The Biz vs. The Nuge

BuffaloRising vs. block club

While Buffalo Rising (the print and the web versions) redesigns themselves, yet again, I thought I would compare them to the new kids on the block- the block club (all lowercase, mind you). Both local magazines are pro-Buffalo booster clubs attempting to remain hipper that you, full of ads for Buffalo bizs with short articles, listings, review, etc, etc, - same audience, right?

Here ya go head-to-head....

Paper:
BR- Always seems to be printed on really crappy paper- and this is always going to be their design downfall. No matter how cool the pictures or covers are suppose to be, they are always flat and listless, with ink soaked up by the soft pulp it is printed on. I mean, I think the artvoice is on better paper, and it's newsprint for goodness sake!

bc- slick, glossy, beefy-- kind to the ink.


Photos:
BR- flat and murky.

bc- crisp and spunky.


Layout:
BR- Well, this is the best layout of their many incarnations, but I still have trouble telling the content from the ads. The new page size is interesting... I am not sure if it such an economical use of the printed sheet size though?

bc- Nifty in it's pocket sized self-- half an 8-1/2 x 11" layout. Maybe too much of a booklet-size to be taking at face value for a magazine...more like a show program.


Name (and the band its make me think about):
BR- Jim Morrison and the Doors, do I have to explain this....?..
bc- Bloc Party (I think they're communists, they have no 'k').

Content (articles):
BR- bc- Both could benefit from some professional journalism, and editing perhaps- but, hey, I've been there...


Overall graphic aesthetics:
BR- This attempt to translate the web into a printed piece, even now carrying over some article branding such as 'tags" and a list of the number of 'online comments'... I don't know about all this..? I mean, who cares how many people have commented online? Does this make the article "hotter' or make me what to read or care about the topic more? No.
bc- It's all a little too rounded. I am surprised they haven't die-cut the corners of the mag itself! But I should talk.. I am always designing with curves- often predicting them as "the future."


Cover:
BR- They haven't had a good one yet. The new tagline 'nothing happens here that's not on our screen' -- kinda lame. At least the cover paper stock is different that the interior- it's slicker and has a bit more punch. But then what's up with the gold laptops?
bc- single stock photo with the tagline cleverly written on the Popsicle stick. Nice colors, very eye appealing.


Lowlights-
BR- There is a story with photos on some dude doing tricks in a parking lot on his trick motorcycle (with 11 comments online!!!!!) and those little personality, online chat-buddy heads- yuck. Ans lastly, what is up with the type graphics accompanying the 2 music articles- the typefaces doesn't change in the entire mag until here, I don't think this was necessary, in fact it was a bad idea... what gives?
bc- Excessive layout curvature; the maps in back- ugh.


Highlights-
BR- An ad with Matt Quagliano in it (just kidding- that's not really a highlight, man that guy is all over), good intent, they have their own typeface.
bc- Photoshoot at the lake- very refreshing, some nice typography (including the headline in 'mustard'), it's san-serify (and I'm a san-serify guy myself).


Final 50 cent-
BR- Their new brand color, this maroon, makes them seem a little snooty actually, the gold laptops, the boast of 'nothing happens here that's not on our screen' ... Always seems too have many stories about buildings (but they get a lot of online comments- NOTE: the proposed Gate Circle Condos story probably has the most at 159!!!!), getting a little tired of the constant redesigns- find something good and stick with it!
bc- seems young and fresh- better design. The funny thing is, with the great color reproduction and slick photos- it looks like a higher end piece that the BR is trying to be.

The winner- whoever sells the most ads, right?