Brochure Design

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Brochure Design
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Brochures

• To be read or not read.
• Needs a good design because
• Saturated/ competitive market
• Cover needs to scream Read ME - dont worry I am
  not difficult to read, nor annoying.
• When audience sees it they have to want to pick
  it up grab their attention (better done with a
  quality design over annoying design.)
• Secondary function communicate info.
• Educating subject about something.
• Getting the appointment!

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Types of Brochures

• 5 categories
• Leave behind
• Point of sale
• Respond to inquires
• Direct mail
• Sales support
• Brochure Styles
• Tri-Fold
• S Fold (accordion fold)
• Z Fold (accordion fold)
• C Fold (spiral)
• Bi-Fold

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Principles

• Target Audience (find out color appeal, workable
  images, needs and wants of audience, traditions
  in the market, etc.)
• Dark over light
• Typically brochures have light text over dark
  backgrounds
• Usually H1 14pt (nothing bigger re text)
• Hierarchy? What do you want seen and or read
  first?
• Front cover the most important.
• Tradition/ accepted norms contact on back.

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Brochure Design Process

• 1. Planning (thumbnail, brainstorm, sketch, fold,
  audience analysis, etc.)
• Maintain family resemblance!
• 2. Writing (refine copy)
• Mark Twain was supposed to have said, "I'd have
  written you a shorter letter but I didn't have
  the time.
• Dont ask questions that cant be answered with a
  YES.
• State copy in the affirmative.
• 3. Layout (prototype stage hard copy then
  digital.)
• Images use them to tell a story (ie. Graphs,
  telling images, etc.)
• 4. Testing (formative feedback stage - check with
  others for appeal, grammar, function, etc.)
• 5. Printing (recto verso consider gutter/
  printable area issues.)

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Brochure Design No, Nos

• Do not use more than nine or ten lines of type
  per paragraph.
• Do not average more than two or three sentences
  per paragraph.
• Do not indent paragraphs that have a space
  between them.
• Do not start sentences with numbers. Such as,
  "20 of all policemen prefer powdered donuts."
  Correct Twenty percent of all policemen prefer
  powdered donuts."
• Do not put two spaces after periods if using a
  computer. Page layout and word processing
  programs put the proper spacing after periods
  automatically.
• Do not use underline or all caps as a way to
  stress a point. These are leftovers from the
  typewriter age. Use bold or italics instead.
• Do not use italics on your web site or they will
  look like the italics in the previous sentence.

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Part 1Getting Started

• Define a client, then do your research.
• Go find some brochures and
• Why didn't you look at them?
• Can you find something specific that made you
  skip right over them?
• Was it the lack of an eye-catching graphic?
• Was it a hard to read type-face?
• Did the headline lack sales appeal? Was it a
  label instead of a call to action?
• Was it because the design of the rack hid the
  real message?
• Was it because it was printed on a blah color or
  paper?

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Part 2 Sketch, Layout

• Take your time to come up with an effective,
  quality design. Theres no point doing something
  that wont make a difference, or make an impact.
  
• Everything should be educational.

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Part 3 Final Copy and Layout

• Digitize and print several drafts get some
  formative feedback. Take it to audience and
  client for verification. Get them to sign off on
  it (covers your back.)
• Send to printer theyll print the plates, then
  do a print/ plate check. Finalize print and wash
  your hands.