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Dos and don’ts – putting the bits together

This gives you an idea of how to create basic layouts such as brochure covers or ads.

image of logos Do make things big. Your main element (headline text or silhouette) should fill most of the page. The other elements should fit around it. The logo should fill the available space. image of logo on it's side Don't let the logo get too small. And don’t let it slip into the corner (except on applications where this is necessary such as stationery).
image of reversed logo Do think how the elements (silhouette, headline type, supporting text, logo) relate to each other. They should gravitate towards each other, forming a mass on the page. image of pantone colour Don’t let the design feel too rigid or precious. Don’t be tempted to put things in corners. Always use Macmillan Headline for titles.
image of logo with words removed Do think how you can differentiate the logo from headline text and create visual impact – by placing the text in a silhouette, or by turning either the logo or the text on its side. image of coloured logo on coloured background Don’t let the logo get lost in the middle of lots of text.
image of misuse of silhouette Do use a silhouette to express a simple idea or story. A silhouette should feel special. image of misuse of silhouette Don’t use a silhouette as decoration or to fill up space. Don’t make a collage of more than one silhouette.
image of cut out image Do postion your headline so it fills the space within your silhouette as much as possible. image of cut out image Don’t let your headline ‘float’ within your silhouette. Don’t be tempted to use a silhouette as a background for large amounts of text.
image of cut out image Do put one main message (a big thought or call to action) in Macmillan Headline. It’s the voice of Macmillan. image of cut out image Don’t be tempted to put too much copy in Macmillan Headline. Overusing it will take away its freshness and impact.
image of cut out image Do remember to keep things as simple as possible when using Futura. It works best when it looks chunky, basic and not over-designed. image of cut out image Don’t use too many weights of Futura in one piece of communication. And don’t wrap it around silhouettes or headlines.

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