Display ads

Creating your display advertisement

Get the most out of your display advertisement options

Display advertisements offer advertisers a wide variety of options. As well as a large range of sizes, advertisers can include logos, typefaces, borders, illustrations and photography. In addition to the standard advertisement, we now offer a range of colour advertising. Please ask your sales contact for further details.

Creating an effective advertisement

To help you create an effective display advertisement, please follow these simple rules.

Display advertisement sizes

All display advertisements must conform to the advertisement sizes listed. Any data supplied by you must be accurate to the sizes specified. We regret that oversized and undersized origination cannot be accepted. All elements of the advertisement (including borders) must be within that advertisement size area.

Display advertisement text & type guide

Text & type styles

The table below recommends minimum type sizes for use within display advertisements.

Serif or decorative type, used either in reverse or colour, require a larger point size
for legibility.

Avoid using lightweight typefaces in small point sizes when using colour.

Use contrasting colours for maximum impact. Avoid using similar colours or tint combinations for text: e.g. orange on gold.

Avoid running text over illustrations/photographs as text may merge with the image. If unavoidable, do use the largest typefaces possible, and when using colour it is advisable to outline text with white, black or a contrasting colour (drop shadows are not always effective).

Ensure typefaces chosen are bold enough if copy is small.

Use 'open' typefaces (avoid heavily condensed faces or fine faces).

Don't use tints on typefaces or use type reversed from tints.

A typeface height at the same point size can appear to vary dependent on the design of the font. The table below should only be regarded as a guide.

If you use reverse block, ensure that the text is sans serif and no smaller than 10 point, as it may fill in when printed.

Tints

Keep tints between 20% and 80%. Lighter tints may disappear. Darker tints may fill in.

Do not use large areas of flat and graduated tints which are likely to show banding.

Illustrations & lines

Use illustrations to make your advertisement stand out.

Use broad lines in illustrations, as fine lines can get lost and may not print effectively. We recommend not using lines finer than 0.5 point.

Keep illustrations simple.

Avoid using multiple colours in small illustrations.

It is recommended that maps are not included in ad sizes below Double Three Eighths Column. This is to avoid poor reproduction at print stage.

Photography

All photographs should be high contrast.

Highly detailed photographs will not reproduce well if used in a very small area of the advertisement.

The minimum recommended published size for a photograph is 25mm x 25mm.

Additional notes on the use of photographs can be found in the Production: Supplying digital files section. Guidance on the use of digital cameras and the supply of digital files can be found in the Production: Supplying digital files section.

Minimum type sizes

		Type style
		Minimum size (points)
	Solid black on yellow/white background	6	8	8	8	16	18	0.5
	Solid colour on yellow/white background	8	8	8	8	16	18	0.6
	Reversed-out from solid colour background	10	12	12	n/a	n/a	18	0.5
	Solid on tinted background (max tint 30%)	10	12	12	n/a	n/a	18	0.5
	Black type on a colour background	10	12	12	n/a	n/a	18	0.5
	Colour type on a colour image	12	14	14	n/a	n/a	18	0.5

Top of Page