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Sep. 26th At the International Herald Tribune: the glossy page one ad turns irresistible

A tip of the hat for the Page One ad

There she is, the beautiful model with the leopard-print hat, the Ralph Lauren logo in the background and, of course, the venerable nameplate of the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of The New York Times, as your only reminder that this is, indeed, a newspaper, and that if you remove the four-page wrapper with the attractive models and the glossy shine, there is the newspaper you are looking for.

”I want my newspaper, please”

”

This is what I heard this morning here in Paris, in the breakfast room of the Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel.  Here is the scene: a man in his early 70s, probably an American, saw the Herald Tribune on a table, hesitated before taking it, and, perhaps a little confused by the presence of the model and the gloss of it all, turned to the receptionist and said: “I want the Herald Tribune please, not the supplement.”

“This is the Herald Tribune, sir,” she said the smiling. “Just open it and there it is.”

“Oh,” said the man, “now I get it. I thought it was an advertising.”

Indeed, it is, and perhaps the majority of readers knows it, and move on to find their newspaper neatly tucked inside. One wishes that the rest of the newspaper were printed on the same quality paper as the Ralph Lauren ad.

Should the New York Times be next?

If it works for the Herald Tribune worldwide, why could not these glossy wrap around ads make it to the front page of The New York Times? I think this is only a matter of time before it happens, unless The Wall Street Journal does it first.  I sense that under Rupert Murdoch and News Corp, the WSJ is more adventurous and experimental than ever, and I truly admire Mr. Murdoch’s team ability to show a sense of respect for the traditions of that newspaper’s glorious past, but also push it into the future, advancing it not only in its coverage, but also to the realities of publishing in a multimedia environment. Most especially, I think that Mr. Murdoch is probably all for exploring the full advertising potential of his new brand.

My bet is that perhaps the next glossy wrap around for the arrival of a brand new luxury car model, or the Apple computer of the future, may see the light in the WSJ.  Then, for sure, The New York Times will follow, and the gates of glossy wrap around ads on Page One will open wide. A good thing.

Free daily in Paris also gives Page One to an ad

Direct Matin Plus, given out to everyone who wants it free as one exits the busy Paris Metro, also knows the value of its page one real estate. Today’s editions ask: Do you have a tendency to eat too much?

Turn the page and find out the remedy for curbing your appetite.
Then, on the next page, the real front page of this newspaper printed in an A4 format, and the face of President Sarkosy, plus McCain, Obama and the rest of the news.

The Chicago Tribune redesigns

For those of you interested, The Chicago Tribune is about to unveil its new look, when whose main purpose is to move towards a 50/50 advertising/editorial content ratio. You may see sample pages here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-tribune-redesign-htmlpage,0,7090729.htmlpage

 

A delicious lunch at Désirier, at 9 place de Marichal-Juin (Pereira stop on the Metro) right in the heart of Paris, on the 17th district.
Starters: fresh oysters, with all the accompaniments (including a glass of champagne)
Main course: Steamed fish, brought to the table wrapped in salt, which the waiter removes in front of you, before proceeding to debone the fish. Delicious.
Espressos, and, as usual in French restaurants, a plate of little sweets, so that even if you said not to dessert, here is a reminder that every good meal ends with something sweet.

 

Last day in Paris for this trip: conducting interviews with media outlets about the new look of Paris Match, to be unveiled with the Oct. 2 edition.

Reviewing pages on the wall of the art department: all looking good, and, as usual, making those corrections that are likely to be needed, no matter how good the style book or the templates.

In my experience, the two main culprits on the first edition after a new design: things that are too big, things that are too small, and the occasional throw back to “the way it was”. Nothing major, just keep your eyes open.

Next stop: Oklahoma City, for the launch of The Oklahoman.

TheMarioBlog: posting #102

 

Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia on September 26, 2008