Four directions for the Classic Chicago article experience
Each design uses the Lincoln Park article as sample content. All follow the same ad philosophy: fewer, premium placements that respect readers. No video ads, no autoplay, no interstitials. The newsletter carries the primary ad revenue — the website stays clean.
Playfair Display + Source Sans 3. Cream background, burgundy and gold accents. Two-column grid with sidebar. The traditional magazine approach.
DM Serif Display + Inter. Pure white background, centered single column at 680px. Clean, focused reading experience with breathing room.
Oswald + Merriweather. Dark header, red accent, full-bleed hero image. High-impact layout with strong visual hierarchy and sidebar.
Cormorant Garamond + Raleway. Near-black background with gold accents. Single column. Immersive, cinematic reading experience.
Four spinoffs of the Classic Editorial design, each optimized for a different segment of the readership
Same fonts as A, larger sizes (20px body). Single column at 780px. Higher contrast. Optimized for ages 55+.
Libre Baskerville + Source Sans 3. Marsala and muted gold palette. Two-column layout. For the 30–45 core demographic.
Playfair Display SC + DM Sans. Cooler palette with crimson and bronze. Single column at 700px. Digital-native for ages 20–35.
Same Playfair + Source Sans 3 as A. Small-caps, ornamental dividers, refined spacing. Print-magazine precision for all ages.
Every design follows the same principle: maximum 2 ad placements per page, sold at a premium for exclusivity
| Feature | A: Classic Editorial | B: Modern Minimal | C: Bold Magazine | D: Dark Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heading Typeface | Playfair Display | DM Serif Display | Oswald | Cormorant Garamond |
| Body Typeface | Source Sans 3 | Inter | Merriweather | Raleway |
| Background | Cream #faf8f5 | White #ffffff | White #ffffff | Near-black #0f0f0f |
| Accent Color | Burgundy #8b1a1a Gold #c8a96e |
Black #1a1a1a | Red #e74c3c | Gold #c8a96e |
| Layout | Two-column + sidebar | Single column, 680px | Full-bleed hero + two-column | Single column, 720px |
| Ad Placement 1 | Sponsor strip below nav | Sponsor strip below nav | 728x90 leaderboard below hero | Patron strip below nav |
| Ad Placement 2 | 300x250 sidebar rectangle | 728x90 inline leaderboard mid-article | Sponsored content block (sidebar) | Native sponsor highlight block (inline) |
| Total Ad Placements | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sponsor Strip Style | Text-based, PBS-style | Text-based, minimal | — | Patron acknowledgment |
| Sponsored Content | — | — | ✓ "Presented By" block | ✓ Native highlight block |
| IAB Standard Ads | ✓ 300x250 | ✓ 728x90 | ✓ 728x90 | — |
| Video Ads | None | None | None | None |
| Autoplay / Interstitials | None | None | None | None |
| Newsletter CTA | ✓ Sidebar box | ✓ Below article | ✓ Sidebar box | ✓ Below article |
Less is more — fewer placements at premium prices, with the newsletter as the primary revenue vehicle
No autoplay, no pre-roll, no interstitials. They drive readers away and don't fit an editorial magazine tone.
Sell at a premium because advertisers get exclusivity and undivided reader attention. Quality over quantity.
Tasteful, text-based horizontal strips — think PBS underwriting. "This edition is supported by..." Dignified, not disruptive.
Native "Presented by" blocks that match the editorial design, clearly labeled. Higher value per placement than traditional ads.
The website stays clean. A "Presented by" sponsor in the weekly email carries the main ad revenue.
All ad slots use standard dimensions (728x90, 300x250, 300x600) so they're easy for advertisers to fill.