GOING BEYOND THE MODULE WITH HEADLINE FONTS

Our 3-day modules are fine, but we can push them for volume, voice, style and storytelling

TYPE IS OUR VOICE

IT SIGNALS:

• Identity
• Personality
• Importance
• Volume – size matters too.

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THIS ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. BUT WE CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE MODULE. AS OUR VOICE, OUR HEADLINES CAN . . .

• Signal the story: Its type and relative importance.
• Create a focal point: Pull in the reader’s eye.
• Create hierarchy on the page.
• Create variety for readers from day to day.
• But how do we choose which headline style, size? Here are a few guidelines. Maybe you have more.

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WHAT KIND OF STORY IS YOUR CENTERPIECE?

We can use HD1, H1, H2 or H3 to help tell our stories.

• Hard news? Is it big for the community? The module’s standard HD1 may be just perfect.
• Average hard new? Routine council meeting? Maybe a module HD1, but maybe just an H1 serif all-caps or sentence case. Might help your space.
• Someone honored? Or retires, or just has a good story. Maybe a serif H2 or H3, all-caps or sentence case. Or an HD1 hammer. Depends on the headline.
• Someone dies? How big? Big bold HD1 or just a good story, so H1 or H2 with caps or sentence case?
• Event coming or event held? Maybe H2 or H3 with caps depending on the overall display.
• Must an HD1 head stretch across the cpiece? No.

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HOW DOES YOUR HEADLINE WORK ON THE PAGE?

• Does it oversell the story? Maybe it needs an adjustment, a lighter touch.
• Does it need to be above the photo? Would it signal the importance of the story better if below, or would it just better tie in with the deck?
• Does the deck need to be with it? Either above or below the photo? If above, you’d probably want a drop cap for the story.
• Would H1 or H2 fit better? Those are actually tighter than HD1 so you might be able to fit better in one line.
• What about H3? It’s not just for opinions anymore. What would a nice H3 in sentence case signal about the story?

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LET’S TEST OUR EYES

If you’re deciding, which you are, what font do you think these stories should have?

SURE, THIS ONE’S A NO-BRAINER

Assassination attempt on a former president and current candidate? Yeah, that’s a bold sans serif headline. Though a few papers went with serif.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it important to the community?
• Does it have a hard edge?
• Is it enterprising?
• How’s the volume?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it enterprising?
• Is it important to the community?
• Is the headline the right size? Does it feel flat or shouty?
• Does it need to fill out the line?
• Would it work better under the photo?
• Does it need to be with the deck to read?
• Can/should it be a different font?

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IS THIS TOO LOUD FOR THIS STORY?

• Not hard news. It’s an event announcement.
• Not enterprising.
• Important to the community.
• Would a serif, lighter font work as well?
• Maybe smaller?
• What about sentence case?
• What about under the main headline?

CAN WE DO THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it enterprising?
• Is the headline the appropriate size?
• What about its location below the photos?
• What about the color?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news? Enterprising?
• Is it important to the community? Or just a fun yarn?
• Does the headline combo feel featurey?
• Would a serif, lighter font work as well?
• Does it need that font for impact or to help it stand out from the other elements on the page?

TASTE THIS

• It is hard news, right?
• And maybe it’s a big deal to the community.
• Is the headline a good size?
• Would a serif font work as well or better?
• What if we tried embedding the headline into the photo?

BETTER?

Sans serif’s biggest strengths are impact and how it reads against busy backgrounds.

Is this too loud?

OR THIS?

Sans serif’s biggest strengths are impact and how it reads against busy backgrounds.

Is this too loud?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it hard news or enterprise?
• Does this headline need to be above the photo?
• Does this headline feel like it should reflect a more literary, analytical story?
• So, H1 or H2?
• Is there a good pull quote that could draw readers in?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Does the smaller head hurt the package?
• Does it help the photo?
• Is sentence case easier to read for a long headline.
• Ignore the drop cap – forgot to drop it.

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Getting back to HD1 but smaller.
• Does it help tell the story visually?
• Does it hurt the photo?
• Does it help focus the package?

OR ZOOM IN EVEN MORE

• Sure, kind of getting off the topic.
• Looking at how headline and image can work together optimally.
• Would this work in H1 all caps?
• Make sure you check the resolution before this strong a crop.

OK, LET’S SEE H1 �IN SENTENCE CASE

Tightening up the leading, too.

CHANGE THIS HEADLINE?

Is it trying to say too much?

How would you edit it?

What’s most important in that headline?

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Here’s the story: The Adirondack Park Agency allowed use of herbicides in Lake George for the first time. It had done this before but reversed the approval after a lawsuit.

MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

DOES THIS WORK?

• It’s a standalone photo so a unique treatment.
• But is it newsy? And a serious topic? What about hierarchy against the other headlines?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• It’s a centerpiece promo to a story inside.
• Does the H3 all caps work?

SETTING THE TONE: A PROGRESSION

Which head works? Or is there another idea? Things to think about when changing fonts.

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FEATURE OR HARD NEWS

• Does this headline oversell the story’s importance?
• Would it work better smaller?
• Would a serif, lighter font work as well?
• What if it went under the photo?
• Is there a good pull quote that could draw readers in?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news? Is it hard news?
• Is it enterprising?
• Is it important to the community?
• Is the headline the right size?
• Would a serif, lighter font work as well?
• Does it need that font for impact or to help it stand out from the other elements on the page?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news? Enterprising?
• Is it important to the community?
• Does it have a hard edge?
• What about the volume of this headline?
• Would a serif, lighter font work as well?
• Does it need that font for impact or to help it stand out from the other elements on the page?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it enterprising?
• Is this a good size?
• Two-line headlines have more impact than single line headlines.

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it enterprising? Or just an event story?
• Is it important to the community?
• Is the headline a good size?
• Would serif work better for a quote head?

WHAT DO DO ABOUT THIS?

• Not hard news.
• Is enterprising. Featurey, but with a somber tone
• Is the headline a good size?
• Would a serif, H1 or H2 headline as well?
• What about sentence case?
• Does it need to be above the photo?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Does the H3 work at that size?
• Should it be smaller?
• Does it help create a focal point?

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AND THIS?

• Does the H2 work?
• Is it more appropriate to the importance of the story?
• What about stretching it across the photo under it?
• Does it give good headline hierarchy?
• What about focal point?

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DIFERENT FONT, DIFFERENT VOICE

Serif H1 treatment vs sans serif HD1.

• The serif actually feels taller, no?
• Does it feel more Western?
• Does HD1 overwhelm the photo?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Does the head combo work?
• Does it give good headline hierarchy?
• What about focal point?

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WHAT ABOUT THIS?

• Is it big news?
• Is it enterprising?
• Is it important to the community? Important to you?
• Does it have a hard edge?
• Is the headline the appropriate size?
• Can it be a different font? Should it be?
• Does it need the font it has for impact?

THE IMPORTANT THING: THERE’S NO ABSOLUTE RIGHT ANSWER. YOU CAN DECIDE.

Ed Brud

Edward.brud@lee.net