[Project Complete] 1/4 Newspaper Advertisement for USAscore - $250

[lspector]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 1MJ14755WY686323L)

I am seeking a 1/4 page advertisement in two size formats, [90mm by 133mm] and [185mm by 64mm]. Same ad, different sizes. Lets start with the first size, 90mm by 133mm, and then maybe you can make a version in the second configuration? In any event, the second configuration (185mm by 64mm) is less important, but maybe you can put something that fits that same space at the end of the project. Thanks

The ad is for USAscore, www.usascore.com (http://www.usascore.com), a test preparation company in Shanghai. The logo is attached to this posting as .png file.

Please leave the file in an editable form as possible, at least for the text that has dates and locations as this is subject to change.

The line "SAT GRE GMAT ..." should be very prominent

Finally, please note the text that follows can be changed, or some of it deleted, if there is not enough room (maybe the sentence "USAscore offers advanced test preparation courses and tutorials..." can be deleted, if this won't fit nicely into the dimensions posted. The ad will be in color, and I am looking for something 'promising' for the future, and yet 'educational looking'. The text of the ad should contain something like:

USAscore Advanced Test Preparation Shanghai
SAT GRE GMAT LSAT MCAT

Applying to school in the United States?
Let us help you get there.

Enrollment open for Fall classes

Courses begin 09/15 - Free strategy consultation
Call (21) 5481-1289 or log on to www.usascore.com

classes, tutorials, admissions consultants

6 th Floor, 1440 Yan An Middle Rd

[martellostudio]

Hello,

Here is my first go.. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Vic

[lspector]

Hello there, this is a little too simple. Don't like the picture of the eye. I was thinking more of photos of students and professionals in the background somewhere, or some other interesting graphics.

Thanks for your posting!

[Bojan]

hi

here is my entry

your feeback is appreciated

kind regards

bojan

[bogglins]

how many DPI should it be?

[Rongie]

Hi Ispector,

Here's my idea ;)

[lspector]

Bojan, the courses aren't the kind that meet outside. The rest of the add design is a little too simple. Thanks for posting!

[lspector]

Graphix, this is not bad, the sentence "let us help you get there" answers the first question "thinking of...", so it needs to be more clearly set apart in color or style from the sentences after. love the background star, is there room for any more images (students/classrooms) somehow? Also, can the letters be in bubble for the tests, and maybe slightly diff colors for the yellow circle? I guess, a proffesional look is what I'm going for, Thanks

[lspector]

Bogglins, not sure about dpi, will find out.

[Carl]

Ispector,

In addition to DPI, there are some other mechanical questions that need to be answered for this ad.

Your newspaper needs to give you the following information:

1. DPI of images.
2. Formats they accept for artwork. (Illustrator, Photoshop, TIFF, Quark, InDesign, PDF, etc.)
3. Final Lines Per Inch at ?? Degrees (This is the screening information and is usually required for files sent to a newspaper.)
4. Color mode they want the files in (Usually CMYK)
5. Are full bleeds allowed, if so, what is the bleed area?
6. Does the file need to include color charts, crop marks, etc.?

Alot of times a newspaper will have this all written out as a spec sheet for advertisers. If they do, posting that would be very beneficial to the designers.

Also, if you could post your logo in a vector format (EPS or .AI) that would be very helpful. To post those formats, you may have to ZIP the file.

Thanks!
Carl
Design Outpost Moderator

[Carl]

Here is my entry...

[lspector]

This has excellent potential. (1) We think there should be a picture of one asian student/person and one white student/person, and that the woman doesn't look particularly happy, do you have anyone who looks a little happier? (2) Its a little text heavy so maybe we should take out the "USAscore offers advanced test preparation...." (3) Instead of "SAT Enrollment Open 11/05, 12/03" inside the starburst, can you put instead "Enrollment Open For Fall Courses" inside the starburst (4) can you put the web site, www.usascore.com somwhere, maybe you could put "Log onto www.usascore.com"

Thanks, great work!

[martellostudio]

Another concept from me. ;)

Cheers,
Vic

[lspector]

Carl, here are the answers to the questions you posted above regarding technical specifications of this ad.

1. DPI of images.
-----at least 300 dpi

2. Formats they accept for artwork. (Illustrator, Photoshop, TIFF,
Quark,
InDesign, PDF, etc.)
---We accept PC/Mac, pagemaker 6.5. O;;istratpr 8.0/9.0/10.0, Indesign
2.0
and freehand 10 files
EPS and Tiff formats are acceptable, all tiff format ads and
pictures
must be in CMYK mode

3. Final Lines Per Inch at ?? Degrees (This is the screening
information
and is usually required for
files sent to a newspaper.)
---- We have 175-line screen positives

4. Color mode they want the files in (Usually CMYK)
-----CMYK

5. Are full bleeds allowed, if so, what is the bleed area?
-----only full page need bleeds, so the full page net size is 210mm x
287mm,
bleed size is 216mm x 293mm, but this is not a full page ad and therefore doesn't need a bleed.

6. Does the file need to include color charts, crop marks, etc.?
------No needed

[lspector]

Victor, is there anyway you can make the "SAT GRE ..." stand out more? Also, the photo is a nice start, by any chance would have ones of some more attractive people? And, I'm not sure I like the way they are all grouped around, this is a test preparation program, but that photos makes it look more like camp. Thanks!

[bogglins]

:)

[Grafissimo]

.. something from me ... comments welcome :yes:

[martellostudio]

Another go at it...

Cheers,

[Grafissimo]

a variation of the anterior ...

[lspector]

Grafissimo, this is excellent. However, do you have any photos of an asian and a white person, by any chance? Thanks! Oh, and its "College or Graduate School in the United States?" Inside the star, it should say "Enrollment open for fall courses" instead.

(Sorry, I changed this, the new text is in the first posting. But it looks great otherwise!)

[lspector]

Hi Bogglins, thanks for your posting. Does the logo look familiar, hehe. Your ad is good, but it seems like there is too much text, the text isn't interestingly distributed around graphics or photos. Ideally, there will be a picture of one asian and one european student, and some interesting graphical features to make the ad compelling. Thanks!

[Grafissimo]

a variation of the previous one ... now with a white person ... comments welcome ... :rolleyes:

[Marcusfizner]

Here's one from me.

[lspector]

Marcusfizner, this is excellent. Can you make the text more like Carls in message number 11. Specifically, can you put "College or Graduate School in the United States?" the way he has it, and maybe put "Enrollment open for fall courses" inside the star, the way he has text inside the starburst? Can you make the "SAT GRE LSAT MCAT" more noticeable, perhaps with some of the tests in bold. If you don't mind, can you take out the "we help asia score" in the logo, and put the address at the bottom of the ad. Finally, can you make the phone number to call more noticeable? Can you delete "USAscore advanced test preparation Shanghai" and instead use "USAscore offers advanced test preparation and tutorials in Shanghai", and again, this text needs to be more interestingly set apart, as Carl has done in message #11. Thank you, very much.

[lspector]

Grafissimo, I think the white guy looks a little too young, however this is very good. The exams don't stand out enough, and the space in the first sentence looks weird. Also, it seems like the text isn't interestingly distributed throughout the ad, I do love the way you made the star though. Thanks

[lspector]

Martello, regarding message #18, your concept #3, I think the ad should be a little more catchy, maybe rounded corners, not sure I like the blue on the top, I do like photo a lot, actually, but the other elements of the ad should be more eye catching. Thanks!

[Grafissimo]

... variation .. comments welcome :)

[Marcusfizner]

I think I got everything you requested.

[lspector]

Marcus, can you remove the dashes in between the tests (SAT GRE GMAT LSAT MCAT) and can you bold every other test. In addition, can you put the test in some other interesting font/color/style. The tests really have to stand out. Finally, can you put some kind of border around "Let us help you get there" so that stands out as well stylistically. Oh, and maybe the text "USAscore offers advanced test preparation..." should be a little smaller. Thanks!

Thanks!

[Marcusfizner]

Revisions.

[martellostudio]

Made some changes....have a look..

Cheers,
Vic

[Grafissimo]

... another variation ... comments welcome

[lspector]

Marcus, your fonts are a little off. I really liked the way Carl's fonts look in message number 11, can you emulate those more, and take out the different color blue on the tests, it didn't work, and can you also make the star a little smaller (we think it overwhelms the woman's head). Thanks

[Marcusfizner]

Revisions. Did you get the message I sent you regarding the fonts?

[lspector]

I have decided to choose Marcusfizner's design. Everyone, thank you very much for your wonderful postings. This is the second time I've used this site in the last few weeks, and its always such a tremendously difficult decision considering the quality of the postings. Thank you all so much!

[Marcusfizner]

Thanks, I'll send you the revisions.