers and their crazy stints. Another good one to read is Kopozky.

Enjoy!

MUST READ - Designing for mobile phones and tablets is quite a...

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 22:31:00 +0800

Image source: thecoolist.com

Image source: iPadpeek.com

MUST READ - Designing for mobile phones and tablets is quite a challenge. What works well onscreen and what does not? Interactivity is the key to success.

Mobile platforms have the following advantages:

Content can be easily shared on social sites or saved for reading at a later time.
Readers are on-the-go so they want bite-sized news.
It is interactive (readers can swipe, zoom in or out of photos)
It is immediate (readers can comment immediately)

The list looks quite similar to online media. So what sets apart the mobile publications from online publications?

Before you start designing, here are some tips from Parker (1990, p. 3):

Ask who is the intended audience?
What is the basic message you’re trying to communicate?
In what format wifi readers encounter your message?
What similar messages have your readers encountered from other sources or competitors?
How does this publication relate to your other publicaions?

Information Architects’ article titled ‘Designing for iPads: Reality check’ is a good read too. Author Oliver Reichenstein shares the design problems their team faced while working on a few projects.

1. Typography: Is it nice to read?
2. Text-background contrast: Grey, white or noise?
3. Seamless navigation: Are 3D graphics more inviting?

Interestingly, he found that once the iPad design was done, it became a blueprint for the web design.

TIP: To view how your website looks like on an iPad, visit iPadpeek and type it in the web address on the top. I’ve tried it and here’s what Media Dialogue looks like on the iPad! (see image on the left)

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References

Parker, RC 1990, Looking good in print : a guide to basic design for desktop publishing, 2nd edn, Ventana Press, Chapel Hill.

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MUST READ - What are the design differences between print and...

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:01:00 +0800

Online version

Print version

MUST READ - What are the design differences between print and online content? Take a look at this article published by TODAY on two platforms.

There are differences in terms of:

Layout: Kress and van Leeuwen (1998, p. 188) states that ‘layout simultaneously involves three signifying systems, all serving to structure the text, to bring the various elements of the page (e.g. photographs, headlines, blocks of text) together into a coherent and meaningful whole’.

The three systems are:

Information value - zones and space
Salience - size, colour, sharpness
Framing - white space and contrast

The print version has to fit in the page with an advertisement. Space is limited therefore, the article spreads over 2 pages. It follows the 2-column news grid which allows words to be more readable. The online version is allowed more spatial freedom. The text takes up one third of the page. Notice how the text is on the left of the page. This allows web users to start reading from the left to the right.

Graphics: The image chosen for print differs from online. This was because the print article was placed opposite a similar story which also had a picture of the rally crowd. Graphics are not stand-alone design elements, the surrounding text plays a part too. This is the concept of intertextuality (Putnis and Petelin 1996).

Font: The print version used a serif font while the online version used a san serif font. This is for readability purposes. Serif fonts have a ‘tail’ at the end of each stroke which leads the eye from one character to the next easily. On the other hand, san serif fonts are thin and will not be affected by pixelation.

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References

Fong, T 2011, ‘PAP only listens when there is a strong Opposition’, TODAY, 6 May 2011, pp. 1-2.

Kress, G and van Leeuwen, T 1998, ‘Front pages : (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout’ in Approaches to media discourse, Bell, A and P, Garrett (eds) Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 186-219.

Putnis, P and Petelin, R 1996, Professional communication: principles and applications, Prentice Hall, Sydney.

NEWS - Witty text could be either well-received or distasteful....

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:34:00 +0800

NEWS - Witty text could be either well-received or distasteful. A new Cadbury advertisement angered supermodel Naomi Campbell, who called it racist.

Design is not just about the graphics, but also the accompanying text. In this case, Cadbury failed to anticipate that such copy could be viewed as derogatory. Though the intention was to be a ‘light-hearted take’ on chocolate, the issue was raised quickly by Naomi and escalated by the press.

At first, Cadbury was unwilling to retract the advertisement. Today, The Guardian published an article titled Cadbury apologises to Naomi Campbell over ‘racist’ ad. Naomi accepted the apology.

The commonly-heard of copyright issues have to do with trademarks, logos, content and images. However, this case is quite a different kind of infringement. Naomi did not endorse the advertisement, yet her name was falsely used in it. Groups such as the Operation Black Vote (OBV) also backed her and asked people to boycott the brand.

*TIP: When publishing in print or online, there are infringement issues that needs to be pre-empt before going live…before the issue explodes into something bigger that the company or organisation can handle.

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Reference

Sweney, M 2011, ‘Cadbury apologises to Naomi Campbell over ‘racist’ ad’, The Guardian, 3 June 2011, viewed 3 June 2011, .

MUST READ - Blogging is a growing phenomenon. The number of...

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:34:00 +0800

MUST READ - Blogging is a growing phenomenon. The number of blogs grow rapidly each year, but that does not necessarily mean that there are more people who are blogging. In some cases, people may have multiple blogs.

Kelly (2004) highlighted on radio that Baghdad Blogger was escalated to fame after an Iraqi architect journaled his war experience in Baghdad.

While Blog Pulse reports that diaries are most common, what is a blog without readers? Linking other bloggers created the foundation for social network sites. It is the community of bloggers keeps the sites alive with content. A blogosphere is basically a blogging community. Tumblr and MySpace are examples of online blog communities.

Keeping ahead of information is not an easy task. Everyone wants to know what is the latest news or the hottest topic. Daily, there are web searches scour and gather information based on keywords.

Wordle is a word cloud generator. It works quite like a tag cloud but it counts the most frequently used words on a website. John Schwenkler used Wordle to create a word of McCain and Obama’s blog during the election period. Surprisingly McCain’s blog mentioned Obama’s name more than Obama’s site did! (see image on the left for details)

Fun fact: How many blog posts mentioned print, online and mobile publications? (see graphs from Blog Pulse on the left)

Blog applications on mobile phones have created a new blogging attitude (State of the Blogosphere, 2010). It is easier to blog on the go, in short posts. The time lapse between taking a photo and blogging it immediately has decreased. Writing for publications have changed. Shorter posts (probably encouraged by Twitter’s limit of 140 characters) have taken over the long chunks of information that was transposed directly off print publications to the web.

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Images from:

Blogpulse, 2011, viewed 1 June 2011, .
Blog tag cloud, 2010, viewed 1 June 2011, .
Portrait of the candidate as a pile of words, 2008, viewed 1 June 2011,

References

Kelly, F 2004, Blogging (radio segment), ABC Radio National Breakfast, aired 16 April 2004, transcript viewed 1 June 2011, .

Technorati 2010, State of the Blogosphere 2010, viewed 1 June 2011, .

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Related post: Glad I chose Tumblr

A powerful image says all there needs to be said. In this case,...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:47:00 +0800

A powerful image says all there needs to be said. In this case, this Nissan is sold with a large image and small text at the bottom.

All print, online and mobile platforms could enhance this advertisement through platform-specific designs. A magazine could have a flip out page which shows the luxurious interior of the car. On a mobile version, the reader would simply have to flick through the tip of the page or zoom in to have a closer look at the car. An online version could be animated, turning the headlights on with a rollover.

Such endless possibilities!

TIP: Designing for print does not end the moment artwork is approved. Keep an eye on the paper quality.

This could be turned into ‘an impresser brochure’ (Parker 2003, p. 269). For such luxury items, being printed on high quality paper reflects the status of the product too.

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Image source: esbrittany

References

Parker, RC 2003, Looking good in print, 5th edn, Paraglyph Press, Arizona.

The following web posts are inspirational designs that will...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:46:00 +0800

The following web posts are inspirational designs that will hopefully spark ideas of our own.

Here is a sample of an inflight brochure. The covers feature an...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:44:00 +0800

Here is a sample of an inflight brochure. The covers feature an image of the sky, seen through an airplane window. This sets the tone of the magazine. The content is exciting and fresh. The inside pages are formatted like a beauty magazine in a 3 column grid layout. Bright coloured boxes break the monotony of text. To help the eye move across the page, the numbers 1 to 5 are larger than the rest of the text.

When designing for a corporate company, branding is important. Often, companies are very strict about the colours used, the way the logo and company name are presented and its size in comparison to other text.

TIP: Take a look at previous copies and observe the publication’s unique design style.

Image source: Annaquevara

Photo

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:42:12 +0800

prova275:

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:42:01 +0800

prova275:

failuretwolaunch: London Transport Museum Brochure Design a DL...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:39:21 +0800

failuretwolaunch:

London Transport Museum Brochure

Design a DL roll and fold brochure for the London Transport Museum. Strong Typographic element with use of minimal graphic elements.

My inspiration came from the information boards you see in the Train stations. Split-flap display is the official terminology (I think.) I decided on an abstract concept of removing part of the letters to show movement or the changing letters.

jellefpost: Brochure, BK050, werkplaats beeldende kunst, 2011,...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:38:53 +0800

jellefpost:

Brochure, BK050, werkplaats beeldende kunst, 2011, 80 pagina’s, full colour, 115x160, drukwerk: Het Grafisch Huis, Groningen, fotografie: Marieke Kijk in de Vegte

sccc: Metropolitan Northeast Travel Brochure - New York Spread

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:38:47 +0800

sccc:

Metropolitan Northeast Travel Brochure - New York Spread

nymfographics: Astra brochure (cover and inside pages), par...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:37:25 +0800

nymfographics:

Astra brochure (cover and inside pages), par SR/CP, 20??.

Modestement limpide.

LIEN :
le site de SR/CP

shannonethomas: {via Design;Defined | www.designdefined.co.uk}

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:37:21 +0800

shannonethomas:

{via Design;Defined | www.designdefined.co.uk}

typejoy: Blurb re-brand using ARS Maquette (via Blurb re-brand...

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:30:41 +0800

typejoy:

Blurb re-brand using ARS Maquette (via Blurb re-brand using ARS Maquette - ARS Type)