7 newspapers to inspire you in May

Every month, we put together a roundup to show all the creative ways our customers use newspapers. In this edition: an inventive marketing tactic for a new bakery,  a wedding newspaper that made guests cry and a guide to the trails and sights of California's Cuyama Valley. Keep scrolling for 7 newspapers to inspire you in May!

Time-travelling trade show

Seltzer and snack brand Hal's New York used newspapers as part of an immersive display at a recent trade show. Evoking their Brooklyn deli origins in the 1940s, they crafted a vintage-inspired setting to showcase their products – complete with a neon sign and newspaper dispenser stocked with digital tabloids:

“It's so fun to be able to design a physical piece in an increasingly digital world,” says creative agency Suite9c. “And the team at Hal's loved seeing their brand come to life in a new way!”

Bakery buzz

To promote their new cafe location during renovations, Stroud-based bakery Glazed came up with a creative marketing tactic. They covered the shop windows with custom newspapers, printed on our digital broadsheets. 

"People have been taking photos and it’s generated lots of interest in the new location!"

“People are enjoying reading it while waiting for their fish and chips next door,” says designer David Gerrans, who got some help from AI to produce enough copy to fill the newspaper. “The newsprint is thin enough to let light through, so it looks great at night with the lights on. People have been taking photos and it’s generated lots of interest in the new location!”

Towel tales

Plunge sells limited-edition beach towels designed by rising artists – or, in their words, “artwork you can sunbathe with.” This is the third issue of their newspaper, Plunge Rag. The digital mini introduces readers to the featured artists, who share a glimpse into their workspaces and creative processes.

"The newspapers feel like instant keepsakes."

“The texture and quality of newsprint is so beautiful,” says Plunge founder Jessica Thornton Murphy. “And it’s so rewarding to see how well photography translates to newsprint. The newspapers feel like instant keepsakes.”

Wedding welcome

“Wedding planning is an exhausting experience, so doing this fun, creative project in tandem took some of the stress off,” says Taryn Arnold Scott about creating a newspaper with her now-wife Cammie Arnold Scott. The pair included digital tabloids in their welcome bags to “create a special moment” for guests when they arrived for the weekend.

Inside are interviews with both of their parents about love, a People magazine-style spread  introducing their bridal party and a journal entry that Taryn wrote shortly after meeting Cammie, “just in case” they ended up getting married.

“Everyone loved it!” says Taryn. “I've heard it's now found permanent homes on friends’ coffee tables. It’s a great conversation starter and made a lot of our guests cry!” Designed by Becky Carveth.

Paper trail

Cuyama Buckhown is a restored roadside hotel in Cuyama Valley, a nearly 2-million-acre wilderness north of Santa Barbara, California. With so much to explore, they teamed up with Los Padres ForestWatch to produce this 56-page guide to the area.

"We’re selling the newspapers at the hotel and we’ve never had a product fly off the shelf like this before!"

The digital mini features detailed trail guides (with QR codes linking to geolocations), points of interest, local resources and a packing list for day-trippers. It’s the perfect size for rolling up and sticking in a rucksack to consult on the go.

“The project called for a very tactile look and feel,” says designer Kiana Toossi. “We’re selling the newspapers in our market at the hotel and we’ve never had a product fly off the shelf like this before. Everyone has been loving it!”

Sweet sheet

Vegan chocolate brand Kyoot brings its colourful and quirky world to life in The Kyoot Dispatch. Design agency Odds Studio took a playful approach to promote Kyoot’s values and range of chocolate bars, which are made with organic cacao and without refined sugars.

“Our client was very happy and customers love it,” says Odds Studio. “It's such a fun brand material – even people who didn’t know the brand asked us where they could get a copy of the newspaper!” Printed on our digital tabloids.

Pandemic perspectives

A Moment in Time is a documentary project from photographer George Zenko, chronicling the experiences of NHS workers in England during the pandemic. The digital tabloid pairs portraits of doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, porters and “anyone in the NHS who wanted to share their story” with handwritten notes about what it was like to work through the crisis.

“Much like the NHS in its current state, the newspaper is fragile” says George. “It's going to deteriorate over time unless looked after and cared for. It’s a visual reminder for anyone with a copy that the NHS needs protection and care, just like those working within it.” Designed by Roy Ferguson.

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