'
Industry magazine
transformed

10 cover examples

 

A “product tab” makeover

Deliberately energetic, inviting, enjoyable, innovative, expressive, surprising, colorful, fresh and entertaining; substantial, proactive, responsive, rewarding and important

novel increasingly promising, responsible, evolutionary and competitive source for MPM industry news, opinions, and products and services marketplace.

Exceptional product focus and display (each featured product photo corrected to look its best).

Magnetic for readers and advertisers ... to want MPMN, see MPMN, read MPMN, be in MPMN, be seen in MPMN, advertise in MPMN, and save MPMN.

Result? The wonderful success, the publisher’s most profitable magazine!1

The magazine looks fabulous. Everything is visually appealing. I always get excited to bring it out. People love it. Something new; we moved with the times. This really did it. People are excited to see it!

Shelley Cooper Canon Communications2 account executive (recorded 07/01)

 Credit goes to A) guest editor-in-chiefWilliam Leventon who persuaded the publisher’s vp/editorial director ◳John Bethune to transform MPMN William’s way (to make it wonderful) and engaged Canon artist James Schlesinger to collaborate on the redesign; and B) James Schlesinger, in toto solo (!) art direction, design and production of all makeover covers, feature sections, editorial pages, product photo compositions, illustrations, photoshop-imaging-corrections-composites, ... and page assembly for print, 11/99 to 09/03.

 

In 1999, when I was the editor of Medical Product Manufacturing News, a tabloid magazine published by Los Angeles-based Canon Communications,2 James Schlesinger spearheaded a redesign that transformed MPMN from a drab, unappealing, moribund product tabloid into an eye-catching magazine that was praised by readers, advertisers, and Canon staff...
The impact James had on MPMN cannot be overstated.
William Leventon

2UBM Canon (formerly Canon Communications) is a leading publisher, trade show producer and digital media company for the nation’s technology-based manufacturing industry, including medical device, specialty packaging, materials processing, automated assembly, electronics, quality control, plastics processing …

Please note Emerging Technologies pages were among original features developed by ◳Norbert Sparrow, the editor-in-chief who followed William Leventon.

 

Hapless
original

 

Underachieving original MPMN
tabloid disappointed readers and
advertisers
month-in month-out.

Produced by Canon’s “art” department separately from
a succession of indifferent or hamstrung editors!

Undefined profile, shallow stance, perfunctory product exposure, uncoordinated-pointless-colorless art direction and graphic art. “The impression of being just press releases,” said Shelley Cooper.

Personality? Absent.

Result?  A commonplace (“really just blah”) money loser!