Rewriting History - critique of magazine redesign for Smithsonian

Byline: Redesign critique by Robert Newman, creative director, Real Simple

Smithsonian Smithsonian Business Ventures Editor: Carey Winfrey Publisher: Amy P. Wilkins Art Director: Brian Noyes Mission: To refresh and clean up the magazine, evolving the design over time, as opposed to making top-to-bottom changes.

COVER

I can't blame anyone who doesn't notice that Smithsonian magazine has been redesigned. The old cover and the new one both feature striking photographic imagery and restrained coverlines. But while the new version gets good marks for improved typographic sophistication (and for tweaking the logo letterspacing), the old cover is actually easier to read.

TYPOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS

Smithsonian's new typographic changes are elegant and smart. Section headings have been streamlined, and a new, more readable text face was installed. From front to back, the type has been massaged and tweaked - right down to the tiniest details, like signatures on the letters page. In the features, there used to be a variety of fonts unrelated to the magazine's basic design, often in clunky combinations. The new version has narrowed type choices and understates the design, which highlights the magazine's strong photography. With the exception of small, dark red section headings, color has been eliminated as a typographic and design tool.

ACCESSIBILITY

Little is different in terms of the content or presentation of edit. The most dramatic change comes in the front-of-book "Around the Mall" section. It's been beefed up, with an energetic use of text widths and sizes. A few departments have been shuffled around, to good effect. And the feature treatments, while a little too understated, are clean and handsome. There are, however, few points of entry in the follow pages of the features, and little textural variation throughout the magazine, both in design and content.

SUMMARY

This is a polishing job and not a true redesign. While the designers show great skill at refining typography, formats, and page presentations, the redesign fails to upgrade the tired and very generic "nonprofit" look (and content) of the magazine. The design in no way captures or advances the exciting material and photographs that are presented in the pages of Smithsonian. This feels less like a failure of the designers, who have created a sophisticated typographic package, and more like the inability of the editors to challenge and develop the content. The editors would be wise to look at National Geographic to see how similar-styled content-driven magazines have developed bright, energetic, dynamic designs that are modern and reader-friendly. Smithsonian feels dutiful and hidebound, a dusty museum exhibit badly in need of a design kick in the pants.

Heads-up

Parenting

Time Inc., May. Editor-in-chief Janet Chan delivers a new look for Time Inc.'s baby.

Field & Stream

Time4 Media, May. New editor Sid Evans tries to bring a sophisticated, modern edge to gun racks and bait.

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