I think the biggest problem with the cover is that there is lack of contrasting colour, making it blend together and loose interest. You have lots of solid blues and grays. I think choosing a accent colour/contrast could help make it pop.

Is there a reason you chose the same treatment for the bottom gray wording, as the gray wording under the title? With the same font/colour/alignment, it seems like they "go together" and are referring to the same topic. After reading them, they don't seem to be -- which is kind of confusing.

Almost every word is italicized. It seems a little overdone in parts like the bottom "Car Tips. . .". I understand that italics can create a dynamic feeling, but it completely looses that feeling if it is used everywhere.

Overall I like the placement of elements in this piece, but I think adding a little more interest will finish it up. :) Hope that helps.

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My Portfolio

I agree with Stephanie and jHouse here. I was going to sugest sampling the orange in the car's lights for an accent color. Maybe the three bars (top, bottom, and the little "test drive" one could be orange, or the Acura teal). The blue/gray is really cold and unhappy, at least to me -- but that's me speaking on a cold and unhappy day here -- maybe it's hot as hell where you are, and this color scheme is refreshing :-)

I think I see the unity of the gray headlines. They're all separate stories or something, right? That doesn't bother me as it seems it bothered Steph, but if these are supposed to be grabbers, why hide them in the mist?

Do the perpendicular vertical lines work with the italics? Why not slant them as well?Saying this even though I agree with Steph that too much italicizing is going on here. Simplify what you can.

If you add some color, as we're suggesting, this could easily become a nauseating spectacle. I suspect you're trying to avoid exactly that by sticking to the one color, but I think you've maybe overcompensated.

Is the "E" in the display type of "Esserman" dropping below the base line a little, or is that just my screen playing tricks with me?

Mara

Boy....Thanks a LOT for all your help, you have no idea how much i appreciate it! I've been working here's a new sample, any better?
Note: the black type looks like if it had some sort of white outline, i don't know why it shows like that in the web page, but in reality it doesn't.

Once again thank you very much.

Great improvement, but this does look more like an ad than a magazine cover. Too much going on.

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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"

I think your title text needs to align more with the subject, the car. Here's an example from Road and Track I just scraped from the internet:

Now it's not perfect (notice more than 3 fonts in use!) but you can tell what the most important thing is in this piece.

The orange item, Test Drive, you have on the cover is the most striking thing; I think the title of the mag/ad should be orange so it stands out from the blue.

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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"

I think you have come a long way with the design and I think the simplicity complements the elegance of the high-end vehicle. But since you mention that this is a direct mail piece, and you still have this option, I recommend you revisit using variable data printing on the cover. It should increase the response rate greatly. I know it may seem like a secondary issue in your design process, but if you can personalize the piece and combine that with a solid offer and call to action, your client has a much better chance of being rewarded in the end. Without these elements, the piece is not truly direct mail, it is advertising that lacks strategy.

It is my experience working with car dealers that their single focus is to get people's butts into THEIR store so they can move inventory. Having a piece that promotes brand awareness or is strictly informational does nothing for what they are in business for. First and foremost, these dealers are competing against other dealers in the area and not necessarily other brands, so it requires a different sort of thinking. Unless this dealership has gobs of money and wants to send out a publication with no expectations, that is all good. But I am guessing that they are expecting some sort of return on this type of project. Sorry for my rant.

It sounds like an interesting piece and it also sounds like alot of work for you, kudos. I know the hardest challenge in direct mail is making sure that it gets opened and not discarded for trash. It would be a shame for all of the good stuff on the inside to never reach it's audience. Therefore, I think you have been wise to focus so much attention on your cover.