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ADVERTISING INFORMATION | PRODUCTION GUIDELINES | PAYMENT FAQ'S
NEWSPAPER ADS WORK
- Your ad can be read again and again without time constraints.
- Your ad can be cut out of the paper as a reminder to buy or do something later on.
- Your name, address and phone number in the ad is a handy reference for readers.
- Your ad can graphically show readers how your products and services solve their problems,
creating a sense of urgency to buy.
- Your ads can sell products, your image or both, by placing emphasis on words or pictures.
- Creating and producing brilliant newspaper ads - even in full color -is inexpensive.
- Advertising reinforces your overall marketing plan.
PUT ISTHMUS ADVERTISING TO WORK FOR YOU
People turn to Isthmus for information.
- They stay with Isthmus because it's compact, well-written, and nice to look at.
- An amazing 92% of Isthmus readers say it is easy to find the things they are looking for, too...
- Isthmus readers enjoy the ads in the paper.
- Close to 80% find the ads useful and interesting, and nearly 60% say they are different from ads they see anywhere else.
- Isthmus readers respond to the ads: In a three-month period, more than 80% of readers have called or visited and Isthmus advertiser from one to four times; more than 60% made a purchase one to four times.
Statistical Data: 2003 Readership Survey
Advertising Deadlines
Isthmus is distributed on Thursdays. The publication is dated Friday.
Display advertising space reservations: 5 pm Friday prior to publication date.
Advertisements requiring production service: 5 pm Friday prior to publication date.
Output-ready advertisements: 5 pm Friday prior to publication date.
No cancellations will be accepted after noon Monday for the issue currently in production.
Early deadlines apply for special sections and holidays.
Proofs
An e-mailed or faxed proof will be sent to those advertisers who meet the Friday 5pm deadline. The deadline for making changes to the ad is Tuesday at 5pm.
Failure to meet deadline may result in forfeiture of proof service. Proof your ad carefully. Once a proof has been accepted, advertisement will run as-is. Failure to approve proofs will be construed as acceptance of artwork.
Placement
The News, Arts and Sports & Recreation sections are only available to an ad 1/8th of a page or larger. Smaller ads -- 1/12ths and 1/24ths -- are grouped appropriately in these sections: The Guides: Arts & Entertainment, and Community Calendar; TV & Movies, and Food & Drink. Ads are placed at the discretion of the Isthmus production department. Position can be guaranteed for a 15% surcharge. Only full-page ads will be guaranteed on back page.
Sizes
Sizes are modular, ranging from a 1/24th page to a Full Page. Click Here for a printable PDF of our available sizes.
Color
Isthmus prints in four-color process, CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Full color process includes all four of these colors, while spot color only uses one or two.
Available spot color: $110 (includes cyan, magenta and yellow)
Four-color process $350 (any ad that uses all four process colors)
Isthmus Production Services & Guidelines
Isthmus offers design, copy writing and layout services to all Isthmus advertisers at no additional cost.
Advertisers on 13x contracts and higher also receive artwork processing services at no additional charge. (See details below)
Isthmus accepts ads and ad materials on disk, or via email: art@isthmus.com
Preferred file format is an Acrobat PDF, B&W or CMYK, with all fonts embedded. Ads may be created in QuarkXpress or Adobe InDesign, PhotoShop, or Illustrator. Type 1 fonts only. Dot resolution, 600 dpi min. Line screen, 85 lpi max.
A paper print-out or faxed copy of the submitted ad, including client name and insertion date, should be sent to Isthmus with the disc, or faxed (for emailed ads) to (608) 251-4732 or (608) 251-2165.
Click Here for complete Isthmus Electronic Production Guidelines including Acrobat Distiller settings and image reproduction advice.
Artwork processing services for advertisements is charged at these rates:
Disk/email processing & output: $20 (waived if PDF)
Line art processing: $10
Photo halftone processing: $15
Laser print, disk or email copy of advertisement for another publication: $20
Advertisers on 13x contracts and higher are eligible for free art services each week as follows: 13x = 1 service; 26x & 39x = 2 services; 52x & 65x = 4 services.
Isthmus may require additional production for any advertisement deemed not consistent with the mechanical quality of the publication. Clients may be charged for such remedial production.
Why do I have to pre-pay if I am a new client?
New clients are required to pre-pay their first four ads to allow time for Isthmus to process their credit application.
What are the Isthmus payment terms?
Isthmus bills its clients weekly after the paper is published and the advertisement has run. Our terms are net 10 days.
What happens if my payments are late?
Any invoice still unpaid by the 25th of the month following service will be subject to a 1.5-% (18% per year) service charge. If an invoice is not paid and it ages to 60 days past due, the client is not allowed to advertise until at least the portion of that bill is paid.
What happens if I don't complete my frequency contract in full?
Isthmus advertisers earn a rate discount based on the frequency of their advertisements during a 12-month period. If an advertiser fails to reach the full frequency of advertisements on their contract, Isthmus will simply re-bill the client at the appropriate frequency rate for the advertisements that ran.
When is the deadline for advertising space?
Isthmus is distributed on Thursdays with a Friday publication date. The display advertising space deadline is 5 pm, Friday prior to publication date.
When is the deadline for advertising copy?
Advertisements requiring production services and output-ready advertisements are due 5 pm, Friday prior to publication date. No copy changes may be made after 5 pm Tuesday.
Is there any charge for production?
Advertising design, copy writing and typesetting is available for Isthmus advertisers at no charge. There is a small charge for processing artwork for black & white advertisements such as line art, photo work, laser print, an email or disk copy of an advertisement for another publication and electronic processing of ads sent via email or disk. There is no electronic processing charge for advertisements sent to Isthmus in .PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format. Advertisers on 13X contracts or higher are eligible for free black & white and electronic production services. Spot color and four-process color are extra. See rate card for details.
How do I get publicity or listings for my business or group?
Contact the appropriate Isthmus editor and tell them your story. Click Here for the Isthmus editorial contact sheet.
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