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APN unveils Herald on Sunday’s big red H

The weekday Herald took the ‘modern gothic‘ approach with its new masthead last year, and the Herald on Sunday has gone in the same direction, with its new look unveiled ahead of this Sunday’s relaunch. 

The new design and masthead, both created by Herald on Sunday art director Paul Slater and APN Creative Services art director Justine Black, aims to tie the Sunday paper, which was again the only title in the country to report an increase in circulation over the same time last year, closer to the weekday paperyet still allow for it to have a personality of its own.

“The launch of the Monday-to-Friday Herald in compact format has ensured the ‘H’ has become synonymous with the Herald brand and reinforces the authority and credibility of its titles,” says a release. 

As for why it would change something that’s working, editor Bryce Johns says it’s all about the readers, as he explains in one of the videos produced by Steven Orsbourn and Phillip Davis to celebrate the launch

As it says on the HoS (known to some as José) Facebook page“Everything that we do is about making the lives of people better through the information we’re able to give them,” says editor Bryce Johns.We’re opening up the newsroom in a series of videos in the leadup to the Herald on Sunday relaunch this week.”

Here’s what Slater had to say about the process: 

“There’s one thing to be said for running up and down four flights of stairs, from the newsroom on the third floor down to IT in the basement, and back up again. It’s got to be good for the waistline.

For two months, I’ve been closeted away in a corner office leading the project to give the new Herald on Sunday a modern, fresh and elegant new look. We’ve incorporated the “H” of the daily Herald in our masthead to acknowledge the 150 years of heritage behind our paper. But we are still the Herald on Sunday, proud and distinct, and our new look will leave people in no doubt about that. You’ll see we’ve lost all the capitals: we’re no longer the “HERALD ON SUNDAY”, we’re a slightly more restrained “Herald on Sunday”. And the shouty red isn’t in your face quite so much.

The build-up has been both exciting and tough. But this week, it’s the real deal. It’s manic.

Today I’ve been laying out some of the new Living magazine … check out the beautifully-photographed cover story on Auckland gardens. The magazine is bigger than ever, and it’s a full-on job for editor Estelle Sarney, all our great writers and photographers, and the ever-patient sub-editors.

At the same time, I’ve been ironing out teething problems with the main book, completing new style guides, and briefing the subs. Everything’s different, so there’s a lot of learning for all of us.
I was sitting there at my desk, eating my cheese-and-ham sandwich, when I looked up and there was a cameraman filming over my shoulder this afternoon. I guess we should expect even more scrutiny when the paper comes out on Sunday!

There’s one thing I’ve been getting really experienced at, though, over the past month. That is phoning home to apologise to my wife and kids for being late, yet again.

But on Sunday – well, it should all be worth it. I hope you think so too.”

The new-look paper follows research with readers and will include an extended focus on news, with more investigative and in-depth journalism, increased world and sport content and more consumer advice. The Living and View sections will be combined and Homes, a standalone real estate magazine, also joins the fray. 

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