TAKEAWAY: It’s a first for Lebanon’s daily, An Nahar: a wrap around that that becomes its first and last page.
This is the way the front page of An Nahar looks most days
Since the wrap around became the actual Page One of today’s An Nahar, then Page 3 was the real front page for this edition
Lebanon’s An Nahar (which means The Day) is, without a doubt, one of the most distinguished and respected Arabic-language newspapers in the world. We at Garcia Media were honored to work with the An Nahar team in a total redesign/rethink in 2011.
I remember how we had to move gingerly through discussions of the front page, which, before the redesign, was rather lacking in hierarchy, or larger images.
Working closely with An Nahar art director Ziad Kassis, we were able to change the visual dynamics of that page one (see image of what it looks like most days now).
So, what a surprise to hear from Ziad today with samples of a historic first for An Nahar: the first time that the entire front and back pages of the newspaper are giving to advertising.
Take a look, there is no news on that front page (the newsy front page is page 3). Instead, a splashy ad for Waterfront City, the new project gracing Beirut’s scenic Corniche, the promenade by the sea that has been one of my favorite running spots.
“It is a first for An Nahar, for sure,” says Ziad. “We wait to see what the reaction of readers will be.”
The readers, I am almost certain, will be welcome this approach, although perhaps not for everyday. The ad is colorful, simply designed and should not keep most readers from getting to Page 3 where they will find the “real” front page of today’s edition.
Blog posts of related interest:
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/two_garcia_media_projects_launch_tuesday_an_nahar_lebanon_hindustan_india
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/an_nahar_one_week_later_follow_up/