Old design gives way to a trendier look

Old and tired.
No, I’m not referring to me, though I feel that way some days. That was actually the diagnosis given to us regarding the appearance of our newspaper last spring when we brought in a top-notch newspaper consultant to help us. 
Kevin Slimp, who travels around the country helping newspapers of all shapes and sizes, challenged us to refresh the overall design of our paper. Specifically, he was referring to the fonts and type styles used in our publication.
It became obvious to a design guru like Slimp that we were stuck in the 1980s. We needed to add a little spice to our design in hopes of pulling us into the 21st century. The font styles we have been using for many years had simply seen their better days and needed to be retired.
Over the past several months my staff has been preparing for the big switchover, which took place a couple weeks ago. We switched from Times New Roman font to Nimrod, a more stylish and contemporary one.
Chances are most readers won’t notice any significant change. But the end result should produce a product that is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 
For starters, we have introduced a new family of headlines that will capture interest in the stories we write. And once you get beyond the headline, the text of our stories is also different. The font we’ve switched to is denser and allows more ink to hit the pages. So if you ever thought it was a little difficult to visually read our stories, the new font should take away that obstacle. 
One of the greatest challenges we have in the newspaper industry, as I’m sure most industries face, is to stay current on the latest trends. Quite frankly we’re often not very good about doing that. It just becomes easier to go with the flow and keep things as they’ve always been.
But for those who know me should realize by now that the status quo is not really in my vocabulary. 
Over the years magazines have become more sporty and trendy looking than newspapers. Generally speaking, magazines have often provided a more creative layout in their overall design. This new font conversion will allow us to offer attractive design throughout our pages. We’ll still be a newspaper, but we will have some of the same characteristics as to what you find in magazines. 
This improvement is a part of our continuing effort to provide readers with a quality newspaper. We are always trying to find ways to make our publication better. Taking such an approach is important in keeping sharp with industry trends. 
But perhaps most importantly it gives our readers a product that will be much easier to read. We’re always focused on doing what’s best for our readers. We want to provide a lively and engaging newspaper that is pleasing to look at. 
We don’t ever want to be viewed as being “old and tired.” Not much good can come from a label like that.
It’s time for you to go in hot pursuit of enjoying our new look while keeping the same great content that has become a staple of Dodge County’s premier newspaper.