1. Orderly, geometric designs obtain greater noting than cluttered elements.
2. Liberal use of white space attracts and holds more readers than crowding the elements.
3. Photographs obtain higher response than either drawings or paintings - except in the illustrations of women's fashions.
4. Illustrations featuring women, babies, flowers, or other items liked, worn, or used by women attract more female readers than male readers. Conversely, illustrations featuring men, automobiles, guns, and items generally liked, used, or worn by men attract more male readers than female readers. This is important to bear in mind when the target audience is either men or women.
   

1. The best position for noting and reading headlines is under the main illustration. The next best position is over the illustration. When there is no illustration, the headline should be set in large type above the copy in plenty of white space. Also, headlines set totally in capital letters will get less reading than headlines set in caps and lower case.
2. Headlines set in italics obtain less reading than headlines set in roman type.
3. Headlines set in one line - or, at the most, two - obtain more thorough reading than headlines set in three lines or more.
4. Headlines obtain less noting and reading when they are printed in so-called reverse type - light against dark. Headlines printed in dark on light obtain the highest noting and reading.
5. Headlines printed over part of an illustration obtain less response than headlines with nothing behind them -- unless suitable shadows or glows are employed. This applies as well to headlines crowded by other elements of the advertisement. The more "white space" around a headline, the better the headline will be noted and read.

Typography

1. Text set in short paragraphs has better reading than text set in lengthy paragraphs.
2. A short first paragraph is more likely to start the reading of the copy than a long first paragraph.
3. Serif versus sans-serif: Traditional video knowhow advised sans-serif fonts, but the advent of the computer has confused the issue. Generally speaking, if there is a great deal of content to be read, a serifed font will work better. The jury is still "out" on this one.
   
   
   
   
4. Text printed in reverse - or in light letters against a dark background - will usually obtain less reading than text printed in dark on light.
5. Long copy is more likely to be read when interspersed with subheads either in roman or italic letters set throughout its length and usually in boldface.
6. Setting an occasional word in text in italics or underlining tends to increase reading of the copy in general. However, setting the text totally in italics - or underlining it in toto - will definitely reduce the amount of attention given to it.
7. Using "white space" between paragraphs rather than having the text set solidly will obtain higher reading for the message.
8. "Widows" - or final lines of paragraphs that do not occupy full width of the column - tend to invite more reading of the copy than text in which every line, including the last line of every paragraph, is full width of the column.