The overall presence of this cover is authoritative. The logo is understated, the portrait subject is direct, and the smaller information is straightforward—all well composed but lacking in enthusiasm and energy. Based on the content—articles about franchises and franchisees—and the audience, which is mainly entrepreneurs, it would be interesting to see a cover with more energy. Why not relate to the audience by taking risks with the design? Have a logo that is more playful while still being serious. Overall it feels like an old-school trade magazine at a time when trade magazines have become much more visually interesting.

Also, in a time of quick information, especially in health care, the prominence of the word “quarterly” in the logo feels overstated. The space would be better served by emphasizing the organization name, not the distribution schedule.

If you’re interested in having your cover critiqued for the next issue, please email us a PDF. First come, first served.

If your organization does not have the budget for a redesign, but your publication is in need of review, consider a publication critique. We will review Identity (color, typography, imagery); Structure (grid, hierarchy, and pagination); Packaging (the relationship between editorial and design); and Experience (the overall reader experience). We will provide feedback in a written document, a marked-up copy of your publication, and a one-hour phone consultation. Contact us if you would like more information.

Minnesota Magazine & Publications Association 2009 Summit & Expo
May 21–22

The image of the child is cute, and the cover has a nice composition, but my first impression is that the image feels forced. A child with glasses for an article about reading looks contrived—do only children with glasses read? When it comes to the structure of the cover information, there are some issues. The box for the insert feels like it’s floating and would have been more successful if it was tucked into a corner. The remaining cover lines are organized to give the impression that they are related articles instead of unique stories. Finally, all of the information surrounding the logo needs to be better resolved. The tagline, date, and website treatments are busy, while the four small sunbursts are overkill. One, at a legible size, would have been enough.

If you’re interested in having your cover critiqued for the next issue, please email us a PDF. First come, first served.

The photograph of the woman zooming above the water, smiling up at us, is completely engaging. The tight crop increases the impact of an already dynamic photo and creates a sense of curiosity of what will happen next. There are some concerns about legibility of the logo, but knowing that this is a subscription-based publication, the art director has more flexibility than if it were a newsstand publication.