Landscape Company Ad - Critics please

[magostereo2]

I graduated as a graphic designer 3 years ago and even though I have not worked for any company related with this field, I have designed some newspaper ads for the company(landscape/construction) I work for now. Could you guys give me some tips on these ones? ;)

Thanks in advance.

[Typically]

the phone number on the first one looks way out of place. to big and to bold. the italic text on the bottom of the first one is kinda hard to read.

the spacing of the phone number on the third one looks kind of odd to me maybe tighten it up some. other than that they look ok.

[meadowyck]

I personally like ad2 the simplicity of it, but ad1 is a close second.

I would suggest you change the phone number to: 203.855.7854 lose the parentheses from the area code so you are consistent.

I would also delete the periods after 25 years experience and after Guaranteed

[Virgo Nightingale]

The "25 Years Experience. Guaranteed." makes it sound like you're guaranteeing that the company really has 25 years experience. At least that's how I first read it.

You do need spaces on either side of the parentheses in the phone number, and you should use a "-" instead of a "." if you're using parentheses. If you want to use the ".", use one after the area code instead of the parenths, as Meadow suggests.

I'd also lose the word "Inquiries" before the phone number, I don't think it's necessary.

Not thrilled with the Times New Roman (at least it looks like Times New Roman). Is there a more unique/interesting font you could try?

Otherwise I like the layouts.

[urstwile]

The apostrophe in Freddy's needs to be a curly (typographer's) quote, not a straight quote like you've got right now.

[magostereo2]

I did this ad for this construction company. Can someone give me some opinions about it? I will highly appreciate it.

[magostereo2]

I did this ad for this construction company and I would appreciate if you give me some feedback please.

[*the girl* ryan]

You might want to be a little warry of your borders... they are uneven all the way around. Looks nice in b&w...

Bring the headline down in font size so it makes 2 lines. Will bring that within the borders and give a little more impact to each line.

nice and clean.
-r

[vxhorusxv]

I agree with Ryan.

On an unrelated note, the first thing I thought of when I looked at the image was a turtle shell! Just worth a little chuckle ;)

[Ned]

So did I. Perhaps you could play on that aspect in people's minds, by placing it in the shape of a turtle, or perhaps within the illustrated outline of a giant sea turtle?

I do have a question out of pure curiosity... That logo... Is that a real company, or a mock-up placeholder? o_O

[*the girl* ryan]

OMG so did I... I didn't want to say anything though, thought it was my tired eyes haha

[Corey]

I think it would look cleaner if you : justify the image to the width of your headline copy and make the white space to the left/top/and right an equal space.

[datswhutsup]

agree with corey,

also the image/logo and info at the bottom of the page, the negative space to the right is very tight, compared to the left of the page.

getting very close to the bottom and to the right, let it breathe a bit and keep those spaces equal.

[BJMRGTIVR6]

On the first set, #3 pops as the best to me. The tones help tot set the hierarchy of the piece, helping to read the headline see the pick and pull the company name, then read the details. the other 2 do not work as well.

On this last post...Headline is too long and Impact is too much (font for the size of headline). Great & Quality?? no one or the other. I would use Quality. Great is more personal whereas quality seems higher-than-standard.
Do not vignette the image. And put a stroke around the image...maybe 1pt.
The phone and mouse icon should be consistent. Use a circle in both or not at all. I would swap the placement of the logo and contact, leaving the logo to bottom right for final read.
Maybe split the paragraph and bullets into otwo columns leaving bullets alone on the right side.

Sorry, quick thoughts heading to lunch.

[tZ]

why is it priceless?

The image of a patio doesn't support or enhance the message.

The same is true for the above lighting aid – what is the benefit of a activating the visual space around me? – why should I care?

These are the questions you should be answering in a interesting and eye catching way not leaving it up to your audience to figure out the meaning themselves.

If you must use a straight forward image of landscaping than your headline should be bent. The intended meaning of the headline should be dependent on the image. Without the image the headline shouldn't make sense.

For example, in the above design using the headline:

The pleasure of building one for you is ours

That is a bent headline by itself. Without the image I have no idea what your talking about.

In this case you don't need to tell the viewer the product is great. In fact… people hate that. Instead you can let the viewer dra their own conclusion from the image which of course you would make absolutely beautiful. Therefore, without explicitly telling the viewer that the product is great you can subconsciously plant that seed in their head without doing something they hate – telling them directly.

Therefore, its best to stay away from directly telling people about the product or its quality or how its better than everything else in the headline. Instead you should target a desire they have and use it to create interest. The ad copy is were you should state the quality or greatness of the product if you can back it up with evidence. Otherwise you should provide features of the product. than have a call to action at the end and only at the end.

[GoyaGo]

I'm not sure about the font for the headline. Using that type makes me think you are making a BOLD statement. The power of the text itself just does not stand up to the size and thickness of it. I would think of either a different font or have it be much less bold. Also, that is a somewhat confusing headline. It may just be me, but is that worded right? "The Pleasure of building one for you is ours" <--Is your what? And if it were me designing this, I would have the logo in the lower right hand corner and the company info on the left.

[cjoe]

Contrast, Alignment, Repetition and Proximity. CRAP. Follow these principles and you will never go wrong.

[magostereo2]

I have been posting this ad and getting feedback that is not really helpful but none sense. These guy TZ is telling me that an image of a patio has nothing todo with the word priceless. Well, let me know what image would go with a such an abstract concept? Of course there is not image that goes along with the word, it is the whole sentece, the whole concept that goes with it! not just the word alone, dudh? You can combine the word priceless with whatever imagen you want, it just need to make sense. Come on, give me something that I can really use, no those none sense opinions. I am not the best graphic design of the world, but neither a person who cant differenciate between a good and bad feedback.

[Chaotik]

Contrast, Alignment, Repetition and Proximity. CRAP. Follow these principles and you will never go wrong.
Nice way to remember the important principles, but the order you put them in spells CARP. :p

magostereo2, are you going to post an updated version?

[Virgo Nightingale]

The advice you've been getting is solid. I have yet to see nonsense in anything that's been suggested. And calling our critiques nonsense is no way to encourage us to give you any more advice. Jus' sayin'. ;)

tZ's comment: "why is it priceless? The image of a patio doesn't support or enhance the message." is very valid. A patio is not priceless. It has a specific monetary value based on the materials used, labor involved, etc. So what would make this patio priceless? The enjoyment the owner of the property would get out of it. I don't see anyone enjoying that patio. Perhaps if the image included a couple using the patio with big smiles on their faces while they sip coffee, read the paper and watch their kids in the yard as they play fetch with the golden retriever, I might see the the patio as being priceless as opposed to just being a patio that I have to shell out money to have built for me.

And I agree with BJM: Quality or Great, not both. It's redundant.

I'd also consider splitting and simplifying the headline: "A great patio is priceless." <photo> "It would be our pleasure to build one for you."

The bottom portion with the logo and contact information is not centered.


Hopefully you don't consider this nonsense. If so, let me know, I'll shut up. :rolleyes:

[BJMRGTIVR6]

magostereo2, we gave tips and opinions, exactly what you asked for.

Sure maybe not every tip helps but many are valid.
Not sure why I am coming back after reading how you disliked the feedback, however, I think Virgo has a point with Evoking a Personality into the headline/ad. Having a patio isn't priceless if you don't enjoy it. Maybe using a headline along the lines of "Relaxing on your new patio after dinner...priceless"
Although, Mastercard already overuses "Priceless" as a tag and it is a rather bland way of comparing something.

but whatever, don't use my comments.

[Virgo Nightingale]

Perhaps this and the OP's other thread (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30265) should be combined? Having critiques for the same piece in two separate threads is pretty confusing, even for us. :p

[morea]

^ done.

please don't post the same thing on the forum more than once.

[mr.swartz]

The first one is the best in my opinion. It looks professional and shows everything freddys land scape business does unstead of talking about one specific thing like design three. Design two is okay but doesnt list the work like design one does. Good luck on this project...:)