Advertising 2008
Ad Specifications
1 - You provide the ad digitally submit by mail, e-mail, or at our Beach Road, Vineyard Haven Location on CD or Zip Disk.
What to include - A printed proof, faxed proof or PDF of the ad, contact name, phone number, and e-mail of the person who created it.
Preferred formats - PDF, JPEG, TIFF, EPS. Please read the information referencing your software. We accept complete ad files created in Quark, InDesign, Illustrator, or PhotoShop.
PDFs created in Illustrator
To create the PDF
- Turn all fonts to outlines prior to saving the ad as a PDF.
- File - save as (name your file) - select Adobe PDF (from the Format drop down list).
- In the Adobe PDF Options window, select Custom (from the Preset drop down list).
- Select Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) (from the Format drop down list).
- Check the boxes 'Preserve Illustrator editing capabilities' and 'Embed page thumbnails.' Save as PDF.
PDFs created in InDesign or sending Packaged files
To create the PDF
- Turn all fonts to outlines prior to saving the ad as a PDF.
- Type - Create Outlines.
- File - Export OR File - PDF Export Presets [Print].
- Select Custom from the Preset drop down list.
- Select Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) from the Compatability drop down menu.
- Select None from the standard drop down menu. Continue.
- In the compression window...
Under color images and Under grayscale images - Select Bicubic downsampling to 170, select Automatic in the Compression drop down list, select Maximum in the Image Quality drop down list.
Under Monochrome images - Select Bicubic downsampling to 600 ppi, select CCITT Group 4 in the Compression drop down list (this is the default), check the box beside Compress Text and Line Art, and also beside Crop Image data to Frames.
- We recommend that you Save Preset as MVT, before clicking Export. This will enable you to quick-select this preset from File - PDF Export Presets - MVT for future ads you might create for The Martha's Vineyard Times; you can click Export immediately after step 3 listed above.
To Package your files for an external source (this collects the document, graphics, and fonts)
- File - Package (or Preflight) brings up a 'Printing Instructions' window. You can fill this out but it is not mandatory. Continue.
- 'Create Package' folder window appears. Name your folder. Check the boxes 'Copy Fonts (Roman Only)', 'Copy Linked Graphics', 'Update Graphic Links in Package', & 'Use Document Hyphenation Exceptions only.'
- Stuff, zip, or compress the files before e-mailing.
PDFs created in Quark
To create the PDF
- Use Acrobat Distiller to create your PDF. Specs are similar to those mentioned in the InDesign specs. Detailed specs can be found in the Step-By-Step guide.
- Embed all fonts. There is no option to turn fonts to outlines in Quark.
Collecting the ad for output
- File - collect for output, in this window, make sure that all the following check boxes are checked: Document, Linked Pictures, Embedded Pictures, Color Profiles, Screen Fonts, Printer Fonts, (these options available in Quark 5 and later).
- Stuff, zip, or compress the files before e-mailing.
Ads Created in PhotoShop
- If providing layered files, also send us the fonts used in the ad. In case an error is found in the proofing process, we can correct it in-house.
- If sending a flattened file, there is no need to provide the fonts.
- PhotoShop ads with text must be a minimum resolution of 300dpi.
Ads Created in Microsoft Word (Not recommended)
- We try to match fonts as closely as possible to those submitted. Since fonts differ on PCs and MACs, substitutions are often necessary.
- Supply images, if any, to accompany the Word document.
Important Things to Remember
- When creating an ad, please make the document size the same size as the ad itself, per MV Times ad sizes (i.e. if the ad is 1.917 x 2", then the document size should also be this size).
- Pictures should be 150 dpi.
- Line art (scans of logos etc.) should be 600 dpi.
- Color ads should be submitted in CMYK. (Don't use RGB or indexed colors.)
- If placing a black & white ad, make sure all ad components are in grayscale prior to making the PDF. (No parts of the ad should have any color elements whatsoever.)
- Size all photos close to the size(s) being used in the ad.
- EPS files in PDFs can be problematic. Make sure that fonts in EPSs are turned to outlines before saving the final file as a PDF.
- Save PDFs as Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)
- Always check a PDF for accuracy before submitting it.
- Web images are 72 dpi (low resolution), and will not reproduce as good quality images. We require 150 dpi. (A web image will only reproduce reasonably well IF it is twice the size of the final intended printed image).
- All ads go through a proofing process; and we may make changes to adhere to our house style.
- We reserve the right to substitute fonts when necessary.
2 - You provide the ad camera ready
We scan your ad - When you provide us with a camera-ready ad we will use our high-resolution scanners to convert the ad to digital form.
For best results - Be sure the ad is the right size, the print is of high quality (laser), and the ad is all line art. Grayscale and color ads can be scanned but quality will seldom equal or exceed that of the original. Avoid small serif fonts and tight registration. Avoid dropout type except with black backgrounds, and make sure the dropout text is bold. Remember, we print on newsprint.
3 - We make your ad
Free Ad creation - We will create your ad at no charge. Just provide the copy and we do the rest.
Scanning images- We will scan art or photographs you provide for $10 per scan. The best results come from quality photos, negatives, slides, or black-and-white line art.
Note to advertisers:
If you like, The Times will design and create your advertisement. Working from your ideas, Times designers can add the typefaces, graphic elements, borders, shading, images, and color necessary to make your message stand out. Except in unusual cases, there is no charge for this extra work, although modest fees may be added for photographs taken by Times photographers for advertisers. Each advertisement will be designed to be unique. Our designers do not copy for one advertiser the design elements, typefaces, or styles employed by other advertisers, and we do not discuss the advertising plans of our advertisers with other customers or the public.
