Real Simple: The art of the Send Me
There is nothing wrong with using specific numbers as we direct readers to the inside of a magazine, annual report, Web site or even the inside of a museum or restaurant!
Nobody handles the “Send Me” techniques that readers find so alluring better than Real Simple, a magazine that was born at a time when members of the Always On culture were sort of reeling from the effects of the events of 9 – 11. We decided to take it easier, cocoon into the safety of our own homes and jobs, and step back into a more simplified lifestyle. Not that we gained more time, but we did gain new perspectives.
Real Simple handles the art of the specific headline better than most: From using numbers to tell you exactly what you can gain from an article (8 ways to choose vegetables), to focusing on a single subject (how to care for whites in your laundry), and then navigating you through each topic with segmentation of information (rarely does one find a narrative in Real Simple, yet the stories can be compelling, informative and easy to absorb), Real Simple is the magazine for the Always-On generation: packed with tips, relevant content, colors that tend to be invisible, but that, when mixed, provide visual harmony on each page.
Real Simple should be required reading for anyone in charge of putting together information that needs to be consumed rapidly and effectively. Flash, Substance and Fizz served monthly.