Brochures [lecture]

This page contains the following information about preparing brochures:

To access any of the information on this page quickly rather than by scrolling down the page, click on the name of the information sought. You can then return to this point by clicking on any of the "return to top" links placed at the end of each section.

     Introduction

Brochures are developed for a multitude of audiences, purposes, and uses.

The audience for a brochure first sees the cover and, then if they turn the brochure over, the "back." In a very brief amount of time, you must convince the audience to read the entire brochure. Extremely important in accomplishing this goal are cover design and concise text that both serve as a "title" and "teaser" for the brochure. Also included on the cover may be company name and logo.

The "back" panel normally contains contact and possibly reference information that the audience may want to be able to access quickly after having read the brochure. It is assumed that the audience will glance at the back, not need the information provided at the moment, leave it to be read later, and flip back to the cover and read through the brochure.

Brochures tend to be more random-access, rather than linear-access, documents. The audience probably won't read from beginning linearly to the end as they would a report. One question though--what is linear reading of a document consisting of panels of information folded one to three times?

In order to guide the audience through the panels of the brochure in a certain order, you must use graphics, design elements, and headings skillfully. However, at the same time, you must develop text so that it will be understandable and effective whatever order is used.

     Formatting

• Decide on paper size: 8.5- x 11-inches or 8.5- x 14-inches paper is easiest to obtain and most cost effective. Consider paper you can buy at a copy shop or discount office supplies store.

 
• Decide how many folds you want: one, two, or three.

 
• Decide how you want to fold the brochure: for example, accordion.

 
• Decide how many columns and width of columns, a matter related to the panels of the brochure.

 
• Decide on layout. Consider the order you want the information read and whether panels will work alone or together.

 
• Choose typography for headings and text:

 
• font (for example, Palatino and Helvetica which involves matters such as serif vs sans serif as well as display or decorative, slab serif, and script)
• font style (such as bold, italic, underline, shadow)
• size (i.e., 10 pt, 24 pt, or 36 pt)
• Decide type alignment for headings and text. You can justify both sides of text, a formatting that can cause rivers within the text, but provides formal tone. Or use ragged right. You can also center headings and/or text as well as use right- or left-justification. Note that alignment creates a "tone" (such as formal vs informal or modern).

 
• Decide how to format paragraphs: indents vs double space between paragraphs. Note: do not indent under headings. You can indent other paragraphs and then single space between paragraphs. Paragraphs can also be single-spaced and denoted by double spacing before and after a paragraph.

 
• Type only one space after periods, not two spaces, to avoid "rivers" in the text.

 
• Decide illustrations and design elements to be used:

 
• visuals (consider using clip art or click art by importing or cut-and-paste'ing these visuals at appropriate places in the brochure)
• graphics such as table, org. chart (organizational chart), circle chart, or flow chart
• design elements (for example, drop cap's, small cap's, vertical lines and bars, horizontal lines and bars, lists with dingbats, or word art)
Dragga and Gong's verbal-visual survey is useful in determining the percentage of verbal and visual elements appropriate for a specific brochure's audience, purpose, and uses.

Some words of caution: as you know from your first-year composition classes, paraphrasing or quoting text from other sources is acceptable if you document the source. However, the same is not true for use of visuals such as photographs and graphics. Legally, you must obtain permission from the publisher to use the visuals. Clip art and click art are visuals that are not copyrighted, so you do not need to obtain permission. Rather than copy a "published" visual, use clip art/ clip art or create your own.
 

• Remember that xeroxing darkens text so be aware of this fact when designing your brochure. Do not use visuals or design elements with large amounts of dark colors because those places will copy as black or nearly black.

     Text Considerations

• Use effective paragraphing based on dividing content according to main ideas and sub-parts of main ideas: large passages of text often discourage readers from reading.

 
• Choose your sentence length which tends to be shorter than sentence length for some other types of documents because of the shorter line length in the columns of a brochure.

 
• When appropriate, "pump up" headings and text. Consider words used carefully and consider using adjectives. For example, use "dedicated and knowledgeable faculty" and "innovative and challenging courses," instead of "faculty" and "courses."

 
• As much as possible, state your topic and purpose in the cover "title" or heading and within the first paragraph which may also contain a plan of development (indication of major sections in brochure).

 
• For all types of brochures (informational and persuasive), include an action statement as well as "contact information" at the "end" of the brochure.

     Production Matters

If you have limited experience with computer software, you may want to cut-and-paste. To obtain columns aligned straight on the paper, use non-repro paper (has blue grids that do not reproduce when xeroxed) or tape to window (to provide light so this approach will not work at night) paper with grid drawn with dark lines and then tape paste-up page on top of grid page.

Some glitches and not-so-professional production are allowed for class projects.

     Resources

•  Grossmann, Joe. "Folders & Brochures," "Selections from 'Turning on the Color," and "[Brochures from Newsletters]." The Makeover Book: 101 Design Solutions for Online and Desktop Publishers. 2nd ed. Ventana, 1996. 57-71, 146, 149, 154-55, 161, and 86-87.

 
• Parker, Roger C. "Brochures." Looking Good in Print. Deluxe CD-Rom Edition. Ventana, 1997. 237-42.

 
• Weedman, Chantal. Brochure Writing and Design Resources. Summer 2001.