Race Magazine's Bottle'O Bundy Challenge!

[takai]

I stand by the mazda having serious issues, chances are the driver or someone just wanted to try it with/without something but its doing nothing good there.

Yeah, it was the ReACT Motorkhana in Janurary. A lot of the ACT rally cars were there for kicks as well. Oh yeah, and fro was CoC (explains a lot) .

[St00ge]

You can give away something like a laser cut keyring

http://pforums.company-hosting.com/f...php?t=67192862

1+1 = 2

[HoonBoy]

The car in the air always gets my attention

[fro]

Damn, I kick myself that self-preservation took over when I got to that jump... Still, at least I've got the previously posted picture to console myself with.

[rd]

Neil,

Just looking at the mags in my collection and comparing them to Race (issue 2 in this case) one of the major differences is the others use a solid colour for the background of the cover pic. With a black background behind the word RACE and a dark or complicated background the cover car itself doesn't stand out.

If its going to be a shot of a car on the road, maybe a high angle so it is just road, or just road and sky and an obviously contrasting colour to the car. Otherwise a simple background that contrasts with the car.

Cheers

Rob

EDIT: For clarity, and it still gives me a headache to read it.

Like this:
http://www.iwoc.co.uk/images/mags/car_jan2000.jpg

[260BC]

PicsofpreviousRACEcoversorban, slacko Neil

How about a standard readily identifiable cover with a different relatively small action pic for each issue?

The standard cover will help identify the mag to those already familiar with it, the pic will identify each new issue.

Not being a graphic designer I can't take it much further. But it should not be too difficult, just look at the competition and be different yet relevant

[Nero]

as requested:

[Chad]

I assume DCR has put in his order for that magazine already then....

[Zac]

PicsofpreviousRACEcoversorban, slacko Neil

Just go over to your bookshelf and you should find your copy right there.. no? well, you bloody should!

Very rarely does Racecar engineering, Racetech or even Rallysport news really stand out.

I find that Racecar engineering does stand out to me. It is one of a few magazines I will bother to pick up in a newsagent. Given that you always only see the top few inches, I'm always looking for a masthead that I know. RCE always stands out because it is just plain red text with a white background.

I like the current RACE logo at the top of the page because it works in that manner. I'd like to see the masthead remain consistent for a while. The actual image is what will get your attention after you see the masthead.

Nero, the Brocky cover looks great!

[260BC]

How about say 70% of the cover being generic ie the same each issue. The rest devoted to a written content list, price, etc. Question the use of any pics on the cover at all? Its a technical mag, make it look technical?

Then some distinctive generic colour scheme eg black and orange. Its a different mag from the usual, make it look different yet interesting, entice browsers to open it up and look through it.

[Nero]

Zac, thanks for the comment. There are some good ideas here, but the challenge is still there...have a look at the magazine on the stands and also all of the others...what stands out well?
I'm tempted to go with a series of vertical boxes down the L side of the cover with pics of contents etc, but you know how it is, you like a magazine with good cover images...EVO is good for that and many other things.
Black and orange is an interesting idea.
Red on white???

[hamish]

I like Nutz's idea about the cutaway type shot. I'd agree that an 'action' type shot works well, especially for a magazine about racing. I'd avoid pictures of cars parked on grass, they generally look crap, & I think "newer" cars as the main cover shot would be better, the first issue in particular looked like a classic car magazine.

The new cover with Brocks grp C loks just fine to me

[Spammy]

Free sticker attached to cover or as mentioned some freebie....we had wetsuit rubber stubbie holders made with our company logo on them ( fuck knows why) they cost bugger all if you order more than 250 of them. Likewise we had some laser cut keyring/bottle openers made and they were cheap(ish).

[Nero]

As you know I have a few subscribers. The problem I have with the freebies is that I may not be able to post them, or if I did it would cost e.g. if I add 4 pages it will cost me $1 more per copy, which means another $400+.
But the freebie thing does not address the standout on the shelves and I cannot afford to do it every issue if at all.

[HoonBoy]

Whilst flashy is good for new buyers, you want to keep the current people buying it to be able to find it as well, no matter how much it stand out, it has to be consistent.

Keep the RACE at the top of the page, but change the colour scheme, the black is overshadowed by just about every other colour I can think of. The past issues with the title at the top, big picture and text around it, is a good layout, easy to follow and leaves room to be inventive with small article headings and great pictures. Try to put an interesting article heading on each side of the front cover, that way it doesn't matter if either half of the page is obscured (this may llok like crap, but may work...). Similarly, either make sure the main picture takes up enough of the front cover so that a small portion of it looks interesting, if that is not possible, add some smaller pictures to match the article headings.

IMHO, the black text with white background on the new issue looks cheap, you would of been better finding a colour that would stand out on its own.

Have you thought of trying to get a spaceframe type race car with the panels removed in to a studio for pics? This could make a very interesting cover without the background distractions that usually accompanies these type of pictures. It would also cut through the car stereotypes that most people have when looking at pictures. I know I don't think to highly of a magazine with big chromed wheels or 4 foot ground clearance, some people will only look at old V8's, other new 4 cylinders, my guess is you would have both of them glancing at a spaceframe with all of the interesting suspension etc hanging out there.