Confessions of a veteran white-haired artist:
The Anatomy of a direct-mail WINNER!
Subject of the autopsy: Digest-size bookalog; 48-pages, full-color
Client category: Vitamins and Health Supplements
Writer: Carline Anglade-Cole
Designer: Larry Owen
“The Shocking Truth About Chlorella”
I chose this direct-mail Bookalog to examine because:
a. It is a very recent 2008 package
b. Carline Anglade-Cole was the copywriter
c. Carline’s copy strategy is clever and unique
d. It posed interesting graphic design challenges
e. I think I was able to overcome these design challenges
f. It’s a WINNER!
The covers of this bookalog get attention. “The Shocking Truth About Chlorella” … reader, take WARNING! … Suggesting there’s something inherently WRONG with this popular health remedy — even though it outlines on the same cover the many health benefits of the supplement. Tricky.
The back cover even suggests this nutrient might be ILLEGAL! Ban it!?
The copy actually promotes a product by seemingly putting it down. It’s a clever bait-and-switch that reveals itself inside, where we want the reader to go.
The curious reader, stimulated, reads on. Only after many pages of selling the health benefits of the remedy is the secret warning revealed: the client’s chlorella is the ONE chlorella that’s any good.
This strategy is the brainchild of Carline Anglade-Cole, a diversely talented health writer with contagious enthusiasm. I delight in the fact I designed her first blockbuster winning health magalog in 1999, “The Forbidden Secrets of SEX and HEALING.”
First, I’ll frame my thoughts about the mechanics of this “Shocking Truth” bookalog design, then I’ll outline the 8 identifiable inherent challenges I had to satisfy. This should be helpful to both copywriters and artists.
About Bookalogs
Designing a digest-size bookalog versus a full-size format is a challenge in itself. It reminds me of what Winston Churchill said when asked to give a speech. A 15-minute speech would take him a week to prepare, he said. “If it’s an hour-long speech,” he exclaimed, “I’m ready right now!”
In the bookalog format, many sidebars become full pages if the package was written so it could also be a full-size format, such as a magalog or tabloid.
Even with more pages and the smaller size, a bookalog must satisfy the major rules of an effective piece. Fonts must be large and crisp, sidebars can’t get in the way of the critical eye path, or cause the reader to stop reading the running text. A good sidebar will actually pull the reader back into the running text, yet stand on their own to echo the selling idea for those readers who scan first, read last.
In a bookalog, the beginning of each chapter should be positioned on a right-hand page. And to keep the reader engaged from chapter to chapter, excessive white space on the page preceding the new chapter must be avoided. Keeping the chapters tightly connected can be a major challenge — but one that is solved by the sometimes painstaking process of shifting sidebars, increasing or compacting their size, resizing images, and subtle adjustments to leading and hyphenation.
Playing with type can be tricky, so avoid any adjustments to leading or kerning that will be noticeable, or disruptive.
It stands to reason each bookalog chapter has to end on a left-hand page, meaning some key elements often must be moved around or modified to get everything to fit. Manipulation of elements is an ongoing part of the design process — all the while assuring images and sidebars remain supportive and relevant to the running selling message, from page to page, and chapter to chapter.
About This “Shocking Truth” Bookalog
If this 48-page Sun Chlorella USA bookalog looks good to you, I’m glad. It’s a lot better than my initial design in the usual bookalog, single-column format.
Single column format not only has the ‘lazy-look’ — okay for bare-bones special reports — but type running the width of the page forces sidebars (that aren’t full page) to go to heavy-handed shapes and sizes: across the bottom, and across the spread at the bottom or top.
Or it means squeezing the text into a narrow column to allow a vertical sidebar — an inconsistency that might interrupt the reader’s rhythm.
To me, a two-column format allows an open, airy feeling and more sidebar options — but man, big fonts and narrow columns can make big trouble: too many hyphens and raggedy-rag rights — compounded by bullets everywhere and indented paragraphs … and then indented, bulleted paragraphs!
The older, primarily female audience for this bookalog called for black 13-point Palatino serif text, and 12-point sans-serif Helvetica — which looks larger than 13-point Times.
Visually, I want strong words on light and friendly backgrounds. Older folks respond best to honest, positive presentations in my view, and can spot a phony more easily than a younger audience.
Carline and her client sent me the final approved copy the day Carline took off with her family for more than two weeks in Ireland. So I was on my own. I had to use every bit of the copy I got, the way it was sent, exactly the way she wrote it. No possibility of copy cuts, no new or deleted sidebars, no adjustments allowed.
And I was determined to have a beautiful, finished 48-page bookalog ready when she returned.
The more experienced the writer, the fewer adjustments to text and sidebars are necessary to get this visual ‘perfect fit.’ That’s because the writer knows from experience what part of a page or spread the copy will consume, once graphics, bursts, images, premiums and other art are added.
Usually, an artist works with the copywriter to get every element of the package to fit properly and follow the cardinal rules of good layout and readability. To maintain the ideal and consistent font and leading sizes, sometimes copy has to be cut — or running letter copy deleted and that text is used to create another powerful sidebar.
Here were the major design challenges:
Challenge #1: Take a fat stack of pages of great health supplement copy which was written to be a 2-color, report-style piece, and turn it into a glamorous, full-color bookalog with lots of color images.
Yes, the client insisted at the last hour to go with a different style than what Carline intended. Carline stood her ground and insisted it should stay a toned-down, ‘hot-off-the-press’ format, which would also be cheaper to get in the mail. But the client won out, and “The Shocking Truth About Chlorella” is what you see.
Carline’s instructions: “I’m going to Ireland. See ya!”
Challenge #2: In this digest-size format, introduce a group of eleven corporate health experts comprised of four chiropractors, two Ph.D.s, one health writer, one dentist, and three M.D.s (Not a bad bunch of experts, I would say).
Carline’s instructions: “Make them all stand out, and look like medical doctors.”
You can see how I handled that throughout the piece, with the banners at the top of the sidebars, giving equal billing to all.
Take note of the cover shot: Dr. Nelson is not a medical doctor, so I put his head on a stock photo body of a doctor in a lab coat, and removed the stethoscope in Photoshop. Presto!
Challenge #3: Incorporate 16 testimonials from past and current product users, some with sadly unflattering photos, and one gentleman complained of having “excessive foul smelling gas.” I made sure the outboard motor was prominent in Mr. Knauth’s photo, on page 30.
The dentist on page 31 proudly testified that he gave the product to his dog! (There was nothing I could do about that).
Challenge #4: Introduce and exhibit eight premium gift incentives that start popping up on page 33, then shown again on the two ‘value pages’ (pages 44-45) and the two ‘order form’ pages (pages 46-47).
Challenge #5: If elements of copy, such as the value page and the order form page was previously written for a large-format piece such as a magalog, those single pages must go to two pages each in the bookalog (Refer to pages 42 thru 47). And you’ll notice the Guarantee, usually a half page, is now a full-page (page 42), and the Purity Pledge, ditto, on page 43.
You can see Carline begins closing the sale on page 42, leading up to the ‘value pages’ and then the order pages, which introduce a clean, easy to follow ordering process. These pages represent a good example of Clayton’s ‘three Ts” rule: tell‘em what you’re going to tell’em … tell’em … then tell’m what you told‘em!
I spent more time on the 4 pages 44 thru 47 than any other 10 pages in this bookalog. Not because of all the many elements necessarily, but because they are such critical pages to the sale. They have to be perfect. The offers must be clear and chocked full of great value. The order page must be easy to understand and use, without hesitation.
This client apparently prefers mail-in orders using the postage-free return envelope that is tipped into each bookalog, rather than pushing for phone orders, which is an option. They know what’s best for them.
Challenge #6: Create an image of the cartoon character Popeye (page 6) without showing Popeye, for copyright reasons. And show a talking human liver (page 16, the liver-toon).
These worked great, and were drawn by my artist brother Beacham, who helps me tremendously with images, original art and good ideas. If you want to see some really good motorsports art, Google “Beacham Owen,” or, “motorsports art.”
Challenge #7: For the sidebar on page 28, come up with the perfect image of a woman being admired by men in public. After looking through hundreds of royalty-free images in my three source websites, I decided to make my own. Brother Beacham took the woman’s head I sent to him, and combined it with two other images in Photoshop to make the original scene you see on page 28. Splendid.
Challenge #8: In the sidebar on page 39, visually demonstrate with seven small images of nuts and shellfish, the difference between the client’s product and run of the mill chlorella. Also, support the scientific chart sidebar introduced earlier on page 12.
Parting thoughts: Each design challenge produces a visual strategy that satisfies the ultimate goal of this kind of direct mail: Get the reader to the order page with the urge to buy — or the fear of not buying.
Often artists must really have to tone down the urge to be over creative. To be clever, pretty and artistic might be satisfying as an artist — but showing off could very well be in the way of the goals.
Design and art for these kinds of pieces should include nothing overwhelming, nothing distracting, nothing unnecessary — in simple terms; nothing that stops the reader’s eye-trip from page to page, spread to spread.
Sidebars exist to clarify, illustrate, complement and support the running message.
Here’s another thought: Writers, if one of your pieces that you thought would do well in the mail bombed, don’t rush to blame your copy — it might just need a different design!
Guest Contributor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
Larry Owen became an exclusive graphic designer 12 years ago following a 20-year career with advertising agencies. He held executive positions at four of the country’s most creative ad agencies, including McCann-Erickson, Inc. as both marketing account supervisor and creative director.
Working closely with Clayton Makepeace, Carline Anglade-Cole, Kent Komae and numerous other A-level copywriters, Larry has designed scores of winning control packages that have mailed in the millions, year after year.
His distinguished clients include Weiss Research, The Weiss Group, Boardroom, Bottom Line Books, Healthy Directions, Health Resources, The Jerry Baker Co., Soundview Publications, Ruff Times, Health & Healing, Nature Trade, and Sun Chlorella USA.
Put him to work on your next project!
“If we can’t out-spend them, we’ll out-think them!”
E-mail him at LOWEN36@TAMPABAY.RR.COM to reserve his services,
or call him right now at (941) 932-3151, to discuss your assignment.
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6 Comments »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Adam — July 8, 2008 @ 10:42 am
Howdy Larry,
GREAT article. Where does Clayton find all these geniuses like you?!
Comment by Scott — July 8, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
Thanks Larry. That was very interesting and informative. Copy might be king but professional graphics and layout lend another layer of credibility and excitement.
This is never so evident than when trying to build a rookie-azz web site, and on top of it not being very knowledgeable about the visuals and da softwares - a bit of a GIMP.
My buddy does some creative for Coke and McDonald’s. He’d surely like that Blah Blah ad - LOL.
Comment by Mike Z — July 8, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Great article Larry. Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Gerard LeBlond — July 8, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
Two Thumbs Up to Larry Owen and his informative, insightful and instructive article on the art of creating a bookalog.Looking forward to future articles of yours.Respectfully,Gerard LeBlond
Comment by Marcelino Latorre — July 8, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
Hey there, this was a beautiful bookalog!! The art was very appealing to my eyes, I see how crucial this aspect is from looking at this winning copy.. Thanks for the lesson!-Marcelino Latorre
Comment by Andy Bacon — July 12, 2008 @ 8:27 am
Thanks for the great info Larry, I look forward to reading about advertisements from the graphic angle. Words may be King but the look of a great ad is definitely Queen. I am really interested in how you use layout to keep the reader’s eyes moving in the direction you want. Also, how you tie in sidebars with the main copy so the bars get read but the reader doesn’t forget about the flow of the main copy? I have sometimes been lost and confused with pieces that aren’t laid out as well as yours. I look forward to your future posts and learning more from another one of Clayton’s very knowledgeable friends.Salutations,Andy Bacon