Graphic Design That Works

When people are young, they dream of the things they’ll have when they grow older: a nice house, luxury car, per-

haps a boat or farm or other place to escape to when the daily grind overwhelms them. Inevitably, exotic vacations

become part of the fantasy. Whether it’s an amenities-rich villa in Italy or a tropical beach on an island, many adults

save for the day when they can discover the finer things beyond the borders of their own town.

Travel & Leisure

fuels this wanderlust. American Express’s travel magazine presents travelogs of trips to places that

are attainable, yet dreamlike and gorgeous.

WHY IT WORKS:

Spectacular photographic collages tell the intriguing stories and fire readers’ imaginations. A simple layout sets a

quiet and marked pace that reminds readers it’s time to slow down.

Travel & Leisure

A Picturesque Guide to Luxury Travel

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above Covers usually feature photographs from stories

but, for the January 2001 issue, simple line art became

a cosmopolitan introduction to

Travel & Leisure’s

new

millennium. Modern type and illustrations appeal to

affluent, image-minded readers.

above Breathtaking scenes and vistas open most

issues. Here, the awe-inspiring size and hush of a

Marrakesh hall acts as a gateway to the June 2000 issue.

above In this issue, on the other hand, the photogra-

pher draws back for an aerial shot of a seascape in

southern France.

Graphic Design That Works

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The magazine’s audience is educated, affluent, and an

average of 45 years old—a crowd that may be adven-

turous but still appreciates comfort and luxury, says

creative director Pamela Berry.

“We pick places that are realistic to go to,” she says.

“We wouldn’t do a profile on a sacred trek through

Bhutan.” Instead, features are focused on how readers

can fill their days and nights during trips to cities and

tourist-friendly countryside—Canada’s Gulf Islands,

the south of France, the small towns of England. Em-

phasizing self-guided trips rather than bus tours or

package deals, articles often twist together the au-

thor’s own experience with the usual information

about accommodations and food.

The

Travel & Leisure

crowd is also one that cares a

great deal about what’s fashionable and stylish.

“There’s a big style aspect to the magazine,” Berry

says. Of course, its just as important to impress others

with your tales and photos of original vacation spots

as it is to enjoy the places while you’re there, so places

that are luxurious but still off the beaten path are fa-

vorites of these readers.

Adventure with Luxury

above , center, and left

Creative director Pamela

Berry is quick to point

out that feature layouts

come in packages—they

generally span six to

eight pages and don’t

allow for fractionals.

Images prevail even be-

yond the first couple of

spreads. In this feature

on Iceland, photos run

the gamut from scenes of

the picturesque, secluded

countryside to warm, vi-

brant images of city life.

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