They can be vertical or horizontal columns, narrow or wide. Regardless, visual briefs are a sort of magnet for readers to get into those inside pages. And The Hindu, of India, starts with them on Page One and calls them Snapshots, a strategy that the editors use on many other pages throughout their newspaper.
EyeTrack research conducted by The Poynter Institute for Media Studies has shown, at least three times, how powerful those columns of briefs can be. Adding a small photo enhances the experience for the reader.
Recently, in my own work, I have taken briefs to a different level, what I call “visual briefs”. Briefs do not need to be limited to short headlines and a few lines of text. As such, I have experimented with the use of a small photograph, usually the size of a small mobile telephone screen, accompanied by a few lines of text. It has been very successful in each case.
Visual briefs are usually one of the first elements read on the page. Samples follow here, from a variety of newspapers around the world. I plan to be posting additional samples during the next 24 hours.
Here we are at lunch, what publisher Dele calls The Creative Team, with Chef Johnson: From left Victor Ehikhamenor, creative director; Isiaka Gbodiyan, Design Director, myself, Chef Johnson and Christian Fortanet.
Surprises abound in Lagos, and, especially in the lunch room.
After a full morning of workshops (trying to finalize the design of the homepage, and creating the look and feel of the Sunday edition of the new Nigerian daily), we now head for the lunchroom.
With the exception of my favorite fried plantains—-an old Cuban staple which the locals claim their ancestors took to Cuba as they went there as slaves (what delicious import!)—-I don’t recognize anything else.
Goat peppered meat soup, reads the label in front of the bowl. “Try it, Mario, try it,” the publisher, Dele Olojede tells me.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I say. Not sure. However, I feel adventurous, so I try one spoolful. Too spicy. And goat meat is just not my kind of food. So, I pass.
But, the most wonderful surprise today was the Egusi Soup, which looked and smell wonderful. I put two spoonfuls on my plate. Delicious.
I called the chef in to tell me what it was all about. Chef Uhna Johnson came out of the kitchen and described it:
“One of our most popular Nigerian dishes, “ he said, “it includes melon seeds, pumpkin leaves (which look like spinach), smoked catfish, salt, pepper and crab fish. Mix it and you’ve got the Igusi soup.”
I went back for a second helping, and I must take the recipe home.
Even Christian Fortanet tried it and liked it.
For all of those who have already celebrated their 60th birthday, an interesting thought from Reeve Lindbergh’s new book about aging, Forward From Here.
Lindbergh, the daughter of famous parents Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writes that: “Sixty is the youth of old age.” These are sweet words to my 61-year -old ears. Another interesting meditation from Lindbergh : “dailiness outlasts despair.”
The book:
FORWARD FROM HERE
By Reeve Lindbergh
Simon & Schuster, 226pp, $24